Buyer's Guide - Nikon FM to FM3A & in Between

Dynamic Duo: The Nikon FM & FE (or is it the other way around? ;-))

  Updated May 2, 2023

   Three decades...Six (and-a-half ;-)) models...ONE platform. Approximately 4.5 million bodies sold. That makes the compact enthusiast/semi-professional manual focus line of Nikon SLRs the longest-lived chassis in the history of the marque, and arguably, the most successful. Spurred on somewhat by the success of the Olympus OM bodies but mostly by the groundbreaking Canon AE-1, Nikon's foray into the world of compact SLRs first bore fruit in 1977 with the FM, and ended up with an "old vines" distillation of body and flavor with the FM3A in 2001. But there was a lot of ground covered between those bookends. So which one will be right for you? Let's dig in :-)    

  A Rundown of Features by Model

   The FM (introduced in May 1977) was designed to replace the mechanical-shutter Nikkormat (Nikomat in Japan) FT series with a smaller, lighter-weight body that also was more efficient to manufacture. The influence of the Canon AE-1 in these areas was unmistakable: identical weight, and dimensions within 1.5mm at the most. But, in then-classic Nikon form, the FM was built more solidly, utilizing Nikon's proprietary "copper silumin aluminum" alloy for the chassis, which would be used for all succeeding models along with the professional-level F3. Needless to say, this material has stood the test of time and contributes to the feeling of solidity these cameras are known for. The FM featured the Copal Compact Shutter (CCS-M), basically a smaller, modernized version of the rugged Copal Square shutter used in the Nikkormat FTs. The film winding mechanism was engineered with 5 ball bearings for longevity and reduced winding torque (almost 50% less; both absolute and over the course of an entire roll of film). Seeing as it debuted right at the time Nikon was adopting their AI (Automatic Aperture Indexing) lens system, the FM also came with the added feature of a flip-up AI lever, which, when retracted, allowed the mounting of pre-AI Nikkor lenses (the contemporary full-size Nikkormat FT3 & Nikon EL2 also had this feature). This feature would be retained with the following FE, but all subsequent enthusiast Nikon film bodies would be AI-only. It can be very useful if you are into using pre-AI lenses. Here is the specification list:

• Shutter: Vertical-travel, metal blade, with manually-selected, full-step, mechanical speeds from 1 to 1/1000 sec. + Bulb
• Viewfinder: 93% @ 0.86x magnification; set shutter speed on left side; aperture direct readout (ADR); LED display in five graduations using three symbols (+ o -)
• Exposure Meter: classic Nikon 60/40 centerweighted using two gallium photodiodes (GPD) with 60% sensitivity concentrated in the central 12mm circle of the focusing screen and 40% over the remainder of the viewfinder; 1 - 18 EV (Exposure Value) range at ISO 100. Powered by 2 - SR44 (357) silver oxide cells or 1 - CR1/3 lithium cell as all succeeding models would be.
• ISO range: 12 - 3200; set by raising collar surrounding shutter speed dial and turning to desired setting, then lowering collar into locked position
• Flash: 1/125 sec. sync; non-dedicated hotshoe; PC terminal for off-camera flash
• Film Winding: single-stroke 135-degrees; 30 degree stand-off incorporating OFF/ON power switch and shutter release lock. Early FMs also had an auxiliary power switch incorporated into the shutter release collar for use with the MD-11 motor drive.
• Frame Counter: additive that automatically resets to "S" (two frames before 0) when film back is opened
• Multiple Exposures: via lever on top plate
• DOF preview
• Self-timer: 10-sec. delay; "cancellable"; mirror flips up at beginning of countdown, thus eliminating "slap" well before exposure = "poor man's" Mirror Lock Up ;-)
• External Motor Drives: MD-11 (not recommended due to battery drain issues) & MD-12 (recommended); Single (S) or Continuous (C) drive up to 3.5 frames per second (fps) at shutter speeds above 1/125 sec.; weight: 410 grams (14.5 oz) w/o batteries; 8 - AA (LR6, FR6 or KR-AA) cells required
• Dimensions: W - 142mm (5.6") x D - 60.5mm (2.4") x H 89.5mm (3.5")
• Weight: 590 grams (20.8 oz)

