Nikon EM Camera

Please visit my online store at: japan-vintage-camera.com
Or my Etsy store at: www.etsy.com/shop/Japanvintag...

[@PPISAFETY]

Very well done review. Back when the EM came out, I was working as a newspaper photographer, and like just about everyone else, used professional Nikon F-series cameras. We all made fun of the obviously amateur oriented EM. I remember the most popular joke at the time on seeing one was, "Nice camera, does it float in the bathtub?" Word got out that some of the very early E-Series lenses may have been made with plastic focusing helicoids, which was mis-reported to say that they had plastic elements, which was not true. Photo magazines of the day opined that Nikon had damaged their brand by producing a "plastic camera and lenses." A few years later, I was teaching some classes in crime scene photography to students who didn't have their own cameras, so I took a chance and bought 6 used EM's with 50mm E Series lenses for use in class. I began to appreciate the simplicity of these little cameras in the hands of cops who were not photo enthusiasts. They worked well, and with a dedicated Nikon flash on them worked perfectly. I got another one just for fun about five years ago, when I encountered it with the 50mm f1.8 E Series lens on it in a thrift shop. Nobody wanted it because it shot film, so I got it for $20 USD. I put batteries in it and it worked fine. There were a couple of little quirky things I had forgotten over the years, such as the meter. It's not a traditional match-needle setup like a standard meter. the needle merely shows you what shutter speed the camera has selected based on the aperture you have set on the lens. So there is nothing to match. The heavy black bracket in the viewfinder is only for use with flash. if you don't know this, you'll spend forever trying to get the needle inside that bracket to no avail. If you do use a Nikon flash, this is where you will see your bright red ready light that tells you your flash is ready to fire. Another thing that is unusual for a Nikon is that the EM makes noise. If you have selected an aperture that will result in a shutter speed of greater than 1/1000th second (which the camera is not capable of), the EM "beeps" at you to warn you that you may get overexposure. If you persist, the intermittent beep becomes a steady tone. Likewise, if your selected aperture will result in a shutter speed of 1/30th or less, the camera sounds off to advise you to use a tripod or other support. The meter is turned on by a half press of the shutter button. The meter then remains on for a nominal 30 seconds after you release the shutter button. If you want to turn the meter off sooner, simply switch the camera to the "M90" or "B" setting. The batteries in mine seem to last about two years on a set, unless something depresses the shutter release button in my camera bag. I have learned that when I store it in the bag, to switch it to the M90 position, which turns off the meter. Another thing to note about M90 is that if you use a Nikon dedicated SB-E flash and many other Nikon flashes, the camera automatically switches itself to the M90 shutter speed. If you use other brands of flash, or much later Nikon units you should switch the camera to the M90 setting manually. My Nikon SB-24 works great with the EM. Another very useful feature is the small silver colored button just above the lens release. This is the exposure compensation switch. It is useful for backlit subjects. You simply press and hold it, and you will notice your shutter speed in the viewfinder drops to allow about 2 stops more exposure. You keep holding it and take your picture, in that order. This feature is very useful for situations with a bright sky in the background. It is worth noting that on every EM I have handled, this function becomes unreliable if you try to depress the shutter button first and then the exposure compensation button. But it works great if you use it as the manual advises. As to the Series E lenses, I have owned them all, and there is not a dud in the bunch. They are all tack sharp, and the only real differences from Nikkors are their physical construction, at least as good as modern DSLR lenses, and the fact that they are single coated. I wouldn't worry about it. The only one of the E Series lenses that I don't care that much for is the 28mm f2.8. It is plenty sharp, but flares badly if shot into the sun, even with a hood in place. Aside from the 50mm 1.8 E which I love, the 75-150 f3.5 zoom is a hidden gem. The late professional landscape photographer Galen Rowell used this lens to photograph his famous "Rainbow Over The Potala Palace" which continues to sell thousands of prints long after his death. I've owned dozens of pro-level cameras over the years, and I am surprised at how much I like and use the EM. I particularly like it for street photography. I keep a 35mm f2 AF-D lens on it for that, since a friend got my 35mm Series E. If it gets wet, knocked around, or even stolen, I'm not out much. I think it has everything you need for fun shooting, and nothing you don't.

[@jp3576]

Love my 40 year old EM. The 50mm E series is as sharp as my D series equivalent and the spot meter button on the front comes in handy when the subject is back lit. As sexist as it sounds, Nikon’s target consumer were women who didn’t want to bother with all the bells and whistles of a prosumer camera, or so they thought. I’ve read that angle actually hurt the EM’s sales. Great compact reliable aperture priority SLR. Underrated actually.

[@N1k37ick]

Love this little camera! I feel like it's a wonderful balance between manual control and automatic aids.

[@mfherreradi]

Just one precision: Konica started using polycarbonate top covers in SLR cameras in 1976. The Nikon EM was released 3 years later.

[@sixteenbitter]

To this day I still get use out of my E Series 50mm lens from the EM era, even on digital bodies. I've long sold the EM, but kept the lens, lol. I feel the 50mm E Series in particular is quite good for what it sells for these days.

