Nikon FM10 35mm SLRs

Nikon FM10 35mm SLRs 

DESCRIPTION

If you want total manual control, the FM10 is a great choice. Select shutter speed and aperture. Use manual film advance and rewind manually. The Center-weighted light meter guides you towards a great exposure, but you have options to do it on your own. You focus manually and preview depth-of-field to see the image quality and sharpness. It's 100% your choice – a great way to learn and build confidence.

USER REVIEWS

Showing 11-20 of 86  
[Dec 03, 2002]
Brent
Expert

Strength:

Everything

Weakness:

dim viewfinder

I am quite happy with this camera. After using a very expensive automatic minolta camera, I found that the FM10 just takes better pictures, and you really get a feel because it's all manual. Sure, the viewfinder is a little dark, but there really isn't anything wrong with it.

Similar Products Used:

Hoya and quantaray filters, Vivitar 75-300 telephoto, Vivitar 49mm Macro, Zenitar Fish-Eye,

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Nov 21, 2002]
bc925
Casual

Strength:

• compatible with most lenses • very good weight for long hand-held exposures • very minimal camera shake • B setting (use a tripod and cable release) • Easily remove film keeping tab out of the canister • accurately insert film and start at the middle of the roll • you buy the body with a standard Nikkor 35-70mm lens • DOF button

Weakness:

• need time to focus • simple light meter (which could be a strength as well)

The Nikon FM10 was the first SLR camera I bought. Point and shoots were quite satisfactory for me up until the time I decided to take phototgraphy more seriously. I also own a Nikon F65 (N65 if you purchase it in the US). The F65 is great, especially when I take wedding pictures of my friends and relatives. But if I have the luxury of taking the time to focus and compose my shots, I will not hesitate to use the FM10. Sure, it has a dim viewfinder. The buttons are plastic. But if they work well, why complain? The plain and simple truth is that I take better pictures with my FM10 than my F65. I have total control and I immediately know precisely what I did wrong. Bracketing is so easy. The FM10 can easily use manual and autofocus lenses. I use the B setting a lot so a tripod and cable release is essential. The beauty of the FM10 is that it can work without batteries. The batteries are used only for the built-in light meter. I've been using this camera for the past 7 years and up til now, I haven't changed batteries yet. And I've taken a whole lot of pictures already. The weight is just right. It's heavy enough to take long exposures handheld. Camera shake when the shutter is released is minimal. If you use the timer, the mirror flips up right away, so when the exposure is taken, even more of the camera shake is eliminated. You can even set the timer to go off in as short as 3 seconds. I really don't care what other people say, whether they are amateurs, intermediate ore professional photographers. I love this camera. And I would highly recommend it to photographers of any level.

Customer Service

Local authorized service center

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F65, Nikon F3, Minolta 505, Canon AE1

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 02, 2002]
Jeremy
Casual

Strength:

-Price! -Nikon lens compatibility -Metal lens mount. Cool! My Rebel 2000's is plastic! -DOF preview -Infinite multiple exposures -Mechanical shutter -Manual operation -Metal insides -Simple, easy to use, all functions are readily accessible.

Weakness:

-Piddly light meter. I wish it said how far off you are. -Kinda cheap looking plasic buttons. Can't be that bad, though. My whole Rebel 2000 is made of plastic and it's just fine. -Not as solid as FM3a. That one is my fav, but at $700 it's out of my range. -Using a flash with it would take some time to learn, but would be very rewarding, I'd bet.

I've been on the lookout for a nice manual camera to take long exposures with. I wore out my batteries in my Canon Rebel 2000 making star trails last time, and CR2's are expensive. And, more seriously, I'm getting to feel I can't trust the focusing on my lenses, especially when I want to focus on infinity. That and the basic 28-80 Canon lens is crap. It has lead me to consider manual focus cameras, which brings me to the FM-10. I haven't actually bought the camera yet, but I work at a camera store and have plenty of time to play with it. The buttons and switches may all be plastic, but the body feels like it can handle the worst of what I'd be able to throw at it. I've also looked at used cameras, some of which cost about the same, and don't include lenses. Whereas on this one there's a lens included. It's also a Nikon, so even new Nikon lenses will work with it. I'm even beginning to consider the possibility of defecting from Canon to Nikon for this very reason. That and maybe the ribbing I get at work for being the only Canon user ;-) Just kidding! Seriously, I think the strengths of the Nikon system are beginning to rub off on me, though. Accuracy of the meter, sharpness of the lens and stuff like that have not been determined. Maybe I'll run some film through the thing at work, see how it does. Otherwise, I think this one will be the winner.

Customer Service

Good question...

Similar Products Used:

Canon Rebel 2000. An old Vivitar manual with a thread mount. Basic Vivitar point-and-shoot.

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 12, 2002]
Arjuno Solo
Beginner

Strength:

Metal not a plastic ! If anybody said a plastic, I am sure not a "made in japan". No batteries ...independent use.

Weakness:

No flash kit.

The good camera for beginner and want be a profesional photograper. User can`t switch to auto mode. You can create the art original from your hand.

