Absolute best bang-for-the-buck AF 35mm setup?

[Sirius Glass]

For my Nikons I have

Nikon f/2.5 20mm to 35mm AF-D zoom lens
Nikon f/3.8 28mm to 200mm AF-D zoom lens
Tamron f/3.8 28mm to 300mm AF-D zoom lens
Nikon f/2.5 28mm PC lens preset f/stop, manual focus
Nikon f/2.5 20mm AF-D lens
Nikon f/2.5 24mm AF-D lens
Nikon f/2.8 28mm AF-D lens
Nikon f/2.8 35mm AF-D lens
​

I use the top three the most. All the reset I bought because they were so inexpensive and because they are much lighter than the 20mm to 35mm lens. This gives me choices depending how I am travelling and not taking the Hasselblad, so more relaxed shooting, more for fun and traveling with friends so I cannot take as much time.

 

[radiant]

Minolta 800si, hands down. Cheap as chips. Great glass. Only drawback is the 2cr5 battery though they last a long, long, time if you don't use the built in flash. I get mine (Varta or Panasonic) on ebay. Though I actually prefer the 600si because the user interface mimics a manual slr.

That is a pretty expensive camera. I think OP claimed 200$ was too much and 800si is close to that.

I think the question is best bang for the buck, not the most versatile camera system. Those aren't the same unfortunately. With 20 euro SLR+kit lens you can get very good photos. That is hard to beat in "best bang for buck" comparison. 20 euros vs 200 euros. That is 10x more. Is 800si 10x better? Hardly. (I like my 800si)

 

[George Mann]

Nikon F90/90x or F801/801s (N90/N8008) are killer cameras and very cheap.

And much better made cameras than the generations of models that followed, with added weight being the tradeoff (use Lithium batteries).

I recommend the s/x models for the improved autofocus and spot meter.

Add the 28-105, and you have a very capable kit.

 

[__Brian]

For my Nikons I have

Nikon f/2.5 20mm to 35mm AF-D zoom lens
Nikon f/3.8 28mm to 200mm AF-D zoom lens
Tamron f/3.8 28mm to 300mm AF-D zoom lens
Nikon f/2.5 28mm PC lens preset f/stop, manual focus
Nikon f/2.5 20mm AF-D lens
Nikon f/2.5 24mm AF-D lens
Nikon f/2.8 28mm AF-D lens
Nikon f/2.8 35mm AF-D lens
​

I use the top three the most. All the reset I bought because they were so inexpensive and because they are much lighter than the 20mm to 35mm lens. This gives me choices depending how I am travelling and not taking the Hasselblad, so more relaxed shooting, more for fun and traveling with friends so I cannot take as much time.

The N80 will be fine with all the above, the Nikon 28/2.8 PC-Nikkor will not meter with it. The N70 will provide metering. The N8008s will not handle the extra Distance feature of the AF-D lenses, I doubt you would notice a difference in real use.

 

[Tony-S]

In hindsight, I was not as clear as I should have been (I have a tendency to include too much information). "Bang for the buck" may have also been a bad choice of words. This is essentially an exercise in anti-GAS for me: achieve the goal of good usability and IQ at the minimum possible upfront cost.

I just checked KEH and you can get a Canon EOS A2 and 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 macro USM for $178. I have an A2e and this lens, and the only thing the A2e has that the A2 doesn't is eye-controlled focus. It has been a really great camera and I use it more often than my EOS 3 because of its quieter motor and that I have the vertical grip for it. The 28-105 isn't a slouch, and the USM motor is quite snappy.

 

[Paul Howell]

Honestly, the genesis of this question was when I stumbled onto a listing for an old Minolta Maxxum 7000 with a 50 1.7, 70-210 beer can, and 35-105 for less than $100.

I quite like my 7000, great viewfinders, runs on AAA batteries. I also have a 9000, it was the first pro level AF body, very odd, it takes a detachable motor drive or winder, the motor drive takes 12 AA batteries. Has average and spot shadow and spot high light metering modes, top shutter speed is 1/4000, only real issue is top panel LED bleeds. The 800si is my go to camera, I have the battery grip, does not have build quality of the 9, but the 9's LEDs in the viewfinder are hard to read in bright sun. My 600si just died, not sure if I'm going to replace it. Other bargain is the 7xi, that is you don't need a lot of features like ME, or bracketing. The 7Xi and 9Xi use cards for each additional feature, finding the cards is pain. I use mine in manual mode, and too be truthful I don't use ME or auto bracket very often. They also work with the Minolta power zooms, which I hate.

