Nikon FM2 Video 2: Load Film, Change Lenses, Battery, Take a Photo, and Double Exposures

[@L-rg5pv]

This actually helped me alot! Found my dad’s old fm2 and can’t wait to try it out. I normally use my Canon ae-1 and am excited to try a new one. Thank u so much for those 2 videos!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@pablotenkara3057]

Thanks! I just got an FM2, which is also my first film camera. :) Super useful tutorial!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@cheffred1582]

Same here! Thank you this is very helpful

[@shadowboxer2747]

Just got myself nikon fm2 today.. thanks for the tutorial 👍👏👏👏👏 greeting from Malaysia 🇲🇾

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you and great choice! These are awesome cameras.

[@magik8566]

There is a special "wire" to use to keep the battery charged in very cold weather. There are different focusing screens available for it. There is a slot on the back to insert the film box cover to set a reminder of the film being used, The flash synch is 1/250th. The top shutter speed is 1/400th sec, sec. It is very light. Etc, etc, etc ... It is a truly remarkable camera.

[@DavidHancock]

Oh I didn't know about the wire. is that in the camera somewhere or an accessory?

[@magik8566]

@@DavidHancock www.keh.com/shop/nikon-manual-focus-db-2-anti-cold-battery-pack-f2-f3-fa-fm2-fe2-fg-em-661663.html I got it wrong a bit, it seems the device uses "AA" batteries and attaches with a special wired tip to the battery port to power the camera... But still, it keeps the camera going in the cold ;)

[@jackjstrange]

One of the most beautiful cameras ever made!

[@DavidHancock]

Definitely up there. I've always like the older Nikon styling.

[@n506higo]

The best video explaining the best camera. The FM2n is the simplest and one can learn the basics of photography from this camera. One thing I think missing in the video is: don't set shutter speed between two stops, unlike F, F2 and F3. The exposure control with the resolution finer than one stop should be done with aperture.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@edscannell1019]

Just bought my first film Nikon....great video helped a lot

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@truthseeker311]

Thank you very much for this very interesting and helpful tutorial. 👍

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@gopalpanday4921]

Wow Amazing 🤩

[@Fourtitude44]

👍🏽you're on the right track and you're producing content that is useful to me.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@alanjones8579]

David a great series of reviews of what is an iconic camera. I owned a Fm3a for a while. However I just couldn't get the hang of the the film advance lever hitting my face while taking a shot....that's because I use my left eye for focusing, a real shame though because the camera and lens (50mm 1.2) combo was beautiful.....thanks once again

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@shortrunfilms6254]

Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@jonaswieczorek3198]

First of all: Great overview! Really enjoeyed the videos. I do have a question, though: I recently bought a FM2n and it arrived today. Upon further inspection of the camera I noticed a rattling sound, that appeared when moving the camera around. Especially when gently tilting it from side to side. Have you noticed something like this on your FM2? Or have you heard of this happening before?

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you and good question. I have sometimes heard a rattling and it was the strap lug split rings. So first thing, is make sure to hold those and shake the camera slightly. If it recurs, then it's definitely inside the camera. Next is to try and locate the sound. If it's in the bottom, that's an easy fix -- simply take the bottom of the camera off and see what it is. If it's inside the top or the middle, then it could be something that could possibly damage the mechanism. I would in that case recommend sending it for a repair. Most likely, it's a loose screw or small piece of hardened internal lining foam ()my guess is on the screw as that's happened to me a few times.)

[@cormicwittmer-hill3526]

Hello there. great video. I had a question do you have any idea the cause, for Nikon lenses to be stuck on the bayonet of the body?