    The FE came out the year following the FM (April 1978). You could be forgiven for thinking that the only difference between the two was the "E"lectronically-controlled shutter and the "M"echanical shutter ;-). And while that was the major differentiator, there were some important refinements to the FE that would carry through to their progeny. Like the FM, the FE was intended to replace an existing full-size Nikon, the EL2, with which it shared its internal circuitry. As a clean-sheet design, the FM did suffer from a few teething issues. The FE had most of them ironed out from day one. Differences from the FM were:

• Shutter: electronically-controlled Copal Compact Shutter (CCS-E) with stepless speeds from 8 to 1/1000 sec. in AUTO (aperture-priority) mode; the same range in 14 discrete steps in Manual mode; mechanical settings for Bulb and M90 (1/90 sec.)
• Viewfinder: same coverage and magnification as FM; same ADR; match-needle on left-side displaying both set and recommended speeds 
• Focusing Screen: three user-interchangeable screens (B, E, & K). The K was standard equipment with a fine-matte field & microprism collar surrounding a central split-image rangefinder. B was just a fine-matte field with clear central 12mm circle and E added grid lines to the B screen. This was a big upgrade over the fixed K screen of the original FM and a feature that would carry over to all succeeding models.
• Exposure Meter: two silicon photodiodes (SPD) with the same centerweighted pattern and sensitivity (1 - 18 EV) as the FM
• ISO range: 12 - 4000 expandable to 6 - 8000 with exposure compensation (EC) of +/- 2 EV with detents at 1/2 stop increments. Set via collar and dial concentric to rewind knob.
• Flash: same sync. speed & PC socket as FM; dedicated hot-shoe with flash-ready LED visible in the top of eyepiece
• Multiple Exposures: the FM required two hands to perform multiple exposures with the left index finger pushing a round lever behind the shutter speed dial that disengaged the film advance while the right thumb actuated the film wind lever to re-cock the shutter. The FE simplified this to a one hand operation with the right index finger pulling a lever concentric to the film wind lever down while the right thumb actuated the film winder. The index finger would naturally slip off as the film wind lever swung around towards the front of the camera. This mechanism would also be used on all succeeding models.
• Self-timer: same as FM but the self-timer lever also doubled as an AE (Auto Exposure) Lock when pushed in and held towards lens mount when using AUTO mode. The exposure would be locked but the meter needle continued to move when changes in light would occur. This dissonance would be rectified in the FE2 and succeeding electronic models.
• Dimensions: same as FM except for 3mm (1/8") less Depth (57.5mm). The prism housing was also shaped differently.

    Many professionals adopted the FM as a backup body for their F2s, with its weight savings on the order of 30%. They also appreciated the improved 1/125 flash sync. speed over the F2's 1/80 sec.; with the smaller, more powerful flash units then appearing, daylight fill flash was becoming more popular. This led to requests for faster flash sync. speeds and thus led to the next evolution of the FM/FE family. Nikon started development in 1977 of an improved shutter, which would also have, as a byproduct, a faster top shutter speed. It took them 5 years before the FM2 appeared in March 1982. Lightness and strength were the two key ingredients and so the famed "titanium honeycomb" shutter blades were born. They were chemically-etched in a honeycomb pattern to remove the last milligrams of weight to achieve the two-step gain in top speed. The titanium honeycomb blades would carry over into the next two (and a half) models introduced, until Copal (Nikon's design partner and the actual manufacturer of the shutter assemblies) was able to improve the strength of their duralumin technology to provide the same level of performance and actually improve stability in cold weather. Nikon proudly badged the FM2 in F3 fashion, with a large logo below the shutter release on the front of the body. It's fine, but a smidgen of the understated class of the FM was lost ;-). Along with the shutter, the FM2 received all of the FE improvements over the FM:

• Dedicated flash with the flash ready LED in the eyepiece
• Interchangeable focusing screens
• Improved multiple exposure mechanism 
• More positive DOF preview with grippier lever

    Added improvements over both the FM and FE consisted of:

• Flash sync speed of 1/200 sec. and a top shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.
• ISO range was increased: 12 - 6400
• The power switch for the meter was now incorporated with the shutter release, requiring only a half-press to activate the meter, which would now turn off automatically after 30 seconds had elapsed for better battery life. But you still had to have the wind lever opened 30 degrees to unlock the shutter release (Boo!).
• The shutter release button was of a larger diameter making it easier to achieve a smooth release.
• While viewfinder layout remained the same as the FM, the shutter speed readout was reversed with black numbers surrounded by a clear field versus clear numbers in a black field. And instead of round LEDs beside clear + o - symbols, the symbols themselves now were red LEDs for improved visibility in dark conditions.
• Weight was reduced by almost 10% to 540 grams (19 oz)