 

[Dennis-B]

I found my F100 a couple of years back from an ad on Craig's List. For $200, it came with the power grip, and the 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 zoom. The guy said his wife bought it to use at her job, and they switched to digital. I love my F5 and F4, but my F100 has become my go-to SLR. I used to own the F6, but it went away in trade and cash for a Hassy 500 C/M. I've been looking at another F6, but dollar-for-dollar, the F100 is just too good to justify the expense.

In one of the near 'burbs, a fellow had an F100 which lasted for all of one day, and he was only asking $170 for the body and a 35-105 zoom.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I found my F100 a couple of years back from an ad on Craig's List. For $200, it came with the power grip, and the 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 zoom. The guy said his wife bought it to use at her job, and they switched to digital. I love my F5 and F4, but my F100 has become my go-to SLR. I used to own the F6, but it went away in trade and cash for a Hassy 500 C/M. I've been looking at another F6, but dollar-for-dollar, the F100 is just too good to justify the expense.

In one of the near 'burbs, a fellow had an F100 which lasted for all of one day, and he was only asking $170 for the body and a 35-105 zoom.

F100

Hasselblad 500 C/M

 

[Huss]

If they cannot figure out that one should not slam a camera door, the is no help for them. At 10 years old I figured out that a camera has to be handled carefully. Should you choose feel free to bang your head against the wall.

And yet other cameras are not afflicted. Are you suggesting it’s only the users of F100s that subject their cameras to such abuse? Very strange indeed.

 

[Cholentpot]

I just checked KEH and you can get a Canon EOS A2 and 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 macro USM for $178. I have an A2e and this lens, and the only thing the A2e has that the A2 doesn't is eye-controlled focus. It has been a really great camera and I use it more often than my EOS 3 because of its quieter motor and that I have the vertical grip for it. The 28-105 isn't a slouch, and the USM motor is quite snappy.

View attachment 300270

I'd get the Elan II over the A2. A2 has mode dial death, Elan fixed it.

 

[gone]

I'll second the idea of getting a Nikon 28-105 lens (my little Pentax MV and a N8008s are my only 2 35mm cameras, and all that I need). The 28-105 is budget priced and sharp at all focal lengths. There's a little pincushion on the 28 end, but if you're not photographing a lot of architecture you probably won't see it. Nice walk around lens.

 

[Down Under]

If you decide to go with Nikon, do consider the all-metal models. The F65/N65 is a fine machine in its own right, but flimsy when compared to the older cameras which seem to be made of cast iron held together with ocean liner rivets.

I have two F65s with the battery packs. They are fine cameras with excellent metering and adequate if somewhat basic functions, but they do need coddling. I like them as I can use all my Nikon D lenses jointly with a D800 or a D700, giving me two functional matched kits, for digital and film.

Returning to those metal cameras, knowing what I know now after 40 years of using Nikons, if I had my druthers all over again I would get a Nikkormat - an FT2 or FT3 in good condition, with two lenses - my personal choices being a 28/2.8 or 35/2.0 wide angle and an 85/2.0, all three of which I already own. This gives me all the flexibility I need to do 90% of my photography. Adding a third lens, it would be the 55/3.5 or 2.8 micro Nikon. A few filters, lens hoods, caps. That's it. Nice and minimal. The KISS principle in practice.

Writing this has reminded me it's high time I took out my two FT2s, loaded them with B&W film and put them through their paces. Admittedly they are almost half a century old now, but good ones are still available (look for them on Bay) at surprisingly good prices given the quality results they can give you.

 

[Chan Tran]

And yet other cameras are not afflicted. Are you suggesting it’s only the users of F100s that subject their cameras to such abuse? Very strange indeed.

I don't have an F100 andI am not sure if the F100 is tougher than the F3HP, F4S or F5 but I am very careful when handling these cameras.

 

[George Mann]

Writing this has reminded me it's high time I took out my two FT2s, loaded them with B&W film and put them through their paces. Admittedly they are almost half a century old now, but good ones are still available (look for them on Bay) at surprisingly good prices given the quality results they can give you.

I would advise the OP to be careful when looking at any of these old cameras do to both their deteriorating conditions, and the fact that the majority of sellers are downright dishonest. I would look for the cleanest tested models (with emphasis on the condition of their meters), and expect to have to send them in for a CLA.

All mechanical cameras require service to function reliably. Nikkormat's are especially prone to meter failure (difficult or impossible to fix).

 

[Cholentpot]

I would advise the OP to be careful when looking at any of these old cameras do to both their deteriorating conditions, and the fact that the majority of sellers are downright dishonest. I would look for the cleanest tested models (with emphasis on the condition of their meters), and expect to have to send them in for a CLA.

