In article <4hmtat$7fs@lns540.lns.cornell.edu>, jae@lns598.lns.cornell.edu says...

>I've been lurking for the past few days
>(nice to see a group with more info than flames).
---You should see it some days!!!! ;-)
>I'm about to buy a Nikon camera and was looking for some advice. [..]
>I'm trying to decide between the FM2 and the N70 or N90s.
>It looks like the N70/N90 have everything the FM2 does and a lot more
>(totally manual, totally automatic, or somewhere in between).
>It looks like they have more advanced metering as well.
>Of course they are more expensive, but the difference isn't huge.
>Is the FM2 really more durable for someone who will probably shoot
>no more than one roll a week? Am I totally missing something?
---No, and no. The FM-2 is smaller, lighter, "non-electronic", and
---has the "feel" of a metal camera. It is "simple-and-to-the-point",
---as cameras go. The N70 doesn't have DOF preview. The N70-90 offer
---many whiz-bang features that you may (or may not) at some point
---wish to use. TTL flash control is near-essential for me, and the
---viewfinders are nicer. And this left-eyed photographer is happier
---with a built-in motor, but most of the other features are useless
---to me (being somewhat old-fashioned in my camera tastes...).
>Sometimes it seems that there's just a mystique or a "tradition" >associated with the FM2. Am I mistaken?
---No, but there is some value to the FM-2 approach. When traveling,
---the smaller body is easier to pack - and for those of us who like
---mint equipment, it is possible to use and maintain metal-clad
---bodies in perfect condition, but impossible to do the same with
---the plastic ones (they WILL show wear, if used).
>I'm planning to start getting into photography more this summer
>(learning proper techniques, developing, etc). I guess I'm leaning >more toward the N70 or N90s since I can use them manually as I learn >more what I'm doing, but can use it automatically if I get stuck. >Seems like even the professionals like autofocus these days.
---Uhhh, not all of us do.....
>Thanks very much for any help/advice
---You're welcome!
---Hope This Helps