35mm With a Budget of 300?

[Deleted member 88956]

It depends of how you define "dull" .

I've had some colour film back that I would call "dull" or "muddy" .
I put it down to them using developer that had gone well beyond the point of needing to be replaced .
I never used that place again , and never had that problem with anyone else .

In the first post the O.P said the pictures lacked "crispness" which would suggest either motion blur , out of focus or lack of contrast .
It was the second post that stated "dull" .

Without sample images it's impossible to determine where the fault lies , and even buying the best gear in the world might not change the resultant images if it's not the camera and lens at fault .

I was referring to OP, I have no idea what he meant by dull images. just widely guessing it had nothing to do with the camera or lens.

 

[neilt3]

I was referring to OP, I have no idea what he meant by dull images. just widely guessing it had nothing to do with the camera or lens.

I know .
There's lots of things that could be the issue , rather than just a lens .
But without the O.P replying , preferably with sample images , all we can do is guess !

I mearly quoted you to expand on your post .
Regards.

 

[Les Sarile]

In terms of crispness (sharpness?) poor focusing, camera shake and mini lab scans/prints are most likely the limiting factor. Since these manual focus cameras and lenses are used, they could also be a factor but user error is more likely specially if one is not used to manual focusing.

Dullness (lack of contrast?) is tough to imagine since all minilab scans/prints are typically overprocessed using too much autolevel and over sharpening to the point of blowing out scenes and adding too much grain. Even a quite poor lens/camera can be masked by this.

As others have said, examples can be helpful.

 

[Chan Tran]

In terms of crispness (sharpness?) poor focusing, camera shake and mini lab scans/prints are most likely the limiting factor. Since these manual focus cameras and lenses are used, they could also be a factor but user error is more likely specially if one is not used to manual focusing.

Dullness (lack of contrast?) is tough to imagine since all minilab scans/prints are typically overprocessed using too much autolevel and over sharpening to the point of blowing out scenes and adding too much grain. Even a quite poor lens/camera can be masked by this.

As others have said, examples can be helpful.

Lack of contrast could be underexposure and then the lab underexposed the print to make it looks lighter. That would certainly kill the contrast.

 

[Les Sarile]

Lack of contrast could be underexposure and then the lab underexposed the print to make it looks lighter. That would certainly kill the contrast.

Those mini labs can do "wonders" to what would otherwise be good film capture . . .

 

[Chan Tran]

Those mini labs can do "wonders" to what would otherwise be good film capture . . .

I don't know but if I have good shots I always have to have them reprint them. They always print them lighter than I would like. I just pay them again so that they won't feel so offended when I told them which buttons to push.

 

[Autonerd]

My budget is about $300-$350...

With a $300 budget, you could get a Minolta 400si and a 35-70/4-5.6 AF zoom and still have $270 in change. I'm just sayin'.

Aaron

 

[Huss]

With a $300 budget, you could get a Minolta 400si and a 35-70/4-5.6 AF zoom and still have $270 in change. I'm just sayin'.

Aaron

I bought a Nikon F75 w/ 28-80 lens for $30. It is perfect. $270 in change!
Similar deals with F80 etc. It's because everyone wants a cool, metal, retro camera. Even though these AF SLRs actually are better image makers in the hands of most.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

I got my FM2n for $10 shipping.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Canon EF "Black Beauty" can be had for around $50. It takes FD mount lenses which are easily available in used camera market. Works with and without batteries. With batteries you get shutter speed sf upto 30 seconds!!

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/canon-ef-a-real-black-beauty.399168/

 

[cooltouch]

I'm still puzzled why the OP sold the camera because of a lens he didn't like. With the FM, they come off, you know. Get a 28/3.5 AI for dirt cheap and enjoy. Once you've replaced your FM, that is. If it were me, I'd buy an FE.

 

[Auer]

Minolta X370/570/700 and a MD/MC Rokkor lens in 28 or 35mm.

$300 would go a long way.

Hi everybody, first post here.

 

[Huss]

I'm still puzzled why the OP sold the camera because of a lens he didn't like. With the FM, they come off, you know. Get a 28/3.5 AI for dirt cheap and enjoy. Once you've replaced your FM, that is. If it were me, I'd buy an FE.

It's the same reasoning as selling a camera because you didn't like the film that was in it.

 

[pentaxuser]

Well the OP was seen as late as yesterday so we can reasonably presume he has been reading all the posts and thus we have helped him solve his problem and we can chalk it up as another success for Photrio. Yes?

pentaxuser

 

[neilt3]

Well the OP was seen as late as yesterday so we can reasonably presume he has been reading all the posts and thus we have helped him solve his problem and we can chalk it up as another success for Photrio. Yes?

pentaxuser

Hard to say when the O.P hadn't responded to their own thread since May 22nd .
So we don't know if it was the kit that was the problem or the user .
And perhaps nor do they .
Maybe if they get bad results with their next camera , they'll blame that one as well and sell it to try something else ....etc etc
Maybe they've taken on board what's been said and will pick their next camera up a little more enlightened .
One can only hope ......

 

[pentaxuser]

Maybe they've taken on board what's been said and will pick their next camera up a little more enlightened .
One can only hope ......

When I made my post my tongue was perhaps partially in my cheek. I fail to understand the point of posting, still maintaining a presence as shown by his last visit as late as yesterday but just not maintaining any contact. It's as if a man asks for help on a street and several people gather round to help and discuss his problem. While doing this the man says nothing and slowly disappears from the scene so when the helpers turn around he and his problem have apparently vanished

pentaxuser

 

[neilt3]

When I made my post my tongue was perhaps partially in my cheek. I fail to understand the point of posting, still maintaining a presence as shown by his last visit as late as yesterday but just not maintaining any contact. It's as if a man asks for help on a street and several people gather round to help and discuss his problem. While doing this the man says nothing and slowly disappears from the scene so when the helpers turn around he and his problem have apparently vanished

pentaxuser

Yes it's just good manners to respond to people that have taken the time to help you when asked for help .
Likewise , if you speak to someone next to you and then ignore their reply when they answer , without even a thank you , it's just plain rude .

Even just a post when he last visited that said " thanks for your input " would have been polite .

Still , never mind.
You know who to ignore in future !

 

[Prest_400]

I bought a Nikon F75 w/ 28-80 lens for $30. It is perfect. $270 in change!
Similar deals with F80 etc. It's because everyone wants a cool, metal, retro camera. Even though these AF SLRs actually are better image makers in the hands of most.

Totally agree about the 90s-00s AF SLRs that aren't high end. Automation allows one handed operation and the affordability let me keep one of these as a beach camera. I'm not too sure of the cheap kit lens sharpness compared to primes, but for that budget perhaps a midrange or even f2.8 constant zoom can be found.

 

[darkosaric]

I bought a Nikon F75 w/ 28-80 lens for $30. It is perfect. $270 in change!
Similar deals with F80 etc. It's because everyone wants a cool, metal, retro camera. Even though these AF SLRs actually are better image makers in the hands of most.

I have F80, trying to sell F75 with 24-50mm AF, nobody wants it. But I have sold broken F301, and broken XA.

 

[Huss]

I have F80, trying to sell F75 with 24-50mm AF, nobody wants it. But I have sold broken F301, and broken XA.

I would have been all over your F75 as (I think) it is black, which looks much nicer than my N75 in silver. (Same camera).
The 28-80G lens on mine is shockingly good. The performance isn't cheap, only the construction! Upside is that makes it, like the camera, very light weight.