The Nikon FM10 has all the features necessary for creating vibrant pictures. The incredibly lightweight 35-70mm zoom lens, which comes with the FM10 kit, covers a broad range from wide-angle to normal to telephoto. At the wide-angle end, you can take spectacular landscapes or group portraits. The mid-range setting has a natural perspective and is ideal for general photography, while the telephoto end brings you closer for those beautiful, detailed portraits. The choice is yours: you can take dramatic sports pictures where you "freeze" the action with a fast shutter speed, just when your favorite player scored a goal, for example, or you might use a slow shutter speed to highlight the movement of water flowing over rocks in a river. A variety of compatible, optional Nikon Speedlights are available for those brilliant nighttime portraits of your favorite people or fill-in flash for daytime photography with back-lit subjects.
The Bottom Line: The camera delivers where it counts. It's simple to use ( for those who prefer manual photography) and has an awful lot of features for it's price. If you wonder why companies still make film, then the FM10 is not for you. If you can't live without auto-focus or program mode, then the FM10 is not for you. BUT.......if you actually enjoy using a camera in manual mode, or you prefer a camera that gives you what you need and nothing more, then the FM10 might be exactly what you are looking for. Take into account the excellent price-performance ratio and this camera is a sure winner for those looking to buy a new manual-focus SLR
Here are a few specs off the Nikon site....
Type of Camera: Manual focus 35mm SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera.with focal plane shutter. Includes Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.5-4.8 lens.
Exposure Modes: Manual
Picture Format: 24mm x 36mm (standard 35mm film format)
Lens Mount: All metal Nikon F Mount.
Usable Lenses: All Nikkor AF-D, AI-P, AF-I, AI-S and AF-S lenses.
Viewfinder: Fixed eye-level, pentaprism type; Diopter: Standard -1 dp (optional diopter adapter available)
Focusing Screen: Fixed with split image microprism and matte field
Shutter Speeds: 1 to 1/2000 second, plus Bulb
Shutter: Vertical travel, metal focal plane shutter
Flash Synchronization: X sync only at 1/125 or slower
Accessory Shoe: Standard ISO-type hot shoe.
Self Timer: Mechanical self-timer, approx. 10-sec release delay .
Depth of Field Preview Button: Built-in
Multiple Exposure: Available
Power Source: 2-SR44 (1.55V) or 2 A- LR44 (1.5V)
Weight (without batteries): Approx. 14.7 oz.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 5.5 x 3.4 x 2.in.
EV range: EV 2 to 19 at ISO 100
Exposure control: Manual control, guided by built-in light meter
Frame counter: Additive type, automatically resets to S when camera back is opened
Frame coverage: Approx. 92% with 50mm focal length set at infinity
ISO range: 25 to 3200 (manually selected)
Magnification: 0.84x with 50mm set at infinity
Optional Accessories for FM10: 2380 DK-5 Eyepiece Cover, 2370 Eyepiece Adapter, Eyepiece correction lenses - 2940 0 DPTR., 2941 0.5 DPTR., 2942 1.0 DPTR., 2943 2.0 DPTR., 2944 3.0 DPTR., 2945 -2.0 DPTR., 2946 -3.0 DPTR., 2947 -4.0 DPTR., 2948 -5.0 DPTR.
Tripod socket: Standard 1/4" x 20 thread
Viewfinder information: LED exposure display using - - O display
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The FM10 normally comes as a kit with a manual focus 35-70mm lens and an "Everready" case for $200
Construction: The FM10 is made largely of metal with plastic knobs. It is very well constructed considering its price point and MUCH better constructed than most of Nikon's lower level 35mm autofocus SLR's (which are almost entirely plastic). It is extremely ergonomic and feels good in the hands. The design is classic. It looks pretty much like every other MF Nikon camera made in the last 30 years. In other words, the layout wasn't broke so nobody messed with it.
General Impressions: The Fm10 handles just like any other manual focus camera in the Nikon lineup. If you know how to use one you know how to use them all. It's unassuming and simple in every aspect....but its a powerful camera just the same. I am mightily impressed with the way the FM10 operates and how it "feels" during use. I EXPECTED the camera to feel cheap, for the controls to be sloppy and poorly placed. I expected the thing to practically fall apart, be innaccurate and dissapoint me. I was very surprised to find that the camera not only exceeded my expectations, it FAR exceeded them. Here are a few things that came to mind when I first got a hold of the FM10...good and bad.
