An SLR for the wife, help needed!

k.hendrik · Apr 19, 2015

APUGuser19 said:
To her, cameras and photography can easily become like that if you fail to back off. GL

http://i.marktplaats.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/br0AAOSwv0tVFraH/$_84.JPG

This is the camera my girlie loves the most; as a backup for mine with a 110mm.

k.hendrik · Apr 19, 2015

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fhA__6k6eIA/maxresdefault.jpg

trythis · Apr 19, 2015

I laughed. Funny

Typos made on a tiny phone...

ic-racer · Apr 19, 2015

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/n75.htm

alanrockwood · Apr 19, 2015

Canon rebel 2000, Ti, or T2. The T2 is the last of the series and slightly upgraded in several respects compared to the others, and it is the one I would choose, but these three cameras are mostly of similar capability.

These three models go by different names in different countries. They use the EO series of lenses, which canon still makes and supports.

Alan Gales · Apr 19, 2015

A lot of women like smaller cameras. You might look at Olympus or the Contax 139 or Aria. My daughter really likes her Olympus OM-1. My step-son's girlfriend also shoots an OM-1.

macfred · Apr 20, 2015

k.hendrik said:
http://i.marktplaats.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/br0AAOSwv0tVFraH/$_84.JPG

This is the camera my girlie loves the most; as a backup for mine with a 110mm.

She's a big girl now
---

I gave a Nikon EM to my wife a couple of years ago - never used it so far .
She really loves the old and ugly Nikon F-301 (N2000), I bought in the late eighties.

Steve Smith · Apr 20, 2015

Sewin said:
An SLR for the wife

Seems like a good trade. I would need to see a picture of the SLR first though!

Steve.

macfred · Apr 20, 2015

Gentlemen - don't forget your good upbringing and say things you would be very ashamed of a day later oliceman:

Ricardo Miranda · Apr 20, 2015

Hi
You asked for an SLR with minimal controls and easy to use as a compact.

Have a look at the rock bottom Minolta Dynax 300SI or the later 303SI.
They are just like compacts with minimal functions:
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Minolta_Dynax_300si
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Minolta_Dynax_303si

If more functionality is seek, then a Dynax 404SI/505SI/4/5 or the Nikon F55 or F75 or a manual focus like the EM are great. The later Canon EOS 300/3000 series are also very good and light.

Ricardo Miranda · Apr 20, 2015

Have you considered a Praktica B100?
I believe they were the least complex Prakticas.
But, you'll know better than me about these SLRs.

Sewin · Apr 20, 2015

Steve Smith said:
Seems like a good trade. I would need to see a picture of the SLR first though!

Loads of choices, many thanks all.

I'll check out the Dynax range , although the Pentax P30N and T look interesting and plenty of K mount lenses available.

Hi Ricardo, I have a Praktica BC1 and B200, both great little cameras with auto / manual functions, but for their size they weigh a ton, which I like, but SWMBO thinks they are too heavy.

film_man · Apr 20, 2015

Mine uses a Canon Rebel 2000 with a 40/2.8 STM lens. That whole package is very small and very light and the lens is fantastic.

Greg Heath · Apr 20, 2015

Nikon F100. Great camera.

Sewin · Apr 20, 2015

PentaxBronica said:
Pentax P30n or P30t (pretty much the same camera, minor detail differences).

Both are compact and fairly light, but have a metal chassis under the plastic panels and can use any K mount lens covering full frame. You get aperture priority auto, metered manual, or program mode (the last only with lenses which have an "A" setting). Power comes from a couple of button cells, winding and focus are manual, you get a DOF preview lever, self timer, standard cable release socket, and that's it. Shutter speed is displayed in the viewfinder with the recommended speed flashing and the selected speed steadily illuminated. As the collectors aren't that interested in them prices are low, and they don't usually need new light seals or much maintenance due to being far younger than ME Supers and the like. Just clean any dust or dirt off, fit new batteries, load a film and shoot.

The only criticism I've ever heard of them is that you can't override the ASA setting on the film as they use DX coding. Not that hard to modify the sticker on the film if you're determined to push or pull it though. They are battery-dependent but a couple of spares take up next to no space in your bag or pocket, and they last for years anyway.

The earlier P30 is also great, but lacks Av mode and some examples don't have a cable release socket (seems to have been a late production upgrade as I have two without it and one with).

