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Earlier, I have
made some remarks relating to the lack of motor drive for the FM-10. Here I am using
two illustration of the FM and also an Nikon FE to let you compare visually the differences
between the two bodies. Incidentally, the FM and the current FM2 shares almost the
same configuration as far as the base plate arrangement is concerned. What missing
in the FM-10 are just motor drive related. The rewind button is made of metal and
has a bigger diameter for the motor drive rewind slide to interact correctly and
precisely. Well, a friend of mine was commenting... " goohs, the battery compartment
lid was also made of a piece of plastic !"... I was trying to calm him down
by saying " since the whole body casing was made of plastic, would it made any
significant difference if that was a piece of metal ? That was just to please yourself
and want to forget the rest are not metal anymore... anyway, tell me which entry
SLR camera models are still made of metal ?.." Well,
that is not the problem to go without a motor drive. But since Nikon had designed
their other manual focus cameras with motor drive capability with a simple coupler
on the base plate that mates with the 2 pins remote terminal on the motor drive,
the FM-10 can be easily designed to make used of the existing model drive too. Note:
There is a section featuring on the Nikon Motor Drive MD-12, although it cannot be used with the FM-10 featured here, but
it can gain some rough idea how such device can help you be more responsive and production
at times.
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The illustration used here has been retouched to show how it looks like when you have the film back removed. Credit here is given to the thoughtful and considerate feature of film cartridge confirmation window, so you don't need a conventional memo holder to remind you of the film type in use. However, the film back is again a one-piece molded plastic. |
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When you open the film back (by pulling up the film rewind knob upward), first striking thing you would see is the vertically traveled aluminum shutter curtain. The shorter curtain traveling time (24mm vertically instead of 36mm horizontal) contribute to the higher maximum speed of 1/2000 sec and also the sync speed of 1/125 sec. A careful user might notice the lack of databack terminal and it has a fixed film back - which means the FM-10 cannot use with either the newer MF-16 databack nor the older cable plug-in type of MF-12, because the FM-10 has not provided with a PC terminal. |
Like the lens mount, accessory shoe and the Errrr... tripod socket, the mirror and shutter box has the most rigid construction and are made of metal. The shutter curtain has five blades when the shutter is cocked and the second curtain is comprised of four blades after the shutter is being released. Shutter noise is average and comparable with the FM2n.
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If your vision requires correction and an eyepiece correction lens is fitted, you do not have to wear eye-glasses when taking pictures. Just slip the correction lens in the groove in the finder eyepiece. |
A total of 9 types
are available. -5, -4, -3, -2, 0, +0.5, +1, +2, +3 (Diopters) Note: Some forms of astigmatism etc. may make dioptric eyepiece
correction impossible. Please check with your vision specialist for a recommendation
based on your prescription.
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|
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The familiar Nikon K screen (above left) has been replaced with a microprism spot and split rangefinder. The12mm outline in the K screen that signifies and help a seasoned photographer to identify the area of center weighted average metering pattern is gone and you have to guess and roughly put your main subject of interest around the center to meter. Thought of changing screen for specific work ? The FM-10 has omitted the very useful interchangeable focusing screen feature. Anyway, may be Nikon thought this is not the model that should be fooling around anything near the ever sensitive and 'fragile' looking mirror box...and thought it may not be a good idea to allow a novice to change the screen. The familiar Nikon FM2's viewfinder information has LEDs to indicate over, under and normal exposure. The ADR shows the aperture value right in the middle of the picture frame, while the shutter speed info is also presented inside. A photographer need not has to remove from the eyepiece to check the relevant information. The K-type focusing screen was almost a standard in all Nikon bodies prior to the arrival of AF design.
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The 12mm outline is also very helpful to identify the heavy center weighted metering area used for metering. It is simple but a very functional method and it has been used since the Nikon FM in 1977. The FM-10 has omitted quite a number of these useful features found in the FM and FM2n. I think the most inconvenience of such deletion is the ADR feature and one has to check visually at the lens' aperture ring to see what value has been selected to match the camera metered suggestion. |
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However, the camera body, just like the FM-10 which tried to emulate a Champaign titanium finish, the OM 2000 is trying to imitate the OM3Ti body that has black anodized Titanium finish. Well, I would not like to use words like 'plastic' but they actually are poly carbonated shell undenealth the attractive external finishing. OM 2000 is employing with a dual metering system in spot and conventional center weighted average metering. |
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lens release/mounting, self timer, depth of field preview, optical path, metering information
| Back | to Index Page of FM-10
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of FM Series Models
Camera Instruction Manual | Other Issues relate to Nikon FM-10.
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| Message Board | Specifically for Dispose or Looking for Nikon/Nikkor
Photographic Equipment
Standard
production Nikon FM Series models:-
Nikon FM | Nikon FM2 | Nikon FM2n | Nikon FM10 | Nikon FM3a |
Known
variants:-
Nikon
FM Gold
| Nikon
FM2/T
| Nikon
FM2N Tropical Set
| Nikon
FM2/T Limited Edition
| Nikon
FM2N LAPITA
|
Nion
FM2n Millennium 2000
Shared Resources: MD-11 | MD-12 | Focusing Screens | Titanium Shutter | Flash Units -SB-16 | SB-15 | SB-10 or other Options | Databack | Nikkor lens mount (related info)
Others:- Nikon AF-TTL Speedlights | SB-20 (1986) | SB-22 (1987) | SB-23 | SB-24 (1988) | SB-25 (1991/2) | SB-26 (1994) | SB-27(1997) | SB-28 (1997) | Nikon SB-29(s) (2000) | Nikon SB-30 (2003) | Nikon SB-600 (2004) | Nikon SB-800 (2003) Nikon AF-TTL Speedlight DX-Series: Nikon SB-28DX (1999) | SB-50DX (2001) | SB-80DX (2002)
Nikon
BC-flash Series |
Original
Nikon Speedlight
SB-2
| SB-3
| SB-4
| SB-5
| SB-6
| SB-7E
| SB-8E
| SB-9
| SB-E
| SB-10
SB-11
| SB-12 | SB-14 | SB-140 UV-IR| SB-15 | SB16A | SB-17 | SB-18, SB-19 | SB-21A (SB-29) Macro flash | Flash Accesories | SF-1
Pilot Lamp
Instruction
Manual: Nikon FM (HTML | PDF) | Nikon FM-10 (HTML) | Nikon FM2n's
User's Manual
available only in HTML format (6
parts) | Nikon
FM3A
(HTML)
Specifications: Nikon FM, FM-10, FM2, FM2n and FM3A / Main
Reference Map: (HTML) Nikon FM, FM2, FM-10, FM2n (Applicable
to FM2T, FM2 "Year of the Dog"; Millennium 2000") and Nikon FM3A
 |
Nikon F | Nikon F2 | Nikon F3 | Nikon F4 | Nikon F5 | Nikon F6 | Nikkormat / Nikomat | Nikon FM | Nikon FE/ FA | Nikon EM/FG/FG20 | Nikon Digital SLRs | Nikon - Other models |
Nikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:- Main
Index Page
Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses:- Fisheye-Nikkor Lenses - Circular | Full Frame |
Ultrawides Lenses - 13mm15mm18mm20mm | Wideangle Lenses - 24mm28mm35mm | Standard Lenses - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto
Lenses - 85mm105mm135mm180mm & 200mm | Super-Telephoto Lenses - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm 1200mm |
 Index Page |
Special
Application lenses: Micro-Nikkor Lenses - 50mm~55mm -60mm 85mm -105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm PC-Micro 85mm Dedicated Lenses for Nikon F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm Reflex-Nikkor Lenses - 500mm 1000mm 2000mm Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor 55mm 105mm | Focusing Units | Bellows-Nikkor 105mm 135mm Nikon Series E Lenses: 28mm35mm50mm100mm135mm | E-Series Zoom lenses: 36~72mm75~150mm70~210mm |
MF Zoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~45mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 36~72mm E | 35~85mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm | 35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 70~210mm E | 75~150mm E | 80~200mm | 85~250mm | 100~300mm | 180~600mm | 200~400mm | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm | 1200~1700mm
Tele-Converters: TC-1 | TC-2 | TC-200 | TC-201 | TC-300 | TC-301 | TC-14 | TC-14A | TC-14B | TC-14C | TC-14E | TC-16 | TC-16A | TC-20E
Recommended links to understand more technical details
related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my
friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen,
Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html
W A R N I N G: The New G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lens, they CANNOT ADJUST APERTURES with any of these manual focus Nikon FE series SLR camera models; please ignore some portion of the content contained herein this site where it relates.
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History of Nikon SLRs
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Credit: To all the good people who has contributed their own experience, resources or those who are kind enough granting us permission to use their images appeared in this site. Mr. MCLau®, who has helped to rewrite some of the content appeared this site. Chuck Hester® who has been helping me all along with the development of all these Nikon websites;LarsHolst Hansen, 'Hawkeye' who shares the same passion I have; Ms Rissa, Sales manager from Nikon Corporation Malaysia for granting permission to use some of the official content; TedWengelaar,Holland who has helped to provide many useful input relating to older Nikkor lenses; Some of the references on production serial numbers used in this site were extracted from Roland Vink's website; HiuraShinsaku from Nikomat Club Japan. t is also a site to remember a long lost friend on the Net. Note:certain content and images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets, brochures, sales manuals or publications published by Nikon over the years and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their work for educational purposes. The creator of the site will not be responsible for may discrepancies arise from such dispute except rectifying them after verification."Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu KK" & "Nikkor" are registered tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Site made with an Apple IMac.