The Nikon EM was produced from 1979 to 1982. The EM was designed for the entry level consumers. The EM has limited controls. It is a basic aperture priority only camera. The EM was also timed with the launch of the E-system of lens.

The EM was an attempt by Nikon to go after the entry level and was also specifically marketed to women. Unfortunately for Nikon, the Nikon customers male or female were not that impressed by the move. Turns out, Nikon buyers were not looking for an interchangeable lens SLR with no manual controls. Presumably, Nikon would not be so naïve today, to think female photographers could not deal with the complexity of shutter speed. The Series E lenses were not very well received either.

Your shooting options are: Auto - aperture priority, M90 - 1/90th speed shutter or B - bulb. There is also a backlight button on the front that drops the exposure by two stops. ISO is manually selected so technically gives you another way to control exposure. So, calling the EM an aperture priority only camera, is an overstatement, but not by much. If the EM was targeted at the beginner, ISO override may not be the first thing they learn. The backlight compensation is simpler (assuming you read the manual). Most users would have just shot this as aperture priority and that is how I used it.

My Take:

I get that the EM was a bit over simplified and condescending toward women. I understand why the buyers of the time were not that impressed. Compared to the other Nikon offerings, the EM was lacking. But 40 years later, the EM may be worth a consideration. It is still not and F3 (the professional model) or FE (mid-range model) that were out about the same time, but as an entry level, aperture priority camera, it is not bad.

Given the option of the EM or one of the many higher quality Nikon film cameras, take the better one. But if you already have the lens and want a quick focus and shoot body, the EM is an interesting option. Simple to use. Decent build quality.

Lens: Nikon Lens Series E 50mm f1.8

Film: Ilford HP5 400

Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_EM