My Cameras

 

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Photography Basics

My Current Photography Kit

I primarily choose a DSLR, the Nikon D780. It is a pleasure to use, versatile and produces beautiful images. I also shoot film, 135 and 120 (medium format.) Film photography is a different experience, it creates an additional cost. The film itself and processing, also the film lab is an extra layer of delay and risk, they can ruin the film which wasted your time, effort and money. But getting a good photograph on film is aesthetically pleasing and certainly worth the effort.

A good digital camera is really satisfying and economical to use. The D780 utilizes the Nikon F-Mount, a uniform system of attaching Nikon lenses to Nikon camera bodies. Nikon cameras also have different methods of communicating auto focusing commands to lenses. My F6 (35mm film) camera will electronically control auto focus lenses as well as drive shaft focus a plethora of Nikkor lenses. The F6 is the epitome of 35mm film autofocus cameras, some say the best in the world…

This is my journey and these are cameras that I have used along the way. I still carry and shoot the FG, a 40+ year old compact manual focus 35mm film camera. I have a small kit of lenses that I use for it. I like to return to the basics and this one is just right for me.

Purely for fun, I have a 35mm point and shoot. The little Pikaichi, LF35 AF. It has a really nice built in quality lens and although it doesn’t seem like much, it is, it takes excellent pictures.

And then there is my late model 1 terabyte storage telephone camera, the iPhone. Although the camera and lenses in it are very good, hard to even take a bad picture, the cameras here put it in its place. I always have it in my pocket but I rarely use it anymore.

You can click on the pictures above or the list below to take you to my experience with each camera.

Medium Format

Mamiya 645 1000s

35mm Film SLR

Nikon F6

Nikon F-100

Nikon F3

Nikon FE2

Nikon FE

Nikon FG

Nikon EM

Digital SLR

Nikon D780

Nikon D610

Point and Shoot

Nikon L35 AF

Canon AF35M II

Nikon Motor Drive (winder) Musings

Boat anchor, that’s what a photographer friend of mine called the MD-4, the motor drive for the F3. I must admit, it’s heavy but I dig the grip, its ergonomic and film/processing being expensive, it just eats a roll of film fast. I definitely have to slow down, consciously think, “this is film” when the motor drive is attached and “I’m switching to analog” from my D780.

But I’ve always loved that sound of the shutter firing and motor driven film assist. It’s the sound of action and capture.

From a post here.

I attached the MD-4 and turned the mode selector (lock ring) to “C” and held down the trigger button, the motor drive firing, the shutter sounding like that Duran Duran song, “ Girls on Film” Let me go find that on YouTube.

I have the winder (motor drive) MD-E for my FG. It is not about the grip. I use it because it is light and does not seem to ad much to the mass of the camera. It stays on and it’s an every day carry.

Purposely, I did not outfit the FE2 with a drive. I didn’t want to deal with the heft. I use a Lowepro Toploader camera holster. It’s a single stripped down camera bag that’s only large enough for the camera and a lens. It has a strap so you carry it like a camera yet you take the camera out of the bag, no strap necessary. I’m learning that I really don’t like a strap on my camera and it’s nice when you are carrying to have some protection from rain and whacks as you hike or walk in tight spaces.

I have two of these holster style bags and after handling an FE2 with the MD-12 for a few mins at the local film camera store, I decided I liked the grip much more than a boat anchor so I found and sourced one and purchased it.

I’m pulling up anchor! I think I’ll get used to slowing down and use the Toploader bag. Even with the silky smooth film advance of the F3, the motor drive ~ grip ergonomic and the holster style carry that the Toploader offers, the grip of a motor drive is far more attractive to the ergo of my shooting than the light and free-from-the-weight and volume of the winder.

Nikon FG

Shiny and Black

*Nikon FG - Shiny - Black - Black

s/n 8416448 - s/n 8585876 - s/n 8528344

MD-E

s/n 2219934

Note: The Nikon FE has replaced the FG as my primary manual focus film camera. Although the FG is a great camera and has served its purpose, at this time, the FE is a far better choice for me and what I want from a manual focus camera.

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I started to look at which Nikon camera I wanted to use every day. Already owning a F3 and a FE2, I knew Nikon made a more compact camera, the EM, FG and the FG-20. 

I want simple, compact, inexpensive and durable.

I read about the EM and purchased one and started carrying it. In short, it’s like Ken Rockwell says, Nikon’s first crappy camera. Mass produced and inexpensive, on my third one, servicing each with light seals replaced, cleaning, ugh, they all broke. I had purchased the flash and motor drive for the EM. 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. At the time, I was going to carry it every day. P mode or Program mode, the camera does everything for you, aperture and shutter speed settings. It had A mode or Aperture control, you set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed. It has an M mode or manual mode where you set everything. The meter indicator in the viewfinder is a series of red LEDs that displays shutter speeds. It also has a little beep that sounds if you are about to take a picture out of proper exposure.

I now have shot about a dozen rolls of film through my FG. It’s a nice camera that has a lot under the hood but it doesn’t have an exposure lock. That can be a little tricky with difficult lighting but I seem to manage without it. It has a +2 EV compensation button that can be used for backlighting or any other momentary situation where you might want to hold the button down to lighten the exposure.

