Comments on FM2, FE2 and FM3A.

[benedium]

Aiya...
That's not what i meant also... see, its not easy to be 'entirely' accurate. First we are not all experts on photography. secondly we are not all experts on the english language. haha. What I thought KhoKhing was saying was that most who buy the FM whatevers are people who either wish to shoot manual or wish to collect something 'oldish' or retro... with more of a camera collector attitude than the average buyer of an F80. I am also tempted to get an FM whatever although I already got myself the D70 because I think it would be nice... for average superficial purpose of collection or just so i can not only shoot film, but also manual.

 

[Designer]

Ah! My FE2 has been 20 years old! Hope it keeps health for another 20 years

 

[tsjcsl]

FM2. For pure feel...
Had the FE2 for sometime. Ended up using auto most of the time. Figured I might as well use my F90x.

 

[CAMEDIA]

FM2. For pure feel...
Had the FE2 for sometime. Ended up using auto most of the time. Figured I might as well use my F90x.

Precisely, thats why I seem to fancy an old FM with MD-12 now more than my D70. The feel is entirely different, a different class on its own. :thumbsup: No fanciful bells and whistles...but somehow, I feel its more fun. :bsmilie:

 

[zguy]

S$700 is a very good price for FM3a. Are you sure you can find it at this price?

yes in fact i bought a 9 mth old FM3A for $650 from this BUY & SELL forum last year.

 

[ricohflex]

all 3 are good.
these are proper cameras.
not 1-year shelf life plastic digital wonders.

think about it.
FM2 intro how many years ago? is it 20 years?
it is still sought after today.
and still works solidly today same as the first day it was bought

think now about your digital SLR (not top-end model lah!, normal entry level or semi-advanced model)
will it be valued after 1 year? ok, how about 3 years later?
new higher MegaPixel digiams would have surfaced.
after 10 years will anyone even remember the digicam you have today?
not to mention want to buy it from you?

ah, the (N80?). I saw one. Pretty lousy!
It is not fit to be compared with FM2, FE2 and FE3A.
To me it is a piece of junk. A manufacturer-cost-cutter's dream.
A consumer's plastic nightmare with horrid stamped metal cord eyelets.
Other brands have similar mistakes.

But must explain I am not talking about $ and snobbishness.
Must explain. :sweat:
Because affordability and chance for all to enjoy photography is important.
What I am trying to say is that if you look around, can find a good condition FM2/FE2 second hand for about same price as N80 second hand.
So buy the FM2/FE2 for better build quality and it will also retain value for you longer if you wish to sell it later.

 

[cy_j]

FM2 for me.

 

[rayshade]

If only they can produce a FM2n into a digital version like the DG2 from leica
but with interchangable lenses. D lenses will become sought after. I will be most happy to get one any day. I miss rotating the aperture ring, the huge viewfinder and the split prism sadly absent in the D70. FM2, FE are true gems in their era and certainly dearly missed today.

 

[jocs]

I have a FM3A, love it very much except the meter still prefer the +/o/- type of FM2, why? (cannot deny the meter look classic and cool, apart from that...)

1.You need a very good eyes to see it clearly, and yes, if your object is a bit dark or you use it at night.... it's very hard to see. (in such case, use A mode)
2.Apart from that, the meter can only tell you as further as 1 second, anything beyond that will just shown as under expose..... but you will not have idea how many stop. (in such case, use A mode)

That is the only thing i don't like.

The thing that i like the most?

1.The A mode, it's perfect and better than my AF film body (F65 la, not high end model) and D70. Basically, most of the time your won't need to use Bulk. it can cater for few minutes of explosure. I tried once on A mode, it managed to open for 16 minutes!!! and it can go further, but i didn't test the limit. Cool Feature. My D70 only 30 seconds.
2.It's combination of FM2 and FE2. Best of both.


I was consider between FM2 and FM3A before bought it, I think i made a right choice, apart from the meter....it's perfect!!!!! and the A mode is something that FM2 don't have. FE2 i never consider before since i prefer mechanical.

 

[jamestan]

If only they can produce a FM2n into a digital version like the DG2 from leica
but with interchangable lenses. D lenses will become sought after. I will be most happy to get one any day. I miss rotating the aperture ring, the huge viewfinder and the split prism sadly absent in the D70. FM2, FE are true gems in their era and certainly dearly missed today.

They probably can... But only you and me and a few die-hards will buy... Not economically viaible.

I was looking at the Leica Digilux 2 some time ago, and drooling... If only I have the extra $$$.... Sigh.. It is sure a looker... Even if its performance is not as good as the newer DSLRs, its still good to hold and drool...