    Deletions from the FM included:

• The flip-up AI lever. This indicated Nikon's belief that the AI lens system was sufficiently established 5 years after its debut that the option for non-AI lenses was no longer necessary on anything less than its professional models (the flip-up lever was retained on the F3 & F4, and could be special-ordered on the F5 & F6). It was also a way to save some weight and money ;-).
• The GPD meter was swapped for the less-expensive-to-produce SPD meter from the FE. While, on paper, the GPDs have less sensitivity to infrared light and are very stable and long-lived, the SPDs with a blue filter became the industry standard due to negligible performance differences and lower production costs. Nikon claimed that the SPDs were three times as fast as the GPDs. ​

    Following their pattern of having a year's separation between the FM and FE, Nikon brought the upgraded FE2 to market in March of 1983. And, as with the original pair, the FE2 offered some further refinements over the FM2, while likewise making a bit bigger deal as to its identity with the prominent "FE2" below the shutter release:

• The flash sync. was raised to the 1/250 sec. mark originally targeted in development. Again, Nikon actually did most of its R&D on the electronically-controlled versions, while bringing the mechanical versions to market first.
• New focusing screens 1/3-stop brighter were introduced with the FE2. The K2, B2, and E2 screens were identical in layout to the original K, B, and E screens. The new screens could be retrofitted to the FE or FM2 with a +1/2 exposure compensation adjustment or a +1/3 ISO adjustment, respectively. If you were masochistic enough to want to use an original K, B, or E screen in your FE2, you needed to apply -1/3 exposure compensation (EC).
• There was now a +/- LED that lit in the viewfinder whenever EC was engaged. EC now used 1/3-stop detents for greater precision.
• Nikon was also able to refine the shutter's operation to achieve an over-20% reduction in vibration over the FM2. And it was now quartz-regulated. Speed range was now 8 - 1/4000 sec.; stepless in A mode and full-stepped in Manual.
• Nikon also sought to reduce mirror vibration by including a flywheel damper along with the air dashpot of the original FE. This gave the FE2 an edge over the Original FM2.
• The FE2 received through-the-lens (TTL) flash metering, becoming the third Nikon SLR to do so (behind the rudimentary system in the F3, and borrowing from the consumer-oriented FG introduced in May 1982).
• Battery check was now done by viewing if the meter needle moved versus the external LED lever on the FE.
• The meter was now powered off and the shutter speed restricted to 1/250 sec. until the frame counter reached 1. This precluded being able to meter and expose right from S on the FM, FE, and FM2; a drawback for those who like to eke out every last frame from the film cartridge. All subsequent bodies in the family would follow suit.
• The meter switch now kicked OFF after 16 seconds versus 30.
• Weight dropped 40 grams (1.4 oz) from the FE, while it grew 0.5mm wider and taller. 

   
​    1983 also brought forth the most technologically-sophisticated member of the family, with the entry of the FA in March of that year. Originally intended to be the FE2, the FA's technical requirements pushed its cost above the market slot intended by Nikon for the FE cameras. Thus the decision was made to bring out an entirely new model while maintaining the FE-line. Billed by Nikon as "the Technocamera", the FA packed as much capability into the chassis as could be managed by the technology of the day. Here are its points of difference from the FE2:

