Nikon EM - I shot the cheapest manual-focus Nikon SLR out there! Is it any good?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- Hey! In this video, I go out and shoot the Nikon EM. Dismissed by many, it proves to be a great companion! So come with me to find out more about the baby Nikon!
0:00 Intro
0:53 The idea behind the EM
1:47 Design
2:25 Operation, buttons, viewfinder
3:23 The bad
4:48 The good
6:23 History of the EM series bodies
7:45 Night shots
8:19 Fun fact: About all those golden stickers
9:04 Verdict
10:38 Outro
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Many thanks to Flints Auctions for giving me permission to use their product photos in my video:
www.flintsauctions.com
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Here's where I develop my film:
www.kontrastlab.de
(This is no affiliate link or anything like that. I'm just very happy there's still a dedicated analog development & printing service in Cologne!)
My instagram:
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My photo & camera gear blog:
tomscameras.wordpress.com
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Score:
OSA Dress Code - Squadda B
Travel Nonstop - Squadda B
(Available at the UA-cam audio library) - Розваги
I remember when the EM came out. Before then, there was no "affordable" Nikon gear for the consumer. They made only pro-grade cameras and lenses and they were not cheap. When they first came out, the joke was to ask if the new camera would float in the bath tub like a child's toy. (We told the same joke when the Glock pistol first arrived in the U.S.) The E Series lenses used a lot of plastic in the bodies, and someone started a rumor that Nikon had used plastic elements, which was not true. All of the E lenses were optically great, with the exception of the 28mm which was only so-so. Galen Rowell used the E Series 75-150 f3.5 to shoot his iconic image of a rainbow in Tibet which continues to sell long after his death. My favorites are the 50mm and 100mm E's.
I love this little camera, and have bought them for as little as $20 USD body only, and $50 USD with a lens. I enjoy taking one along in situations where I want to have a camera, but where something more expensive might get damaged. I used one off and on for years before ever reading the manual, and had been changing the ASA dial to do exposure compensation. About a year ago I found out what the little silver button on the front was for! I keep one in my film camera bag in case something happens while shooting with my F100.
Yes, it's a tough little camera, the EM, despise its plastic shell. I'm really amazed that I like it so much! The 28mm was a bit of a letdown, because I really enjoyed shooting it - these small 28's are just so versatile! But the shots definitely lack some corner sharpness and you are right: Better use another 28mm Nikkor!
I'm currently shooting the Nikon F3 for another Nikon review and actually to set the exposure compensation on the F3 is basically the same as setting the ISO. It's just they printed another scales on the same dial and added another fiddly lock button to it :p
"So-so" is being too kind. The Series E 28mm is to other Nikon prime lenses what the 43-86mm zoom was to other Nikon zooms: The worst of the worst.
My 28 E i very good, but the diaphragm blades on my 35/2.8 literally fell apart while I was shooting. Nikon redesigned the 43-86 zoom and later editions are very good. The 75-150 Series E is one of my favorite lenses and I had the AI rabbit ears metering prongs put on one of mine so that it could be used on older cameras.
The EM with the pancake 50/1.8 Series E is an excellent street photography camera.
My first camera from back in the early 80's - still have it and works like new.
That's so cool that you still kept and enjoy it!
That Nikon EM looks in really good shape. Really nice camera..
Yes, I was lucky to get this camera, it used to belong to the stepfather of an old friend from school days. And apparently it wasn't used a lot!
Tom, I shot my first wedding a looong time ago with this camera. The family still has my work decorating their home.
That's so great! I like that a lot about photography: You can preserve life-long memories!
Thanks for reviewing this rather obscure and forgotten camera! I considered buying one in 1983 as it was one of the few SLRs within my budget. But I was put off by the lack of manual control (as you mention). I did consider using the ASA dial as a kind of exposure compensation, but decided that I'd rather have a camera with true manual mode. Watching your video brought back that time and gave me a warm glow of nostalgia. Keep these great videos coming!
Thank you very much! I bought my first Nikon (used) in 1991 when I was around 16 years old and earned my first money in a supermarket. :) I was thinking to scrape my money for something super-modern like a Canon EOS 1000, but some friends pointed me towards the big secondhand camera flea markets that were organised back then all over the country.
