Best 35mm Film Camera

wrightguy · Dec 16, 2012

Thank you. I'm totally new to film photography, and this helps a lot everyone. Expecally the comment by Ricardo.

EASmithV · Dec 16, 2012

Nikon F6. If you have the pockets, go for that. Otherwise stick with an F100 or F4s.

wrightguy · Dec 16, 2012

pentaxuser said:
I agree but we'll tell him what it is anyway

pentaxuser

Yes, I know there is no best camera, but I figured it would get me some good recommendations.

Francis in VT · Dec 16, 2012

I agree with BradS. It depends on you. Most of the answers you see here will be valid. I sold cameras retail since 1957 and have seen all the combinations there are.
I settled on an Olympus IS-3. It has a 35-180 Zoom. With a screw in adapter I can go to 28 mm or can go to 300 mm. It has built in flash and will accept a dedicated more powerful flash. With the press of a button I have a Macro lens plus it will get even closer with close up lenses.

Francis in VT

BradS · Dec 16, 2012

Les Sarile said:
....This was conducted with the Pentax LX + Pentax M 28mm f2.8 taking about 40 minutes in aperture priority auto exposure. There are no other cameras - past or present, that have the Pentax LX's single unassisted metering range of EV -6.5 to EV 20, practically unlimited aperture priority auto exposure as well as realtime monitor of the scene lighting for changes..

Wow...I learned something Thanks for your post!

Nice photos btw.

Jeff Kubach · Dec 16, 2012

narsuitus said:
Canon F1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/5226987647/

+1!

Jeff

waynecrider · Dec 16, 2012

I would caution not to be put off by buying something and finding it not to your liking thus causing you not to pursue shooting film. Cameras for me are to a certain extent something like the perfect pair of hiking boots. You may have to go thru a couple models or more till you find the perfect pairing. This extends alot to hand fit, control placement, viewfinder and information therein and weight. While most of us probably have more then 1 body, and for some of us even alot of bodies ( I own 9 working bodies and some half working) there are many times where there is just one or maybe 2 that get picked up most of the time. This can be a problem owning a digital body.

I'd also not be put off by auto focus cameras since they really in many instances sport improvements not only in that specific feature. Metering systems also improved to a great degree along with many other features including incorporated flash, diopters for us blind people and increased shooting speeds for action photography which includes 2 and 3 year old children. Ergonomics was a big plus as well with better handholds. If you stay in the Canon lineup you'll use your current lenses and have the advantage of more adapters available then other brands to use other lenses. Really a big plus there.

Look for big bright viewfinders and meters with at least 0 Ev sensitivity. I'm especially fond of exposure and flash compensation (and readouts) along with an incorporated flash. While not a Canon enthusiast outside FD, there are from what I have read some really good late model film bodies at reasonable prices.

k.hendrik · Dec 16, 2012

Hey wrightguy ! FM with 50-1.8 & 85-1.4. Inside Tri-x 400>1600 or 3200. Outside dev. with D76 and that will teach you asking silly questions ok, there has to be a finger and a good eye next to this; so every camera is suitable! Start with the cheapest one.

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 16, 2012

Handling dark situations has more to do with the photographer's skill, not the camera, which is there only to see the scene and commit it to film.
Any camera at all can handle dark situations — when you know how.

Les Sarile · Dec 16, 2012

BradS said:
Wow...I learned something Thanks for your post!

Nice photos btw.

Thanks!

Halka · Dec 17, 2012

Les, you need to stop posting this stuff, the LX is too sexy (And it would definitely break my bank)

I was under the impression that the OM family cameras were also capable of practically unlimited exposure times, since the OTF metering technology is practically the same. On a whim, I wound up my OM-2's shutter in the middle of the night and let it run with the cap on, the shutter clapped shut after some 40 seconds, so I guess I was wrong there. Then again it's a pretty battered piece and something could be off.

(sorry if thread hijacking)

(Also, what film was that? Exposing for 40 minutes, don't problems with reciprocity failure crop up?)

Les Sarile · Dec 17, 2012

Reciprocity failure - no data sheets for this in the exposure times I use, and mixed lighting all conspired to give that result from Kodak Ektar 100. We surely are in the golden age of film with these modern formulas

wrightguy · Dec 18, 2012

I found a good deal on a Nikon Manual Focus N2000. I think this will be a good introduction to the film photography world. Thank you everyone for your help. Every post helped and I will look back here if I ever decide to get a different/ new to me film SLR.

AgX · Dec 18, 2012

Nikon N2000 = Nikon F-301

Endo · Dec 18, 2012

I'm not sure if SLR is the best 35mm film camera system. You may want to check rangefinders and compact film cameras...