• Program and Shutter-priority modes in addition to Aperture-priority and Manual
• AMP (Automatic Multi-Pattern) metering. In subsequent Nikons this mouthful was streamlined to "Matrix" metering :-). AMP was a 5-segment meter with an algorithm based off of a library of 30,000 exposures to calculate exposure. There was also the standard centerweighted 60/40 metering available and it was the only option in Manual mode while being user-selectable in the three automatic modes. Centerweighted was also used for flash metering, DOF preview, and with AI-converted lenses lacking the AI lug that signaled the maximum f/stop of the lens to the body. Nikon was so infatuated with the brilliance of AMP, that they decided that an AE lock was now superfluous, and so they deleted it. That was a bridge too far, and the AE lock subsequently returned on all future enthusiast Nikons ;-).
• Due to the greater power demands of the FA's micro processors for metering and exposure control, Nikon sought to conserve power wherever possible, thus the FA inherited the LCD viewfinder readout of the F3 (at the time, LCDs consumed 1/10,000 the power that LEDs did). The flash-ready light was also moved into the viewfinder. Due to the slightly more-crowded viewfinder, magnification dropped to 0.80x from 0.86x. Because of the preponderance of automatic modes, Nikon also included an eyepiece shutter for the first time on an amateur Nikon body to shield the SPDs from stray light when the camera was not being held to the eye and thus messing up the exposure readings in such situations.
• Full functionality of the Program and Shutter-priority modes required the use of AI-s lenses, whereas certain AI and AI-converted lenses could give wonky exposure readings when set at f/11 or above, although the final exposure would be correct because the FA made a "final-check" adjustment to the shutter speed after the lens had fully stopped down to the taking aperture.
• The lower metered shutter speeds of 2, 4, and 8 seconds were eliminated, leaving a range of 1 - 1/4000 sec. + Bulb & M250
• AMP metering had a sensitivity of 1 - 16 1/3 EV at ISO 100; centerweighted had a range of 1 - 20 EV versus 1 - 18 EV on the FE2
• The MD-15 motor drive was exclusive to the FA and gave a maximum speed of 3.2 fps while also being able to power the camera body from its 8-AA power supply. The MD-12 was also compatible but at a lower max frame rate of 2.7 fps and no auxiliary power to the camera.
• The shape of the prism housing was flatter and the top plate was made of polymer. As well, a polymer finger grip was added for a more stable purchase with the right hand. This grip needed to be removed to mount a motor drive.
• Dimensions increased to: W 142.5mm (5.6") x H 92mm (3.6") x W 64.5mm (2.5")
• Weight increased to 625 grams (22 oz); a gain of 14% over the FE2 

    In March 1984, Nikon brought us our 1/2 model update ;-). The New FM2 (or as it came to be designated FM2N), received the mechanical version of the FE2's improved shutter (1/250 sec. sync speed and reduced vibration). It also now came standard with the K2 focusing screen. The FM2N can be easily differentiated from the FM2 by the red x250 marking on the shutter speed dial (versus x200) and the "N" preceding the serial # on the back of the camera. The FM2N would see the longest production life of any model in the family, being discontinued in 2000. 1989 brought the internal change of the shutter blade material to smooth duralumin from titanium, being easily distinguished by the lack of honeycomb etching. The FM2N became the backup body of choice for many a Nikon F3, F4, or F5-wielding pro during its lifespan. 

  Denouement and Rebirth

    With the advent of practical AF SLRs from 1985 onward, the manual focus SLR market went into a steep decline in the late-'80s and even cameras as dependable, useful, and classy as the FM/FE/FA family were not immune. The first to succumb to market pressures were the FE2 and FA, both discontinued in 1987 and supplanted by the AF N8008/F-801 in the enthusiast slot by 1988. The FM2N soldiered on with the inheritance of the shutter blades from the N8008/F-801 in 1989, as noted earlier. The limited-production FM2/T with titanium top and bottom plates (but otherwise identical to the FM2N) debuted in 1993. The FM2N & T would endure as the lone representatives of the family until they too were discontinued in 2000 with the advent of the digital era. 

    Nikon had introduced the brace of the FM10 & FE10 in the mid-'90s, but these Cosina-built impostors were nothing like their namesakes. They were built off of a generic chassis that Cosina used for a plethora of other cheap badge-engineered manual focus SLRs during that time period. They work, but they are not even close to the quality of the genuine articles. Nikon did themselves no favors schlepping them alongside the last of the F3s and FM2s. But there would be one more shining moment for the FM/FE family in the 21st century...

  The Ultimate FM (or Should it be FE?)

    Nikon launched development of the FM3A in December 1998, almost two-and-a-half years in advance of their target date to bring it to market. It was to be their most ambitious FM model yet, marrying the best of the FM2 and the FE2. The shutter was to be a complete hybrid, offering stepless electronic control from 8 - 1/4000 sec. in A mode along with fully mechanical manual speeds from 1 - 1/4000 sec. in Manual. It would use the FE2-style viewfinder with match-needle meter. It would also have TTL flash capability, but boosted to a range of ISO 12 -1000 from the FE2's & FA's ISO 25 - 400. The exposure compensation and flash ready LEDs would be moved to the top left corner of the viewfinder, which was slightly reduced in magnification to 0.83x. Along with the FM2's ISO range from 12 - 6400, the FM3A would also include an automatic DX setting covering ISO 25 - 5000 for those users so-inclined. A window was now incorporated into the film back to display the film data on the film canister when loaded. A new set of improved K3, B3, and E3 focus screens was introduced with backwards compatibility using the same exposure compensation or ISO adjustments with the FE and original FM2 as with the K2, B2, or E2 screens. The 2-series and 3-series screens are fully interchangeable with each other with no compensation required.

