Best looking solid "non plastic" 35mm cameras under $150?

Theo Sulphate · Mar 25, 2017

Nodda Duma said:
In my opinion, iconic German cameras of the 50s are amongst the best looking 35's out there. The Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super, released in 1959, is a perfect example.
..

O i haz Contaflex, too. Notice nice chain on case.

cooltouch · Mar 25, 2017

Permission to revise and extend my remarks . . . Still my favorite of all 35mm SLRs, the original Canon F-1, second version, aka the F-1n.

There she be, ready to work. I actually bought this very nice example of a Canon F-1n for $140. The other stuff is gravy, but I didn't pay as much for it as you might expect.

Attached to the camera is the granddaddy of all Canon 85mm f/1.2's -- the breechlock 85mm f/1.2 SSC Aspherical. Some say it's still Canon's best. I can't say because it's the only Canon 85/1.2 I've ever used. But I sure like it.

Erik D. Herrmann Sr. · Mar 29, 2017

JimCee said:
The Nikon FE, as other commenters have stated, is a nice looking "non-plastic" 35mm camera. It's also widely available for prices under $150.00 on the big auction site. Many of those sold will need to have their seals replaced as they do age. It's something that be done by the buyer, or most camera repair businesses can handle that job quite easily. The photos here are a very clean Nikon FE that I purchased, and I did have the seals replaced.

Jim
View attachment 162256 View attachment 162257

Looks just like mine. I picked it up for $83 on ebay.
Here's a shot of it with my favorite digital SLR...

Theo Sulphate · Mar 30, 2017

A congratulatory tip of the metaphorical hat to Nikon for introducing the Df.

...and allowing it to accept & meter with pre-AI lenses!

blockend · Mar 30, 2017

I hadn't realised just how enormous the Df is compared to an 80s SLR. It's like an F4 and then some.

Erik D. Herrmann Sr. · Mar 30, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
A congratulatory tip of the metaphorical hat to Nikon for introducing the Df.

...and allowing it to accept & meter with pre-AI lenses!

That was one of the big selling points for me. That and the fact that they finally made a digital camera that looked and handled like the SLR's I grew up with.

Erik D. Herrmann Sr. · Mar 30, 2017

blockend said:
I hadn't realised just how enormous the Df is compared to an 80s SLR. It's like an F4 and then some.

Yeah, that surprised me when I put them side by side too.

locutus · Mar 30, 2017

For cuteness these 2 rate very high to me:

Dead Link Removed

Now put a Leica R8/9 next to them......

RichardJack · Mar 30, 2017

I'd go for a Nikon FE2 or Nikkormat FT3 (meters with AI lenses). It's a practical choice because of all the lenses that are available and the fact that new lenses are still produced for future expansion.
Olympus are pretty and were very good when new but they don't hold up as well with respect to seals. I've seen too many OM1's and OM2's with fungus on the prism or lenses (OM4 won't be under $150). Spotmatics are beautiful as well, but screw mount lenses are impractical and good luck finding one with a working light meter. Normally I would recommend a XD-11 Minolta (it's basically a Leica R5) but since the optics have been discontinued it does not make any sense. Same goes for Canon FD bodies. If your lucky you might even find a Nikon F3 for under $150. Avoid the F2 body unless you get a finder that handles AI lenses (that probably will cost more than a F3).

RichardJack · Mar 30, 2017

locutus said:
Now put a Leica R8/9 next to them......

If you put the bodies side by side the Leica will have a working shutter and meter, the shutter is probably dried up in the EXA. EXA bodies were sold for $99 new, how can you compare it to a Leica R?

flavio81 · Mar 30, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
O i haz Contaflex, too. Notice nice chain on case.

View attachment 175803

Hai!

You haz Pro-Tessar 115mm

You will haz neck pain and no cheezburgr

Kthnksbye

flavio81 · Mar 30, 2017

RichardJack said:
Spotmatics are beautiful as well, but screw mount lenses are impractical and good luck finding one with a working light meter.

Screwmount lenses are impractical? Have you ever used a spotmatic, i mean, actually went out shooting with it for at least 4 hours? How can they be "impractical"?
And the lens selection is wonderful, some of my best lenses are in M42 mount (Carl Zeiss Jena 35/2.4 and 135/3.5)

As for the light meter, that's a really easy thing to fix, usually:
1. remove two screws at the bottom
2. remove bottom cover
3. Clean corroded battery contact
4. Put bottom cover

Easy.

