In article <470svs$21d@decaxp.harvard.edu>, kkobayas@scws33.harvard.edum says...
> I'm a relative newbie - I've been using Canon EOS's (650 and Rebel)
>for several years, mostly for casual photography. However now that I
>know a little more about photography I find the manual controls of >these cameras to be rather difficult to use, especially manual >focusing. Anyway all my equipment save for the one body and one lens >were stolen this summer, so I am considering switching to another >system. Would I be better off with a fully manual body like the Nikon >FM2, or are there AF cameras that offer good manual controls as well? >I mostly do scenery and still-life but also end up taking a lot of >snapshots, for which AF will be handy. I don't think I can afford to >buy two bodies (or one high-end body for that matter). I'd appreciate >any advice.

The viewfinders in Nikon AF bodies are excellent for manual focus - they are sharp, contrasty, bright, and easy to use. Some also have unusually large eyepieces, which can make using the cameras a pleasure with eyeglasses. I would suggest looking at any Nikon AF body, with the exceptions of the 4004, 5005, and N50, if you want good manual controls in addition to automatic features. DOF preview is getting harder to find on AF bodies, alas, and for that you may need to look for a
discontinued 8008 or N90, or a current N90s (or F4).
Hope this helps.