Nobody could alienate photographers as well as Nikon could in the 1980s. The company did it by leading the way with automation and electronic control. We take all of this for granted today, but then serious photographers were a traditional lot. They shied away from anything not mechanical and manual in their cameras. The Nikon faithful especially looked sidelong at the Nikon FwA.

1983’s Nikon FA was, and is, the most technologically advanced manual-focus camera Nikon ever introduced. Yet it didn’t sell all that well compared to Nikon’s more-mechanical, more-manual cameras. Perhaps its high price, which was within spitting distance of the pro-level F3, helped push buyers away. But its high electronic advancement certainly did.

Nikon FA

The FA offers both programmed autoexposure and Automatic Multi-Pattern (matrix) metering controlled by a computer chip. Its vertical titanium-bladed, honeycomb-patterned shutter operates from 1 to 1/4000 second. It syncs with flash at 1/250 sec., which was pretty fast for the time. Two LR44 or SR44 batteries power the camera. Without those batteries the Nikon FA can’t do very much.

Nikon FA

The FA also offers aperture- and shutter-priority autoexposure. It hedges against your poor exposure judgment with Cybernetic Override. If the FA can’t find accurate exposure at your chosen aperture or shutter speed, it changes either setting to the closest one at which accurate exposure is possible.

Nikon FA

Also, if you don’t want to use matrix metering, you can switch to center-weighted metering. Press and hold the button on the lens housing, near the self-timer lever.

Typical of Nikons of this era, the FA was extremely well built of high-strength alloys, hardened gears, ball-bearing joints, and gold-plated switches. It was mostly assembled by hand.

By the way, if you like Nikon SLRs also check out my reviews of the F2 (here), F3 (here), N2000 (here), N90s (here), F50 (here), and N60 (here). Or just have a look at all the cameras I’ve ever reviewed here.

This FA was a gift to the Jim Grey Home for Wayward Cameras. I was in a black-and-white mood when I tested this FA, so I dropped in some Fomapan 200. Given the FA’s compact size, I figured the skinny 50mm f/1.8 Nikon Series E lens would look balanced on it. I was right.

Wet hosta leaf / Nikon FA

The FA’s winder glides on silk, and when you fire the shutter the mirror slap is surprisingly gentle. My finger always hunted to find the shutter button when the camera was at my eye, though. That surprised me, as I’m used to everything falling right to hand on Nikon SLRs.

500c / Nikon FA

You have to pull out the winder to turn on the camera and make it possible to press the shutter button. I wasn’t crazy about this, especially when I turned the camera to shoot portrait, as the winder would poke me in the forehead.

Fishers Station / Nikon FA

I loaded some Agfa Vista 200 and took the FA to an event at church. An LCD in the viewfinder reads out your shutter speed. When it reads C250, you know you just loaded film and haven’t wound to the first official frame yet. Every shot until then gets a 1/250-sec. shutter, like it or not. I have other Nikons from the same era that do some version of this and it frustrates me every time. I hate wasting those first few frames!

Church event / Nikon FA

While I’m talking about the LCD panel, it reads FEE when you’re in program or shutter-priority mode but the lens isn’t set at maximum aperture, which is necessary for those modes to work.

Church event / Nikon FA

I brought the FA along on a trip to central Kentucky, where we toured some bourbon distilleries and saw the sights. I mounted the vesatile 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 AI-s Zoom Nikkor lens and shot Arista.EDU 200. Here’s a view down into the Makers Mark distillery.

Maker's Mark Distillery *EXPLORED*  / Nikon FA

This is a scene from My Old Kentucky Home near Bardstown. The FA was mostly a good companion on this trip, handling easily the whole way. That infernal winder lever kept poking me in the forehead, however.

My Old Kentucky Home  / Nikon FA

I also shot some Agfa Vista 200 on that trip. That versatile 35-70mm lens can shoot macro.

Spring blooms, macro / Nikon FA

Here’s the Willett distillery, near Bardstown. I was growing increasingly annoyed with that infernal wind lever as it kept poking me in the forehead.

Willett Distillery / Nikon FA

I sold my Nikon FA during Operation Thin the Herd (in which I shrank my large collection to about 50 cameras). My collection had more Nikon bodies than I could use, and none of the others poked me in the forehead. Almost immediately, I came across another FA body with a 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 Zoom Nikkor lens. It was missing the handgrip but was otherwise in good condition. I paid just $30 for the kit, which was an incredible bargain. I figured I’d sell the body and keep the lens.

Nikon FA with 35-105 Zoom Nikkor

But when I tested the kit with some Agfa Vista 200, I realized that I liked the Nikon FA after all. Curiously, I never noticed the winder poking me in the forehead as I tested this body. So I kept it.

Toward the Statehouse / Nikon FA

I guess I was simply meant to own a Nikon FA!

Federal Courthouse / Nikon FA

To see more photos from this camera, check out my Nikon FA gallery.

The Nikon FA is a delightful little 35mm SLR. Its compact size, light weight, high capability, and smooth operation make it a fine choice to take along wherever you go. Working bodies usually go for far less than other contemporary Nikon bodies such as the better-known FM2. But that camera lacks the FA’s matrix metering. So why pay more for an FM2, especially now that we’ve all come to embrace the electronics in our cameras?

If you like old film cameras, check out all of my reviews here!
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Comments

17 responses to “Nikon FA”

  1. matt Avatar
    matt

    Found a small typo. Not to nitpick, but I’d want to fix it if it were my post:
    “you know you just loaded film and haven’t would to the first official frame yet.” I think would -> wound

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Fixed – thanks!

  2. bodegabayf2 Avatar

    If I didn’t have a Nikon F3, FM2n, FE and FE2, I might go grab another FA. I probably did not give the one I had a fair shake.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Yeah, I can’t see how adding an FA to your stable will give you anything more that’s so valuable that you must have it.

      If I didn’t have an FA, I’d want to add an FE or FM to my stable.

  3. Olli Thomson Avatar
    Olli Thomson

    Thanks for this. I’ve considered the FA from time to time but always been wary of the electronics. Maybe it’s time to give it a go anyway.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I’ve had good luck with the electronics in the two I’ve owned. But if you’ve owned an FM or an FE, I don’t know that there’s anything so compelling about the FA that you must try/own one.

  4. arhphotographic Avatar

    Simply FAbulous!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I see what you did there!

  5. martin Avatar
    martin

    Nice review, I owned an FA back in the 1980’s took it with me all over the place it was a brilliant camera, added a number of AF cameras including the awesome F100 but then life changes came along and the camera gear had to go to pay bills etc, didn’t go back to Nikon for many years until I added a DSLR D750, then Mirrorless Z7, at this time I got back into film via a number of cameras and saw a FA and bought it, now it is my go to film camera, used with some Nikon primes and it works just as I remember, lovely camera just perfect in my hand, no issues with the film advance.

    For me it is the perfect camera. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this underrated little gem.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Martin, I’m glad you enjoyed my review. Good luck with your new old FA!

  6. JB Avatar
    JB

    Good review! I just bought an FA for the matrix metering on AI-S lenses. The F4 and F6 can also do that but they are bigger and a lot heavier. I bought the FA because of its relatively compact size and different shooting experience compared to modern DSLR’s and mirrorless cameras. Some variety makes photography more fun for me.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      The FA is certainly a lot easier to carry and handle than one of the Fs! I’m glad you enjoyed this review.

  7. Gary_QH Avatar
    Gary_QH

    Loved your review of the FA. It made me feel better about the FA I just bought on eBay. I read another review where all they seem to say was the FA very unreliable and prone to fail unexpectedly. Other reviews including yours seem to say otherwise.

    Looking forward to my FA and more of your posts and reviews!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I’ve had good luck with my FAs. I’ve heard about their alleged unreliability, but everyone I know who owns one has had good experiences.

  8. Gary_QH Avatar
    Gary_QH

    Thanks Jim. I just got mine today and gave it a quick check. Everything seems to work as it should and it looks to be in really good condition. The only problem I was able to find was one of the plastic pieces was missing on the strap triangle thingies. Other than that it looks almost brand new. I’m pleased! Now to go film test it with a roll of the Cinestill 400D I found out about on your site.

  9. kris Avatar
    kris

    Hi friend! I have an FA but would love to pair it with a TTL flash as well… what would be the best flash suited for the FA?

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I’m not a flash guy, so I’m not the expert, but I’d think any Nikon speedlight would be your best choice.

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