How to find out the manufacturing year of Nikon FM2, FE2, FA, FG and F3

A reliable way to determine the production date is by product code. This method applies to Nikon F3, FM2, FE2, FA and FG.

[@alexanderholmgren623]

So I learned that my FM2N was made in August 1998. Thank you :)

[@Rob.Tremper]

I must thank you very very very much. I have just purchased a nice used FM2n and even the vendor could not tell the manufacturing date. I asked for the code, and he confessed "he never had seen it before". Got a wonderful, intact, 760G N8556xxx Titanium Flash speed 1/250 camera!

[@riversky33]

Congratulations!

[@jimitav]

I just figured out the production year of my FM2 thanks to your video. Thanks!

[@riversky33]

You are welcome!

[@filmic1]

Thank you!! very cool. I picked up an F3 with the dedicated flash a couple of years ago. I have an F90 and an N90s as well.

[@kultursender6507]

Superb! Many many thanks!!!

[@Ldarro]

Thank you very very much!

[@pinetaroad]

This is excellent info. Thank you very much!

[@riversky33]

Thank you for your comment!

[@painovoimaton]

Thanks for this useful video. Mine was made in June of 2000 it seems! A very late model.

[@riversky33]

Thank you for watching my video and your comment!

[@odukar2315]

You helped me a lot! thx!

[@riversky33]

Thank you for your comment!

[@michellabaere3955]

Excellent, thank you !

[@riversky33]

Thank you for your comment!

[@catmonkey6826]

Please sir keep making videos about everything you know about Nikon!

[@riversky33]

Thank you for your encouragement. I need to learn video editing technique to make better videos.

[@Alhemund]

Thanks!!!

[@pascalreydet]

Thank you for these explanations. My Nikon FM2 N 8636919 has the number 07DF. As it is an N, I think its manufacture dates from October 1997 ! Friendly from France.

[@riversky33]

You are right. A serial number of N86xxxxx with the code of 07DF is made in October 1997.

[@pascalreydet]

@@riversky33 Thank you !!!

[@jean-claudemuller3199]

FM2T (titanium) have serial numbers that begin with a T. FM2T is a FM2n with titanium upper and bottom cover plates. When it begins with N it's a silver FM2n

[@riversky33]

Thanks.

[@wrandrea]

I have the 75KB

[@flowermaze___]

F3 from 1981 and still going strong :) They just don't make things like this anymore!

[@user-dokhaealgorism]

이 방법은 니콘 F3, FA, FM2, FE2에 한하여 적용 가능함. (1:00) FM2의 예시 필름실에 ‘O2MC’라고 생산 코드가 적혀있을경우, - O는 생산 월의 첫 글자, 즉 October(10월), - 2는 생산년도의 마지막 숫자, 즉 1982년 또는 1992년인데, 이것은 시리얼 번호를 활용하여 확정할 수 있음. FM2의 경우, 시리얼 번호 앞에 알파벳 N이 붙어 있다면, 이 경우 1992년에 생산된 것임. - 세 번째, 네 번째 글자는 생산 지역 또는 업데이트 버전을 의미함. (3:41) FE2의 예시 ‘76KB’ -7은 7월을 의미, 6은 1986년 또는 1996년을 의미함. 그러나 FE2는 1983년부터 1987년까지 생산되었으므로, 1986년으로 확정할 수 있음. (5:04) F3와 FG 예시; 시리얼 번호로 확인 가능하며, 앞서의 방법으로도 확인할 수 있음. -생산 코드 번호는 카메라 뒷 커버를 분리하면, 경첩 부근에 적혀 있음. ‘75VL’ -7은 7월, 5는 1985년임을 확인할 수 있음.

[@riversky33]

Even though I can’t read your comment, thank you for your comment!

[@riversky33]

I want to add that the product code for FG is also beneath the back cover, just like F3.

[@giovannipaul2481]

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[@caseybrady4571]

@Giovanni Paul instablaster :)

[@giovannipaul2481]

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[@giovannipaul2481]

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[@caseybrady4571]

@Giovanni Paul glad I could help :)

[@nuthn2do]

If it's an 82 FM2 it will have a max flash sync of 200th, apparently not all FM2n's have the "N" stamped on the back

[@jaapkroonfotografie]

And do you also no which year 818C is. I found it in my FM2n

[@TheMaxi418]

Thanks for the video! I checked my FA and I've see that has the code "25RA" in the film chamber; if I've understand well your method, that code could mean that my camera has been manifactured in February 1985?

[@riversky33]

Yes.

[@94Aequitas]

Great video, unfortunately my FE2 has a roll of film in it so can't check now but my Nikon FM I know I have the 1st version (after having watched you other informative video about the knurling) but would like to find a more accurate date. Any idea how? Thanks

[@riversky33]

It’s a little hard to figure out the exact manufacturing date for FM, because there is no such code. You can roughly know if it’s before 1981 (serial number 2xxxxxx) or after 1981 (serial number 3xxxxxx).

[@94Aequitas]

@@riversky33 thank you!

[@arashfayyaz]

Thanks for video) Serial number on my Nikon Fm2n is 90nc so it was manufactured on September 1990 Or September 2000 ?

[@riversky33]

90nc is not serial number. Serial number is the number below the winding lever, following the letter N. If the serial number is 85xxxxx - 87xxxxx, your camera is made in year 2000, based on the code 90nc. Otherwise it’s made in 1990.

[@jmlasson74]

Thank you for those explanations. However, I received a Nikon FE with these 31AA inscriptions, so March 1981. But, is it possible for an FE to be marked?

[@riversky33]

I am sorry but I have never seen an FE marked with the same kind of code. FE was made between 1978-1983 thought.

[@jmlasson74]

@@riversky33 I received again two FE boxes with the markings (91AD and 21MA), which could perhaps demonstrate that it was done on the FE new of the second series. Thank you.

[@riversky33]

@@jmlasson74 Thank you for providing the information. I am learning.

[@lenardandraskiss4816]

This method is usable for FE and FM as well? My FE code is 23AG which looks ok. Feb 1983 and the serial is really high number 4460XX

[@riversky33]

Yes, chances are FEs made after 1981 have the same type of codes in the film loading chamber. Thanks for sharing.

[@evtimstefanov8377]

Thanks for the video. What about Nikon FE? Is it the same method?

[@riversky33]

FE was launched before 1980, and did not have the same coding system as FE2. Therefore, the production year of FE cannot be figured out by this method. Roughly, an FE with a serial number of 3xxxxxx were made between 1978-1980; and an FE with a serial number of 4xxxxxx were made between 1980-1983.

[@evtimstefanov8377]

@@riversky33 I see. Thank you very much for these details!))

[@calvinwu3861]

原来知乎上面的何不带吴钩是您。

[@MrGORILLAWRENCH]

Hello, good video. Can the nikon fm3a date of manufacture be determined from the Camera?

[@riversky33]

Good question. FM3A is slightly different. The first two numbers are month; and the third and fourth numbers are year. For example, a code of 0901G means it’s made in September 2001.

[@MrGORILLAWRENCH]

@@riversky33 thank you very much for replying so soon and especially on a older video! Out of interest my fm3a is - 1102L. Wonderful having a 'newer' film camera.

[@riversky33]

@@MrGORILLAWRENCH Yes, it’s made in November 2002, quite new.

[@takeru51]

Mine is made in nov 1992

[@riversky33]

Thank you for watching my video!

[@jefish]

My FE2 shows "4JB" in the film bay. Serial# starts with 2313nnn. Help?

[@riversky33]

Reference the serial number of 2313nnn, I am pretty sure it’s made in 1984. The code in the film bay must be x4JB, with the “x” being erased.

[@jakubharding-smolik1250]

Hi, I've got an FM2n with the CE mark on the base plate, which should indicate one of the final production years. The serial number is 860xxxx. However, the code inside the film chamber appears to read 47DF. It would make sense to me if it read 41DF, as I believe the CE mark wasn't used on Nikon cameras in 1997 yet and the camera was no longer produced in 2007. Unless the 7 is in fact a 1, then your explanation doesn't seem to work on my particular example. What do you think? Cheers!

[@riversky33]

I’ve seen quite a few FM2n cameras with serial number of 86xxxxx made in 1997-1998. So I am inclined to believe that yours is made in 1997/4.

[@jakubharding-smolik1250]

Another thought is the camera was indeed made in 1997, but then Nikon would have had to start using the CE mark on its cameras much earlier than I thought. To be honest, I haven't found any proper info on that anywhere, only claims on forums the CE mark wasn't introduced until the last couple of production years of the FM2n.

[@jakubharding-smolik1250]

@@riversky33 thank you, I was just typing that in my other reply. 🙂 In that case, the claim that the CE mark wasn't used until at least 1999 is incorrect. Thank you very much, I'm inclined to agree to 4/1997 now.

[@riversky33]

You are right. I just saw an FM2 with serial number N8649xxx made in 1998 with the CE mark.@@jakubharding-smolik1250

[@retormli6333]

@@riversky33 I have an FM2 with 58DF and N8665xxx, it also has a CE mark. What's more, it says made in japan, although many websites say that they were produced in China or Thailand after N85xxxxx.

[@MC-ml1ho]

I have an FM2 with a code of 12CA. This should mean it was made in January 1982, more than a year before the FM2 was introduced (March 1983). Can you explain this? It does have a serial number close 7000001, so it is certainly early. But more than a year before introduction seems very early indeed.

[@riversky33]

"Popular Photography" magazine published an article on FM2 in April 1982 issue. So I assume FM2 was made before April 1982.

[@MC-ml1ho]

Thanks for checking

[@riversky33]

@@MC-ml1ho Thank you for your information! Based on your information, it seems that FM2 was first made in January 1982. Can you be a little bit more specific about the serial number, e.g., 700000X, or 70000XX?

[@TheBaggydog]

My Fe2 is 03 what month is that?

[@riversky33]

Not 03, but O3, October 1983.

[@TheBaggydog]

@@riversky33 awesome thanks for replying.

[@oscar9469]

I have an FM2 N code is '85DD' serial is '7794812' - that would make it August 1985?

[@riversky33]

It should be a black version; and it actually was made in August 1995, according to the serial number.

[@riversky33]

And it should have plain aluminum shutter blades instead of honeycomb titanium shutter blades.

[@oscar9469]

Yes you’re absolutely correct about the colour and shutter blades, thanks a lot!