1. The camera is mechanical at all speeds. The battery only operates the meter. You could literally shoot this camera without batteries if you wanted to....and do it with great success.
2. The camera lacks a PC socket. Not a huge loss since you can use a hot shoe to fire a PC cord...but it would have been nice.
3. The camera cannot take a motor drive. No real loss. If you wanted an auto anything camera you'd have bought something else. Motor drives have largely fallen off the option list of many makers simply because the people who wanted them bought auto-everything cameras when they became available.
4. The camera lacks TTL flash metering. Many people would balk at the idea of manual flash but if you INSIST on autoflash metering..dont forget that most flash units are fully capable of autometering the flash without any input from the camera.
5. The camera has a mechanical bulb mode....that is extremely cool and very rare among 35mm cameras. You can keep the shutter open for hours if you want....a necessity for some forms of photography. Its the only current Nikon except the FM3a that has that feature. All other current Nikons hold the shutter open with battery power in bulb mode. If you ever try night photography you will see why I make such a big deal about this. The batteries die very quickly. Also, it takes a cheap mechanical cable release as opposed to a $60-$100 electronic one.
6. The camera flash synchs at 1/125. This is really only a big deal with outdoor fill flash. Id rather have 1/250th but its still better than the 1/60th you get on many cameras.
7. The camera will not work with G ( no aperture ring) or DX (designed for APS sized digital sensors) lenses. It will work with practically any other AI lens made....and they are getting cheaper on Ebay every day :-) That is a huge lens selection....and that is the real reason you buy a camera like this. Lets face it...its the LENS that makes the images and not the camera. If you attach this camera to a great lens, you are not missing out on anything....Also..here is an important point. Many of the newest Nikon cameras cannot operate with anything other than D-series Nikon lenses. Often they cannot accurately meter or use many advanced functions on these older designs. The Fm10 has no problem operating with all sorts of "classic" manual focus lenses while still operating smoothly with the latest D series AF lenses.
8. It lacks an eyepiece shutter....I admit..this one is a personal nitpick of mine and most people wouldn't care. While very rare on most cameras, the eyepiece shutter blocks light from entering the film chamber during very long exposures. Mechanical cameras are far more likely to be used for this purpose, so they need it more than auto-everything cameras. You will have to cover the eyepiece with cloth next time you are shooting by the light of the moon.
9. There is no aperture or shutter priority mode. This is not a camera you can EVER put on auto ,you will be forced to think for EVERY photo. You may love it, you may hate it...but you will never forget that this camera makes you work. For some forms of photography like night photography and studio photography the lack of auto modes is insignificant since those are purely manual shooting situations.
10. It has a film rewind knob.. nothing amazing for a manual camera..since they all have them....but how many times have you loaded the wrong film in the camera and had to lose a good roll of film ( or shoot an inappropriate speed or emulsion) because you cant rewind the film and leave the leader out. I don't know about you, but I lose at least a roll of film a month to this sort of thing on my F100.
11. It has center-weighted metering. A tried and true 60/40 meter that is insanely easy to master.
12. Everything is logically placed and easy to use. Most users will never need to look at the manual to figure out every aspect of the camera.
13. Depth of Field preview...remember that? Its almost been forgotten on many lower priced cameras. This is an essential time saving tool. It sure beats looking up everything on depth of field charts.
14. mechanical self timer. Practically every Nikon MF camera ever made has one, but its way easier to use than the one on most auto-everything cameras which normally bury the function in some obscure location of the digital display.
15. Now the shutter release is a bit "hair trigger" compared to many AF cameras like the F100. You have to push the shutter release quite far to engage the meter and only a hair more to activate the shutter. Nikon added a nice feature in the form of a meter activation button located just above the lens release button. It is easily activated at the same time by the focusing hand without needing to press the shutter release to activate the meter. In this was its an easy thing to 'preset" the camera for exposure for existing light and do it without even pressing the shutter release.
now its important to note that many of those "deficiencies" are ones that are also found on lower level 35mm autofocus SLR's. When comparing this camera to an F6 it seems archaic, but when compared to entry level 35mm autofocus SLR's the camera really stands out as feature-rich where it counts, and simple to operate.
The Bottom line
what's great about the camera....
1. great construction (for its price point)
2. inexpensive ...figure $100 for the body alone
3. solid ergonomics and intuitive controls
4. mechanical simplicity
Things that are not so great about the FM10...
1. No TTL flash metering
2. No Aperture priority mode
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