In article <4t1sdp$9s6@unx1.shsu.edu>, vis_cah@shsu.edu says...
[MUCH deleted, to save space, comparing FA and FE-2]
>What is more flexible? The FA has more exposure modes and a better meter.
>Does the FE2 have all the same meter information? (IE in manual mode shows
>the mode, current shutter speed, exposure + or -, and current f-stop) [...]
Having owned a pair of FE-2's, and having replaced them with a pair of FA's,
Here is how I would compare the two (the innards are virtually identical):
The FE-2 meter display is really excellent (other than being hard to see
when the left side of the viewing screen is dark), since it shows a
continuous range of exposure over the whole range of available shutter
speeds (this allows fine in-VF control of exposure modification [bracketing,
compensations for subject tonal particulars, even flash TTL-fill control);
the FA's display is the limited +/0/- type, and it shuts off when the flash
is turned on, unlike the FE-2's. The FA has an early segmented Matrix
Metering, the FE-2 does not (I don't like it - I can do better with center-
weighted mode and a little thinking/experience). The FA has P and S exposure
modes, in addition to the FE-2's M and A modes (I dislike auto modes [though
Shutter-priority is occasionally useful], and I find Program mode useless
[it almost always selects too-fast-speed/too-wide-aperture for my tastes]).
The meter/mode controls are fine on both cameras, and the FA is well-designed
when it comes to camera shifts/overrides when the user selects unuseable
combinations with the FA in auto modes. The motors add welcome heft and
a handle for better slow shutter speed hand-holding, but can be removed
to make the cameras light and small for travel (the MD-15 for the FA [only]
powers the camera - useful in very cold conditions). I prefer the look and
feel of the metal top cover on the FE-2. What sold me on the FA, though,
is its softer shutter release (at the cost of slightly delayed shutter
opening compared with the FE-2) - in low-light work, I do better at slow
speeds getting sharp pictures hand-held with the FA. When I need TTL fill-flash, my 8008's with SB-24's serve me better than either the FA
or FE-2 (same 1/250th sync., but unlimited [contrary to the instruction
book] ASA range, and simple control of TTL fill ratios). But, when I need
a sharp-to-the-corners, undistorted, and accurate-framing viewfinder, and accurate metering of shifted perspective-control lenses, I go to my F3's (there is no perfect, good-for-everything camera - 'cept, mebbe, the F5.....;-).
Hope This Helps