Les Sarile · Dec 18, 2012

I am sure that the original Olympus Pen series qualifies as one of the best 35mm Film Camera too. With today's great film quality, you can take advantage of doubling the number of frames from your normal roll of film

jakeblues · Dec 19, 2012

Les Sarile said:
I am sure that the original Olympus Pen series qualifies as one of the best 35mm Film Camera too. With today's great film quality, you can take advantage of doubling the number of frames from your normal roll of film

OMG I want one of those so bad.

Hey Wrightguy, welcome to APUG (I'm kinda new here too, though not at all new to film).

Also welcome to the satisfying world of shooting film.

I just wanted to chime in here to mention that a good question to ask might be "what film do I want to use". Film is your "sensor", and you can put the very best films into some pretty simple cameras and get amazing results!

Here are some films I recommend trying:
Kodak Tmax 3200 (pleasantly grainy Black and White film, very fast)
Kodak Portra 800 (great color film)
Ilford HP5 (you can shoot this 400 BW speed film at 1600 and get great results. just ask your photo lab to "push 2 stops")
Kodak Tri-x (also can be pushed to 1600)
Fuji Pro 400H ... maybe someone else can tell me (us) if this film can be pushed. I think it can. It has great color tones.
Ilford XP 400 Super

Also, Flickr is a great resource. Just search for a particular film, and you'll begin to get a feel for what they look like. I almost always tag my films in the photos, and there is even a group called "film database": http://www.flickr.com/groups/filmdatabase/

On a camera note, I have used extensively and can recommend:
Pentax Spotmatic w/ Super Takumar or SMC Takumar 50mm 1.4
Pentax KX, MX, or K1000 with SMC Pentax M 50mm/1.4 or 1.7
Minolta X-700 or any Minolta SRT camera with 50mm 1.4

Have fun!

Nikon Collector · Dec 28, 2012

Ricoh, Uses Pentax lenses but better quality bodies than pentax

one90guy · Dec 28, 2012

The best 35mm, its one you are comfortable using, size and control location. Prices run from great to expensive. And as others have said lens availability and cost. In the past 40 plus years I have used a lot of brands and the only difference I have seen is they were all better than me.

2bits · Dec 30, 2012

The best 35mm is the one you've got in your hand at the time you need it!

lxdude · Dec 30, 2012

Nikon Collector said:
Ricoh, Uses Pentax lenses but better quality bodies than pentax

Well, that's a bold statement!

The old Ricohs are good machines, but better quality than Pentax? Hmmm....

Pumalite · Dec 30, 2012

The best is the one you grab when you run out...

tantrikelo · Dec 30, 2012

i think the best camera is the one that when you grab it becomes the extention of your hand!
I just bought minolta x-700 and i am feeling that way....

PentaxBronica · Dec 30, 2012

lxdude said:
Well, that's a bold statement!

The old Ricohs are good machines, but better quality than Pentax? Hmmm....

A statement which doesn't really match what I've seen either! I don't think Ricoh made anything up to the standard of the LX/K2/Spotmatic family (which I include the KX/KM/K1000/MX in).

Looking at a scan of a 1985 "Argos" catalogue it would appear that Ricoh SLRs were regarded as mid range. A KR-10 Super with 50mm f2 lens, 2x TC and ERC was priced at £145, an ME Super with 50/1.7 lens, AF200S flash and gadget bag was £190. Having handled a KR-10 I'll be hanging onto my K2!

Pentax did make some dubious SLR bodies in the late 1990s (the MZ series with their splitting plastic drive cog, and the "crippled" K mount on some of these) but all of their MF bodies were solid, reliable cameras. Sure, they wear out and some bodies wear out faster than others. The P30 for example was designed for the amateur market and probably isn't as tough as a KX, but it takes the same lenses so can produce images of equal quality.

My Dad bought a brand-new K2 in 1978. He still has it. It still works perfectly although I did have to replace the light seals and mirror foam for him. It was used for over twenty years of family holiday photos and even survived being dropped down a mountainside in its first couple of years, then sat in his wardrobe from about 2000 or so after he bought a digital thing. When I fished it out last year to replace the seals it just needed a clean and fresh batteries before it came back to life. Don't think you can argue with that record!

The best is definitely the one with a light-tight body, accurate shutter speeds, and reliable light meter that you have to hand. It doesn't matter whether it's a freshly-serviced LX or an OM-101 you paid £10 for. When you're the only person to witness "that" event any camera will do.

juan · Dec 31, 2012

Nikon F. If assaulted while photographing, you can use it as a weapon.
juan

Best 35mm Film Camera

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