This is a great video. I shoot digital photography but took an interest in film cameras. I’m a proud owner of a pair of FG’s. An FG and an FG-20. I paid less than $100 for the pair, and after cleaning and adding fresh light seals they both work like new ones. With the right film, they produce images that are hauntingly beautiful. Digital is convenient and easy, but film cameras deserve a place in modern photography. It makes me happy to see others feel that way, so that film can live on in a digital world.
I got an FG when they first came out and then sold it several years later when I realized that I was carrying THAT camera and leaving the F2's and F3's at home. A few months later, I bought a replacement FG. The size and features make it a practical camera to carry when I don't want to lug around F-series cameras with motor drives. I currently have 2 of the FG's and have no doubts that they'll be working long after my DSLR's and the batteries they use are obsolete. Thanks for an excellent video on an excellent and often under-appreciated camera!
Found a black FG in the closet, left by a long-time friend. Mirror was up, but came down when setting the M90 on the shutter speed dial. Ordered some LR44. Will run a test film next week! Thanks for these videos!!
I bought one of these back in 1985 along with a Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 zoom lens, and Nikon SB-15 flash for my wife. She expressed an interest in photography but didn't want to fiddle around all the time with manual exposure and flash settings. It had full programmed auto, aperture auto, and full manual exposure setting capability, along with TTL flash metering with the SB-15 flash unit. Her and I were in a camera club at the time and she took many fine photographs with hers (including some contest winners). Spent many pleasurable photo outings together. Frankly I didn't feel the FG was quite up to the build quality of the 'pro/semi pro' level Nikon film SLR cameras but it served her well, is still going strong, and I passed it on to my granddaughter. Good examples of these are going for very reasonable prices it is a fine little camera.
Nice! I agree that they're not up for the hard work of, say, photojournalism or the like, but many FGs are still going today and are great for carrying around and using regularly. Good choice to give to your granddaughter.
Thank you so much. I just started learning photography and have a nikon FG as well. This video helped a lot and i will definitely be watching your 2nd video soon to know how to use this beautiful baby!
My FG was an eBay purchase over a decade ago when I was going crazy grabbing barely working or fixer-uppers up and down the Nikon F line. Wanted to get one of each and learn repair and turn them all into usable cameras. The FG hasn’t been touched since except for when I go through the box and rediscover I have some great old cameras! It is time to start talking with camera repair folks and get them working!
Thanks David, I'm getting ready to sell some of my film cameras (yes, I'm afflicted with G.A.S), including this one. I had the problem of the shutter locking up until I put it in the M90 or B mode, then the shutter would release. Knowing you would probably have a video with the solution I came here and found the problem of the no battery/no shutter release. Problem solved. Thing is, I did put batteries in, but for some reason the juice wasn't getting to the electronics until I took them out and reinserted them (the batteries are new). Ah, the joy of old cameras! Thanks for your help... again!
Took a chance on a "broken" fg for $20 (jammed shutter) hoping it was just a flat battery. Even better it turned out the battery had been removed and the camera worked perfectly !! Even had the grip that's almost always missing. Had some rubbish lens on it though so had to hunt ebay for 6 months for an e series 50mm, finally found one stuck to a broken n2000 for $60 so just needs new light seals now and good to go for $80. It's so small and light and easy to use I just love it. Okay it's missing a DOF preview but you can always bracket a few shots.
Great video. I learned a lot. I must add that was a clever use of that old orange sleeping bag to add a colorful backdrop to your video composition. I am now a subscriber!
I have just been given one of these plus three additional lenses. by my brother in law, i collect film cameras, it seems a nice little camera. Will have to order some new cells for it and give it a try.
Hi David, I have a question for you. I have a NIkon FG and I just purchased a Nikkor 28mm AIS lens for it. When the lens is on the camera and i rotate the aperture ring the diaphragm doesn't move. It appears to stay wide open. Now, if i understand correctly this is normal. The light meter definitely indicated that the aperture is changing but I just want to be sure. Thank you
Sounds like everything is working as it should. If you want to verify aperture operating, take the lens off and set the aperture to something like f/8 or f/16. The blades should close down when the lens is unmounted.
everyone loves the ae-1 p but this one has ttl and the m-90 with a real aperture priority plus the nikon lens line which you can use.... I have both and am trying to figure out why this camera doesn't get the same love or more.
I am not an AE-1 or AE-1P fan at all. The FG is a significantly better camera than both of them. The FG's only weakness that the AE-1 and AE-1P do not have is that the FG can sometimes have prism desilvering. Other than that, the FG has a much lower electronic defect rate over time (in my experience) than the AE-1 and AE-1P bodies.
Hi! I just bought this camera in a very good condition, it was working just fine. But when I got home, I tried things out, removed the batteries and put it again (bunch of times now with newer batteries), then it went off. The view finder is black and the film-advancer lever(?) is jammed. Do you have any idea why and how to repair it?