On my FG, I use the MD-E motor winder and I choose a Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AI-S Japanese pancake version. I used to use the ill spoken Ed Series E 28mm f2.8 AI-S but I finally bought my copy of the Nikkor 20mm f4 AI. I am excited to put this wide angle lens to good use. I have a feeling that this will be my primary lens attached to the FG.

My FG kit consist of the Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AI-S, the new to me Nikkor 20mm f4 AI, and the Nikkor 35-200 f3.5-4.5 AIS. The MD-E motor winder is always used and I’m going to figure out what speedlight (flash) I want to use. Either the SB-E, SB-18, 19, 20. 22 (22s) or the 23. I like to geek out and study, each one has a different look and will work in different modes. I had a SB-15 that worked fine but I kind of want to try something else. Right now it looks like the SB-19. I’m not in a hurry and each are relatively inexpensive. I’ll decide after further consideration.

Edit: The Nikon Speedlight SB-800 that I own will work on all of my cameras. Perhaps at a later date I will dedicate a flash to the FG.

Nikon EM & FG Maintenance & Repair

Battery: alkaline-manganese batteries (LR-44 type) or one 3V lithium battery (CR-I 3N type)

Specs

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Resources

Nikon FG Service Manual

Nikon FG Review and How To. Nikon’s Smallest SLR?

David Hancock: Nikon FG Beginner Tutorial Walkthrough and Review - part 2

Nikon EM & FG/FG-20

Nikon FG-Camera Review

Nikon FG - A brief outline of the Nikon FG manual focus SLR film camera
Nikon FG - Bite Size - Photo Thinking Camera Review

Nikon FG, the SLR that irked everyone but me

Camera Review Blog No.15 Nikon FG

The Nikon FG is a Great All Around 35mm Film Camera

Richard Haw: Nikon FG

MIR: Nikon FG - SB-E + MD-E (Flash + Power Winder)

Camera Wiki: Nikon FG

Below are a few photographs that I took with my FG cameras.

                 

camera | lens | film | flash

Nikon EM

Self portrait - Nikon EM - Series E 50mm f1.8 AIS

Nikon EM

s/n 6904057

Edit: I no longer own an EM. I replaced this camera with a Nikon FG. The FG is the same compact size however it has more features and fits the reason why I bought the EM.

During lunchtime at work, I sometimes go to the nearest camera store, Foto Forum for a few minutes to escape and refocus. My work is intense, sitting at a computer and working through files of ECG. I’m in my head and thinking, I need to get up and take a break. There are times that I’m not hungry or just need to walk annd move, photography is my spirit animal so a quick trip to Foto Forum or a nearby bookstore does the trick. 

I saw my first EM in the store glass cabinet, it was small and simple looking. I knew I wanted it but it was grossly overpriced. So funny because on that day, I bought a Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AI lens in excellent shape for $25. But anyway, I already owned an FE2 and an F3, two great 35mm film cameras. I didn’t need another camera but for a hundred dollars, it seemed way too much for a simple looking camera so I passed, thinking about my intrigue for the Nikon EM.

I went back to work wondering about the EM. At home I looked at my Nikon System book and found the EM and I read up on it. It was released in 1979, the year I graduated. At that time, I owned and operated a Canon TX, a large manual camera in comparison. I recently saw one at Wilson Camera, it was on display on a shelf in a “non working gear” area and immediately I went into comparison mode. Holding the TX, it was large when doing a side by side with the EM. The Canon TX is big, the Nikon EM is small. I could only imagine owning a EM back in the day so to speak and it was expensive in comparison to the TX. My Canon was a basic manual SLR 35mm however, it had shutter control. The EM was designed differently. Reading more about the EM, it is an aperture priority camera with a light meter needle indicator and a warning beep if you under or over expose when operating the lens aperture. 

Interesting.

I read more and looked up a couple of YouTube videos on it. I decided to investigate further and purchasing one was planned. As I read about the design, development and marketing, I came to understand that the Series E lenses were also developed at the same time and marketed together. The EM was actually a missing piece of a kit that I had been unknowingly building. I already had three Series E lenses that I had unwittingly purchased from listening to suggestions from photography friends. The Series E lenses were basically designed along with the EM. 

I searched eBay and found my EM for $20! 

The camera arrived and I cleaned it up and loaded it with a roll of Provia 100. I chose a combination of the Series E 50mm and the 135mm, shooting photos around the house and on a walk with my sheep-a-doodle, Desilu. Finishing the roll and turning it in for processing, a good portion of the roll had what I thought was a light leak. Taking it to a social media forum, it was collectively decided it was a sticky shutter issue and on top of that, it was intermittent. Reading further about ownership of the 40 year old EM, the light seals, the foam used in the film door chanel deteriorates, crumbling and these little pieces get into everything inside the camera and fouling the shutter was common.

I decided to try again and bought another one from eBay. Again the light seals were deteriorating but not as bad on this one. I removed the loose foam and cleaned up the camera the best I could. I loaded up a roll of Provia and I took a few photographs here and there and brought the camera on a trip to photograph petroglyphs at Painted Rock. I used up the roll and turned it in for processing. I received the roll back and no shutter issues this time. I found and ordered a light seal kit from a link in a YouTube video on the Nikon EM.

