Nikon EM Film Camera

Introduced in 1979 this small aperture priority SLR has a mechanical speed M90 to bail you out if the battery dies suddenly. The Bulb 'B' mode also doesn't consume any battery! Great night shots are possible without running out of batteries.The lense mount is stainless steel and the top plate and bottom plates are made of Industrial Grade Polycarbonate. Rest of the body is made of metal hence it is very sturdy.Metering system is 60% centre weighted and it is quite reliable (though tends to become non-functional if the camera sits for months). Nikon EM takes all Nikkor AI and AIS lenses both MF and AF but doesn't take the new 'G' type lenses (ie without aperture ring).EM strictly speaking can't be called a classic Nikon like F2, FE, FM or F3 but in no way it is less reliable than these classic models. The only serious lack of feature EM suffers from is absence of Depth-of-field Preview. But even F55, F60,N2002 haven't got it. Nikon EM is ideal for trekkers and hikers as it is light yet pretty sturdy. Never you'll feel that you're holding a cheapo. Long discontinued, this unique is the smallest metal body Nikon ever made. Used Nikon EM is available at e-Bay at a very reasonable price. I know a lot of people who grab at Nikon EM from e-Bay despite having a number of them, just in case they need parts to cannibalise.

i renember comersials from 1979-80: you have a easy to use camera,with mirror reflex quality. just put a good lens on it,-and that comersial from 79-80,is correct. reflex quality,but easy to use.

A complete, referbished Nikon camera with film. Great buy even in the digital age.

I look forward to experimenting in B/W film. Color goes to digital.

the camera and lens work very well. nothing wrong with it
..........................................................................................................................................................................

It was designed to meet the mass market for general consumers. The key to having one that works, and they do very good btw when they have been kept properly, is finding one that is clean, stored, and used very little. I have never seen a specific model of any manufacture that has been so abused as the EM. Many times when I come across one it's dirty, banged, up, beaten up, missing parts, and virtually trashed. The soccer ball of cameras I call it as a result. Find one that's undamaged and not missing any parts, with clean glossy black shine, no dings, dents, or gouging and I'll bet it's a winner. Pop in a battery, advance the film lever, and hit the shutter release in anything but B or m90, if it clicks it works. Next check the meter, if it responds it works, open the film door and examine the edges...any gooey sticky black gunk present? If not your ready for film. Sure it isn't built like an F or a FM those can substitute as large hockey pucks. It was built to appeal and that meant keeping the price down, in return that meant more plastic and inexpensive production. All you have to do is focus the lens and it's easy after that. Let's keep it real, they are what they are, sadly the most abused model of all times, but found in excellent condition a camera capable of producing some super shots, especially if you couple a decent lens and forgo the E series 50mm. I would trust one and I have, but a well cared for one in well cared for condition because it is not a camera you can toss into bags or bounce off your back seat when you jump in the car, it's not an F or an FM or an F3...it is an inexpensive EM, not a fragile flower, a Nikon that's just not tank like. Even great condition is not a guarantee, but more often then not it is...so keep that in mind.

Nikon has a phenomenal reputation. They've been used for years by a variety of photojournalists and professional photographers. They're known to be rugged; I remember reading how a photographer dropped a Nikon down a flight of concrete stairs, cleaned it up and kept on shooting!

Nikon EM is a completely automatic metered SLR that was designed to be a lot easier to use than the other models. It has a lightweight body, metal shutter, and a variety of Nikon lenses can be attached to it. The only negative quality for a 'true' photographer is being able to completely control the shutter speed and aperture. This camera does have a manual override, that leaves you with 1/90 of a second (I believe) and some aperture control. There is a button on the camera that will 'give you' two F-stops wider exposure in a back lit situation.

So, why buy an old Nikon? Well, I could never afford a new NIKON! The older cameras and lenses are now very reasonable since most professionals have switched over to digital. It's amazing what $100 (or even less) will buy on EBAY!

I purchased the Nikon EM knowing absolutely nothing about photography, hoping to learn. If you're as amateur as me when it comes to this stuff, the camera may be a bit confusing, but other than that it's a great camera. It's in mint condition, so even if it's not ideal for me, it will probably be worth something someday.

I'm sure I would adore the camera if I were experienced, but I just haven't learned enough.

I have a lot of Nikon EMs. Why? Because it takes a lot of EMs to keep one working, at least for a while. That's why I think a lot of the EM reviews are suspicious. My direct experience is that you buy a used EM to strip it for parts or perhaps the lens on the front. The problem with the vast majority of EMs is that...they don't work. The problems are many, a confused chip inside, the f-stop readout around the lens mount is the main achilles heel, often causing the metering needle to jump all over the place, or not work at all or whatever. often the linkage to the shutter and film advance also becomes confused resulting in "no picture taking ability" So, this is a great camera to buy in volume, take apart and see if you can keep it working at least for a while. 'nuff said, its a clunker, Nikon name notwithstanding.

I have been a photographer for many years now and this is one of the best film cameras I have ever come across. Never have had any problems with it. If you are considering this camera then you will be well pleased with its performance and reliability.