Many Thanks for the info on the P30,

I went for a Pentax P30T with 28-80mm lens. Won it on ebay for £5 + postage. Don't think I can go wrong at that price

I might even keep it for myself , lets just hope it works!

mweintraub · Apr 20, 2015

Gerry M said:
Maybe consider a Nikon F80. Small and light with minimum controls to contend with. AFD & G lenses are very affordable. The bonus; You may like it also!

I found a F80s for myself and for my wife to use. I thought it would be a great body for her because it can imprint exposure info between the frames as a learning tool. Of course, she never used it and I don't use it anymore, so I'm selling it.

RobC · Apr 20, 2015

I'd get the wife one of these SLRs and then use it myself...

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...r-mclaren/mercedes-mclaren-slr--vat-q/3954296

Ricardo Miranda · Apr 20, 2015

I went for a Pentax P30T with 28-80mm lens. Won it on ebay for £5 + postage. Don't think I can go wrong at that price

Well done, Bill!
I hope she likes it!

Sewin · Apr 21, 2015

Ricardo Miranda said:
Well done, Bill!
I hope she likes it!

Thanks Ricardo

PentaxBronica · Apr 21, 2015

Sewin said:
Many Thanks for the info on the P30,

I went for a Pentax P30T with 28-80mm lens. Won it on ebay for £5 + postage. Don't think I can go wrong at that price

I might even keep it for myself , lets just hope it works!

You might want to change the lens, as the 28-80mm has a pretty bad reputation. It'll be good enough to test the camera though, and you can find a Pentax-M 50mm for £20 or so with a bit of hunting. Stick to manual focus lenses as while the AF ones will work the AF zooms have a very loose-feeling focus ring. If you can find a Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 (or the A version, which will allow Program mode in addition to M and Av) in good condition then you have an excellent outfit.

The shutter is battery dependent and the camera will default to 100 ASA without a film, so you'll need a couple of LR44/SR44s. Good news is that this body has a battery door you can open with your fingers rather than needing a coin. Switch on then half press the shutter and see if you get lights in the viewfinder, if you do try winding and shooting, check the meter is accurate then stick a film in.

They're addictive little things. I have three P30s (first one was bought just before DSLRs appeared, second and third were cheap ebay finds) and a P30n (nobody had bid £10 for it with 5mins to go). All work, one of the P30s lives in the car with the A 50mm f2 it came with. Small, tough, and if it does get overheated or freezes to death it'll cost me very little to replace.

Sewin · Apr 21, 2015

Many Thanks Matt,

I'm classing the lens as a bonus, to try the camera out ( sorry let the wife try it out).

I prefer manual fixed lenses, although my better half may like the zoom lens. I've plenty of LR44's, use them on my Prakticas.

Sounds like they are addictive then, it would be nice to carry a lighter camera around for a change.

flavio81 · Apr 21, 2015

Hi,

If you have Nikon lenses choose a Nikon camera so you can share lenses with your wife. Same for Canon, etc.

For Nikon the best i've found is the FG camera. It has a bright screen, it is small, light, easy to operate, and the camera can be locked in "Program" mode so she finds it very easy to use. In fact I also use the FG myself, it is really a nice camera.

For Canon i would suggest the AE-1 Program, for the same reasons. Or the often-maligned T80 which is actually a well executed point and shoot SLR.

If it's not a SLR then perhaps the Olympus Trip 35 or one of the XA variations.

RobC · Apr 21, 2015

Sewin,

I'm curious. You say in first post your wife uses a camera to photograph her work. Are these photographs for digital display or just for personal record or what?

Sewin · Apr 21, 2015

Rob,

Just for personal records and memory joggers for the future.

PentaxBronica · Apr 21, 2015

Sewin said:
Many Thanks Matt,

I'm classing the lens as a bonus, to try the camera out ( sorry let the wife try it out).

I prefer manual fixed lenses, although my better half may like the zoom lens. I've plenty of LR44's, use them on my Prakticas.

Sounds like they are addictive then, it would be nice to carry a lighter camera around for a change.

I prefer them to the K1000 in all honesty. They're just as simple, a lot lighter, smaller, and the viewfinder is more useful (shows shutter speed).

I didn't intend to end up with so many but they kept popping up for £10 with 10mins to go and no bids, I bagged a P30 and P30n that way which both included an A 50mm f2. In the case of one clean and functional P30 body it was 99p with no bids!

An SLR for the wife, help needed!

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