In article
>Can anyone tell me quickly what features an FG has? does it have a
>self-timer, AP or SP, metered manual, DOF, MLU...? does it work any if
>batteries are dead? What lenses can it use...? How does it compare
>with the FE, FM, etc, or the Nikkormats?
>(I'm getting a camera for sort of beginners, and have narrowed it down
>to Nikon FG possibly, a Canon AE1, or a Pentax KX. I would like
>something pretty rugged and durable, mechanical if possible, with AP or
>SP and manual, and a decent selection of lenses.)
The Nikon FG is a very compact, light-weight, multi-featured camera
body that will accept all Nikkor lenses new or old except unmodified
non-AI lenses (it will take AI, AIS, E, AF, AI'd lenses). Since it has
a (very accurate) quartz-timed shutter, a battery is required for
all speeds to operate except "B" and "M90" (the top synch. speed).
It has center-weighted metering in manual, aperture priority, and
program modes. There is a mechanical self-timer, which raises the
mirror and closes the aperture at the beginning of the timer interval.
There is a TTL flash shoe on top the prism, and no DOF preview. The
camera seems to be reliable and is still popular around here, both
with beginners (giving access to the great range of uniformly
excellent Nikkor lenses), and others (as a tiny, light backup body).
The FE's, FM's, and FA are larger (though still compact), have more
metal in the outer shell (they all have metal interior structures),
and have DOF preview. The FM, FM-2, and FE do not have TTL flash; the FM's do not have aperture-priority auto or program; the FE's do not
have program; the FA adds shutter-priority auto and matrix metering;
the FM and FE will accept non-AI lenses (with stop-down metering);
the FM and FE top synch. speed is 1/125; the FM-2, FE-2, and FA top
synch. speed is 1/250; the FM and FM-2 have mechanically-timed
shutters and do not need batteries to operate. The Nikkormat is a
heavier, larger, earlier version of the FM, but with match-needle
metering instead of 3 LED metering (and it can not take a motor -
the others can). The FE's use an extended match-needle metering
system that is great for close control of exposure compensations;
the FA uses a liquid crystal 3 pos. display similar to the F3.
Hope this helps, rather than utterly confuses......