<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM	I-Algorithm
is	O
a	O
mechanically	O
operated	O
,	O
interchangeable	O
lens	O
,	O
35	O
mm	O
film	O
,	O
single-lens	B-Algorithm
reflex	I-Algorithm
(	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
)	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
manufactured	O
in	O
Japan	O
between	O
1977	O
and	O
1982	O
by	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
K	O
.	O
K	O
.	O
(	O
now	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Corporation	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FM	O
was	O
the	O
replacement	O
for	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT3	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
been	O
introduced	O
only	O
a	O
few	O
months	O
prior	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
introduced	O
an	O
entirely	O
new	O
compact	O
,	O
but	O
rugged	O
,	O
copper-aluminum	O
alloy	O
(	O
duralumin	O
)	O
chassis	O
that	O
would	O
become	O
the	O
basis	O
for	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
highly	O
successful	O
range	O
of	O
compact	O
semi-professional	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
cameras	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
cameras	O
were	O
intended	O
to	O
provide	O
a	O
more	O
reasonably	O
priced	O
alternative	O
to	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
professional	O
F-series	O
cameras	O
,	O
which	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
was	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
all-new	O
successors	O
to	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
F	O
-	O
and	O
EL-series	O
of	O
amateur-level	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
but	O
despite	O
the	O
lower	O
price-point	O
they	O
continued	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
reputation	O
for	O
high-quality	O
construction	O
,	O
impressive	O
durability	O
and	O
measured	O
technical	O
innovation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
would	O
over	O
the	O
next	O
twenty-nine	O
years	O
use	O
the	O
same	O
chassis	O
(	O
but	O
with	O
some	O
modifications	O
)	O
and	O
basic	O
design	O
philosophy	O
for	O
the	O
FE	B-Algorithm
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1978	O
)	O
,	O
FM2	B-Algorithm
(	O
1982	O
)	O
,	O
FE2	B-Algorithm
(	O
1983	O
)	O
,	O
FA	B-Algorithm
(	O
1983	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
limited	O
production	O
FM3A	B-Algorithm
of	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
system	O
can	O
be	O
traced	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT	O
of	O
1965	O
and	O
its	O
"	O
center-the-needle	O
"	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
succeeding	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM2	I-Algorithm
uses	O
an	O
improved	O
center-the-LED	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FM	O
accepts	O
all	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
F	I-Architecture
bayonet	I-Architecture
mount	I-Architecture
lenses	O
,	O
with	O
certain	O
limitations	O
or	O
exceptions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
includes	O
most	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
lenses	I-Architecture
manufactured	O
after	O
1977	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
newer	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
and	O
third-party	O
F-mount	B-Architecture
lenses	O
are	O
also	O
compatible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
IX	O
Nikkor	O
lenses	O
,	O
for	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
Advanced	O
Photo	O
System	O
(	O
APS	O
)	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
and	O
very	O
old	O
"	O
invasive	O
"	O
Fisheye-Nikkor	O
lenses	O
from	O
the	O
1960s	O
must	O
not	O
be	O
mounted	O
on	O
the	O
FM	O
,	O
as	O
their	O
rear	O
elements	O
will	O
damage	O
the	O
FM	O
's	O
reflex	O
mirror	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Major	O
system	O
accessories	O
for	O
the	O
FM	O
include	O
the	O
MD-11	O
and	O
MD-12	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drives	I-Algorithm
;	O
which	O
enables	O
continuous	O
film	O
advance	O
at	O
3.5	O
frames	O
per	O
second	O
,	O
the	O
Data	O
Back	O
MF-12	O
;	O
enabling	O
the	O
imprinting	O
of	O
date	O
and	O
time	O
data	O
on	O
the	O
film	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Speedlight	O
SB-8E	O
electronic	O
flash	O
;	O
guide	O
number	O
82/25	O
(	O
feet/meters	O
)	O
at	O
ASA	O
100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
that	O
there	O
were	O
two	O
distinct	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
FM	O
,	O
depending	O
on	O
how	O
the	O
FM	O
's	O
light	O
meter	O
(	O
see	O
below	O
)	O
was	O
activated	O
when	O
a	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
was	O
mounted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
FM	O
had	O
a	O
rotary	O
switch	O
shutter	O
button	O
collar	O
to	O
lock	O
the	O
shutter	O
,	O
or	O
switch	O
to	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
mode	O
when	O
the	O
MD-11	O
was	O
mounted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Beginning	O
in	O
1977	O
with	O
the	O
FM	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
complete	O
overhaul	O
of	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
's	O
entire	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
SLR	B-Algorithm
line	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
1970s	O
and	O
1980s	O
were	O
an	O
era	O
of	O
intense	O
competition	O
between	O
the	O
major	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
brands	O
:	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
,	O
Canon	O
,	O
Minolta	O
,	O
Pentax	B-Application
and	O
Olympus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
industry	O
was	O
trying	O
to	O
expand	O
out	O
from	O
the	O
saturated	O
high-end	O
professional	O
and	O
advanced	O
amateur	O
market	O
and	O
appeal	O
to	O
the	O
large	O
mass	O
of	O
low-end	O
amateur	O
photographers	O
itching	O
to	O
move	O
up	O
from	O
compact	O
automatic	O
leaf	O
shutter	O
rangefinder	O
(	O
RF	O
)	O
cameras	O
to	O
the	O
more	O
versatile	O
and	O
glamorous	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
but	O
were	O
intimidated	O
by	O
the	O
advanced	O
learning	O
curve	O
required	O
to	O
operate	O
a	O
traditional	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
's	O
F2	O
and	O
the	O
Nikkormats	B-Algorithm
were	O
prized	O
for	O
their	O
toughness	O
and	O
reliability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
continued	O
with	O
their	O
unusually	O
high	O
standard	O
of	O
workmanship	O
for	O
amateur-level	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM	I-Algorithm
is	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
reliable	O
35mm	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
designs	O
ever	O
built	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM	I-Algorithm
sold	O
very	O
well	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
competing	O
mechanical	O
Pentax	B-Algorithm
MX	I-Algorithm
(	O
released	O
1977	O
)	O
and	O
Olympus	B-Algorithm
OM-1N	I-Algorithm
(	O
1979	O
)	O
cameras	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
a	O
very	O
popular	O
backup	O
camera	O
among	O
professional	O
photographers	O
using	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
and	O
F3	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
its	O
durability	O
and	O
access	O
to	O
the	O
Nikkor	B-Architecture
lens	I-Architecture
line	O
,	O
the	O
FM	O
came	O
to	O
dominate	O
its	O
market	O
niche	O
and	O
was	O
rewarded	O
by	O
the	O
introduction	O
of	O
an	O
improved	O
successor	O
,	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM2	I-Algorithm
,	O
in	O
1982	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Time	O
has	O
proven	O
the	O
FM	O
to	O
be	O
tough	O
and	O
reliable	O
and	O
it	O
is	O
now	O
regarded	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
finest	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
of	O
its	O
generation	O
.	O
</s>
