My thoughts as an owner of an FG as well as a previous owner of Olympus OMs, Leica Ms, Ricoh KRs, Pentax etc., and in the digital world pretty much all the major brands, if someone needs the camera to excite them, maybe they should take up angling.
Since I have literally hundreds of 35mm cameras, I frequently give Nikon FG cameras and an E series 50mm lens to friends and relatives who are somewhat new to film photography. If those friends and relatives are serious about learning, truly learning, the fundamentals of photography, I give them a Pentax K1000 first 😉. That being said, I feel that the lens used makes much more of a difference in the quality of the photograph than whichever light-tight box is used to hold it, and the film, in place.
great video! but confused at what you said at 9:03 that you prefer the photos from the Minolta compared to FG. if the exposure are the same with the same film stock, should the photos not be identical?
There is a lot to like about the FG. I love the exposure compensation button on the front. However, while I have an FG, it still does not have the joy factor that the FA has. So I have only one FG, but three FA bodies. While I am happy with shooting in aperture priority for most shots, I also need the ability to switch to shutter priority like I can on the FA, and while the extra two stops of having 1/4000th second shutter is rarely needed, sometimes it is frustrating to be limited to just 1/1000th on the FG. 99.99% of shots will look just as good on an FG as any other camera using the same lens (lens is almost certainly the factor when you mentioned a different camera making better shots,) however, there are difficult lighting scenarios where the FG center-weighted exposure system does not nail a great shot like the FA matrix metering can. The FG is excellent value for money, but there are good reasons why they are half the price of similar age alternatives, like the FA.
Some manual focus SLRs that include suggested speeds in manual mode also include the awesome CONTAX RTS III, with spot and center weighted metering. A gem of a camera also!
Some manual focus SLRs that include suggested speeds in manual mode include the Minolta X570 (which makes it better in my opinion than the X700) and the Canon T60. There are others, but those two came to mind. It's certainly a nice feature and makes manual mode as good as it would be in a manual match LED or match needle camera. Have you tried an FA? That's a gem!
I bought a Nikon FG from a pawn shop in 1990. It felt junky compared to my friend's FM2 and it turned out to be nothing but junk. FGs were always plagued by the amount of plastic incorporated in the shutter mechanism resulting in mirror sync issues. Mine was no exception. After many trips to the repair shop it's shutter mechanism was completely rebuilt by Nikon. It was fantastic after that but the damage to its reputation was done and I gleefully replaced it with an FE2 (which I replaced with the far superior FM2N).
Damning with faint praise? I have never had one, so I can't comment on your derogation of the plasticky feel or slow shutter-speed problems, though I have a suspicion that it may be the light weight more than rigidity giving you problems. I started with Nikkormat FTn and added one. When stolen, I replaced them with FM2s, which at first felt small and were lighter, though I got to love them. I'm not sure any camera has "inspired me" to make photographs, though I have been delighted when acquiring a new (to me) one. The only one I have kept since the early '70s is the M4 that I got in nearly mint excellent condition with similar 50 Summicron for about $400. (It also has a hinged advance lever; I happen to like it, but admittedly I also know it's good for another, say, 80,00 advances). I used it a lot in photojournalism and ballet photography for decades. A pleasure to use. Used less now (I'm shooting less overall now), I am happy to have it as my one 35, though an SLR would be nice. But I have a 645 and 4x5, and, as I commented elsewhere recently, look at all the extraordinary photographs made by photographers with simpler cameras, a single lens, and not even a light meter. I should do so well! Does the FG have a DOF preview? I used mine on SLRs all the time. I don't hear much mention of it these days. I don't wish to unjustly blame you or anyone, but being inspired to photograph by the camera sounds to me just a little along the lines of today's "incessant entertainment" counterculture. When I was pushing carts outside a supermarket part-time 20 years ago, I watched people get out of their cars and pull out their phones for the 10 seconds it took them to walk to the store, to see if they had missed something. Sometimes the clouds were beautiful. I had an opportunity to see the Grand Canyon last Fall. I purposely did not take a camera. I saw more, experienced more, than the thousands who got out of their cars, reached the railing or trail, and immediately took selfies before moving somewhere else to repeat it. I did make photos -- about 10, with my Nikon -- in Yosemite the one time I was there, just after snowfall in Jan. '74. I was alone, it was nearly silent. Unfortunately, I underexposed the film. But mainly, I just walked, taking it in. I don't regret it.
My thoughts as an owner of an FG as well as a previous owner of Olympus OMs, Leica Ms, Ricoh KRs, Pentax etc., and in the digital world pretty much all the major brands, if someone needs the camera to excite them, maybe they should take up angling.
Excellent video 😮!
Since I have literally hundreds of 35mm cameras, I frequently give Nikon FG cameras and an E series 50mm lens to friends and relatives who are somewhat new to film photography. If those friends and relatives are serious about learning, truly learning, the fundamentals of photography, I give them a Pentax K1000 first 😉.
