The seventies saw a major fundamental change in camera design, heralded by the launch of the Olympus OM1 in 1972. Prior to this groundbreaking model, the majority of 35m SLRs were big and heavy, with lenses and accessories to match. In contrast, the OM1 was tiny, and within a few years all the other manufacturers were also designing their own compact SLR. Nikon’s answer to this trend was the FM.
Nikon FM with Nikkor 50mm F/1.8 AI lens
Introduced in 1977, the FM is a mechanical, manual exposure camera, reliant on batteries only for the built-in light meter. It offers shutter speeds from 1 to 1/1000 second and bulb setting (B) and, thanks to it’s vertical traveling shutter, has a flash synchronisation speed of 1/125. The simplicity of the camera is reflected in the clean top deck, with it’s traditional control layout of (right to left) film advance lever, shutter release button, shutter speed dial (with integrated film speed setting), prism housing with flash hot shoe, and film rewind knob.
Nikon FM with Nikkor 50mm F/1.8 AI lens
The small button nestled between the shutter speed dial and the prism housing is the multiple exposure button which, when pushed toward the prism, disengages the film transport so cranking the film advance lever just cocks the shutter, allowing additional images to be recorded on the same frame.
On the front of the body you’ll find the self-timer lever that delays the shutter release by ten seconds or so when activated. Starting the self-timer also flips the mirror out of the way and, although not as useful as a true mirror lockup feature, is still good for reducing any possible mirror-induced vibration when using slow shutter speeds.
Nikon FM
The viewfinder displays all the relevant information in a simple, clear manner. On the left edge is the shutter speed indicator, and the selected aperture (on AI lenses) is displayed at the top of the view, using the Nikon ADR system (Aperture Direct Readout). On the right side of the viewfinder is the meter readout, which used three red LEDs to indicate correct, over and under exposure. Although not as informative as the needle and scale system offered in the FE, it is very easy to read in dim light, a situation that causes some problems with the FE.
The focusing screen is non-interchangeable and is of the split-image and microprism type, with an additional outer circle indicating the meter’s centre weighting area. It is not the brightest screen I’ve ever used, but is adequate for all but the dimmest lighting conditions. Curiously, the Nikon FE has interchangeable screens, and I’ve always wondered why Nikon didn’t include this feature in the FM as well.
When it comes to lens compatibility, the FM is about as good as it gets, allowing the use of almost every lens ever produced by Nikon, from pre-AI lenses from the fifties all the way up to the latest AF Nikkors (manual focusing only, obviously). The only lenses that are not suitable are the latest G type Nikkors without an aperture ring on the lens, and a few specialist lenses, like some of the fisheyes that require mirror lockup to mount them.
Nikon FM with Nikkor 50mm F/1.8 AI lens
In use, the Nikon FM is everything you could want from a manual 35mm SLR camera. The controls are smooth and fall easily to hand, and the meter is fast and accurate. The body is very comfortable to hold, and feels extremely well built and rugged. Although introduced as a consumer model, more than a few FM bodies found there way into the bags of working pros, as they made a great lightweight backup camera to the larger, heavier professional models of the time (F and F2).
For the price that you pick one of these up for on the used market today, they are an incredible bargain. For less than a C note, if you’re looking for a fully manual SLR, you get an obscenely good camera!