And everyone said, stay away from the Nikon EM, it's too basic, only for "amateurs" ... better get a "real" Nikon … so in the end I got a used Nikkormat which was excellent. But also super heavy! But hey I was young, what did I care about size or weight! :)
Today I see it differently and I think the EM has earned its place in camera history and it's just a light-hearted, fun-to-use camera!
Good review, The EM was my first SLR back in 1979, and I just bought a used one, will probably do my own video of it, but I loved the camera back then and can't wait to put some film through it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your feedback! I'll have to check out your videos as well!
Thanks,, this is a delight to use!!!
Yes, I absolutely agree. I still love to shoot the EM, despite my Nikon FM2. :)
Very informative! I love this video and if that's your home town, it's beautiful! Thanks so much for the review!
Thanks a lot! The town where we shot this video is by the way Tilburg in the Netherlands!
An EM with the Series E 50 mm f/1.8 was my first good camera, and it was a joy to shoot and produced excellent quality photographs, within its limitations. I later bought a Series E 100 mm f/2.8, and a week later, they were both stolen. I replaced my EM with an FM, but I never replaced the 100 mm lens. I still miss both the EM and the Series E 100 mm f/2.8
The series E 100/2.8 is really a little gem yes! And while I love the „better“ Nikons, I am by now a real EM convert. Sometimes the simple yet smart products are just so nice!
Yes! Everything is going to be alright.
Thanks for the uplift.
I got that camera, because of its looks, (that 'EM" on the prism, looks so cool. Even better looking, with a 50/1.4).but it is actually a fun, no worry, camera to use. Same with the two FGs.
Thanks again, for showing us around the other side of the pond.
Stay safe.Peace
Thanks for your comment and feedback! I believe in the power of uplifting things :)
... and yes: Nikons always look better with f/1.4 lenses!
In contrast to Olympus, where I feel that the OM Zuiko 50/1.8 actually is a little bit better / sharper than their f/1.4, I had both the Nikkor f/1.4 and f/1.8's and the f/1.4's always had the edge in sharpness. From around f/2.8 and lower, it doesn't really matter anymore. Then all these 50's are fantastic!
Nice review! The EM was my first Nikon in the early 80’ths. Over the years i bought the motor, flash and several E series lenses. I still use the camera. The EM was upgraded to the superfast (yes still is 2021) FE2, great camera for sunny days or with the SB-16. Then it was the F3, the most rugged and versitail camera I ever have owned. EM, FE2, F3 almost always loaded with film and ready for use depending on mode, weather or situation. However, the EDC i still my Contax T3.
Very nice cameras, I love all of the models you mention!
By the way, I just recently realised that the little EM and the superb F3 really have some small things in common design-wise ... for example that the shutter button is located in the center of the film advance spool. :)
Just got my hands on one , mint condition, looking forward to using it, after seeing your image's I have high expectations, great rundown on the camera great video too.
Congrats on a nice little camera! I hope you'll have a lot of fun with it!
Great Video, thanks for sharing
Thanks Tony! Hope you're doing well and have a good time!
That EM is in great nick! Excellent review! I must say, I'm one of the people who dismissed the EM and went for the FM, in 1981. As you know, I recently bought one online and am enjoying the reunion.
Yes! Back then, I also dismissed the EM. My first Nikon in 1991/1992 was a used Nikkormat and then the original Nikon F. They both were totally dated when I got them but I deeply loved them and used both until my full transistion to digital (= Canon EOS D60 ...)
Today maybe we just see film cameras like the EM with different eyes. So, sometimes this little camera with its light-hearted approach to photography proves to be great fun!
Now I got the Nikon FM (once the Nikon virus is back, impossible to fight ...) and as you know, stumbled upon your great FM review video and your channel in general!
Thanks for the review , I had an EM back in 1979 , and it got me into photography , I preferred it to the Pentax K 1000 , as the E m had a full shutter speed display in the viewfinder , the K 1000 just had a very basic plus minus exposure display .
Yes, the K1000 is a pretty basic beast. They had a KM and a K2 which offered more features, and of course also there was the Pentax MX. But I guess that back in the day, all those were also more expensive than a Nikon EM.
Great camera! I commandeered my mom's in the late '80s and still have it. It got me through photography classes and also used it extensively when my Nikon FE broke, although fixed now.
Great to hear that your Nikon EM served you so well! Do you still use it sometimes?