All mechanical cameras require service to function reliably. Nikkormat's are especially prone to meter failure (difficult or impossible to fix).

I pretend the Nikkormat never had a meter to begin with.

 

[mgb74]

That is a pretty expensive camera. I think OP claimed 200$ was too much and 800si is close to that.

I think the question is best bang for the buck, not the most versatile camera system. Those aren't the same unfortunately. With 20 euro SLR+kit lens you can get very good photos. That is hard to beat in "best bang for buck" comparison. 20 euros vs 200 euros. That is 10x more. Is 800si 10x better? Hardly. (I like my 800si)

Not on this side of the Atlantic. The 800si bodies I bought were all under $50. And the Minolta lenses are typically 50-75% of the cost of Nikon glass.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...d=1&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=3000

 

[Paul Howell]

Not on this side of the Atlantic. The 800si bodies I bought were all under $50. And the Minolta lenses are typically 50-75% of the cost of Nikon glass.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...d=1&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=3000

+1.

 

[radiant]

Not on this side of the Atlantic. The 800si bodies I bought were all under $50. And the Minolta lenses are typically 50-75% of the cost of Nikon glass.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...d=1&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=3000

At that price 800si very good bang for the buck. Some kit lens with 20 dollars and you have a setup that will never let you down.

Just a side note: now shot one roll with Dynax 7. That might be the best SLR there is. Just awesome. The grip is one of the best I've had in any camera.

 

[gone]

The N8008 is actually a metal camera, unlike the n65, n70, etc, although those are perfectly fine cameras for what they are. There's a huge difference in viewfinders, features, etc when you get to the n8008 (and you do want the S model for the spot metering).

It's truly an underappreciated camera, probably because it looks a little dated. It looked that way when it was brand new though, and sold for around $700 back then, which was crazy expensive.

Despite my prejudice for Nikon cameras, I still think a small Pentax camera w/ a 50 and a longer lens would be more fun to shoot for a 1st film setup. You could do that for $200, probably have to use a 3rd party 85 lens to get to that price point, but there's some good ones if you look around.

 

[Wallendo]

The advantage of a cheap AF Nikon is that the lenses for early AF Nikons can be used on manual focus cameras and the cameras support manual focus lenses (with a few exceptions).

The best bang for the buck, IMHO, however, is a Minolta AF Camera with Minolta-branded lenses. There are a few high-end Minolta lenses that use SSM motors, but none of these fit into the "bang for the buck" category. As long as you avoid "Power Zoom" lenses and a few "crippled" cameras such as the QTsi and Maxxum 3000i, you will have a useful setup. The smart functions such as metering and autofocus did improve over time, but even the Maxxum 7000 (the first model) is quite usable (and it uses AAA batteries). My Maxxum 7000 was essentially thrown in for free with a lens I bought

If you need advanced AF for fast action, pay for what you need, otherwise, Minolta Alpha cameras will fit the bill. I also own too many Nikon cameras which I enjoy shooting also, but the pictures I take are o better than my Minolta images.

 

[Paul Howell]

Later Minolta cameras, 800, 600, 7xi, 9xi, 5, 7, and 9 use predictive af tracking, I shoot a fair amount of sports and wildlife and find that these old bodies work rather well, not up to my Sony 77II, but close.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I don't have an F100 andI am not sure if the F100 is tougher than the F3HP, F4S or F5 but I am very careful when handling these cameras.

The one digit models F, F2, F3, F4, F5 and F6 are professional models that have metal bodies. The two digit N60, N65, N70, ... have plastic bodies so one should be careful closing the doors.

 

[Paul Howell]

The one digit models F, F2, F3, F4, F5 and F6 are professional models that have metal bodies. The two digit N60, N65, N70, ... have plastic bodies so one should be careful closing the doors.

My last Nikons were the F3P and FG, when I check Ebay seems that the F4, pro level body are going for less than the F100, other than the F100 will work with G lens, what is the advantage of a F100 over a F4?

 

[Paul Howell]

And for a hundred more you can get a F5.

 

[BMbikerider]

Nikon F100, the best camera Nikon built without the weight or cost of the Nikon F6.

Apart from the easily broken, now irreplaceable, flimsy plastic back door, that will go sticky after a period of use. That includes normal use, not abuse and clicking the back shut but will not stop the inherent stick back which can be cleaned using alcohol but it will come back. It also affects the operation of the dial on the back that is used to reposition the zone of focus.