Nikon FE2 Review
Nikon FE2 shown with a Nikkor 35m f/2 AIS
Two Rolls With The Nikon FE2
The Better Camera
The Nikon FE2 was released in 1983. This was the year I met my wife and my last year of high school. My classmate and good friend, Ole, had a Nikon FE2 while I was enjoying my first SLR, a Canon AV-1 at the time.
I remember this vividly. Ole and I spent many classes reading photo magazines and were oblivious to textbooks. Perhaps not the best idea but then again we both graduated, I ended up a photographer and I can report Ole is doing well.
Nikon FE2 and the Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S
Ole and I were the photo buffs of the class. We supplied photos for the yearbook and sold prints from our school trip to Vienna. Ole was always quick to remind me how much better his Nikon FE2 was, compared to my Canon AV-1. It was the classic Canon versus Nikon battle, which went on for years after high school.
It was all about the gear and we never considered who was the better photographer :) Not till now, will I admit Ole's camera was probably nicer than mine.
It was more expensive, had a sturdier build quality, and had the all-important world's fastest shutter speed at the time, 1/4000 of a second.
Nikon FE2 with the Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S. On the front of the camera, you see the self-timer and depth of field preview lever.
Nikon FE2, a Brief History
As a member of a long line of F series cameras, the FE2 was manufactured between 1983 and 1987 and was regarded as a high-end enthusiast camera.
It lacked the bell and whistles of some of the competitors but stood out as a rugged simplistic camera with just enough features to make it an attractive package. This stands true almost forty years later as the FE2 is still a popular choice among film photographers.
Film slot on the back of the Nikon FE2
Nikon FE2 Features
The Nikon FE2 came in black and chrome and the big attraction at the time was the titanium-bladed focal plane shutter with the blazing shutter speed maxing out at 1/4000s with a flash sync speed of 1/250s.
The FE2 is battery-powered and takes two S76, two A76, or one 1/3N battery. The FE2 can shoot without batteries at 1/250s but the light meter will not work.
Add the MD-12 motor drive and you can shoot at 3.2 fps. This is pale in comparison with today’s cameras but was impressive in 1983. I remember Ole had the MD-12 and it was totally badass.
The titanium bladed shutter of the Nikon FE2
Handling the Nikon FE2
The first thing you notice is the heft and density of the copper-aluminum-alloy body weighing 19 oz, 550 g. Not too heavy, not too light but just right. I found my mint Nikon FE2 on Craigslist in Vancouver for $260.00 including a Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S.
Shooting with the Nikon FE2 was a wonderful flashback but also a realization that very few cameras today have that aura of quality and craftsmanship. A shame really. Some cameras come close and yet there is a difference.
The dials and the film advance simply feel fantastic. The Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S had a slight wobble in the lens barrel and the age was more so felt with the lens than the FE2 body.
ISO dial, Exposure compensation, shutter speed dial, film advance, frame counter, and shutter button on the Nikon FE2 with a Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S
Nikon FE2 in Action
I picked up a couple of rolls to try out the Nikon FE2. A roll of Kodak Portra 400 and Kodak Tri-X 400. The all-important feature of the FE2 is the ability to shoot in aperture priority mode.
If you have read my Fujifilm reviews, you may have noticed that this is my go-to shooting mode first and foremost. It started with the Canon AV-1 in ‘83 and I have stuck with it ever since. I do shoot in manual mode when the scene or situation calls for it.
The FE2 has a light meter and the shutter speeds are shown in the excellent viewfinder on the left with a needle moving up and down depending on the shutter speed.
The viewfinder has 0.86x 93% magnification. The aperture is set on the lens like on most Fujifilm X and GFX-series lenses.
The Nikon FE2 has an exposure compensation dial on the top left but it is not that easy to work as you first have to hold the unlock button before turning the dial. ISO is easily changed using the dial on the top left.
In order to trigger the shutter, the film advance lever has to be moved away from the body ever so slightly. It cannot be flush with the camera. This works as a lock feature.
I recalled this from the eighties but if you picked up this camera without knowing, it’s a bit of an odd feature and could have you stuck for a while.
Nikon FE2 with the Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI-S
Two Rolls with the Nikon FE2
As it happened I ended up selling the FE2 shortly after I got it and now I kind of wish I hadn’t. I really enjoyed the camera but I wasn’t in the right mindset to seriously shoot film again.
The reason is our travel project. At the time, we were about halfway through the travel project and I wasn’t about to bring the FE2 along for the ride. Nor did I really have the time to delve into film photography.
Unfortunately, I cannot find the negatives from the two rolls shot with the FE2, meaning the photos below are from the low-resolution scans I have from the lab when I had the film developed.
I probably misplaced the negatives before one of our trips. If I do find them I will update the photos. The reason I mention it is the fact that I think the results would be better copying these with my X-Pro2 and a macro lens.
Nikon FE2 Conclusion
There has been a surge in prices for certain analog cameras over the past few years. The price of the FE2 may not have changed as drastically as some of the popular Leica cameras such as the M6.
Check eBay and depending on what condition you are willing to settle for, the bang for your buck is still quite high with a Nikon FE2.
As I mentioned I wish I had hung on to my FE2 as I can warmly recommend it if you are looking for an SLR film camera. You get the great feeling of shooting analog with a rugged camera and yet the FE2 is not too heavy and has some conveniences in the form of a light meter and the ability to shoot in aperture priority mode.
Nikon SLR and F-Mount Lens Reviews
Nikon F3 HP
Nikon F3
Nikon F
Nikon FM3a
Nikon FM2n
Nikon FE2
Nikon EM
Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f/2 SL IIs
Voigtländer Nokton 55mm f/1.2 SL IIs
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