@@tomscameras I haven't used in a while actually. But I need to after I finish the film on my Nikon FE and my vintage Leica. But I will use it next! I also have the original carrying case and the flash that was mated to that camera. This camera was much more accurate than my Pentax MV, which is also aperture priority. Yes I got you so using the ASA ring to compensate exposure.
Nikon did offer cheaper cameras from way back; the Nikkorex series was always subcontracted to other makers to conserve their own production capacities. Then the "affordable" range became the Nikkormat using off-the-shelf shutters, and finally it became Nikon-branded as the FM/FE series, which were basically miniaturized versions of the FT3 and ELW respectively. And then came the EM/FG models.
The Nikkorex were really low-budget models, oh yes. But as you said, not produced by Nikon themselves. The Nikkormat and FM/FE are one step down compared to the single-digit professional F series, but they're not really entry-level amateur bodies. So the EM/FG were the first true Nikon entry in that amateur market!
I've just bought one this morning 🙂 80€ like quite new !
I owned it in 80's it was a nice camera actually, compact and efficient. A cheap gate to Nikon universe.
Nikon EM... Less is more, isn't it ? 🤗
Oh what a coincidence! Congrats! 80 Euros is a great price. What lens did you get with it?
I'm also led to understand that the mirror automatically locks up when using the 'B' setting (e.g. on a tripod) to prevent camera shake.
The mirror locks up when you use the self-timer! That’s what you mean, presumably. And yes it’s a great simple feature against camera shake on a tripod!
@@tomscameras Sorry, yes, that is what I meant. Oops!
I fly for a living so I normally bring either my Leica M2, or my Nikon F2 along in my flight bag. I decided to grab my Nikon EM for this current trip I'm on. I've had it for about 4 months, but this is my first time using it. So far I'm shocked at just how much I like it. I love the small size and it's perfect for just walking around and shooting without giving much thought. I bought an FG, but haven't shot it yet either. Great video.
I also really, really always preferred my bigger Nikons so far, until I got this EM and shot with it! It's such a nice small body!
My video about the FG is coming up in two days. Hope you'll gonna check it out as well!
@@tomscameras I'll definitely check it out. I like the control the FG offers, but as silly as it sounds, I like the shutter sound of the EM over the FG. My FG has almost a robotic sound if that makes sense.
Good review, I have 2 in my collection, I have subscribed.
Many thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate it! I'll post another Nikon video pretty soon, about the Nikon FM :)
Just bought a EM today with a roll of Pro400H. Excited to shoot with it. It'll be a tad smaller and light than my Nikon f4 LOL Great video!
Gorgeous, also the film stock you're using! As for "big iron", I totally loved my original Nikon F and later the fat boy D1x and D2x for many years! Hope you'll have a lot of fun with the little EM!
I am looking forward to your Exakta VX 1000 review Tom!.
Yeah, I just found one.
I have already started with it :)
@@tomscameras Good to be ambidextrous, but unless I leave my left thumb on advance lever.... Aí Chihuahua.
Great review. What B&W film were you shooting? Great photos. Excellent contrast. I stumbled upon a mint EM w/winder and several E Series lenses and love it. Aesthetically and ergonomically it’s compelling and I’ve been a Nikon shooter for 50 years. It doesn’t replace my F and F2, but it is sure fun to point and shoot.
Thanks! I used Kodak T-Max 100 in this video!
GREAT REVIEW WITH PICTURES VIDEO! SUBBED!!
Many thanks!!
Excellent video. The camera looks really nice. I personally prefer Olympus OM10 with manual adapter.
I also love Olympus a lot and use my OM-1's as my main 35mm setup. Good that you have the manual adapter for your OM-10, then it is a lot of fun!
Your camera appears to be in excellent condition, almost like it just came from the factory. Good for you.
Yes, it is in a very nice condition. Actually it belonged to the stepfather of an old school friend. Apparently he didn't use it a lot!
Pentax MX + SMC focal lengths offers more options for 35mm photography.
I absolutely love my Pentax MX, it's one of the very few cameras where i have more than one! But it was a more upmarket & expensive camera back then and it still is today ... sure you can be happy and find a bargain but it's still easier to find a bargain Nikon EM in my opinion! I think the more direct competition would be the Pentax ME, and ME Super. I still have to make a video about the ME Super. It's a fantastic camera!
