Nikon FE
Encyclopedia
The Nikon FE is an advanced semi-professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film
, single-lens reflex
(SLR) camera
. It was manufactured by Nikon in Japan
from 1978 to 1983, and was available new from dealer stock until circa 1984. The FE uses a metal-bladed, vertical travel focal plane shutter with a speed range of 8 to 1/1000 second, plus Bulb, and flash X-sync of 1/125th second. It had dimensions of 89.5 millimetres (3.5 in) height, 142 mm (5.6 in) width, 57.5 mm (2.3 in) depth and 590 grams (20.8 oz) weight. It was available in two colors: black with chrome trim and all black. As on the FM, its model designation did not appear on the front of the camera, but was engraved as a small "FE" preceding the serial number on the rear of the housing.
of 1977 and was a member of the classic Nikon compact F-series. It used a rugged copper aluminum alloy chassis developed from the one introduced in the Nikon FM
in 1977, with minor external controls and cosmetic differences. The Nikon compact F-series SLRs were moderately priced, semi-professional level stablemates to the company's premium-priced, professional level Nikon F2
(1971) and F3
(1980) SLRs. They were all-new successors to the Nikkormat
F and EL-series of amateur level SLRs. With their quality construction, impressive durability and evolutionary technical innovation, the F-series were very popular with professional photographers, who prized their durability and ability to operate in extreme environments.
The FM/FE chassis proved to be remarkably long-lived. Nikon used it, with incremental improvements, as the backbone of the compact F-series from 1977 to 2006. The other members of the compact F-series are the Nikon FM2
(introduced in 1982), FE2
(1983), FA
(1983) and the limited production Nikon FM3A
(2001). The FE was discontinued with the introduction of the visually similar FE2, which had faster top and sync shutter speeds, as well as TTL (through-the-lens) flash metering, but which was no longer compatible with non-AI lenses.
, with 60/40 percent centerweighting, while a translucent green needle showed the actual camera set shutter speed. The photographer would adjust the shutter speed and/or the lens aperture f-stop until the needles aligned.
In automatic mode, the FE's black needle indicated the shutter speed automatically set by the electronic circuitry in response to the light reaching the meter. The green needle was used to indicate that the FE was in "A" mode. This system can be traced back to the Nikkormat
EL (in the USA/Canada; Nikomat EL, rest of the world) of 1972 and continued until 2006 with the discontinuation of the Nikon FM3A
.
The FE's auto-exposure lock mechanism was activated by pushing and holding the timer shutter release lever toward the lens mount; even though the exposure is fixed to the state of the instant the lever is pushed, the black shutter speed needle in the viewfinder does not reflect this and moves freely.
The FE had a "full information" viewfinder very similar to the Nikkormat EL. In addition to the metering shutter scale, the viewfinder also displayed the set lens aperture through an optical "eye" (this particular feature missing on the Nikkormat EL) and had a flash "ready" LED to give context to the metering needles. The viewfinder also introduced interchangeable focusing screens to the compact F-series: the standard Nikon Type K screen (3 mm split image rangefinder and 1 mm microprism collar focusing aids plus 12 mm etched circle indicating the area of the meter centerweighting) could be replaced by Type B (central 3 mm focusing spot plus 12 mm etched circle) and Type E (Type B plus a grid of 5 horizontal and 3 vertical lines; called the "architectural screen") screens.
Major accessories for the FE included the Nikon MD-11, motor drive
(automatic film advance up to 3.5 frames per second) superseded by the MD-12 which had an automatic shutoff that the MD-11
lacked , the Nikon MF-12 databack (time or date stamping on the film), and the Nikon Speedlight SB-10 electronic flash (guide number 82/25 (feet/meters) at ASA 100). The MF-12's date function ranged until the year 2100.
(introduced in 1959), with certain limitations or exceptions. Full lens compatibility required support for the Aperture Indexing (AI) feature (introduced 1977), and thus the majority of Nikon lenses manufactured in recent decades will work. During the late 1970s, Nippon Kogaku manufactured approximately 55 Nikkor non-AI and Nikkor AI type lenses. They ranged from a Fisheye-Nikkor 6 mm f/2.8 220˚ circular fisheye to a Reflex-Nikkor 2000 mm f/11 super-long mirror telephoto. This was the largest and widest ranging lens selection in the world at the time.
