The FM was a fully manual 35mm SLR that was slicker, easier to use, just less fidgety and dare I say, less clunky than the earlier Nikkormat models (no offense to Nikkormats, I love them too!). The following year, Nikon released the FM2, a seemingly modest upgrade to 1977’s Nikon FM. And of all of them, I have found the Nikon FM2n to be arguably the most useful and practical for everyone from the student to the serious amateur to maybe even professionals, despite the fact that the FM2n is merely an upper tier consumer grade 35mm SLR. Rangefinders, view cameras, SLR’s, German, Japanese, American, Russian 35mm cameras made in the 1930’s to ones made in the 21st century. I have been shooting on various vintage 35mm cameras for almost 15 years. You know, the shutter doesn’t even sound particularly pleasing and it’s a SEQUEL for chrissake! I would really HATE this camera if it hadn’t turned out to be everything I needed! Images from Nikon FM2 Instruction Manual | It’s not particularly weighty or feels very authoritative in the hand like an F2 Photomic or even a cheap Nikkormat. There are no fun, quirky controls like the bottom-mounted film advance of an early Canonet or the Kombi-plunger of a Voigtländer Vitessa.

It doesn’t look very interesting with the external gears of an Argus C3 or clusters of finely milled knobs on a Barnack Leica.

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