Nikon FG-20

 The Nikon FG-20, dating from 1984, is compact and light-weight like the Nikon EM which preceded it.  While the FG-20 shares many features with the EM it has a full range of manually selectable shutter speeds in addition to an auto-mode for the electronic shutter.  Like the EM, the relatively inexpensive FG-20 will allow use of most of the great bayonet-mount lenses made for the earlier F-Series cameras.

The Nikon FG-20 does not offer the smooth precision in operation of the earlier pro-line F cameras, but it is rugged and reliable.  The previous owner of this example bought the camera used in the 1980s and shot it well into the '90s.  It then sat in in a camera bag unused for about twenty years.  When I got the camera, I removed the two long-dead batteries, installed new ones and the camera came to life and seems to be operating nearly like new.

The Nikon FG-20 came to me in its original big camera bag along with a full set of accessories including documentation, filters, electronic flash and a motor winder.  There was also a 2.8/28mm Zykor MC Auto lens and a Vivitar Series 1, 3.5/70-210mm Macro Focusing Zoom which focuses down to four feet.  There is some fungus creeping in from the periphery of the Zoom's front lens; it doesn't look like that is affecting image quality at present, but it would be nice to get it removed before it gets any further.  The motor winder had some ancient corroded batteries left inside and is not currently functional.  I likely won't get around to using the flash or the winder, even if I can get them working.