That being said, I feel that the lens used makes much more of a difference in the quality of the photograph than whichever light-tight box is used to hold it, and the film, in place.
I think I have one of those! Have to dig around. Thanks.
great video! but confused at what you said at 9:03 that you prefer the photos from the Minolta compared to FG. if the exposure are the same with the same film stock, should the photos not be identical?
There is a lot to like about the FG. I love the exposure compensation button on the front. However, while I have an FG, it still does not have the joy factor that the FA has. So I have only one FG, but three FA bodies. While I am happy with shooting in aperture priority for most shots, I also need the ability to switch to shutter priority like I can on the FA, and while the extra two stops of having 1/4000th second shutter is rarely needed, sometimes it is frustrating to be limited to just 1/1000th on the FG.
99.99% of shots will look just as good on an FG as any other camera using the same lens (lens is almost certainly the factor when you mentioned a different camera making better shots,) however, there are difficult lighting scenarios where the FG center-weighted exposure system does not nail a great shot like the FA matrix metering can.
The FG is excellent value for money, but there are good reasons why they are half the price of similar age alternatives, like the FA.
very well put! i agree with everything you've said here.
Love your videos. The Nikon EM did have a Nikon accessory that attached to the camera so you where able to do manual exposures.
Some manual focus SLRs that include suggested speeds in manual mode also include the awesome CONTAX RTS III, with spot and center weighted metering. A gem of a camera also!
Oooo I’ll have to check this out! Thanks for the recommendation! And thanks for watching!
Very nice images, and nice camera 👍
I got this black ed cam for 40 bucks last year. Along my fm2n, best pair. Plan on ditching f90 to f5 this year dunno when
Can you use the A mode also with AI lenses? (not only AIS)
combine this with an e series 50 1.8 and what more do you need?
Some manual focus SLRs that include suggested speeds in manual mode include the Minolta X570 (which makes it better in my opinion than the X700) and the Canon T60. There are others, but those two came to mind. It's certainly a nice feature and makes manual mode as good as it would be in a manual match LED or match needle camera.
Have you tried an FA? That's a gem!
It’s a beautiful camera and i like the size but, the film advance lever and the mirror slap don’t make me want to use it.
I bought a Nikon FG from a pawn shop in 1990. It felt junky compared to my friend's FM2 and it turned out to be nothing but junk. FGs were always plagued by the amount of plastic incorporated in the shutter mechanism resulting in mirror sync issues. Mine was no exception. After many trips to the repair shop it's shutter mechanism was completely rebuilt by Nikon. It was fantastic after that but the damage to its reputation was done and I gleefully replaced it with an FE2 (which I replaced with the far superior FM2N).
Damning with faint praise? I have never had one, so I can't comment on your derogation of the plasticky feel or slow shutter-speed problems, though I have a suspicion that it may be the light weight more than rigidity giving you problems. I started with Nikkormat FTn and added one. When stolen, I replaced them with FM2s, which at first felt small and were lighter, though I got to love them.
I'm not sure any camera has "inspired me" to make photographs, though I have been delighted when acquiring a new (to me) one. The only one I have kept since the early '70s is the M4 that I got in nearly mint excellent condition with similar 50 Summicron for about $400. (It also has a hinged advance lever; I happen to like it, but admittedly I also know it's good for another, say, 80,00 advances). I used it a lot in photojournalism and ballet photography for decades. A pleasure to use. Used less now (I'm shooting less overall now), I am happy to have it as my one 35, though an SLR would be nice. But I have a 645 and 4x5, and, as I commented elsewhere recently, look at all the extraordinary photographs made by photographers with simpler cameras, a single lens, and not even a light meter. I should do so well!
Does the FG have a DOF preview? I used mine on SLRs all the time. I don't hear much mention of it these days.
I don't wish to unjustly blame you or anyone, but being inspired to photograph by the camera sounds to me just a little along the lines of today's "incessant entertainment" counterculture. When I was pushing carts outside a supermarket part-time 20 years ago, I watched people get out of their cars and pull out their phones for the 10 seconds it took them to walk to the store, to see if they had missed something. Sometimes the clouds were beautiful.
I had an opportunity to see the Grand Canyon last Fall. I purposely did not take a camera. I saw more, experienced more, than the thousands who got out of their cars, reached the railing or trail, and immediately took selfies before moving somewhere else to repeat it. I did make photos -- about 10, with my Nikon -- in Yosemite the one time I was there, just after snowfall in Jan. '74. I was alone, it was nearly silent. Unfortunately, I underexposed the film. But mainly, I just walked, taking it in. I don't regret it.
good job man
Я только что купил эту камеру с рук, кто знает почему мигает два индикатора внутри видоискателя 60 и 125 ?