RichardJack said:
Normally I would recommend a XD-11 Minolta (it's basically a Leica R5) but since the optics have been discontinued it does not make any sense. Same goes for Canon FD bodies. If your lucky you might even find a Nikon F3 for under $150.

Why?
Why this reasoning?!
Lenses are not cars, where more mileage guarantees they will break down. Lenses can last many generations...

RichardJack said:
Avoid the F2 body unless you get a finder that handles AI lenses (that probably will cost more than a F3).

Not good advice, IMO. The finder that handles the pre-AI lenses also works fine with AI lenses too. So it is MORE compatible than the later finder. I have both, by the way, so i know what i'm talking about.

RichardJack · Mar 30, 2017

flavio81 said:
Not good advice, IMO. The finder that handles the pre-AI lenses also works fine with AI lenses too. So it is MORE compatible than the later finder. I have both, by the way, so i know what i'm talking about.

Since I don't know the skill or intent of the person looking for a camera I tend to always steer people towards the newest camera that fits their needs. I own Nikkors dating back to tick-mark lenses and I've found the Ais and Ai lenses to be better performers. Chances are the focus lubricants are dried up and the coatings of the prong lenses (pre 1975) are not as good as the newer lenses Batteries are another issue, it's easier to get batteries for the newer bodies rather than hunting for the equivalent of a PX13 or 625. The Nikon DSLR's with exception to the Df will not meter with a prong lens. Some of the Nikon AF-D lenes are nicely priced and excellent performers for example the 50mm f1.8 AF-D for under $100 new. My Nikon F's and F2's stay on the shelf unless I want to play around for nostalgia.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I'm trying to steer him into a purchase that makes the most sense.

flavio81 · Mar 30, 2017

RichardJack said:
Since I don't know the skill or intent of the person looking for a camera I tend to always steer people towards the newest camera that fits their needs. I own Nikkors dating back to tick-mark lenses and I've found the Ais and Ai lenses to be better performers. Chances are the focus lubricants are dried up

A trivial repair, Richard, one that you can even do yourself.
AI lenses are, in my experience, of an inferior build quality to Pre-AI lenses. Yes, i can find a pre-AI lens lacking lubrication; then you grease the helicoid and works as new. But many times i've found AI (or AI-S) lenses that focus smoothly, but now there is play on the helicoid (which throws the lens unit off alignment.)

RichardJack said:
and the coatings of the prong lenses (pre 1975) are not as good as the newer lenses

I think you are a victim of marketing. For many prime lenses, multi-coatings will do a minimal difference. For example i have the Nikkor-H 50/2 (single coated) and the Nikkor-HC 50/2 (multicoated) and they both are almost identical in contrast and flare resistance.

The latest coatings are beneficial, yes, but only on the complex zoom lenses.

RichardJack said:
Batteries are another issue, it's easier to get batteries for the newer bodies rather than hunting for the equivalent of a PX13 or 625.

How can this be an issue when the 625 can almost always be replaced easily by a 675 hearing aid battery? Or with the wein-cell?

RichardJack said:
The Nikon DSLR's with exception to the Df will not meter with a prong lens.

This is APUG, i don't think the forumers here will care too much about if a lens meters or not with a digital camera body.

RichardJack said:
Some of the Nikon AF-D lenes are nicely priced and excellent performers for example the 50mm f1.8 AF-D for under $100 new.

The build quality of the AF-D lenses is way, way inferior than the build quality of AI lenses. Now I understand why you consider lenses are consumables: because you prefer the discardable AF-D lenses! Not even the painted-on numbers on them survive after a few years!

And by the way, in general the build quality of the AI/AI-S lenses is inferior to the build quality of the pre-AI lenses. You should know, you have 'tick mark' lenses.

locutus · Mar 30, 2017

RichardJack said:
If you put the bodies side by side the Leica will have a working shutter and meter, the shutter is probably dried up in the EXA. EXA bodies were sold for $99 new, how can you compare it to a Leica R?

Both the Exa and the Leica R8/9 share the strange rhomboid and deep topplate design. One not shared by other SLR designs.

Theo Sulphate · Mar 30, 2017

RichardJack said:
If you put the bodies side by side the Leica will have a working shutter and meter, the shutter is probably dried up in the EXA.
...