I decided I was going to maintain an EM and always keep one in my kit. In this age of disposable single use everything, I’m going to keep this one out of the landfill and out of a shoebox in a closet, my closet.

Currently, after using one many times, the impressions I retain are the EM is small, lightweight and fun. A super basic camera that does a nice job with the aperture priority needle indicator in the viewfinder. In addition to the basic function aspect, I can mount any of my manual focus lens in my Nikkor lens kit.

The F mount system is key to my EM ownership.

I like the idea of an inexpensive and petite 35mm that I can carry nearly everyday. Even with the motor winder attached, it is relatively lightweight and small.

As I operate my highly configurable D780 and the great light meter in my F3, I’m going to see just how well I can coax great photos out of the EM. 

My Nikon EM kit includes the MD-E motor winder, the SB-E flash, a Series E 50mm f1.8, a Series E 135mm f2.8 and a Series E Zoom 75-150mm f3.5. 

I’ve already got a few good shots with the 50mm and the 135mm, after I complete installation of the light seals this weekend, I’ll mount the zoom and shoot some street photography with it.

Moving forward, I’ll detail my progress and enthusiasm for the Nikon EM here.

I have great enthusiasm for is inexpensive yet very capable little camera. In the viewfinder of my photography, I’ll use the EM as a litmus test of my fun. 

If it isn’t fun, I’m not doing it. The EM is a fun camera.

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Resources

Nikon EM (Maintenance and Repair)

Series E 50mm f1.8 AIS
Series E 135mm f2.8 AIS
Series E Zoom 75-150mm f3.5 AIS

Nikon EM Manual
MIR: Nikon EM
Ken Rockwell: Nikon’s First Crappy 35mm SLR

My first Nikon EM had intermittent shutter issues.

camera | lens | film | flash

Nikon EM & FG (maintenance and repair)

edit: I just finished opening the EM for the last time. I’ve got about 6-7 hours into cleaning, maintaining and repairing. I just got a roll of Ektar 100 back from processing. Every single image was out of focus. The 50mm Series E would not focus to infinity at the infinity setting on the focus ring? I thought I may have placed the focus screen wrong? 

I had the focus ring in but not flush, after adjusting, cleaning, I discovered I had bent the light meter shutter speed indicator. 

I took the EM and dumped it in the trash AND the two parts bodies as well.

No, I’m not a repair man, yes, I have detailed surgical control of my hands, no, I don’t need that kind of camera stress.

I’m done with the EM.

I’ll replace it with a minty FG. I can definitely replace light seals and clean.

This was a great experiment and it didn’t cost a lot of money but it did create some stress and aggravation. I don’t have that in me. But I did enjoy the time with this cheaply made little camera…

EM focus screen not seated, wasted a whole roll and development/scan cost

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I’ve worked on my EM quite a bit. No, not real camera repair but more like maintenance and minor replacement and repair. I have changed all light seals, cleaned the focusing screen, adjusted the aperture ring getting the camera back into shape. The winder knob was cracked so I replaced it. No soldering, yet and no electronic adjustments. I’m not a camera repair guy yet I have this inexpensive but old camera that I can fix up without fear of expensive mistakes or irreplaceable parts. 

This is my camera for tinkering around with. 

It is just a lesson in keeping a basic camera in good repair. If I break something? No big deal, I’ve got parts. The EM is really a simple camera and it’s fun to see the pictures I can get out of it. It uses the F-mount system so I can use my quiver of lenses but I do have a few Series E that are actually made for the EM. Anyway, when I work on mine, I’ll place pictures here.

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Recently I purchased an FG to replace my EM for the quick grab kit I built. It’s in great shape but the light seals are deteriorated. I cleaned the camera and dug out the crumbling seals and ordered a new set. When they arrived, I’ll start using the FG for fun.

My FG as I received it, just dusty but deteriorating light seals

Light seal crumbs, I don’t want that inside my camera

After cleaning, looks great!

Replaced seals on the Nikon FG

The particular trick of using Purel hand sanitizer is pretty cool. It allows the ultra sticky fragile and fine adhesive to be positioned exactly where it needs to be. Once you dope up the adhesive and contact points, you have a minute or two of ”wet time” to place the super sticky light seals in its respective channel and or re-position it if you are off a bit or the foam twists. 

Too much Purel and it’s still going to work, not enough and you run the chance of botching the placement and possibly breaking the foam seal. If you do, there is enough material for two complete kits. I’m 100% satisfied with the kit and results and at 10$, it’s the best money I’ve spent on my kit.

Ready to clean up the focus screen

Removal of focus screen, that’s the mirror bumper

Cleaned prism bottom surface

Cleaned focus screen

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F3 | FE2 | FG | D780 | EM | lens | film

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Resources 

Light Seal Kits (buy the kit through this link)

Richard Haw: Nikon EM Repair
Lichtlese: Nikon EM Fixup
Nikon EM Tutorial (light seal repair)
Nikon EM Test