Advice wanted for a 35mm SLR for a friend

elekm · Sep 11, 2008

You know, sometimes simpler is better, especially for the novice film photographer.

It's why the Pentax K1000 and the Nikon FM get recommended so often. No mode dials, LCD display,s electronics or battery dependence. And because the basic camera is aperture and shutter speed dials, it's much easier to teach the relationship between the two than to have to explain the three-button sequence needed to manually change the aperture or shutter speed.

I'd also add to the list the many cameras from that era, including those from Minolta, Olympus, Canon and others.

The match-needle system is a tried-and-true method that is very simple to understand.

These cameras also are less intimidating to the first-time user. To be fair, however, users coming over from today's highly automated digital SLRs at first might see these cameras as spartan. But there's beauty in simplicity.

Steve Smith · Sep 11, 2008

elekm said:
You know, sometimes simpler is better, especially for the novice film photographer.

It's why the Pentax K1000 and the Nikon FM get recommended so often.

You may have read my mind! I found a Pentax KM on ebay earlier and bought it for £12 ($24). It is practically the same as a K1000 but has a depth of field preview function as well.

This one comes with a fairly non-descript 28-80 zoom lens but being K mount, I should have no problem finding a fast 50mm lens for it.

I realise that this camera does not have aperture priority as I was originally asking for but I figured that I should be able to teach him how the shutter and aperture inter-react to give the correct exposure. If he doesn't get on with it, I will have it!

Steve.

Ian Grant · Sep 11, 2008

The KM's an excellent camera, my wife was using one until last year. It's better to have to think rather than rely on Program modes. The KM was returned to it's owner and she now uses an MX.

Ian

Nick Merritt · Sep 11, 2008

You said you were looking for a camera with manual exposure and aperture priority -- so I think that lets out the Canon AE-1, right? I believe it's shutter priority. The Nikons are aperture priority autoexposure. It wasn't until the late 70s or so that the "multimode" cameras like the Canon A-1 and Nikon FA, offering manual, shutter- and aperture-priority and program modes, became available. But I'm not sure just how reliable those cameras are these days.

The FG is a great suggestion, I think. The FE would be another. The Olympus OM2/2N is also a really good choice. Also, something like the Minolta X-570. It strikes me that the more autoexposure the camera is, the more battery-dependent it is also. So that's something to be wary of, and while these are all well made cameras, it does mean that you're at the mercy of the batteries (not a big deal) and the electronics crapping out and there being no spare parts to fix them (very big deal). I have always found Nikon bodies to be really well made and reliable, so I'd incline toward the FG for that reason.

Uncle Bill · Sep 11, 2008

I am partial to Nikon, something from the FM/FE family will do your friend well.

Paul Howell · Sep 11, 2008

If your friend is not opposed to AF, N90, 80, or 70.

Nicholas Lindan · Sep 11, 2008

Steve Smith said:
I have a friend who wants to get into film photography ... he would initially like to try a 35mm SLR ... I took my Nikon FG ... I know about most of the Nikon range ...

If he is going to rely on you for advice it would seem best he get a Nikon - something you can help him with, lend him the odd lens, that sort of thing - or maybe that's the reason to make sure he gets something totally incompatible?

Ian Grant · Sep 11, 2008

I think people missed Steve saying (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Ian

Steve Smith · Sep 11, 2008

Nicholas Lindan said:
If he is going to rely on you for advice it would seem best he get a Nikon.

I may still get another FG if I find one but as I stated above, I have bought a Pentax KM so I will see how he gets on with that.

He definitely doesn't want autofocus as some of the pictures he would like to take are, for instance, a drummer sitting at a drum kit with shallow depth of focus. I think autofocus may be fooled by cymbal stands in various positions. Plus he seemed very comfortable manually focussing my Nikon yesterday.

Both him and myself are very much into old school, mechanical, simple pieces of equipment. We listen to vinyl, he records with valve (tube) microphone preamplifiers and an all valve mixing desk (which I built) so manual focus fits in with all this.