[@DavidHancock]

There are a few reasons. To rule the easiest one out first, make sure you press the lens release button into the camera and turn the lens the proper way to remove it. Assuming you've done that, a few common reasons that lenses get stuck are: 1- Improper loading (jammed mount) 2- Corrosion on the lens mount after the lens was mounted, rusting the lens to the body 3- Dirt or grime in the lens mount that's made it hard for something (like the pin that's unlocked when you press the lens release button) to fully release 4- Some jammed mechanism that's locked the lens on The fourth one can be ruled out if the camera works properly otherwise. The other three CAN be dealt with yourself, but they're not easy. I once had to use a hacksaw to cut the flange off a camera body to free a lens that had gotten rusted onto it. It was not fun. So I would suggest taking it to a camera shop for an eval and see if they have an idea. It may be that a professional repair is needed to free the lens.

[@joserocha1840]

I have this camera as well and love it so much! But I have one question, though: the lever below the film rewinder should it stay in the loose position or should it be locked, when the film is inside and we don't want to rewind it? Thanks a lot, great video.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! If you mean the little silver rewind arm on the rewind knob, that should stay tucked into the rewind knob. If it isn't there's like either a missing or mis-aligned spring under under it (which is what makes it pop back into place normally.)

[@joserocha1840]

@@DavidHancock I mean the black plastic tab just beneath, the one that we rotate counter-clockwise to open the film door. I don't know if it's supposed to be locked or not when the film is inside. From other videos I've seen, it seems that that tab goes back to the locked position automatically, but in my camera it's not. I haven't seen any videos explaining this.

[@joserocha1840]

Just found a video showing that closely, and I saw that tab has a spring that puts it back into the locked/safe position. Oh well, that's not happening in my FM2, the spring must be broken, I guess, I have to lock it manually. Thanks for replying and keep up the great work!

[@judeau9151]

very helpful, thank you for all the detail

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@612morrison]

I just bought a FM2n on Ebay (UK), it looks to be in nice condition and the seller says it's in working order cost £195 about $275 US but still a lot less than one from Japan .

[@DavidHancock]

Very nice! I didn't realize they were going for that much now.

[@612morrison]

@@DavidHancock most old cameras (if they are working) are increasing in price probably because film is making a comeback as a artform along with a newer growing trend on KZbin and Instagram.

[@herrebner4274]

again, super helpful

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@1911geek]

Good and thorough

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@MrByrd-ep5pd]

There is what I see as a 'design flaw' on the FM2 series. The FM (or at least early FMs) did not require that the film advance lever be pulled out in order to release the shutter. However, on later FMs and all FM2s the shutter will not fire unless the lever is pulled out. As a 'left-eye' shooter, this is bad. I get poked in the face with the lever when focusing. I am trying to find a repairman who can convert the FM2 shutter release to that of the FM. However, I do not know if this can be done. The point is this: While the FM2 is a great camera, it is also a camera that can be very irritating for left-eye shooters.

[@DavidHancock]

I'm a right-eye shooter and I hate the heck out of that feature, too. If there's anyone on YT who knows if that's possible, it's the Fix Old Cameras channel.

[@COZY__BOY]

@@DavidHancock using an eye cup helps consider buying that as it juts out a bit so u will less likely to get poked

[@joshtheoriginal09]

Hi there David, just wanted to know if the fm2n and fm cameras instructors the same? I have both but haven't set them up yet.. still learning how to work out shutter and aperture speed which can throw me a bit. A little advice on this would be great.. great video too.

[@DavidHancock]

They're pretty close with just a few differences in capabilities. If you can use one, you can grab the other and know what everything is.

[@joshtheoriginal09]

@@DavidHancock ok thanks that's great!

[@geoffhunt3278]

In the previous video you mention that they don't require a lot of maintenance as they are self-lubricating. If one (FM2N) has been sitting for 30 years, would you recommend a complete CLA before regular use? Everything appears to be working fine as it is. Thanks.

[@DavidHancock]

I'd give it a test roll and try to shoot at every shutter speed at least once with that roll. If the images look fine, no maintenance needed.

[@geoffhunt3278]

@@DavidHancock thanks for the reply.

[@dondons5688]

I couldn’t quite hear you in the video when you mentioned the lens. If I buy one do I need Ai or non Ai lenses? Thanks, great video

[@DavidHancock]

You need an AI lens.