Customer Service

-

Similar Products Used:

-

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 02, 2002]
bill
Intermediate

Strength:

Light Weight Metal body Compact comes with a good quality zoom depth of field preview lever

Weakness:

none

The Nikon Fm-10 is the best kept secrect in the world of photography. Contrary to what the tyros who appear to have polycarbonate phobia have to say, this is awell made camera. When you consider the cost which includes a good 35-70 Nikkor zoom and a camera case you can not go wrong.Also, this is not an all plastic camera. The body is made of metal as are many of its internal parts,not to mention the metal lens mount. I admit it's not an FMA but it does not deserve some of the negative comments I've read here. I've used this camera for 2 yrs and have had no problems with it. It light, compact, and fun to use . the photos are sharp. I have owned many Nikons and presntly Have an F-100 and N6006.

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2,Nikon 6006,Nikon 8008, Nikon EM,Minolota SRT100, Nad Nikon F100.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 28, 2002]
sridhar reddy
Beginner

having been bitten by the shutterbug a couple of years ago, and being totally illeterate about camera systems, i opted for the FM10 becoz it seemed to be the only one in my budget. well, after a year's use i am still questioning my decision. sure it tought me the basics of photography in teh way that only a manual camera can. and i would have been happy with it had not the metering been consistently overexposed. and worse, the shutter curtain broke one fine day and nikon bombay repaired it. alas, a few reels later, the problem recurred. and this time i had no warranty coverage to repair it. repair estimate was $140. half price of what i paid to buy it. so it sits gathering dust now. and i've bought the superior N80 to keep clicking. would i do it again? dunno. i should have opted for a used FM2 i guess.

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
3
[Jul 03, 2002]
Macbeth
Intermediate

Strength:

Multiple-exposure lever "B" setting (buy a cable release) Lets you use Nikkor optics Isn't battery-dependent

Weakness:

Poor light meter - won't meter in very low light. The bundled lens is really only sharp at f/8 or smaller, although it's fine for 4x6 prints. Plastic. Dim viewfinder. Won't support a motor drive. Won't support TTL flash.

The FM-10 is simply not a terrific camera. The viewfinder is dim, the bundled lens is woefully inadequate for 8x10s, it's cheaply made, and the meter is horrible in low light. However, and this is a big however, the FM-10 gives you access to superb Nikkor optics with the modest initial price of $300 or so at your local camera store. Used manual-focus nikkor lenses are amazingly cheap on eBay, and they're some of the best lenses ever made. In short, if you're good and your lenses are good, no camera is going to stop you from taking good pictures. It isn't the best-built camera in the history of the world, but if you don't abuse it it will keep working almost indefinitely. I've used mine in rain, snow, snow and howling wind, took it kayaking, rock climbing. . . actually, I've used it in almost every possible adverse condition and it's still clicking away admirably.

Customer Service

Never needed it.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM-10 Zeiss Ikon

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jun 04, 2002]
Barnsley
Beginner

Strength:

Versatile (accepts all Nikon lenses except G-series). Cheap. Durable. Reliable. Terrific photos . People with point-and-shoots think you're a pro.

Weakness:

Suspect finish (expect damage from tripod)

When I bought my FM-10 in October last year, I had no idea about photography. The closest I'd come to anything technical camerawise was winding on a disposable. I was looking for an all-manual camera because, as someone mentions in another review, it would force me to learn the ins and outs of photography. I've since taking some stunning shots using the supplied 35-70mm Nikkor lens. It is easy to use, fairly versatile as far I as can make out, and the price allows the purchase of more goodies to stick on to it. I've since bought an 80-205 Albinar auto-zoom which does the job very nicely thank you very much. I don't know much about cameras. But I've read good reports from professional photographers who carry an FM-10 as a second camera as it is light and practical. If you don't want to spend an arm and a leg (God knows Nikon system is expensive) then the FM-10 is a great entry-level camera for a beginner. No automatics here, at least not for the time being.

Customer Service

None.

Similar Products Used:

None.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 22, 2002]
PINNOLA
Intermediate

Strength:

Chep, accept all Nikon lens, lightweight, simple.

Weakness:

Not a robust camera. Not for professional uses, but I have used it in some professional works with no problems at all.

It´s a simple and lightweight camera. Perfect for travels. I used to took photos every month since 1997 and only in 2001 I had to fix a little part of the mechanism that advance de film.

Customer Service

Ok

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2, F3, FM

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[May 19, 2002]
bogrod
Expert

Strength:

Great beginner camera, where you have to LEARN photography and cannot resort to program or semi-automatic modes!

Weakness:

Build quality is indeed questionable, but buy an old Nikon F or FM-2 if you''re looking for something built like a tank!

Questioning the build quality is for sure one way of easily tearing this camera to shreds in terms of offering a review for this Nikon product. However, how many of us need a camera built like the old Nikon F? Pros for sure - but an amateur like me who lives in the burbs? Hogwash! I got into photography with this camera, and won an award 6 months after starting my photographic efforts with a major Detroit newspaper using an old beat up Nikkor UD 20mm f/3.5! It''s the skill of the camera user that really counts. I didn''t expect much out of paying $299 for the camera and lens, and I for sure believe in the theory that you get what you pay for. But, for a beginner photographer - why invest a whole lot of bucks if you aren''t even sure you''ll enjoy picture taking?

Customer Service

None..

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FA, MD-15, SB-15, Nikkor 50mm f/1.2, Nikkor 35-70 f/3.3-4.5, Sigma 75-300 f/4-5.6 (push pull version), Nikkor UD 20mm f/3.5, Nikkor 60mm AF f/2.8

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 11-20 of 86  

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