   The engineering challenges associated with fitting the mechanical and electronic controls all within the form factor of the FM2 pushed the engineers to the limit. The release of the FM3A was delayed by three months due to the extra time it took to iron out these issues. A considerable amount of hand-fitting and adjustment was required on the production line, and far more than required by the extant AF models in Nikon's lineup or even its ancestors. This made the FM3A likely the most heavily-scrutinized Nikon 35mm body as far as quality control in their history. Production concluded in January 2006 along with the F100 and F80 AF models as digital was truly taking over the industry. An estimated 125,000 were produced, making the FM3A the "rarest" (relatively speaking ;-)) of the family. For comparison here are the approximate production numbers of the rest of the line courtesy of KniPPsen virtual camera and photo museum:

• FM (1977-82) - 1,025,000
• FE (1978-83) - 1,125,000
• FM2 (1982-83) - 150,000
• FE2 (1983-87) - 600,000
• FM2N (1984-2000) - 1,200,000
• FA (1984-87) - 350,000

    Nikon also made a few flourishes with the cosmetics of the FM3A. Most noticeable was the modern Nikon logo on the prism housing, with the housing itself being subtly re-styled to echo the shape of the original Nikon F's housing. The shutter speed dial grip was also finished in chrome on the chrome models rather than black as on all the previous versions. And the film wind lever and shutter release button were given turned metal finishes, making the FM3A the blingiest (stop me if I'm getting too technical ;-)) of all the FMs.    

  An Embarrassment of Choices

    So which of this magnificent seven will it be for you? While the FM3A is most desirable for most 35mm buffs, it has one major drawback for many...cost. With current prices ranging from $500 to $1500 USD for excellent to NIB examples, the FM3A is anywhere from 2 to 10 times the cost of other models in the lineup in equivalent condition. If you can afford one, by all means, go for it...you are very unlikely to be disappointed. But for many of us, that will just be too steep, so how do the rest break down?

    First off, you need to analyze what you need/want out of these bodies:

• Want to use pre-AI lenses? Your choice is down to the original FM or FE.  Both can be had for about the same cost nowadays, but the FE gives you a better DOF preview mechanism, the ability to upgrade the focusing screen, and better reliability than the early FMs. If you have your heart set on an FM, try to find one with a serial# of 3xxxxxx or higher to get all of the internal improvements that Nikon made with the FE. You can find Excellent bodies for $150 USD and up, but be prepared for a CLA (Clean, Lube, Adjust that can easily run $100 USD) to have your FM running well if you purchased it at the lower end of the price spectrum. 
• Do you have a pathological hatred for electronically-controlled shutters? Absolutely nothing wrong with that, but be prepared to pay more for equivalent FM models versus FEs. And also be prepared to pay for a CLA more frequently. All of the FM/FE/FA family are capable of going for decades between CLAs, depending on how they are treated, but it is just a fact of life that mechanical shutters go out of adjustment over time, just like mechanical watches lose more time in a month than quartz do. So be prepared for more frequent maintenance to keep your FMs in tip-top shape. And be ready to spring for a hand-held meter should your FM's electronic meter ever brick beyond repair ;-). The electronic complexity of the FA does mean there are more possible failure points than any other body in the family. The FE2 and FE are much simpler by comparison. But all models are above-average in reliability and and durability when compared to their contemporaries.
• Do you need faster than 1/1000 sec.? You're looking at the FM2(N), FE2, or FA. This is one you need to carefully think about. Two decades ago I became convinced that I needed more than the 1/1000 that my Minolta XD11 was giving me. So I went for an FA with its blistering 1/4000 top speed, 1/250 flash sync., and that oh-so-sexy titanium shutter. And it was great! Then, over time, I realized that I wasn't using my FA with flash, and I rarely had my aperture wide open enough in my type of shooting to utilize that big & bad 1/4000. I was carrying ND filters with me anyways, so I could always slap one on if I wanted to open my aperture more. Long story short, my FA went down the road years ago and I have an F90x (N90S) that I paid half of what you can get the cheapest of these beauties for and it goes to 1/8000 sec. and is capable of far more with flash than any of the FM/FE/FA family. Now, I'm not saying that for you, or anybody else, that is the way to go. But take the time to determine what you really need, instead of just buying for the specs like I did ;-). You will pay, on average, at least double the cost of the FM or FE for the privilege of that 1/4000 shutter and be prepared to lose 2 or 3 frames per roll of film with the FE2 or FA if you are the type that needs to squeeze out every last one, due to those two cameras' locking the shutter speed and keeping the meter off until frame 1 is reached on the counter (which takes three cycles versus two on the FM & FE, neither of which disable the meter or lock the shutter speed in the interim).  
• Do you need TTL flash? FE2 or FA. On average, excellent to mint FAs are sitting between $200 to $300 USD while equivalent FE2s are about $100 USD higher, currently. The FA gives up some viewfinder magnification (0.8x vs. 0.86x), AE lock, slow metered shutter speeds (2, 4, & 8 sec.), and requires AI-s lenses to get the full use of its Program and Shutter-priority modes. But it does give you the option of powering the camera with the MD-15 (can be had for $100 USD easily) motor drive if you want to burn film ;-). And those extra exposure modes are there if you are into that sort of thing. 
• It just has to be a mechanical shutter. Okay, so do you want a brighter focusing screen or the ability to upgrade it later? More shutter speed flexibility? Improved multiple exposure and DOF preview mechanisms? Any of those will eliminate the FM, and while there is nothing essentially wrong with the original FM2, you may as well get the improved shutter (1/250 flash sync and lower vibration) of the FM2N. If you are in a cold-weather area, look for one with the smooth duralumin blades versus the honeycomb titanium. Hint: people get hung up on the titanium blades so you can often score a newer FM2N for less money than even the original FM2. Expect to pay at least twice as much for an excellent to mint FM2N versus the original FM.  

