Vanity-PHOTOGRAPHY BUFFS - Freeper needs advice

Me | 8/7/2005 | 6ppc

[6ppc]

My son has signed up for a photography class and I need to buy a 35mm SLR camera capable of manual operation.

My limited experience with 35mm photograph was a Pentax Spotmatic F I owned in the 70's and 80's. It was an excellent camera, but is no longer alive.

I want to buy him a good quality camera and have been shopping on Ebay, but really do not know enough about 35mm SLR cameras to know which ones are the best buys. I was hoping some freepers could clue me in on which of the following cameras are good/better/best etc.

Requirements include through the lens metering and ability to operate in manual mode. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Here are some examples of the brands and models I'm considering:
Canon AE-1
Canon A-1
Canon EOS 650
Canon EOS A2E
Canon T-70
Canon EOS Rebel
Nikon N-70
Nikon Nikomat
Nikon N-80
Nikon FM
Pentax K1000
Pentax SF1
Olympus OM-1
Olympus OMG
Olympus OM-2N MD
Minolta Maxxum 7000
Minolta Maxxum 450si
Minolta XG-se
Minolta SRT MC-11
Minolta XG-A
Minolta Maxxum 4
Minolta Maxxum 5
Minolta X-700

[raybbr]

Digital is fine and makes sense if you know how to take good pictures already.

Also, if you read digital camera reviews you will find that most people (those who didn't take photography classes) think they are all great. I bought a Fuji E510 and the pics are all grainy. I sent it back and got another one on the advice of Fuji. Same thing. Now I have to make arrangements to send that back. Yet, in all the review I read they all said "Great camera. I bought this for so and so and they have to do is point and shoot."

Any suggustions for around $200 that will give me decent pictures. I had a 2mp Fuji 2650 that took better pics than the E510. It's in for repair because my 3yo son dropped it.

[pageonetoo]

I bought my first Canon, an FTql, with a 55mm 1.2, and a 150mm f4.5, in Hong Kong, circa 1966. I used it as cruise photographer on the tin can I sailed, and then when the AE-1 came out, I jumped on it, since the lenses worked on both.

I bought an early Canon ultrasonic autofocus lens for my A-1, and eventually went to the EOS system. I took good pictures with them all, and have now gone to digital photography almost exclusively. BUT, I do not get the same result. Digital photos lack the drama and don't give the same "feel" as film.

The bigger advantage to digital is the ability to process the photos. With film, you can be very creative, but the Photoshop output can be impressive.

As for grain, I also have a Bronica ETRsi, and a Mamiya RZ67, both with various lenses. With the larger negatives, and newer film emulsions, you can keep grain out of some of the biggest prints you can make!

MOSTLY, I THINK IT IS PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I took my Olympus 4.0mp Stylus on a cruise last fall, and took over 400 pics on one 512 card. It fits in my pocket. I can carry it on a kayak paddling adventure (it's water resistant?). It takes good pics. My 35 stuff stayed in the bag, and we know where we had been...

Here is one, taken from our ship, while preparing to dock in Aruba, last Nov. I have done nothing but download it, then upload it, without manipulation...

[pageonetoo]

Drop by your local pawn shop, and look at what they have on their shelves...Don't pay what they ask. Haggle. I bought the Olympus there. For the best point&shoot digitals, go to Canon, or Nikon.

The new Canons are getting tiny in size, but have Digic processing (TM), which does give some very fine results. I bought the Olympus at the pawn shop, because that was what they had. I paid 80 bucks, for a good NEW 4.0 mp camera...

See Spot run... (He likes to run, and I caught his muscles in action. This was taken full auto, on the Stylus). Reduced 50%.

[Tatze]

I had a Pentax ME-Super back in the day for my photography classes and yearbook work. We used Pentax K1000's in my party pic job. They were both good, solid camera's. The K1000 for basic operation, the ME Super was a little more beefed up from that. The best part, now that I have moved up to a Pentax digital SLR, I can use all the old lenses I used with the ME Super. I can't really compare them to Canon's or Nikon's or anything else, but I liked the Pentax's fine.

But my advice would be to look at the brand of film SLR's that have also have digital SLR's so that you won't have to buy new lenses if/when you eventually move up to digital! Although, that is probably most brands at this point. Do research at a local camera shop and mention this as a part of the decision. Get a recommendation for a good digital SLR, and then look at that brand in the film SLR models.

