Review of the Nikon FE 35mm Film Camera for Landscape Photography

An entertaining and insightful video featuring landscape photography discussions and adventures. Photographer Michael Scott captures all footage and images.
In this video, I review the Nikon FE 35mm film camera for landscape photography. While exploring many of the features of the Nikon FE, I also discuss 35mm film, print sizes, and how film grain compares to modern DSLR noise. Furthermore, I discuss where and how I develop my film and the associated costs.
Link to the video of replacing my light seals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJDYmHeMrddsrM0
Photographer - Michael Scott
Music - Omnia by Helmut Schenker
Music Source - epidemicsound.com
Camera - Nikon FE
Lens - Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AI
Lens - Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AI
Tripod - Gitzo Series 2 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod
Center Lock Shutter Cable Release
Photo Editing - Adobe LR and PS
Hardware - MacBook Pro
Color Calibration - Colorchecker Display Plus
Color Calibrated Monitor - BenQ SW271C
Website - www.scottymanphoto.com
Contact - [e-mail]
Facebook - scottymanphoto
Twitter - scottymanphoto
Instagram- scottymanphoto
Flickr - www.flickr.com/photos/scottymanphoto

[@bernhardwagner9879]

Thank you for the retro vibes. I taught photography on the high school level for 35 years. I bought 2 FEs to use in class, on the field and in my business. I also published 35 yearbooks. The FE performed flawlessly for my work. I had a motor drive for both and I just recall the absolute ease of working with those cameras wether shooting a game or a wedding. My Nikon DSLRs are on the shelf and my iPhone 14 is on my hip.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Some of the best high school memories I have are from my art class. I don't know if photography is even a thought in school nowadays. Thanks for the reminder; I'm going to dust off my year book and take a trip down memory lane. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and thank you for watching!

[@Incdvideo]

Thank You . Great review .

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Thank you very much! Thanks for watching!

[@smkunder1]

I too, used to shoot a Nikon FE, Great Video, and this makes me want to buy one again.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Such a great camera! I was considering shooting mine a bit this weekend. Thanks for the kind comment, and thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[@peterfritzphoto]

Really cool, Michael. I kinda miss my old Nikons. I'd love a mint FE2 and F3 with drives. Take care, mate.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

I loved the film days! I remember thinking that a digital camera could never match the quality of film. Still, there's something about having an SLR in your hands. Thanks for stopping by, Buddy! Have a great day and take care!

[@TexasCovertCarry]

Great review and information. I just got an FE off eBay and it seems to be in good shape. Videos like yours really help to understand this older tech. I'm 55 and my memory of the good ol film days has been eclipsed by digital, which I love. Thanks!

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Steve, well said! I wish I had never given up film when digital first arrived. I think many of us were quick to abandon our film cameras for digital. Indeed, I think we can have both. Thanks for watching!

[@bryans8653]

Best video for someone getting back into film photography with the nikon. Modern processing info was helpful sonce the last time i shot film they used the darkroom methods 😊

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Thanks for watching, and thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[@peterviragphoto]

I haven’t shot film for ages, got a similar Canon body myself. Nice video mate, you covered heaps, very informative! I especially loved those first two shots you took, great compositions! Thanks for sharing👍👍

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Thanks for the kind comments, Peter! Much appreciated!

[@peterviragphoto]

@@ScottymanPhoto very welcome

[@GonzoRedSox]

Great video! I am just starting out in film photography. I just picked up a Nikon FE with the 50mm F1.4 ... do you have a recommendation on other lenses to consider? Thanks

[@ScottymanPhoto]

I’m glad you liked the video! I do love the FE. I think an all around great lens would be a Nikon 35-70 f3.5 AIS Lens. You may be able to pick up one in great shape for around $150. It really depends on what you intend to do with it. Thanks for watching!

[@mkaestn]

nice! I have an FE on the way, and N90s was my last film before going DSLR. A D4 will take any shot anytime, but film makes you think and plan each shot.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Congrats on the FE. I do love mine. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thanks for watching.

[@mrstandfast2212]

I bought a 2nd hand Nikon FE circa 2002 to replace the Nikon EM I'd had before. The plan was to subsequently upgrade from the FE to an F2 or F3 when I could afford to do so. It's now 2023, and I'm still using the Nikon FE having only ever had to replace the batteries when required. The FE has proven to be the most reliable camera I've ever owned, and experience taught me that I had no need to upgrade. The fact that it can comfortably accommodate the pre Ai and Ais lenses is a huge bonus, as these lenses are invariably better value than the Ai and Ais examples. My particular favourite is a 35mm f2.8 with shift control. Should my beloved FE ever die, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

I do love the FE! It's built like a tank and just keeps working. Of all the film cameras I've ever owned, the FE is the most fun to shoot. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thank you for watching!

[@TheManFrayBentos]

Interesting that KEH are 'working on a solution' - the one they used to have, I take it. I bought several items from them a few years ago, on the basis that the actual item was the one in the pictures, and never had a lemon. Otoh, I'm not too impressed with the lack of pics of the actual item, since they re-organised a few years ago. It turns a purchase into more of a gamble than I'm comfortable with.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Yeah, I seem to remember something about the pics not being of the actual item. I really have to see the photos when buying anything used. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and thank you for watching.

[@ramataim1]

Great video Michael!!! Just like you I'm still using my 35mm SLR. I got the Nikon F2 and a Nikkormat FTN. Love loading them with Ektar 100 and Ilford HP4. Then when I have 8 rolls exposed, develop them at home and scan them with my full frame DSLR. The results are amazing, so good that I can print really large. Would like to know the name of the App you use to record your camera data. Thanks!!!