  Caveats for the FM/FE/FA - Series Bodies

    There aren't any major flaws and only a few minor ones for most people when dealing with these cameras:

• For left-eyed shooters and even some right-eyed shooters, Nikon's shutter release lock/power switch using the film wind lever was an ergonomic faux pas...for decades. There are more pleasant viewing experiences than having the wind lever shoved into your right eye socket while you are trying to compose with your left eye. Part of the problem was that Nikon left the top of the shutter release exposed on the Nikkormats, the F2, the Nikon EL2, and the original FM & FE...so they needed a way to lock the shutter release from being inadvertently triggered when the camera was in a bag...so they came up with the wind lever system...and then thought...let's efficiently incorporate the power switch for the meter with the release lock. Genius! Even when they moved the power switch to the release button, they still kept that confounded lock with the wind lever, when all they would have had to do to prevent almost any type of inadvertent activation was to recess the shutter button slightly below the its collar. OK...OK...rant over ;-). Anyways, if that is the worst we can come up with as far as flaws go...
• The disappearing match needle display on the FE, FE2, & FM3A when darkness falls. This is not unique to Nikon, as virtually every match needle display ever made fell victim to relying upon outside illumination to make the meter display visible in the finder. If you are going to be doing a lot of low-light shooting, you may be better served by the slightly less-precise but visible LEDs of the FM2N. You still won't be able to see your set shutter speed or aperture readout but you will be able to see if your exposure is correct or not.

  In Conclusion

    Hopefully, you have found this blathering mess to be of some assistance in choosing among the FM/FE/FA family. For my money, the original FE is hard to beat as far as value per dollar goes. It gives you 80% of the speed capability of its impressive descendants (FE2, FA, FM3A) at a minimum of half the cost. You can upgrade the focusing screen to FM3A levels for $30 USD. And you can still use pre-AI lenses (with stop-down metering) if that floats your boat.

    If you are more mechanically-inclined, the 1989-and-newer FM2N, with its less-sexy, but just as capable (and better in cold-weather :-)) shutter gives you all of the post-FM improvements, with only the pre-AI lens compatibility lost. But even the original FM, with its fixed screen, mushy DOF preview lever, and fiddly multiple exposure mechanism, is capable of superb results and a lifetime of enjoyment. Happy hunting!

  References:

    Various Nikon Instruction Manuals @ https://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon.htm
    Various Nikon Brochures @ https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/rlNikon.htm
    Various Nikon Articles @https://imaging.nikon.com/history/chronicle/
    Popular Photography Lab Reports for the Nikon FM2 (12/82) & FA (05/84)
    Nikon FM, FE, & FA Pages @ http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/photography.
    Nikon SLR production #s @ http://knippsen.blogspot.com
    Nikon Compendium: Handbook of the Nikon System
           - Rudolf Hillebrand & Hans-Joachim Hauschild
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