The contemporary AI lenses for the FE were the Nikkor AI-S, Nikkor AI and Nikon Series E types. The newer AF-S Nikkor, AF-I Nikkor, AF Nikkor D and AF Nikkor autofocus lenses are also AI types. They will work, but with manual focus only.
Many of the newest Nikon and third-party F-mount lenses, and some older designs, will mount on the FE, but will not function properly. Nikon’s most recent 35 mm film/full-frame FX digital SLR lenses, the AF Nikkor G type (introduced in 2000) lack an aperture control ring, without which there is no way to set aperture. AF Nikkor DX type (2003) lenses lack an aperture ring as well, and have a smaller image circles sized for the smaller sensors on Nikon's DX digital SLRs, thus projecting a black vignette
circle onto the FE film plane. Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization system, available on some newer lenses since 2000, does not function on the FE.
Both IX Nikkor lenses (1996), for Nikon's Advanced Photo System
(APS) film SLRs and very old "invasive" Nikkor 35 mm fisheye lenses from the 1960s must not be mounted on the FE, as their rear elements will intrude far enough into the mirror box to cause damage.
, there was a complete overhaul of Nippon Kogaku's entire Nikon SLR line. The 1970s and 1980s were an era of intense competition between the major SLR brands: Nikon
, Canon
, Minolta
, Pentax
and Olympus. Between circa 1975 to 1985, there was a dramatic shift away from heavy all-metal manual mechanical camera bodies to much more compact bodies with microprocessor electronic automation. In addition, because of rapid advances in electronics, the brands continually leap frogged each other with models having new or more automatic features. The industry was trying to expand out from the saturated high-end professional and advanced amateur market and appeal to the large mass of low-end amateur photographers itching to move up from compact automatic leaf shutter rangefinder (RF) cameras to the more versatile and glamorous SLR but were intimidated by the need to learn all the gritty details of operating a traditional SLR.
Although Nippon Kogaku enjoyed a sterling reputation among professional photographers with their Nikon F2
of 1971, the F2 was far too massive, expensive and complicated for most amateurs and beginners.
Nippon Kogaku chose an unusually high standard of workmanship for amateur level SLRs. It kept using high strength alloy parts, hardened metal gearing, ball bearing joints and gold plated electrical switches, all made to precise tolerances and largely hand assembled, in the Nikon compact F-series. As a result, the Nikon FE could endure conditions that would cause virtually all other contemporary non-professional level SLRs to break down. A higher price was considered a fair trade for impressive durability.
The Nikon FE was a conservative design compared to its competitors. It can be described as a twin of the Nikon FM
mechanical (springs, gears, levers) camera with precision electronic controls grafted on. Its unusual roots were most obvious in its backup ability to operate without batteries – albeit in a very limited fashion: completely manual mechanical control with two shutter speeds (1/90th second, marked M90, or Bulb) and without the light meter.
The FE's deliberately limited but tightly focused features were not intended to appeal to snapshooters with no intention of learning about shutter speeds and f-stops. Nippon Kogaku believed that advanced amateur photographers were not interested in every possible automated bell and whistle, but rather the highest possible quality and precision of control.
The Nikon FE was a good seller, but not as popular as more cheaply-built and less expensive competing autoexposure SLRs, such as the Canon AE-1
(released 1976) or the Minolta XD11
(in the USA/Canada; XD7 in Europe; XD in Japan; 1976). Its design and functions were more similar to contemporary enthusiast SLRs such as the Leica R3
. Time has proven that Nippon Kogaku's choice of simplicity over gadgetry made the FE tough and reliable, and it is now regarded as one of the finer SLRs of its generation.
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
, single-lens reflex
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
(SLR) camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
. It was manufactured by Nikon in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
from 1978 to 1983, and was available new from dealer stock until circa 1984. The FE uses a metal-bladed, vertical travel focal plane shutter with a speed range of 8 to 1/1000 second, plus Bulb, and flash X-sync of 1/125th second. It had dimensions of 89.5 millimetres (3.5 in) height, 142 mm (5.6 in) width, 57.5 mm (2.3 in) depth and 590 grams (20.8 oz) weight. It was available in two colors: black with chrome trim and all black. As on the FM, its model designation did not appear on the front of the camera, but was engraved as a small "FE" preceding the serial number on the rear of the housing.
