Nikon's budget all-manual SLR — the FM10, mechanical shutter, TTL match-LED meter, Nikon F, 1995.
The Nikon FM10, introduced in 1995, was an entry-level manual-focus 35mm SLR built for Nikon by Cosina, offering a low-cost mechanical body in the Nikon F system. It sat at the base of Nikon's manual-focus range in the mid-1990s and was often sold with a zoom lens as a student outfit. It used the Nikon F bayonet mount, part of the long-lived Nikon lens system.
This is a mostly mechanical 35mm SLR on the Nikon F mount, with a vertical-travel focal-plane shutter offering speeds broadly from 1 second to 1/2000 plus B. Metering is centre-weighted TTL with a match-LED display in the finder; exposure is fully manual. The shutter is mechanically timed and fires without a battery, the battery powering only the meter, so the camera keeps shooting at set speeds even if the meter dies.
The FM10 suits students, beginners and travellers who want a light, simple all-manual SLR with a working meter and access to Nikon lenses. Its mechanical shutter appeals to those learning exposure and wanting a body that runs without battery dependence. Being a Cosina-built budget model, it is lighter and less rugged than the classic metal FM series.
On the used market, the mechanical shutter is an advantage, since it works with a dead battery, but still test speeds for accuracy. Check the meter and LED display, which need a battery, inspect the prism for haze, and look for perished light-seal and mirror-damper foam. Try film advance and rewind. As a 1990s body it uses standard batteries, not mercury cells. AI, AI-S and AF F-mount lenses fit and meter, focusing manually.