Well, they can matter. If the shutter fails on an older camera, you might as well look on the net for another one, but at some point there just wont be any to buy. Some will remain in the hands of collectors (I'm not using our FE anymore, it is more of a collectors piece now), so the end of finding working models will edge slowly closer.

parts don't matter really, as far as mechanical things go, I just had a 1951 Rolleiflex overhauled to brand new working condition.

of course when it comes to the electronically controlled elements, that's where one can run into trouble with older gear. But seeing as the new body in question is a mechanical camera, that doesn't really apply.

Wow, still at $600?

I'd rather spring an extra $150 and get one of these.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/165828-USA/Nikon_1796_F100_35mm_SLR_Camera.html

Seen them before.. I think I would still prefer a second hand F75 over these... cheaper too...

Well, there are a few reasons, namely age. It's getting hard to get parts for those old cameras, many of which are starting to just simply ware out. We had our FE in for service 6-7 years ago, just before Nikon cut off service for those cameras, and the things they fixed are already starting to age. The foam in the mirror box is falling apart, although the mirror and shutter itself are still fine.

Thanks for the name drop niko :)

I actually believe that the best made SLRS have been churned out already, in terms of manually operated film cameras. With cameras like the F3 and FE2 series, even Nikkormats, floating around for a minimum of cash, there's not much of a good reason to buy a new f-mount manual camera these days...

nice to see new film bodies being made though.

The Kenko KF-1 isn't the only model either.

http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2010/03/13/film-slrs-seen-at-cp-/

For all you digital haters, like "analog" ChrisLange :^), you now have a brand spanking new film camera to slap your Nikkors on. Unveiled at the CP+2010 show.

You have got to love google's translator!

"Enjoy a taste of my hand I'll create a photo!
Only from that golden era of digital SLR MF"

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.yumetai.co.jp/shop/g/g07696000020/&ei=pFmdS_r-FMT48AbTzY2mDg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBYQ7gEwAg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkf1%2Bkenko%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS315