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.
I just purchased my Nikon FM10. I got this camera because I wanted to go back to some real photography. I used to have a Pentax K1000 and Nikon FM2 but I got rid of the old manual bodies when I started buying new AE models. It is a nice camera that seems to be built better than most Auto SLR's of the same price range, not as solid as my older manual cameras were, but what is built as well these days. I also like the fact that my SB-80DX flash works on this body, ( Manual and Non-TTL auto only ) and some of my lenses for my N80 and D100. Great camera if you want to get back to the basics of photography.
Strength
Fully Manual
Flash and Lenses that can be used
Weakness
Plastic
Visitors rate this review
2.08 out of 5
after 12 votes
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Written By
Gabby Juanengo(Unregistered User)
Date Created
09/24/2003
Summary
THis is one of the greatest nikon SLR's of all time!!! its beatiful curves and easy to hold body, built in center weighted metering, and compatibility with over 100 F nikkor lenses makes it extremely versatile
Strength
Built in metering, easy to hold, lightweight , compatibility with over 100 nikkor lenses, nice finish, takes good pictures...
Weakness
Shutter speed goes only to 2000..but hey thats fast enough to take alomst any kind of photo
Visitors rate this review
1.86 out of 5
after 7 votes
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Written By
jac3k(Unregistered User)
Date Created
07/11/2003
Summary
My older brothers are responsible for igniting the “photographic gene” in me. It started over 15 years ago with a fully manual Russian Cmena. You had to set everything on it. Aperture, shutter, ISO, and even the focus was set by estimation of the distance. Then I upgraded to Zenit 12xp. I was taking some beautiful pictures with that camera. I sold it couple of years later in lieu of my move overseas to USA. Here I used mostly point-and-shoot cameras, until about December of 2000 when I had a bright idea of going digital. I bought Sony DSC-F505v, and it was a fine camera, but... I missed the excitement of being the one responsible for the picture, instead of some computer chip.
I looked hard and long, first I wanted to get N80, but due to the lack of funds, I bought FM10. And let me tell you, this camera is everything I might, or will need until I get back on track with my picture taking.
At first I wasn’t sure, because of some of the reviews in this forum, but then if you look on the “similar items used”, it is easy to see why people get to “trash” this camera. Sometimes it appears that people are waging “brand“ wars, instead of giving a fully objective reviews. Of course that’s not everybody, there are some people that give honest opinions about FM10, and to those I am grateful.
Let me just tell you this much, if you want to just point your camera and press the shutter release button, move on, spend some more money and be happy.
If you want to have a several hundred dollars “pendant” on your neck for everybody to admire, while you walking around the theme park, please move on.
But... if you want to take back the control of your pictures, and enjoy this so rewarding hobby, go ahead, buy Nikon FM10. I guarantee you will enjoy it.
Strength
Price.
Full manual control.
Number of available accessories, and lenses.
Weakness
None, I am happy with it!
Visitors rate this review
3.00 out of 5
after 5 votes
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Written By
Brent (Unregistered User)
Date Created
12/03/2002
Summary
I am quite happy with this camera. After using a very expensive automatic minolta camera, I found that the FM10 just takes better pictures, and you really get a feel because it's all manual. Sure, the viewfinder is a little dark, but there really isn't anything wrong with it.
Strength
Everything
Weakness
dim viewfinder
Visitors rate this review
2.60 out of 5
after 5 votes
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Written By
bc925(Unregistered User)
From
Philippines
Date Created
11/21/2002
Summary
The Nikon FM10 was the first SLR camera I bought. Point and shoots were quite satisfactory for me up until the time I decided to take phototgraphy more seriously. I also own a Nikon F65 (N65 if you purchase it in the US). The F65 is great, especially when I take wedding pictures of my friends and relatives. But if I have the luxury of taking the time to focus and compose my shots, I will not hesitate to use the FM10.
Sure, it has a dim viewfinder. The buttons are plastic. But if they work well, why complain?
The plain and simple truth is that I take better pictures with my FM10 than my F65. I have total control and I immediately know precisely what I did wrong. Bracketing is so easy.
The FM10 can easily use manual and autofocus lenses. I use the B setting a lot so a tripod and cable release is essential.
The beauty of the FM10 is that it can work without batteries. The batteries are used only for the built-in light meter. I've been using this camera for the past 7 years and up til now, I haven't changed batteries yet. And I've taken a whole lot of pictures already.
The weight is just right. It's heavy enough to take long exposures handheld. Camera shake when the shutter is released is minimal. If you use the timer, the mirror flips up right away, so when the exposure is taken, even more of the camera shake is eliminated. You can even set the timer to go off in as short as 3 seconds.
I really don't care what other people say, whether they are amateurs, intermediate ore professional photographers. I love this camera. And I would highly recommend it to photographers of any level.
Strength
• compatible with most lenses
• very good weight for long hand-held exposures
• very minimal camera shake
• B setting (use a tripod and cable release)
• Easily remove film keeping tab out of the canister
• accurately insert film and start at the middle of the roll
• you buy the body with a standard Nikkor 35-70mm lens
• DOF button
Weakness
• need time to focus
• simple light meter (which could be a strength as well)
Visitors rate this review
3.86 out of 5
after 7 votes
4 of 5
