Nikon EM: Can You Live With This Little Gem?

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600

This is the Nikon EM.  This camera is very very small as small as many rangefinder cameras.  Is it worth a shot?  This was my first Nikon camera.  It will work with any Ai, Ai-S, AF, AF-n, AF-D, or AF-I lenses.  Non-G AF-S lenses will also work with this camera, but not G series AF-S lenses.  Note though that this is a manual-focus only camera, so while the auto-focus lenses work properly, they will not auto-focus on this camera.  This camera is an auto exposure camera that provides Aperture Priority mode only.  The extent of it's controls are a shutter release, a switch that provides Bulb/M90/Auto modes, an ISO selector, a self timer, and a back-light button.

I do like this little camera, you have to get creative for some situations, but it can do most anything.  When I was shooting film I usually took this when I wanted to travel light.  I would usually pair it with the 24mm AF-D lens seen here.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600

You have three modes of operation, of which most of the time you will use Auto.  In Auto you select the aperture and the camera will select the appropriate shutter speed and display it for you with a matchstick in the viewfinder.  It displays from 1 second to 1/1000 second in one stop increments with 1 - 1/30 second in red.  If your shutter speed goes faster than 1/1000 second the camera will beep to warn you of the over exposure, and if you go into the red zone at 1/30 second or slower the camera will also beep to warn of possible camera shake.  One of the more interesting features of this little camera is the back-light button.  This is the little silver button on the front of the camera.  When you press this button in Auto mode it slows the shutter speed 2 stops to increase the exposure 2 stops so if you a back-light subject they wont just be a black shadow in your picture.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/11

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600 (w/ Gary Fong Lightsphere, off-camera)

You also have a M90 mode.  This mode is a mechanical shutter release at 1/90 of a second for in case the battery dies.  You can also use this if you are using an older, or non-Nikon flash that doesn't command the camera to use 1/90 second.  In the 6 years I've owned this camera, the battery is still good, so it isn't really needed for the battery but I did use with a generic flash.

There is also a Bulb mode that is also mechanical that will hold the shutter open as long as you want.  It does have a provision for a shutter release cable so you can do timed exposures, and since the shutter operates mechanically for Bulb those timed exposures can go for as long as you like.

This camera is before TTL flash, so you have to go manual.  It will automatically set the shutter speed to 1/90 second when you put the flash on if you are using a Nikon flash that provides that information to the camera.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/11

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600 (w/ Gary Fong Lightsphere, off-camera)

I have 2 complaints with this camera.  I don't like the ISO selection.  You lift it up to change it, but the detents aren't deep enough and sometimes it gets inadvertently changed.  Since there is no viewfinder verification, there is nothing to warn you.  The other is that there is no shutter release lock.  So if you advance the film and then decide not to take the shot there is no way to lock the release.  I wish the B/M90/Auto switch had one more position, but it doesn't.

You can get creative with this little guy if you want to.  There is no manual mode except for M90, and there is no exposure compensation... or is there?  You may notice my little origami film reference card, the reason for this is because the ISO that is selected may not be what is in the camera.  I often used the ISO selector as my exposure compensation to adjust for different lighting situations.

SPECS:

• Media: Film
• ISO Range: 25-1600
• Shutter Speed Range: 1-1/1000
• Operating Modes: Aperture Preferred only.
• Flash: Manual
• Weight: 16.7oz (473g)

This camera won't be for everyone, it requires you work around it's limited controls.  But if you want the absolute lightest SLR film camera you can get that uses the Nikon lens system it is hard to beat this one.  In the end I chose to use this camera because it gave me the opportunity to always have my superb Nikon optics even when I needed to travel at my lightest.  Some people will look down on this camera, but don't let that stop you.  It is about image quality, and this can provide you Nikon optics in a package not much larger than a point and shoot.  And in the end EVERY film SLR body is nothing but a controlled shutter.  As long as the shutter timing is correct your optics are the only difference in the photo, and this EM uses the same quality optics of my F4s.