Overall, I would still guess it's easier to find Nikon lenses, if you want anything other than the standard 28, 50, 135, etc. ... it's sometimes much easier to find a special focal length or lens speed in Nikon than in Pentax!
I always liked my EM. But no one else does. I got it for $5 from the 'junk box' at a local camera store, with the battery grip. Sadly something happened one day while winding, the film somehow got caught in the shutter and destroyed it. I actually was using it more than my FE. I have an FG and FG20, for some reason I liked the EM better. Maybe because it was so simple
A pity that the shutter blades got damaged. But I think that was just bad luck! Yes, actually I tried the FG and found that I also prefer the EM, even though the FG is "better"! These are great little cameras and I also think they're more durable than most folks would guess!
I just love the way you have to make a point that it's "Manual Focus"! 😅🤣😆
Since photography was "Invented" and experiments began in the 1820's, all actual Cameras were "Manual Focus". The gimmicks of "Auto-focus" didn't really appear in any numbers untill the 1990's. And those, just like today, were worthless!
Every single "Auto-focus" Cameras I've ever used have the bizzar habit of not knowing just where to focus! So..... they "hunt around"! It's as if the camera is asking: "Do you want me to focus here, on this? Or over here, on that?
Absolutely worthless electronic technology! Until the camera can some how READ MY MIND and thus know exactly WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON!
So....... no thanks. I'll just turn the focus ring myself! Just like my Grandfather taught me to do when I was 9 years old.
Once I showed my Exa 1c to a friend and after about 15 minutes of discussing every detail of that super basic mechanical camera, he asked: and where do the batteries go? I said there ain’t no batteries. He was totally surprised that this is even possible!
So i realize there are many newbies who never dealt with a mechanical camera om(or any other gadget …) and that is why I try to make sure everyone gets what it’s about 😀
I do find auto focus useful. It’s a relatively new technology that needs to be mastered. A lot of sports and especially amazing wildlife photos wouldn’t be possible without it. (Even though I did get super sharp pictures of flying dragonflies with manual focus as well.) So I won’t condemn auto focus per se. Still love manual focus cameras much more. I even love to shoot cameras without light meter! It’s just so nice to be able to master it all with simple tools!
Really well done video! I would like some advice. I just found these two Mitakon lenses, a 28mm and a 70-210 (mounted on the Nikon EM). Can I easily mount them on my D5600 (obviously losing all the automatic mechanisms and the exposure meter) without causing damage?🤣 Thanks
Every Nikkor lens that was made (except a few old ultra wide angle lenses) will fit your D5600. Having said that, old third party lenses sometimes deviate slightly from the original specifications and in very rare cases then there can be trouble mounting it on a DSLR. I don’t know your two lenses but if they did work without any flaw on the EM I would think they also will mount on the D5600 without a problem.
Maybe you just have a look before you mount it if there are any things that look different on the Mitakon lens (any sort of protuding screws or lever or the like) when compared to an old original Nikkor lens.
Every Nikkor lens that was made (except a few old ultra wide angle lenses) will fit your D5600. Having said that, old third party lenses sometimes deviate slightly from the original specifications and in very rare cases then there can be trouble mounting it on a DSLR. I don’t know your two lenses but if they did work without any flaw on the EM I would think they also will mount on the D5600 without a problem.
Maybe you just have a look before you mount it if there are any things that look different on the Mitakon lens (any sort of protuding screws or lever or the like) when compared to an old original Nikkor lens.
Bought one new as a backup camera to my Nikon F's Still have it. Works well and the lightnes/size , Makes it attractive to use. 50mm lens is Surprisngly good.
The 70-150 E series Zoom I'm not fond of. Not as sharp. Harder to focus and the Slide Zoom tube is affected by gravity.
Any time the Camera of moved off horizontal the zoom changes as the tube slides by gravity alone. Similar issues with the Nikkor Zooms though.
Was a great snapshot camera.
BUT..... a Phone makes for a MUCH more convenient 'snapshot' camera.
And now that Kodachrome is extinct...Film cameras are ONLY attractive for B& W work.😉
Hehe, yes - smartphones are used most often these days because they are so good. Still, I don't see it as a competition - I'm currently much more happy and satisified with my analog photos than digital or even smartphones. Both handling the analog camera is more fun to me, and I love some of the results that I get. Photography is a very subjective, personal thing, and there's a million of different options.
And yes, 99% of my analog photography currently is in black & white :)
your photos are incredibly sharp! what method did you use to scan them?
I use a digital camera (Fuji X) and macro lens and place the negatives on a light table.
That exposure comp button. Do you have to press and hold while taking the shot. Or can you just press it once then shoot ?
You have to press and hold!
Hi, I am planing to get me an EM for its compact size and little weight as well as for its easy handling. At min. 10:20 you mentioned the use of a black and white film for the EM. So can you recommend the EM especially for black and white films?
Best regards!
Hey! Actually no, the EM is also perfect for color film! It’s just that I personally love to shoot analog black&white. But that doesn’t have to do anything with the camera! Wish you good luck when looking for an EM!
Thanks for the review. Quick question. When the battery is dead you mentioned it can still work by following the sunny16 rule and switching it to m90. How then would I be able to adjust properly since there's no way to control the shutter speed? I see that it's currently inbetween 60ss and 125ss, is that what I need to work with? Thank you.
When you set it on M90, it will shoot at exactly 1/90 second. So without batteries, you'll only have this one shutter speed (and B for night shots). But: You can still adjust the aperture!
For example, if you are using an ISO 100 film, you just use sunny 16 as normal, the difference between 1/90 or 1/100 is too small to matter.
If you are using an ISO 200 film: You can't select 1/200 manually, but you can close down the aperture by one extra stop! (so in bright sunlight, instead of f/16 you'll use f/22, and so on ...)
Other way round: You shoot ISO 50 film, open the aperture by one stop (in bright sunlight, use f/11 instead of f/16, and so on ...)
So that's how you can use sunny 16 with the Nikon EM without batteries.
@@tomscameras Ah amazing thanks so much for confirming this for me! Really appreciate it.
5:40 How do the photos come out if you shoot in the AUTO mode after the batteries have died? Do the M90 and B settings work with battery or only without?
Auto mode & exposure meter only works with batteries. Both M90 and B work without!
I read elsewhere that when the batteries are dead/missing Auto mode shoots at 1/1000. I’m shooting my first roll through it (and ever) so we’ll see if any of the pictures come out. Thank you for your video and the reply!
@@tscardinal yes … the trick is to switch to M90 when the battery dies :) because then the camera is forced to shoot at 1:90s!
What would you consider the best (as in easy to use and maintain) nikon film camera to use for a new/returning film shooter, considering they have lots of ai/s glass?
If money is no object, for AI / AI-s lenses: the Nikon FM2!
The reasons being that it's not only a very durable, all-mechanical body, but also was made until 2001, so there are still plenty of pretty "young" cameras out there. Beware thouogh that many FM2's have been beaten to death, but then you can spot that very often: The bodies with a lot of wear, dents in the metal, etc.
If you don't want to spend the money that an FM2 fetches today: Have a look at the Nikon FE, FM and FE2 as well. The FE series has an automatic shutter like the Nikon EM but they're also pretty durable bodies and very nice in use.
Personally I'd look for a Nikon FM if on a budget.
An alternative would be a NIkkormat series. Built like a tank, but they're getting old today and many today have issues with metering due to the internal construction and the age.
Tilburg 😍
Yes!! 🤩
and, by the way, there's a cool exhibit in Tilburg next weekend! I'm also going to see it:
www.tilburgers.nl/fotografie-leeft-expositie-show-tilburg-aan-de-wereld/
Please what batteries does this camera take?
Either use two SR44 (they’re better cause they will last longer in a camera than LR44 which, if necessary, will also work). Or use one single CR1/3N battery.
Great Channel Dear 😊 New Friends
Thanks!
I got the fg mint for 40bucks.
That’s a bargain! Have fun with it, an awesome camera!
Why are your photos black and white? I'm pretty sure it shoots in color. Or is there a black and white only film?
Yes I am very often shooting analog with black&white film. As the name says, such a roll of film does not record any color at all. So when you use it, you're making a decision that all your pictures that you take on this film will be all black&white!
Well, the EM is not the cheapest Nikon on the market. Look to the N60 or N65 for some cheapies.
Yes, you're right: The N60 (F60 outside the US) and a lot of other basic AF bodies can be found even cheaper. I was referring to manual-focus bodies with my statement. So I'll add "MF" to the headline. 😇