I have enjoyed my Nikon EM cameras. I have two, with an assortment of lenses and travelled the world with them, including an African Photo Safari, before switching to digital. I am wondering if my EM lenses will work on any of the new Nikon Digital cameras.

I decided to shop for a back-up camera and after a little research I decided on the Nikon EM. You can find them very reasonably priced and lenses, flash, etc. are easily attainable. After getting it and using it a few times, it is no longer my back-up camera, it is my main camera. It took a few rolls of film to get used to the light meter, and in low light it can be difficult to read. But aside from that, for the photography I do (outdoors, scenics, close-ups) it has worked superbly. And as far as ease of use, it's about as easy as can be. If you've ever used a manual 35mm before, you'll have the EM figured out in no time. One more thing. You do have to calibrate the light meter but that's with any 35mm camera. So I'm still shopping for a back-up camera. Hmm, maybe another Nikon EM....

My Wife has been looking for parts for her camara for years and everyone laughed her out of the store. It was nice to find someone that still deals in dinasaur parts. Well worth the wait and the price.

if you want to start shooting this is the camera for you.
dont be scared its a maual slr. very simple , outstanding
quality. lenses for this camera are readilly available
flashes , best part batteries wont brake the piggy bank.
great value and awesome reliability

What amazed me about this EM version was that not only is it compact, the thing is as durable as many heavier metal-framed counterparts. I read the specs on it discovered that it is actually reinforced Polycarbonate... why didn't anyone else think of that? I worked in a Pro Camera Shop a couple of years ago and saw other 'plastic' models from other manufacturers come in at an alarming pace. Never did I see an EM and the Nikon's were actually still working when they did come in... the customer just wanted them refurbished.
Very impressed with this camera.

I purchase this camera because I wanted an inexpensive nikon 35 MM with which I could teach my girlfriend someting about photography in general. I happen to be a degreed commercial photographer and as such have several years of experience behind me. I needed a camera that I wasn't going to sink a bunch of money into and one whose features would not overwhelm a begining student, but yet was automatic just enough so that every little detail didn't have to get fussed with. She's used several of my digitals and always had the same complaints, to little to complicated and she always got the feeling that she was hoping fopr the best rather then having any real photograpic control. I chose this particular model knowing that it would fit the bill and it has. The camera is performing quite well and she and it have become inseperable.I happened to have been fortunate enough to buy a non working model and easily fix it. The camera came in excellent physical condition and was well described by the sellers. The digital cameras definatly do have their place but the age of the filmed 35mm camera is far from dead so far as I am concerned. Dollar for dollar they are a great value.

We hired this man to sell our items for us on Ebay.He gave us a song & dance saying his mom had Cancer.Come to find out that this guy is into theft.He took our items, then refused to give them back and threatening us.This guy is bad news, we believe all his items are stolen and he resells.We made a Police report out on him.He has several post boxes and different addresses, he is using his dad & sons ddresses, but Chicago Police are after him now.DO NOT BUY FROM HIM-HIS ITEMS ARE STOLEN AND THEN HE RESELLS THEM.Items he sold illegally were conviscated and people were out money> FOR ALL WHO HAS BOUGHT FROM HIM, THESE ITEMS WERE STOLEN AND THE POLICE WILL CONVISCATE & PROSECUTE HIM.NOT HARD TO KNOW WHO BOUGHT THE STOLEN MERCHANDISE

A camera is just a light-tight box. Any camera will do. Why spend hundreds?

Yes, this camera is shutter priority. So just adjust the film speed dial to get the aperture you want. Simple. If you don't understand this, do an on-line search and learn the relationship between shutter, film speed, and aperture. Simply put, if you double one you halve one of the others to get the same exposure. It ain't rocket science.

And a little-known feature is that without batteries you have M90, 1/90 shutter speed, but on AUTO you get 1/1000. Try that with your fancy digital.

Small, light, robust, buy two for a hundred bucks and keep the second as a spare.

It is a very small and light camera with a great selection of lenses. For a very small price you can enter the world of high quality photography. It can be a nice tool in a pair of talented hands.

Good camera, robust design that makes it a perfect choice for a beginner as well as professional. The only minus of this camera is a shutter speed control, that provides only three regimes: B, Auto, M90.

I bought the camera mostly because because I wanted the 3 lens that the seller was offering with it, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I'm having using the EM. It's the perfect camera to take everywhere you might want a film camera as it's inexpensive and can be replaced (for now) fairly easily if lost. It's easy to use and I can use most of my lenses on it, so the quality of the shots is really as good as my other Nikons. With a 50mm f/1.8 E lens on it, it's small enough to carry along when I don't want to haul out all a larger camera. The metering seems quite accurate and it's easy enough to use the compensation button or adjust the ISO value to get the speed you want for the aperture you've selected. I'm actually thinking of getting another as a backup in case this one fails in the future.

The Nikon is Fully Functional This is an Excellent Camera For The Beginner Or Pro. What Stands out most About The Camera is The Ability To Learn Decades old Film Photography With the Simplicity and Ease Of The Nikon EM I Have Used this Camera over 20 Years. They Simply don't Build Them Like They Use To. I very Highly Recommend This Camera if Not for Primary Use But as a Backup To Digital The Picture Quality is Excellent.