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| Shiny and Black |
Nikon FG - Shiny (gifted to my son)
s/n 8416448
MD-E
Nikon FG - Black
s/n 8585876
MD-14
s/n 349998
I tried very hard to own, operate and maintain a Nikon EM, but it just didn’t work out. In short, the EM is cheap and fun but after three different EM’s, and many hours of cleaning, two trashed expensive rolls of film and developing costs, no more. When I bent the fine needle on the light meter that did not function all the time on the last EM, the third one, that was it.
No mas.
Having researched the origins, development and release of the EM, the next compact 35mm film body in that size was the FG and the FG-20 after that. I chose the FG because even though the FG-20 is a newer version of the FG, it is a simplified version of an already very basic camera. Owning the EM I always wanted the FG and when I saw one with a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AIS for the price half of the lens alone, I snapped it up. Both the camera and the lens are in great shape.
As I cleaned the FG, I made a decision to pick out the deteriorating light seals as I knew I had a good copy and I didn’t want the light seals crumbs fouling the shutter or getting into the focus screen. Very carefully I cleaned the seal channels and it’s ready to have new seals installed. I found a kit for new seals that I used on the EM and at ten dollars, with the knowledge of installation on the EM, I decided to move forward with the maintenance. I fully expect this camera to last the rest of my life now and that’s a good thing.
The 50mm lens is now clean and it is mounted on my FE2.
The FG became my EDC (Every Day Carry or Every Day Camera) I have the MD-E (motor drive/winder) mounted with the Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 AIS . I use an economical black Optech strap that is comfortable to carry. It is often found in the floorboard of my Forester, laying in the grass next to me, on the bar next to a beer, on a dusty surface out and about and always on my coffee table at home.
My photography has nearly replaced all of my hobbies in my mind and what I do every day. I’m getting older, 64 years in 2025 and am not going hang gliding, paragliding, skateboarding or kite surfing, my priorities are much different now and photography fits into the scheme of my life.
I’m sort of a minimalist.
You would not know that looking at my gear but it’s actually true. Everything I do, I like to pare down to just what you need. As I become more and more of a photographer, I wanted to carry a camera with me every day, every single day and not a damn telephone camera. Although I enjoy my latest iPhone with its terabyte of memory, it is so not a camera but the best camera. You don’t have to put much effort into taking absolutely beautiful images with it. I decided to put it in its place, NOT going to use it as my primary camera.
I started to look at what Nikon camera I wanted to carry every day. Already owning a F3 and a FE2, I knew Nikon made a more compact camera, the EM and the FG and FG-20. I wanted simple and compact and durable. I found out about the EM and purchased one and started carrying it. In short, it is much like Ken Rockwell says, Nikon’s first crappy camera. Mass produced and inexpensive, on my third one, taking care of them, light seals replaced, cleaning, ugh, they all broke. I had purchased the flash and motor drive for the EM and I read that the FG and the FG-20 would mount these accessories. So I started to research the difference between the FG and FG-20.
The FG had nearly everything I wanted in a camera that I was going to carry every day. P mode or Program mode that the camera did everything for you, aperture and shutter speed settings. It had A mode or Aperture control, you set the aperture and the camera set the shutter speed. It has a M mode or manual mode where you set everything. The metering in the viewfinder is a series of red LED that indicates shutter speeds. It also has a little beep that sounds if you are about to take a picture out of metering range for a good picture.
I’ve now shot about a dozen rolls of film through my FG. It is my most used camera behind my D780.
I’m realizing that my desire to carry a EDC is not exactly what I want to do so I have begun to bring out the F3 and FE2 on every day carries, the FG is something I just “grab” when I leave the house to go to work. When I am out and about on my days off, I carry the F3 or the FE2.
My FG has a MD-E motor winder attached and I choose a Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AI-S Japanese pancake version. I sometimes use the ill spoken about Series E 28mm f2.8 AI-S which is on the camera now. I really want a Nikkor 20mm f4 AI for it and am currently looking passively for one. At some point in the future, that may change.
The FG lacks one thing, focus lock. Not a big deal but I do like that feature for film photography. I have taken some really good and fun images through mine. It’s a great camera that is relatively inexpensive and readily available. I recently bought my first shiny (chrome) version and completely cleaned and replaced the light seals. I put a good kit of lens and placed in a favorite camera bag and gave to my son and his wife. I want pictures from them, especially of my first grandchild, Cate, if you are reading, make sure Jacob knows how to use the FG indoors with the flash.
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Resources
Nikon FG Review and How To. Nikon’s Smallest SLR?
David Hancock: Nikon FG Beginner Tutorial Walkthrough and Review - part 2
Below are a few photographs that I took with my FG cameras.
FG Black above FG Shiny below
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