[@sohhangliu1496]

Many many thanks for this instructive video - incredibly helpful! Do you recommend adjusting for exposure after pressing the depth of field preview button? I have a Nikon Series E Lens on my FM2.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! Also, definitely do NOT adjust aperture with the DoF button pressed. That will overexpose your images significantly. I forget if this camera can mount NAI lenses. If so, that is the one exception to adjusting the settings and falls under stop-down metering.

[@sohhangliu1496]

@@DavidHancock Many thanks for your reply. I am glad I was able to find this out just 3 exposures into my first film photography journey.

[@danielvandergriend9724]

Hey David great review. I have the original fm2 but notice when I click the shutter that all the LED lights fire up for a second. Is this normal? Thanks

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you, and I think so. I think that simply means that the battery is fully charged. Page 7, part 6 of the manual (cdn-10.nikon-cdn.com/pdf/manuals/archive/FM2.pdf) seems to describe the condition you're describing as a normal.

[@exquisitearc8498]

Is the film ISO selection dial located within the shutter speed dial used just for the purpose of the light meter?

[@DavidHancock]

That is correct, yes.

[@exquisitearc8498]

Cool

[@nicholasdauphinais]

Let’s say I’m shooting day time and I only take 10 shots on the film I’m using and then I have to shoot at nighttime... do I have to use up all my film before I switch to nighttime film?

[@DavidHancock]

You can. You can also rewind the film but not all the way, leave a short leader like when you first opened it. This takes a bit of practice to recognize how to hear the film release from the spool inside without fully rewinding it. With a permanent marker (like a Sharpie) write on the leader what frame you need to start at next time you load the film. Always add one to the count from the frame count window in case there's a registration (film alignment) difference when you re-load. Then you're good to go with your faster film.

[@nassitaheri]

THX!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@55whiplash]

I have an old FM but now I use my OM-2n, I prefer Olympus lenses but I think it's just my preference. I always heard Nikons where the best bodies but not necessarily their glass, do you have an opinion.

[@DavidHancock]

I like Olympus lenses as much as I like Pentax lenses for 35mm. They're exceptional across the board. Emperically, Olympus probably madethe best 35mm lenses from a technical perspective, taken as a whole system. Heck, I even like their 55mm 1.2 and my general opinion of 1.2 lenses is they're wastes of money and space. Nikon had some great bodies -- the Nikkormats, FM/2/3, and the F lines were amazing. Very robust, reliable, and still great. Their electronic cameras have fared less favorably over time (I have yet to hold a working FE, for example.) None of them had as good a viewfinder as those found on any single-digit OM body, and I think that makes a huge difference in terms of ability to compose and focus. I do find that Nikon lenses tend to be slightly softer and lower-contrast than the Zuiko lenses, at least to my eye and shooting style, but not so much that I think Nikkor lenses are inferior. Again, this could go back to the viewfinder and how much easier it is to make critical focuses with the better OM viewfinder. Having used both the Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 and Zuiko 55mm f/1.2, the Zuiko is MUCH easier to focus and I think that's 100% the viewfinder. In 35mm, I think I could agree that Nikon had a greater number of robust and well-made models than other manufacturers, but they also made more models of camera than anyone except Canon. (which is only to illustrate that there are multiple sides to any statement of fact.) Does that answer your question?

[@55whiplash]

@@DavidHancock Yes thanks.

[@dhirajshetty483]

Great job thank you

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@bublt4me]

Can you make an instructional video for the Minolta Spotmeter F?

[@DavidHancock]

If I get my hands on one, I might be able to. I've never used one, though.

[@SHDEdits]

Is this viewfinder straight through the lens? So pulling focus through the viewfinder would literally show it literally being blurred when out of focus, or is there a different process for seeing your focus

[@DavidHancock]

Yup! To see your approx. depth of field, use the DoF preview button.

[@SHDEdits]

Cheers. On a technical stand point, what is mechanically actually happening to allow you to see the DOF through a button process. If it's going straight through the lens, why wouldn't you be able to see it's focus at all times on it's own.