History
The FE was the replacement for Nikon EL2Nikkormat
Nikkormat was the brand used by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. from 1965 to 1978 to name two popular but otherwise unrelated series of interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex cameras.The Nikkormat SLRs were moderately priced, advanced amateur level stablemates to...
of 1977 and was a member of the classic Nikon compact F-series. It used a rugged copper aluminum alloy chassis developed from the one introduced in the Nikon FM
Nikon FM
The Nikon FM is an advanced mechanically-operated, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured in Japan between 1977 and 1982 by Nippon Kogaku K. K. .-History:...
in 1977, with minor external controls and cosmetic differences. The Nikon compact F-series SLRs were moderately priced, semi-professional level stablemates to the company's premium-priced, professional level Nikon F2
Nikon F2
The Nikon F2 is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from September 1971 to June 1980...
(1971) and F3
Nikon F3
The Nikon F3 was Nikon's third professional single-lens reflex camera body, preceded by the F and F2. Introduced in 1980, it had manual and semi-automatic exposure control whereby the camera would select the correct shutter speed . The Nikon F3 series cameras had the most model variations of any...
(1980) SLRs. They were all-new successors to the Nikkormat
Nikkormat
Nikkormat was the brand used by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. from 1965 to 1978 to name two popular but otherwise unrelated series of interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex cameras.The Nikkormat SLRs were moderately priced, advanced amateur level stablemates to...
F and EL-series of amateur level SLRs. With their quality construction, impressive durability and evolutionary technical innovation, the F-series were very popular with professional photographers, who prized their durability and ability to operate in extreme environments.
The FM/FE chassis proved to be remarkably long-lived. Nikon used it, with incremental improvements, as the backbone of the compact F-series from 1977 to 2006. The other members of the compact F-series are the Nikon FM2
Nikon FM2
The Nikon FM2 is an advanced semi-professional, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from 1982 to 2001...
(introduced in 1982), FE2
Nikon FE2
The Nikon FE2 is an advanced semi-professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single lens reflex camera. It was manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from 1983 to 1987...
(1983), FA
Nikon FA
The Nikon FA was an advanced amateur level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from 1983 to 1987...
(1983) and the limited production Nikon FM3A
Nikon FM3A
The Nikon FM3A is an interchangeable lens, focal plane shutter, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured by Nikon Corporation in Japan, on small-volume assembly lines, from 2001 to 2006. The camera was available in two colours: all black, and satin chrome...
(2001). The FE was discontinued with the introduction of the visually similar FE2, which had faster top and sync shutter speeds, as well as TTL (through-the-lens) flash metering, but which was no longer compatible with non-AI lenses.
Features
The FE was a manual focus SLR with manual exposure control or aperture priority autoexposure, and electromechanical components. As such, the FE required batteries (two S76 or A76, or LR44 or SR44, or one 1/3N) to power its electronically controlled shutter. The batteries also powered the FE's "match-needle" exposure control system. This consisted of two needles pointing along a vertical shutter speed scale on the left side of the viewfinder. In manual mode, a black needle pointed out the shutter speed recommended by the built-in, open aperture, through-the-lens (TTL), silicon photodiode (SPD) light meterLight meter
A light meter is a device used to measure the amount of light. In photography, a light meter is often used to determine the proper exposure for a photograph...
, with 60/40 percent centerweighting, while a translucent green needle showed the actual camera set shutter speed. The photographer would adjust the shutter speed and/or the lens aperture f-stop until the needles aligned.
In automatic mode, the FE's black needle indicated the shutter speed automatically set by the electronic circuitry in response to the light reaching the meter. The green needle was used to indicate that the FE was in "A" mode. This system can be traced back to the Nikkormat
Nikkormat
Nikkormat was the brand used by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. from 1965 to 1978 to name two popular but otherwise unrelated series of interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex cameras.The Nikkormat SLRs were moderately priced, advanced amateur level stablemates to...