My Exakta 500 is a lot of fun to use. All shutter speeds work and are accurate. It has an instant-return mirror and an "uncocked" indicator in the viewfinder. The size and shape are perfect for my hands.

My Exakta 500 and R8 (yes, the Exakta 500 is considerably smaller):

cooltouch · Mar 30, 2017

Richard, I'm in agreement with Flavio on this topic. I have a cabinet full of old cameras and lenses, all of which work and have functioning meters. Including Spotmatics and a beautiful XD-11. And a first generation Nikon F with the non-TTL finder that has the big port hole in the front. It works and it's accurate, to boot. Along with that F, I have two F2s, an F3, and an F4. I love 'em all. And Canon FD! That's what I cut my teeth on, so I'm particularly fond of my FD collection. Two old F-1s (meters are dead-on accurate), a New F-1 with AE Finder, a couple of FTbs, a few EFs, an A-1, an AE-1 Program, a T70 and a T90. All are clean examples (well, except for one FTb that's been around the block a few times, but it still works fine!) and all function as they should. I have about a dozen FD lenses in both mounting styles, and not a one of them is in need of lube replacement. And as for cameras that took the old 1.35v PX625, I use 675 hearing aid batteries. They're cheap, have a voltage that's close enough (1.4v), and the same discharge profile. I'm a huge fan of the cameras built in the '70s and I see most of them as having life spans that are indefinite as long as they're treated well.

I can understand why you would recommend something more recent to a newcomer, and I think it makes a certain amount of sense. But I also think that many more recent examples won't have the life expectancy of the old, tried and proven gear. For example, I own a Nikon N80 -- and I really like it a lot. It's quiet, feature laden, has multiple AF points and a good selection of metering patterns. But it's already around 10 years old or more and I question whether it will still be a functioning camera in another 10 years, where I know my F2s and my old Canon F-1s will be. Or my Pentax KX, or Nikkormat FT3, or Canon FTb . . . So, I guess I'd do my recommending on a more case-by-case basis. If I thought the party was up to dealing with the old stuff, I'd recommend it.

Theo Sulphate · Mar 31, 2017

flavio81 said:
Hai!

You haz Pro-Tessar 115mm

You will haz neck pain and no cheezburgr

Kthnksbye

O hai!

I can haz cheezburgr!

Kthxbai

flavio81 · Mar 31, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
O hai!

I can haz cheezburgr!

View attachment 176267

Kthxbai

HAHAHAHAHA

John_Nikon_F · Apr 1, 2017

Posted this earlier in one of the other threads...

F "Apollo" eyelevel with an 85/1.8 hanging off the front.

Agree with Flavio, with respect to the Nikkors. A 50/2 Nikkor-H is just as contrasty as an AI version. With the 50/1.4 Nikkor, I found that the single coat version was more contrasty than the SC version. The compact 50/1.4 K-type, AI, and AIS lenses, seem to be as contrasty as the S version.

-J

Craig75 · Apr 2, 2017

I always like seeing a werra even if i dont have myself (and am too incompetent to seem to put a pic of one in my post)

Chan Tran · Apr 2, 2017

blockend said:
I hadn't realised just how enormous the Df is compared to an 80s SLR. It's like an F4 and then some.

Yes! I own and love the Df but it's size compared to an FE (or even an F3 or F2) it's way too big.

RichardJack · Apr 10, 2017

Hi,
I see people mentioning "build quality". Are you planning on hammering nails or something? Your final image quality is the most important factor here. In the case of Nikon, it's true that most AI and pre-AI lenses are made better...but are they sharper and have better coatings...NO. I have seen too many older Nikkors (and other brands of the same age) with tight focus because the lubrication has dried up or worse yet, oil on the aperture blades or fungus. I own most of the Nikon 50mm lenses from the 5cm S to present. My 50mm f1.8 AF=D is built like crap but it will out perform all of the older lenses and can be replaced easily for under $75 in case I use it to drive in a nail.
Rick

fstop · Apr 10, 2017

blockend said:
I hadn't realised just how enormous the Df is compared to an 80s SLR. It's like an F4 and then some.

yeah I laugh at people who think a F-3 is big...

cooltouch · Apr 10, 2017

Me too. An F3 big? It's positively petite! Perhaps people tend to think of the F3 as big because of its almost ubiquitous pairing with the MD-4. The Df is a bit too Brobdingnagian for me though.

Best looking solid "non plastic" 35mm cameras under $150?

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