[pageonetoo]

Did you ever do anything with Cibachrome?

I eventually bought a tabletop processor, but rolled many a tube in the bath tub, waiting for the results. (Nowadays, I use a proLab for anything that needs archival processing.)

It produced BRILLIANT color prints, from slides. It was easy. It was VERRRRRY forgiving, and the results were usually AWESOME, when everything was done properly.

As for paper, Ilford has always been good for me...

I started taking pics for the HS year books, then spent time as a voluntary ships photograper during my 3 WesPacs. I had a darkroom onboard ship, in officers quarters, and the ship paid for all the tours I wished to accompany. I saw lots of every country we visited...

My background paid off. I used my skills as a photog, to document the production of nearly 500 homes, while I was a building contractor. I had a gallery to display my wares, which helped me sell more houses... My ex-wife destroyed all the photos, and negs! She knew they were important to me!

[Space Wrangler]

You should be able to find 35mm SLR's for dirt cheap on Ebay. The digital revolution in the photography market has driven 35mm to rock bottom prices, and many people are unloading their 35mm SLR's to go digital. I highly reccomend the Canon Rebel 2000. I've had mine for five years and been very happy with it, but I also just bought the Rebel XT digital, and didn't want to sell my Rebel 2000 for $100 so I thought I'd just hang on to it. When I started looking on ebay, I saw that the Rebel's were barely bringing $100-$125. I'd take advantage of that if I were you.

[finnman69]

Get an older Canon Elph. I have the SD200 Powershot 3.2 megapixel. You can get one for around $230.

great pics, I just upgraded to a SD300 4.0 mega.

SLRs are great, but camera are no good if you dont have them with you. Thats why I always carry a very small point and shoot digital.

[Tatze]

I would be curious what you might know about the sensor on the Pentax *ist DSLR. I just got one in late June, mainly because I already had quite a few Pentax mount lenses and thought this route would be cheaper without the added expense of new lenses. It will do up to 6.1 MP and will do RAW format. I have been very happy, for the most part, so far with the *ist. It took some very nice pictures on my trip to Vegas in early July (see 1 below).

As for prints, I have only done a few over the years with my ME Super. Mostly 8x10 or smaller, but at least 1 poster size that I have framed on my wall. The *ist has the potential to reignite my interest again, which could increase the likelihood for more prints.

[TaxRelief]

I believe the kid is required to use 35mm.

[KimaraChan]

Well then, since we are all showing off ;-)



I took it at ISO400 so it's rather grainy.

[KimaraChan]

and here is another

[mercy]

Here is a multi-page review of your camea:

ist

Never been a Pentax user although knowledgable people say very good things about Pentax lenses.

[pageonetoo]

...Thats why I always carry a very small point and shoot digital.

Image taken on Hampshire Grade Road, near Berkeley Springs, WV, where a novice truck driver, found that an 18 wheeler's trailer will drop off the side, when trying to back up and negotiate a switchback. There wasn't even enough room on the curve for the wider angle shot needed to show it properly...

Olympus Stylus 400...

[pageonetoo]

Indeed. see my #64, where I gave the vanity poster my opinion. Maybe you missed that one...

[HairOfTheDog]

I still have my old Nikon FE2 also.... it was a heck of a camera in the age of film, but now a dinasour.

[finnman69]

wish you ould take better wide angle shots with digital point and shoots. 35mm is not wide angle. Im used to my 20mm Nikor.

[rabidralph]

Nikon F3

[mercy]

What do you have your 'in camera' sharpening parameters set at?

All digital shots must be sharpened. All digital cameras do 'some' sharpening. The best sharpening is done in Photoshop and can be complicated. At the very least one should run ones photos through a basic sharpening with unsharp mask. Here is a tutorial:

Sharpening

In camera sharpening is the least efficacious although better than no sharpening. Check to see that you do indeed have it turned on if you don't want to mess with Photoshop.

[pageonetoo]

I have an 18 degree Canon, and a 35 on the Mamiya. They yield similar results. I also have an asherical, for the Canons, that's fun to play with, but only good for unique situations. I don't find that many!