Switch the dial to M90 and see if it works then. If so, then the mechanical components are okay. Sometimes the mirror sticks up on these because the foam light seal on the camera is sticky. So if the mirror sticks up in M90 then apply gentle pressure to pull it down. If the batteries are good and installed correctly, and if it works in M90 but not the automatic modes, there could be a larger issue with the camera.
Any idea why my shutter speed doesn’t change? No matter what speed I have it on it seems to stay at 90th. Bulb,m90,A,P work. Just not when manually changed
Yeah, I just had one of these with that problem. There are two causes, either a problem on the electronics or a dirty switch. It needs a professional repair, either way.
What's your budget? You can go from E-series inexpensive but good lenses to super-high-end options. Do NOT get G series lenses as they will not work properly on this camera. If this is your only camera, do not get any auto focus lenses as this camera doesn't have any auto focus capabilities. Also do not get pre-AI or non-AI (same lenses, different names). PAI (NAI) lenses have a different mounting base and will break your FG's metering linkage. Honestly, I think that Nikon's E Series lenses are really good. The primes are stunning. Just make sure that the lens is automatic indexing (AI) and you'll be okay.
Yeah hi there i actually now have purchased a 50mm f1.4 Ais E series for $160, but thank you for replying! PS love the videos mate helped a lot! cheers
Fantastic! I'm glad to help. And that is a stunning lens, from what I've been told. It's one of the few lenses that I would really like to get my hands on for my Nikon bag.
You misspoke listing the 3 lens-types that can be used on the FG, namely 1. AI lenses, 2. AI-S lenses, 3. AF/-D lenses on manual focusing (they have aperture rings). Then, the DX and G lenses can't be used on the FG
Yup. Shocking, I know, people have to swallow when they talk and, even more shocking, microphones pick it up. And yeah, I made this video before I knew how to edit that out of the audio track.
This is a great video. I shoot digital photography
but took an interest in film cameras. I’m a proud owner of a pair of FG’s. An FG and an FG-20. I paid less than $100 for the pair, and after cleaning and adding fresh light seals they both work like new ones. With the right film, they produce images that are hauntingly beautiful. Digital is convenient and easy, but film cameras deserve a place in modern photography. It makes me happy to see others feel that way, so that film can live on in a digital world.
Thank you and I completely agree. There's a different type of look and image quality to film that digital just can't match.
I got an FG when they first came out and then sold it several years later when I realized that I was carrying THAT camera and leaving the F2's and F3's at home. A few months later, I bought a replacement FG. The size and features make it a practical camera to carry when I don't want to lug around F-series cameras with motor drives. I currently have 2 of the FG's and have no doubts that they'll be working long after my DSLR's and the batteries they use are obsolete. Thanks for an excellent video on an excellent and often under-appreciated camera!
You're very welcome! Nikon definitely hit a home-run with the FG.
Found a black FG in the closet, left by a long-time friend. Mirror was up, but came down when setting the M90 on the shutter speed dial. Ordered some LR44. Will run a test film next week! Thanks for these videos!!
Nice! That's a good sign.
I bought one of these back in 1985 along with a Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 zoom lens, and Nikon SB-15 flash for my wife. She expressed an interest in photography but didn't want to fiddle around all the time with manual exposure and flash settings. It had full programmed auto, aperture auto, and full manual exposure setting capability, along with TTL flash metering with the SB-15 flash unit. Her and I were in a camera club at the time and she took many fine photographs with hers (including some contest winners). Spent many pleasurable photo outings together. Frankly I didn't feel the FG was quite up to the build quality of the 'pro/semi pro' level Nikon film SLR cameras but it served her well, is still going strong, and I passed it on to my granddaughter. Good examples of these are going for very reasonable prices it is a fine little camera.
Nice! I agree that they're not up for the hard work of, say, photojournalism or the like, but many FGs are still going today and are great for carrying around and using regularly. Good choice to give to your granddaughter.
The only useful video on youtube on this Nikon FG
+ZEDX 95 Thank you!
Thank you so much. I just started learning photography and have a nikon FG as well. This video helped a lot and i will definitely be watching your 2nd video soon to know how to use this beautiful baby!
You're very welcome! Take great photos!
My FG was an eBay purchase over a decade ago when I was going crazy grabbing barely working or fixer-uppers up and down the Nikon F line. Wanted to get one of each and learn repair and turn them all into usable cameras. The FG hasn’t been touched since except for when I go through the box and rediscover I have some great old cameras! It is time to start talking with camera repair folks and get them working!
Nice!
Thanks David, I'm getting ready to sell some of my film cameras (yes, I'm afflicted with G.A.S), including this one. I had the problem of the shutter locking up until I put it in the M90 or B mode, then the shutter would release. Knowing you would probably have a video with the solution I came here and found the problem of the no battery/no shutter release. Problem solved. Thing is, I did put batteries in, but for some reason the juice wasn't getting to the electronics until I took them out and reinserted them (the batteries are new). Ah, the joy of old cameras! Thanks for your help... again!
Thank you!
Wow that's a beauty of a Film Camera.. God Classic is just the best..
