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I may have just found my all time favourite 35mm SLR film camera… The Nikon FE series.

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My reasons for loving the FE – simplicity is the key to this beauty. It does what it does without any ambiguity.

Nearly all Nikon lenses ever made can be used – even pre-Ai lenses which require the meter coupling lever to be raised out of the way before mounting - wow! And there are lots of really great lenses.

Solid, durable build with its copper/aluminium alloy body.

Weighs 800 grams with 50mm lens on board and with its small form it can be held in the palm or easily off a good quality wrist strap. The perfect professional traveler's camera. Of course, you may prefer a neck strap but I don’t favour these for any camera as I would rather shoot the frame then stow the camera out of sight in my shoulder bag.

Introduced in 1978 and morphed into the FE2 in 1983 the FE has a very accurate meter which displays on the left of the bright viewfinder. Offers full manual control or aperture priority auto – both modes with very simple operation.

Uses 2 easy to find LR44 or SR44 silver oxide batteries. Or can be shot at 1/90th with no battery – just select appropriate aperture for this shutter speed depending on shoot conditions.

Interchangeable focus screens. There are 3 choices: K: matte/Fresnel with micro prism and  split image, B: matte/Fresnel and E: matte/Fresnel with grid lines.

K was the standard when the FE originally shipped. The screens are not too hard to change out, just be very careful not to touch the screen with fingers.

It has an ‘off’ switch combined with the film winder lever. Push the lever completely home and the camera is switched off and not draining the batteries.