EL (in the USA/Canada; Nikomat EL, rest of the world) of 1972 and continued until 2006 with the discontinuation of the Nikon FM3A
Nikon FM3A
The Nikon FM3A is an interchangeable lens, focal plane shutter, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured by Nikon Corporation in Japan, on small-volume assembly lines, from 2001 to 2006. The camera was available in two colours: all black, and satin chrome...
.
The FE's auto-exposure lock mechanism was activated by pushing and holding the timer shutter release lever toward the lens mount; even though the exposure is fixed to the state of the instant the lever is pushed, the black shutter speed needle in the viewfinder does not reflect this and moves freely.
The FE had a "full information" viewfinder very similar to the Nikkormat EL. In addition to the metering shutter scale, the viewfinder also displayed the set lens aperture through an optical "eye" (this particular feature missing on the Nikkormat EL) and had a flash "ready" LED to give context to the metering needles. The viewfinder also introduced interchangeable focusing screens to the compact F-series: the standard Nikon Type K screen (3 mm split image rangefinder and 1 mm microprism collar focusing aids plus 12 mm etched circle indicating the area of the meter centerweighting) could be replaced by Type B (central 3 mm focusing spot plus 12 mm etched circle) and Type E (Type B plus a grid of 5 horizontal and 3 vertical lines; called the "architectural screen") screens.
Major accessories for the FE included the Nikon MD-11, motor drive
Motor drive
A motor drive, in the field of photography, is a powered film transport mechanism. Historically, film loading, advancing, and rewinding were all manually driven functions...
(automatic film advance up to 3.5 frames per second) superseded by the MD-12 which had an automatic shutoff that the MD-11
lacked , the Nikon MF-12 databack (time or date stamping on the film), and the Nikon Speedlight SB-10 electronic flash (guide number 82/25 (feet/meters) at ASA 100). The MF-12's date function ranged until the year 2100.
Lens compatibility
The FE accepted all lenses with the Nikon F bayonet mountNikon F-mount
The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
(introduced in 1959), with certain limitations or exceptions. Full lens compatibility required support for the Aperture Indexing (AI) feature (introduced 1977), and thus the majority of Nikon lenses manufactured in recent decades will work. During the late 1970s, Nippon Kogaku manufactured approximately 55 Nikkor non-AI and Nikkor AI type lenses. They ranged from a Fisheye-Nikkor 6 mm f/2.8 220˚ circular fisheye to a Reflex-Nikkor 2000 mm f/11 super-long mirror telephoto. This was the largest and widest ranging lens selection in the world at the time.
The contemporary AI lenses for the FE were the Nikkor AI-S, Nikkor AI and Nikon Series E types. The newer AF-S Nikkor, AF-I Nikkor, AF Nikkor D and AF Nikkor autofocus lenses are also AI types. They will work, but with manual focus only.
Many of the newest Nikon and third-party F-mount lenses, and some older designs, will mount on the FE, but will not function properly. Nikon’s most recent 35 mm film/full-frame FX digital SLR lenses, the AF Nikkor G type (introduced in 2000) lack an aperture control ring, without which there is no way to set aperture. AF Nikkor DX type (2003) lenses lack an aperture ring as well, and have a smaller image circles sized for the smaller sensors on Nikon's DX digital SLRs, thus projecting a black vignette
Vignetting
In photography and optics, vignetting is a reduction of an image's brightness or saturation at the periphery compared to the image center. The word vignette, from the same root as vine, originally referred to a decorative border in a book. Later, the word came to be used for a photographic...
circle onto the FE film plane. Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization system, available on some newer lenses since 2000, does not function on the FE.
Both IX Nikkor lenses (1996), for Nikon's Advanced Photo System
Advanced Photo System
Advanced Photo System is a film format for still photography first produced in 1996. It was marketed by Eastman Kodak under the brand name Advantix, by FujiFilm under the name Nexia, by AgfaPhoto under the name Futura and by Konica as Centuria.- Design :The film is 24 mm wide, and has three...
(APS) film SLRs and very old "invasive" Nikkor 35 mm fisheye lenses from the 1960s must not be mounted on the FE, as their rear elements will intrude far enough into the mirror box to cause damage.
Design history
Beginning in 1977 with the advanced amateur Nikon FMNikon FM
The Nikon FM is an advanced mechanically-operated, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured in Japan between 1977 and 1982 by Nippon Kogaku K. K. .-History:...