Took a chance on a "broken" fg for $20 (jammed shutter) hoping it was just a flat battery. Even better it turned out the battery had been removed and the camera worked perfectly !! Even had the grip that's almost always missing. Had some rubbish lens on it though so had to hunt ebay for 6 months for an e series 50mm, finally found one stuck to a broken n2000 for $60 so just needs new light seals now and good to go for $80. It's so small and light and easy to use I just love it. Okay it's missing a DOF preview but you can always bracket a few shots.
Very nice find!
Agreed. The FG was very well designed and fabulously capable for an entry-level SLR. I actually like it more than the FM.
Helped me so much! Thank you!
Thank you!
Great video. I learned a lot. I must add that was a clever use of that old orange sleeping bag to add a colorful backdrop to your video composition. I am now a subscriber!
Thank you!
I have just been given one of these plus three additional lenses. by my brother in law, i collect film cameras, it seems a nice little camera. Will have to order some new cells for it and give it a try.
These are nice, fun to use, and really usable. They're also very popular.
Excellent video
Thank you!
Hi David, I have a question for you. I have a NIkon FG and I just purchased a Nikkor 28mm AIS lens for it. When the lens is on the camera and i rotate the aperture ring the diaphragm doesn't move. It appears to stay wide open. Now, if i understand correctly this is normal. The light meter definitely indicated that the aperture is changing but I just want to be sure. Thank you
Sounds like everything is working as it should. If you want to verify aperture operating, take the lens off and set the aperture to something like f/8 or f/16. The blades should close down when the lens is unmounted.
Yep, it does close down when the lens is off the camera. Thanks very much for your help.
I just bought this cam for dirt cheap: 50s usd. I hope the camera functions properly
Nice!
help a lot.. Thanks!!
Thank you!
everyone loves the ae-1 p but this one has ttl and the m-90 with a real aperture priority plus the nikon lens line which you can use.... I have both and am trying to figure out why this camera doesn't get the same love or more.
I am not an AE-1 or AE-1P fan at all. The FG is a significantly better camera than both of them. The FG's only weakness that the AE-1 and AE-1P do not have is that the FG can sometimes have prism desilvering. Other than that, the FG has a much lower electronic defect rate over time (in my experience) than the AE-1 and AE-1P bodies.
@@DavidHancock Agreed, Dan. Plus the shutter doesn't zing when the shutter brake wears.
Hi! I just bought this camera in a very good condition, it was working just fine. But when I got home, I tried things out, removed the batteries and put it again (bunch of times now with newer batteries), then it went off. The view finder is black and the film-advancer lever(?) is jammed. Do you have any idea why and how to repair it?
Switch the dial to M90 and see if it works then. If so, then the mechanical components are okay. Sometimes the mirror sticks up on these because the foam light seal on the camera is sticky. So if the mirror sticks up in M90 then apply gentle pressure to pull it down.
If the batteries are good and installed correctly, and if it works in M90 but not the automatic modes, there could be a larger issue with the camera.
David Hancock thanks a lot! I did put it in M90 mode and it works again.
David Hancock 8
Any idea why my shutter speed doesn’t change? No matter what speed I have it on it seems to stay at 90th. Bulb,m90,A,P work. Just not when manually changed
Yeah, I just had one of these with that problem. There are two causes, either a problem on the electronics or a dirty switch. It needs a professional repair, either way.
what do the "s and two dots" mean in the frame counter?
Start, -2, and -1, respectively. Those are the frames that you have to advance through to get to good film.
Hi there what type lenses do you suggest for this camera please??
What's your budget? You can go from E-series inexpensive but good lenses to super-high-end options.
Do NOT get G series lenses as they will not work properly on this camera. If this is your only camera, do not get any auto focus lenses as this camera doesn't have any auto focus capabilities. Also do not get pre-AI or non-AI (same lenses, different names). PAI (NAI) lenses have a different mounting base and will break your FG's metering linkage.
Honestly, I think that Nikon's E Series lenses are really good. The primes are stunning. Just make sure that the lens is automatic indexing (AI) and you'll be okay.
Yeah hi there i actually now have purchased a 50mm f1.4 Ais E series for $160, but thank you for replying! PS love the videos mate helped a lot! cheers
Fantastic! I'm glad to help. And that is a stunning lens, from what I've been told. It's one of the few lenses that I would really like to get my hands on for my Nikon bag.
cool stuff
You misspoke listing the 3 lens-types that can be used on the FG, namely 1. AI lenses, 2. AI-S lenses, 3. AF/-D lenses on manual focusing (they have aperture rings). Then, the DX and G lenses can't be used on the FG
I just grab my grandma's nikon fg and buy a new lens, then it works perfectly well. just look at when I type this comment.
Your swallowing tho jesus
Yup. Shocking, I know, people have to swallow when they talk and, even more shocking, microphones pick it up. And yeah, I made this video before I knew how to edit that out of the audio track.
terrible sound
Good thing it's a camera manual video and not an audio instructional video.
@@DavidHancock anyway, found one with better sound.
@@Verde88 That's fantastic!