Although in the last few years I’ve shot mainly digital, I still shoot film occasionally. Until recently, however, the only film camera I possessed was Nikon F65, a camera which is almost fully automated (auto-wind, autofocus, auto ISO-reading, etc.).
I had a hankering to go back to a more manual camera, however, so bought a Nikon FM (Fully Manual).
In the 1980s I owned a Praktica BCA, so I immediately felt at home with the FM. I have to say, though, that the Nikon is a more robustly-engineered piece of machinery than the former East-German SLR. The manual controls are a joy and the winder is buttery-smooth; a truly tactile experience and a pleasure to use. (I was lucky to get my FM (black body) in almost-mint condition, too — an added bonus.)
I’m still figuring which film stocks I prefer, but so far for colour it has to be Portra (I’ve yet to try 400 ISO; so far I’ve only used 160). As for B&W, I’m still experimenting, though I do like Fuji Acros 100 and Neopan 400 (used for the images below).
Going forward, then, I think I’ll shoot film and digital on a 50/50 basis. In the meantime, a few images taken with the Nikon FM and 50mm 1.8 lens:
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| En plein air |
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| Girls' day out |
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| Savoir faire |
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| Unimpressed |
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| When you can't find the key |
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| View |
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| Steps |
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| Takeaway service |
