50 1 June 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113Testbench d i g i Ta l s Ta r sframesshotandframes
remaining;andthestateof the
battery’scharge.Whitebalancecanbe
setautomaticallyormanuallyforfive
differentlightconditions.AnotherLCD
in theviewfinderdisplaysshutterspeed,
aperture,meteringmodeandframe
count.Single,continuousandmanual
focusis available.
Witha NikonSpeedlightfitted,flash
photographyviathecamera’shotshoe
worksat a 1/250secorslowersync
speed.Alsoavailableis a sophisticated
fill-inflashmodethatworksin
conjunctionwiththematrixmetering,
plusrear-curtainsync.
Thereis noscreenonthebackof
thecameratoeitherprevieworreview
picturestaken,butbothfunctionscan
becarriedoutbyattachingthecamera
toa normaltelevision.A Nikonbrochure
of thetimeillustratedhowconvenient
it wasfora studiophotographerto
shoothismodelwiththecamera
linkedviaa longcabletoa TV,a press
photographerwithhiscameralinkedto
a laptopwitha modem,anda scientific
photographerwithhiscameralinkedto
a desktopcomputer.
Imagesarerecordedona 5.5x8.5cm
sizePCCardslottedintothecamera
back.Beforeuse,it needstobe
initialised,usingcontrolshiddenunder
a smalltrapdoorin thesideof the
camerabody.Backin theday,PCCards
werealsousedin laptopstoboost
memory,andif thephotographer
hadsucha laptop,it wouldacceptthe
camera’sPCCard.Today,a separate
cardreader,easilyfound on eBay, is
more likely needed.TheE2inusetoday
Therearefourmodelstoconsider.The
E2is abletoshootoneframeeveryone
ortwoseconds.TheE2sshootsat three
framespersecondforuptoseven
seconds,thenneedsanotherseven
secondstorecoverbeforeshooting
again.A yearafterthelaunchof the
E2andE2s,Nikonlaunchedthevery
slightlysmallerE2NandE2Nswhose
framespersecondcountmirroredthe
E2andE2s,butwithsensorsensitivity
increasedtoISO3200.Thecameras
werealsosoldbyFujiunderthenames
DS-505andDS-515.
Digitalcamerasarrivedjustasfilm
camerashadreacheda technological
peak.Somultipleexposuremodes,
sophisticatedmetering,typesof
autofocus,andthelike,easilycrossed
overintothedigitalworld.Wherethe
newbreedof camerasfellbehindwas
in the use of what now seems likeprimitivedigitaltechnology.
Undoubtedly,theimagequalityfrom
theE2seriesis notwhatmightbe
expectedtoday.Vignettingnotseen
in theviewfinderbutapparentonthe
digitalimagecanbea problemwith
somelenses,andthefinalimagesize
is only8.5x10.5cmat 300dpi.But
in criticisingcamerasof thisera,it’s
easytoforgetwhatanamazing
breakthroughtheyrepresented.Today,
E2-seriescamerasarebecoming
collectableandarenoteasytofind.But
whenyoudodiscoverone,youcanpick
upa completekitthatmighthavecost
morethan£16,000in 1996,forless
than£10 0.
Sois it worthbuyingandusinga
NikonE2today?Forallpractical
purposes,absolutelynot.Forthe
chancetouseandmarvelovera
smallpieceof digitalcamera
history though, definitely yes.Belowleft:Side
bysidewitha
modernSDcard,
theE2’sPCCard
thatrecordsTIFF
orJPGfilesBelowcentre:How
thePCcardslots
intothebackof
thecameraBelowright:A PC
Cardreaderis
neededtotransfer
picturefilesto
a computerFrom an original nikon brochure © 1996 nikon corporation
Top:HowNikon
advertisedthe
versatilityof
thecameraAbove:Thesame
butdifferent– left
toright:theNikon
E2s,slightlysmaller
NikonE2Nanda
Fuji DS-515