 

[buddy]

Obviously the FM3A is the better camera in terms of feature set. But putting things like usability and cost into the equation and maybe I am biased since I have one, but the FE is a good alternative to the FE2, FM2, FM3A.

TTL (which is avail for the FE2 and FM3A) for a small manual SLR might not be required for most photographers since it is meant to be small and handy in the first place. I am sure most people have other automatic bodies where TTL is standard. Also the ability to operate in batteryless mode is good but how many people truely shoot without a meter? The "pill type" batteries are cheap and last forever. My 2 cts.

 

[snowspeeder]

The FM3A was only produced in recent years right? So it should have the best of what the older cams had. We are comparing cams of a different gerneration with differnt price range. The common denominator here is that they are all manual cameras.

 

[d7t3]

ah, the (N80?). I saw one. Pretty lousy!
It is not fit to be compared with FM2, FE2 and FE3A.
To me it is a piece of junk. A manufacturer-cost-cutter's dream.
A consumer's plastic nightmare with horrid stamped metal cord eyelets.
Other brands have similar mistakes.

To me the F80 is NOT a piece of junk. True, it is made to a price, and it is largely plastic, but it isn't a consumer's nightmare.

Soft shutter, matrix & spot, flash exposure comp, on-demand grid... Not a museum piece or family heirloom, but a useful tool actually -- without breaking the bank.

I have used the FM2, FE2, FM3a and F80. All reliable and a pleasure to use. Should also add the FA: smoothest MF shutter I ever had, and with matrix metering!

Relative weaknesses of the MFs IMO:
FM2: + o - doesn't show exposure variation beyond +/- 1EV; only manual exposure mode
FE2: not fully mechanical and reputed to guzzle batts (?); AE-L not easy to press
FM3a: rewind knob has no safety catch; AE-L also not easy to press; expensive

 

[d7t3]

wah i just realised the age of this thread!! we don't let sleeping threads lie do we

 

[elixir]

Sorry to kaypoh.....since you are considering a classic for keeps........why dun you get a FM2/T? Rare, beautiful Titanium collectibles.....

 

[lsisaxon]

Ah! My FE2 has been 20 years old! Hope it keeps health for another 20 years

My FM2 is a gem. Titanium honeycomb shutter with 1/250s sync speed. The earlier titanium honeycomb batches were 1/200s and the later batches with 1/250 were all aluminium shutter.

 

[Tetrode]

My FM2 is a gem. Titanium honeycomb shutter with 1/250s sync speed. The earlier titanium honeycomb batches were 1/200s and the later batches with 1/250 were all aluminium shutter.

Not true.
Early batches of the FM2's where 1/200 with Titanium shutters. Then in 83/84, they redesigned the Titanium shutter (bec of cold weather reliability issues) and improved the flash sync to 1/250. The improved FM2 was then renamed FM2-n for new.

In 1988/89, they changed the shutter to the blades to the same aluminium ones on the F801/N8008 (possibly to save on manufacturing costs).

I've owned all three versions of the FM2. There is a difference in the honeycomb pattern of the Titanium shutter blades between the 1/200 sync version and the 1/250 version.

 

[Tetrode]

Relative weaknesses of the MFs IMO:
FM2: + o - doesn't show exposure variation beyond +/- 1EV; only manual exposure mode
FE2: not fully mechanical and reputed to guzzle batts (?); AE-L not easy to press
FM3a: rewind knob has no safety catch; AE-L also not easy to press; expensive

FE2 eats batteries? Never heard or experienced that one before. And I have three FE2s.
You are probably mixing it up with the FG which had a known issue with power consumption.

 

[lsisaxon]

Not true.
Early batches of the FM2's where 1/200 with Titanium shutters. Then in 83/84, they redesigned the Titanium shutter (bec of cold weather reliability issues) and improved the flash sync to 1/250. The improved FM2 was then renamed FM2-n for new.

In 1988/89, they changed the shutter to the blades to the same aluminium ones on the F801/N8008 (possibly to save on manufacturing costs).

I've owned all three versions of the FM2. There is a difference in the honeycomb pattern of the Titanium shutter blades between the 1/200 sync version and the 1/250 version.

Wow.. It must be really nice to have all three of the versions. I never knew the honeycomb patterns were different for the 1/200 models and the 1/250 models. I'll check to see if indeed mine is tagged with -n.

 

[Tetrode]

Wow.. It must be really nice to have all three of the versions. I never knew the honeycomb patterns were different for the 1/200 models and the 1/250 models. I'll check to see if indeed mine is tagged with -n.

I did at one stage, but I sold the 1/200 away. Actually, they are quite a rarity having only been made for a year or two only.

This difference in the shutterblade pattern is documented on the mir.com website...I think.