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Samuel, always great to hear from someone that’s still shooting film! I’ll probably start developing my own film sometime in the future, and maybe even do a bit of darkroom printing. The app I use is PhotoExif. Glad you liked the video, and thanks for watching!

[@lphilpot01]

Reminds me of shooting with my old Pentax ME Super, back in the day. I liked that little camera.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Nice! I was out with my Nikon F2AS today. Something special about those old cameras 😀

[@randyschwager2515]

Good stuff! Thanks!

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Hey Randy! Glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting. Have a great day!

[@gregorysargeant6305]

Great video, back in the 80's I would of never touch a 35mm camera I was strictly a medium format photographer but now I love my FE. digital made me a better photographer but film makes me enjoy it. By the way where did you get that L bracket from I need one for the FE.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Gregory, thanks for the kind comments! There's truly something exciting about shooting film over digital. I'm really enjoying my reunion with 35mm film. The L bracket is the Really Right Stuff Multi-Camera L-Plate. I don't think they make it any longer, but I'm sure you can find one on eBay. Take care, buddy!

[@ivaa7777JAWA]

Great video

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Very kind of you to say! Thank you!

[@MateuMatheu]

I've tried a few field notes apps, which one (minute 16:41) are you using?

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Hello, Meteu! It's the PhotoExif app. It's not bad, very basic, but it gets the job done.

[@agnethaladuff8559]

I think that film photography is still really good, I like the color and dynamic range of the film and the experience of meeting new people and perhaps make new friends while going out to buy film or dropping off a roll of film to get developed at the photo store. Also I think that film has smoother and more natural look when it is developed. Great video.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Agnetha, thank you for the comments! Indeed, there is something about shooting film that seems unmatched by digital. It feels nostalgic to me, but it may be more than that??? You're right; the film experience has me interacting with more people. I find myself in the local camera shops scooping out their film stock and chatting about the lost art of film. 😀

[@agnethaladuff8559]

@@ScottymanPhoto Yes, Film photos can't be duplicated by a digital camera and it definitely has it's place in the history of art. It is wonderful.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

@@agnethaladuff8559 It’s truly all about the experience.

[@Xiaoyi_Wang]

视频很好，非常有幸能刷到这个视频。恰好我也有1个胶片机身，胶片摄影有3次曝光，所以它让摄影师更专注、更谨慎、更多乐趣。但同时它也需要更多的经验和技术。现在的数码相机正在向着高像素、高速度、智能化方向发展。对于学习摄影来说，我想这并不是一件好事。但对于普通用户的拍摄需求来讲，它是好的。对于摄影艺术来讲，不管哪种相机，只要能记录影像，它就非常好了。

[@ScottymanPhoto]

I agree! Having fewer images compared to digital makes one focus more on each frame. Also, it's more expensive, and you can't see the results on the back of your camera. Thanks for the comments! Have a great day!

[@LiveSteamNick]

I bought my Fe in Black in 1983,, it served me without fault until i succumbed to digital on a D70 in 2003. I then sold off my FE and its lens and motordrive, yeah the MD12 motordrive what a beast,,beat myself so bad i immediately bought an immaculate F5 so that i could shoot Film as and when. now in 2024 i am looking to sell my F5. beating myself up once again cos i wanna keep it 😢

[@ScottymanPhoto]

I wish I had my original FE and a few other cameras I had in the 80s-90s. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thanks for watching!

[@blacksheep6888]

I have my own dark room, and my Nikon F80 although has everything I need, it just doesn't have the look, it looks like a modern digital, so I bought an FE because it's old school but still has apature priority, and it looks just like my Nikon ZFc.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Yeah, the FE can be fun to shoot. I immensely enjoy my Nikon F2, but it's full manual. With aperture priority, the FE is delightful when shooting handheld. Thanks for watching, and thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[@blacksheep6888]

@@ScottymanPhoto your video was excellent I really enjoyed watching

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Thank you for sharing that! I have a new one coming out on Friday that you may like: "7 Reasons Why Shooting 35MM Film Is So Much Fun." Hope to see you there 😀

[@dwwhite318]

Film, in my opinion, captures life a bit better than digital does. My collection of cameras includes 25 vintage 35mm and medium format cameras and 2 Nikon digital (D700 and D5300). Shooting film makes one a better photographer.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Hey, David! Thanks for the comments! You have quite the collection of cameras. I agree, shooting film does help improve our skills, especially with understanding exposure.

[@richardsimms251]

Nice

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Thank you, and thank you for watching!

[@johanverheyden8828]

What is the app you use?

[@ScottymanPhoto]

It’s called PhotoExif. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for watching!

[@lensman5762]

I had an FE back in 1981. I then got an FE2 and later on I sold the FE. I wish I had kept it. It is one of Nikon Gems. The FE was not designed for News or war photography nor was a system camera, but it lacked nothing when it came to other types of photography. They have got very pricy, in recent years.

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Yeah, the market for film appears to be gaining momentum. The do love my FE and it's built like a tank. Thanks for watching!

[@jasongold6751]

Used by many Pros, in questionable, history making times! Steve McCurry for one! Coplal shutter a big Plus!

[@jasongold6751]

Let's see actual images!

[@ScottymanPhoto]

Jason, thanks for watching! I did post a few images from the FE at the end of the video. Also, I plan to get out with my F2AS soon. Look for that video in the coming weeks. Thanks, buddy!