[@DavidHancock]

So you will always be able to see the focus. With SLRs, what you see is what you get in terms of focus if your camera is working correctly. But, focus is always done wide-open. So if you have an f/2 lens, you will always be focusing at f/2. The aperture will stop down to whatever you have it set to right before the shutter action. What the specifically means is that you will always see the focus as though you were shooting at f/2. With DoF preview, the aperture is closed by you while you're looking through the viewfinder. That lets you see, roughly, what is in focus but makes the viewfinder significantly darker. Does that clear it up? Let me know if I missed anything.

[@KanonMadness]

so i cant use a nikkor-s 50mm 1.4 non-ai lens on this camera? :O

[@DavidHancock]

I can't recall if these have a flip-up meter coupling now and I don't have one in inventory to check. If not, then no. If yes, then you need to use stop-down metering.

[@SnakeBitesTattoo]

I have 2 FM I on the shutter release there's a red and a white dot on 1 and not the other one What is that for?

[@DavidHancock]

I'm not sure. Can you share a photo of it? (you can post a link in a comment.)

[@christophscholz7484]

Does anyone know if this model is more robust and rugged than the F2? Thanks

[@DavidHancock]

They're both pretty durable.

[@Antique_engineer_]

I can’t see the red plus and minus in the view finder... any ideas?

[@DavidHancock]

The first thing to check is that you have good batteries installed and they're installed correctly. If that's the case, let me know and we'll take it from there.

[@Antique_engineer_]

David Hancock : Thank you for the reply ^_^ It was the batteries! The women who sold me the camera said they were new but no. I changed them and pressed the shutter release a bit and it came on. Such a relief to know it works!

[@ernalissaadarne6146]

thank you for this. i was also looking for the exposure indicator and now i know i need to check the batteries. thank you for this video. i just got a new fm2n and this is a great help.

[@rebekahlin3706]

Hi David, my film advance lever is jammed, would you know why? As I load the film, it doesn't push down when I move to advance it twice.

[@DavidHancock]

Is the shutter button working?

[@rebekahlin]

David Hancock nope it isn’t. There isn’t a click sound when I press it

[@DavidHancock]

That sounds like a problem with the camera that's going to require a repair.

[@stelios578927785]

hello david i am between FA and olympus om2n.Can you help me decide which one?What meter and viewfinder do you prefer the nikon or the olympus?Thnx!(yes im talking about the Fa not fm2,sorry if im out of topic but i really need your help!)

[@DavidHancock]

The OM-2 has a much better viewfinder than either the FA or FM2. It's much larger and brighter when I hold it up to my eye, and since I wear glasses that's huge for me.

[@stelios578927785]

David Hancock Thanx a lot David.I've found an om2n thats been recently cla'ed with 28mm f2.8,original flash,original motordrive for about 180 euros.

[@amzaaulia1696]

hey david, do you prefer nikon f3, nikon fm2, or olympus om-2n? thankyou

[@DavidHancock]

The OM-2N for certain, of those three. The F3 of the two Nikons.

[@yogakertanegara5264]

And how about nikon f4, david..? Thank you :)

[@DavidHancock]

The F4 is a good camera, but really heavy, too. I have a video series uploaded for it, too.

[@SnakeBitesTattoo]

I can't seem to find where I would send a pic yoo!

[@DavidHancock]

You can just upload a link to it in a comment.

[@robertmacmoneagle6917]

I didn't know you had to change film speeds on double or multiple exposures. That means you are limited to how many exposures you can make.

[@DavidHancock]

Correct to an extent. The more images you put onto film, the less each is individually recognizable. The practical limit for most uses of multiple exposures is about three.

[@howardkettle7265]

great video but I am looking for a motor drive for a Nikon FG film camera do you know where I can purchase one

[@DavidHancock]

eBay

[@jorgemtrevino]

The film advance lever will serve as a shutter safety, not only as meter switch. Actually, this is a very irritating nuisance, I wish it could be disabled. It's just a matter of discipline anyway. Always discharge the shutter and that's all that's needed.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!