Posted on 08/07/2005 4:03:11 PM PDT by 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
bump
bumping again
Find him a good used Spotmatic, he can't go wrong with that
and you'll find it will come back to you too.
I loved mine sure wish I had it back, stolen.
I just got a Fuji S5100 digital which is pretty nice,
even looks like an SLR, has spot metering and will do
a lot more than I understand.
Anything from the Canon EOS family will be more than he needs. I have used the EOS 10-S for a long time and have gotten some awsome pictures. If he plans to continue this hobby (occupation) it will be a worthwhile investment. Mine was from a used camera store 8+ years ago. If its just for the class, try and rent one from a used camera store or ebay one. Hope that helps.
If you keep bumping yourself, you'll go blind. That could really mess up the whole photography thing.
As I recall, most 35mm SLRs have a manual setting.
I loved that Spotmatic. The meter broke. I actually bought another one, then my son (the same one) dropped it and the meter quick working on it as well. That appears to be a problem area with that particular camera.
It has to be 35mm.
I've had a Nikon FM for 25 years and I love that thing. Remember there is no autofocus or auto exposure. I learned a lot about composing pictures with that camera.
Cute...unfortunately not an option.
I've got a Nikon FE2 (I think) w/ numerous lenses...want it?
Does the Nikon FM have through the lens metering?
Good film cameras are a dime a dozen these days. Any of the major brands will do just fine. Buy from a dealer and get a warantee. Look for a deal including two or three lenses.
Ebay is ok if you follow all the usual precautions on ebay. Many camera shops have ebay stores and will take the camera back if there are any problems but you won't save that much. A local dealer is better.
Don't give them the asking price. Take 20% off their asking and if they say no turn and head for the door. They'll probably call you back before your hand hits the door.
Also a camera repair shop can be a good place to pick up a camera. People abandon them because they don't want to pay the repair costs. If you stick with the top three or four brands you will have a better choice of lenses and accessories.
I might be interested...freepmail me if you are serious.
There are a lot of photography sites with ratings of cameras that you can find via Google which have real pros evaluating the cameras using lots of technical equaipment as well as practical use evaluations.
PCWorld and PCMag also have comparisons and rated cameras.
As nice as Freepers are, just reading the posts lets you know some of us have weird opinions at times.
I've used a Canon AE-1 for about 10 years and it works great. But that's not to say other newer models wouldn't be better.
Nikon is preferred by professionals. But, if you don't know if this is a long term investment or not, buying the least expensive may be a better purchase. Digital cameras are getting better and better and many professional photographers are using them, or wanting to. Part of the delay is the amount they already have invested in SLR cameras now. Also, you might go visit one of the camera stores and suffer the sales pitches on the various pro and con aspects if you have the time.
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