[@N1k37ick]

Another thing re: E-series lenses. I've had a couple of copies of the 50mm f1.8 E, and it's a lovely compact lens!

[@spangst]

Yes the film door lock lever on Nikons is a pain. I acquired an F3 with it broken off, making the body a brick.

[@nathanmcdonnell4590]

I’ve used a 50mm F1.8 series E lens as my main lens on my F3P for years and I have always gotten gorgeous images out of the lens. I was actually able to find 2 of them for $8 a piece at an antique shop. The series E 50mm lenses have never disappointed and are super cheap and easy to find.

[@terrywbreedlove]

Besides the exposure comp button on the front. You have two ways to adjust your shutter speed. If you want a faster shutter open up the aperture and the shutter speed will increase. Want a slower shutter then stop the aperture down. That is basically what you are doing in a manual mode anyway except here the camera sets the shutter to match your aperture setting. You can also adjust your iso setting. For example raising the iso from the films rated 100 iso to lets say 400 on the camera will increase your shutter speed and vice a versa. In this case Negative film will handle the over or under exposure with ease as long as you keep it with in a couple stops. Not ideal but it may get the shot you otherwise would miss.

[@mjalankinen]

I just got my hands on a 42 year old EM. Also included Osawa Mark II 70-210. Now cleaning and testing.

[@willapanews9761]

The 50 to 150mm Nikon e series lens is a manual focus push pull zoom lens that can produce nice photos in the right hands.

[@michaeldimmitt2188]

I know some people who don’t like the EM because of the simplistic point-&-shoot design. I like it because you have all the control of the aperture to make bokeh behind the subject or all-in-focus landscapes and everything in between. Not sure the fastest shutter speed it is capable of but just open up the aperture all the way and follow your subject. Does the meter still give you readings if you are using the bulb mode? Definitely a great camera for easy low-stress picture situations where you are part of the festivities and not just there to take pictures. And having limitations always stretches you to be more creative in how you are making photographs!

[@PPISAFETY]

Unfortunately, both Bulb and M90 turn off the meter, so if you use either you will need another method of measuring light or a good guess. This has an upside though, because I've drained a new set of batteries by putting the EM in my camera bag for storage, and having something depress the shutter release. So I use M90 as an "On/Off" switch when i put it away. after shooting I leave the lens set at f5.6 so if I forget to turn it back on, and the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot suddenly appear, I'll probably get something usable on film, lol. Top shutter speed of the EM is 1/1000ths of a second. Cheers!

[@Toad_Hugger]

My E-series 50mm f1.8 squeaks when focusing and it drives me nuts. Optics are great though!

[@gioderri9955]

Great video! I would like some advice. I just found these two Mitakon lenses, a 28mm and a 70-210 (mounted on a Nikon EM). Can I easily mount them on my D5600 (obviously losing all the automatic mechanisms and the exposure meter) without causing damage?🤣 Thank you very much

[@hehehoho3770]

As long as the lens is AI-S compatible it should work on the D-series cameras. I personally have a Makinon 28mm f2.8 AI-S which mounts on my D3200 without issues.

[@mohammadvarzideh780]

Great 👍. Your reviews can be considered as a reference. Perfect .

[@johnjon1823]

Sooner or late I am buying something from you. It will happen. However, here at the moment it is a little after 2AM so I am saying sayonara for now....

[@theleftavenue6822]

Please what batteries does this camera take?

[@japanvintagecamera8869]

It uses 2 LR44 or SR44 batteries,

[@mirmirh1291]

And how do you replace it

[@theleftavenue6822]

@@mirmirh1291 bottom of camera can unscrew it with a coin

[@theleftavenue6822]

@@japanvintagecamera8869 thank you!

[@robin9339]

EM sadly only has aperture priority. I think nikon FG is a lot better camera retain all EM function but adding full auto and maunal mode in very light package just like EM. the E series lens is very good espeically the 50mm and 100mm. a lots of people rave about the 75-150mm too.

[@daviddavidd9883]

Exposed! you missed the exposure compensation button ha ha. way back in 1981 I bought this little guy.

[@ufukkiblat]

So you pronounce your name Denise? Ok I'll call you de nice!

[@RobertCooperTheGallery]

The EM absolutely sucks, plus it's a sexist camera too.... It was intended to be marketed towards women, and is the most simplistic, basic camera that you have mostly no control over except pressing the shutter.... So basically it's saying women need a simple camera that all you have to do is press the shutter 🤔🤔🤔?!!!

[@headwerkn]

What’s the saying: if the ad insults your intelligence/ego, you’re not the target market. The marketing at the time was hilariously misogynistic, but probably quite accurate nonetheless. The average non-enthusiast woman would be more sold on the small size, light weight, simple operation and low price, whereas the average equivalent man would care more for impressive specs and features and would talk themselves into spending the extra on an FE… even if neither wanted to actually do anything more than take pics of their kids in aperture priority mode. Don’t think for a second this kind of gendered marketing has gone away, they just don’t put in explicitly in print ;-)