Of the cameras I took for him to see, the two he really liked were my Rolleicord and my 6x9 Zeiss Nettar folder but at the moment, these would be impractical for him.

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Steve.

Steve Smith · Sep 11, 2008

Ian Grant said:
I think people missed Steve saying (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Possibly but further advice is still welcome.

Who knows, he may end up with more than one camera..... imagine that!

Steve.

Excalibur2 · Sep 18, 2008

Steve Smith said:
I have a friend who wants to get into film photography. He has a digital compact which he hates - in fact, he has given it to his girlfriend. Steve.

Don't overlook the aperture priority Canon AV1 and T70...no one seems to want them and are going cheap....well I have two of each and they are excellent cameras.....btw check for camera "squeek" on all A models. And also you can get a M42 screw to FD adaptor and use any screw lens.

Another nice simple camera is the Nikon EM..........get that with a Nikkor 50mm f1.8 and you would get results the same as a £1000 Nikon.....well used in general photography.

As for the Canon T90 mentioned...it's very heavy esp coupled with the speedlite 300TL, but with that combo it's all like a mini computer in what it can do.
With this camera (and all T models) I get the feeling it was the start of the throw away age, as some idiot at Canon decided the internal battery (for storing settings) can only be replaced by taking the camera apart and IIRC has to be soldered in, also the LCD panel is supposed to only last for about 5 years...it's amazing that it's still working today.

Steve Smith · Sep 18, 2008

Well. He now has a Pentax KM and loves it. The zoom lens it came with is nothing special and makes a few odd noises when focussed. That does not really matter thow as I have been given a Hoya zoom with a similar range but in much better condition by a friend at work. I also have a 50mm f1.7 lens on its way in the post.
We will probably go out and put a test roll through it tomorrow.

Steve.

Steve Bellayr · Sep 18, 2008

I have skimmed everyone's answers. Let's think outside the box. What lenses would he like to work with? SLR's do very well with primes as opposed to digital which almost always come with large zoom lenses. I would recommend that he pick up a any camera with a 35mm f2.0 (which IMHO is the basic lens) and then second it with a 85 or 90mm lens or portraits. If he likes architecture/cityscapes/landscapes then a good 24mm f2.8would be handy. Now for the camera...Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Canon...but it are lenses that will set him back on the big bucks, even more than the cameras.

Excalibur2 · Sep 18, 2008

Steve Bellayr said:
but it are lenses that will set him back on the big bucks, even more than the cameras.

erm well just avoid Nikon............plenty of other great lenses going cheap with a bit of research, the problem is:- the more they are mentioned the more they shoot up in price on Ebay.

Steve Smith · Sep 20, 2008

The 50mm f1.7 lens turned up yesterday. I can only describe it as a beautiful work of art. It is very compact and even the reflection from the coating is a beautiful colour.

I almost want to keep it myself despite not having a body to put it on....... yet!

Steve.

ford prefect · Sep 20, 2008

i like the ricoh kr-5 or kr-5 super and the sears clones of it i love the match needle system my chinon has the led thing and buttons for the shutter speed but does have shutter and aperature priority so thats nice. gota love the bastard children of the "k"mount are my favorite cameras i used to shoot canons ftb ae1 ae1prog and even a T70 all decent cameras (had all of them in 1 big camera bag that was stolen from my recording studio i once had except the ftb that just gave up the ghost one day) but people think they are worth their weight in gold i dont care about brand i care about decent build and how the photo looks and how easy and economical the lenses are to aquire

Steve Smith · Sep 20, 2008

Nicholas Lindan said:
If he is going to rely on you for advice

I was expecting this line to continue.... "he may as well give up now" !!

Steve.

Poisson Du Jour · Oct 6, 2008

ford prefect said:
i dont care about brand i care about decent build and how the photo looks and how easy and economical the lenses are to aquire

What? How the photo looks has more to do with the photographer than the camera any camera.

Advice wanted for a 35mm SLR for a friend

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