, there was a complete overhaul of Nippon Kogaku's entire Nikon SLR line. The 1970s and 1980s were an era of intense competition between the major SLR brands: Nikon
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
, Canon
Canon Inc.
is a Japanese multinational corporation that specialises in the manufacture of imaging and optical products, including cameras, camcorders, photocopiers, steppers and computer printers. Its headquarters are located in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan.-Origins:...
, Minolta
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
, Pentax
Pentax
Pentax is a brand name used by Hoya Corporation for its medical-related products & services and Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company for cameras, sport optics , etc. Hoya purchased and merged with the Japanese optics company on March 31, 2008. Hoya's Pentax imaging business was sold to Ricoh Company, Ltd...
and Olympus. Between circa 1975 to 1985, there was a dramatic shift away from heavy all-metal manual mechanical camera bodies to much more compact bodies with microprocessor electronic automation. In addition, because of rapid advances in electronics, the brands continually leap frogged each other with models having new or more automatic features. The industry was trying to expand out from the saturated high-end professional and advanced amateur market and appeal to the large mass of low-end amateur photographers itching to move up from compact automatic leaf shutter rangefinder (RF) cameras to the more versatile and glamorous SLR but were intimidated by the need to learn all the gritty details of operating a traditional SLR.
Although Nippon Kogaku enjoyed a sterling reputation among professional photographers with their Nikon F2
Nikon F2
The Nikon F2 is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from September 1971 to June 1980...
of 1971, the F2 was far too massive, expensive and complicated for most amateurs and beginners.
Nippon Kogaku chose an unusually high standard of workmanship for amateur level SLRs. It kept using high strength alloy parts, hardened metal gearing, ball bearing joints and gold plated electrical switches, all made to precise tolerances and largely hand assembled, in the Nikon compact F-series. As a result, the Nikon FE could endure conditions that would cause virtually all other contemporary non-professional level SLRs to break down. A higher price was considered a fair trade for impressive durability.
The Nikon FE was a conservative design compared to its competitors. It can be described as a twin of the Nikon FM
Nikon FM
The Nikon FM is an advanced mechanically-operated, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex camera. It was manufactured in Japan between 1977 and 1982 by Nippon Kogaku K. K. .-History:...
mechanical (springs, gears, levers) camera with precision electronic controls grafted on. Its unusual roots were most obvious in its backup ability to operate without batteries – albeit in a very limited fashion: completely manual mechanical control with two shutter speeds (1/90th second, marked M90, or Bulb) and without the light meter.
The FE's deliberately limited but tightly focused features were not intended to appeal to snapshooters with no intention of learning about shutter speeds and f-stops. Nippon Kogaku believed that advanced amateur photographers were not interested in every possible automated bell and whistle, but rather the highest possible quality and precision of control.
The Nikon FE was a good seller, but not as popular as more cheaply-built and less expensive competing autoexposure SLRs, such as the Canon AE-1
Canon AE-1
The Canon AE-1 is a 35 mm single-lens reflex film camera for use with interchangeable lenses. It was manufactured by Canon Camera K. K. in Japan from April 1976 to 1984. It uses an electronically controlled, electromagnet horizontal cloth focal plane shutter, with a speed range of 2 to 1/1000...
(released 1976) or the Minolta XD11
Minolta XD-7
The Minolta XD-7 was a 35mm SLR camera manufactured by Minolta and introduced in 1977. It was the first camera to feature both shutter priority and aperture priority automatic exposure modes. The camera also offered fully metered manual exposure as well as depth of field preview and an eyepiece...
(in the USA/Canada; XD7 in Europe; XD in Japan; 1976). Its design and functions were more similar to contemporary enthusiast SLRs such as the Leica R3
Leica R3
The Leica R3 was a 35mm SLR camera by Leica.Leica launched the Leica R3 in 1976. It was the successor of the Leicaflex SL2, and was developed in cooperation with Minolta, together with the Minolta XE bodies....
. Time has proven that Nippon Kogaku's choice of simplicity over gadgetry made the FE tough and reliable, and it is now regarded as one of the finer SLRs of its generation.
External links
- Nikon Corporation global web site
- Nikon FE from Nikon Corp online archives
- Best of the Rest – Part 10 : "Nikon FE" from Nikon Corp online archives