Cool, unusual street shooter...

Steve Mack · Apr 22, 2011

How about a new Nikon FM-10 with a Zeiss Distagon T 28 mm f/2 in Nikon F mount?

New mechanical body and a great lens.

With best regards,

Stephen

PS: I am thinking about setting up such an outfit.

lns · Apr 22, 2011

My only reservation would be the match between camera and lens. Based on my Zeiss 35mm f2, that lens is bound to be fairly big and heavy. I would match it with the F3 or F3HP.

-Laura

jp498 · Apr 22, 2011

I'd go for an old lens. I'm sure the Zeiss is great. But an older used Nikon 28 AIS is going to be indistinguisable in terms of detail if you are shooting tri-x or comparable film, and may produce an older traditional look because of it's older optical design. Maybe you want something to use with digital as well, and the zeiss would excel at that I'm sure. I've got a voigtlander 40/2 and that is a nice manual focus lens for a new lens, but it sounds like you want something wider though.

CGW · Apr 22, 2011

Steve Mack said:
How about a new Nikon FM-10 with a Zeiss Distagon T 28 mm f/2 in Nikon F mount?

New mechanical body and a great lens.

With best regards,

Stephen

PS: I am thinking about setting up such an outfit.

I'd think about going for an FM2n or FE along with a 28/2.8 AIS or 35/2AI. Cooler.

The FM-10 is plasticky relative to the older FM/FE variants that are plentiful and fairly cheap now. They were strong-selling amateur cameras and many are low-mileage. I'd skip the Zeiss. The older fast Nikkors are no slouches. Check the lens reviews at www.nikonlinks.com.

JSebrof · Apr 22, 2011

I agree with CGW, I had a friend going through photo classes at the local college who got a brand new FM-10. After very little use it just fell apart on him, so he returned it and got a used FM2 to replace it. Still works great. YMMV

Russ - SVP · Apr 23, 2011

Street shooting! Grab any old or new camera with a wide lens, and shoot. Don't get caught up in lens sharpness, MTF charts, etc. It's all about vision, feeling and passion. Keep in mind that 99% of the worlds most poignant and memorable photographs were made with lenses vastly inferior to we now shoot with...

markbarendt · Apr 23, 2011

With that budget and usage plan I'd actually go with nice used F100 and an AF lens.

Russ - SVP · Apr 23, 2011

markbarendt said:
With that budget and usage plan I'd actually go with nice used F100 and an AF lens.

Sage advice. I get great results with my F-100 and Tamron SP 24-135.

Jim Jones · Apr 23, 2011

The new FM-10 I bought for a friend years ago soon developed several minor problems. The kit lens was a dog. My older Nikon F and Nikkormat cameras with their contemporary lenses perform well enough and are more reliable.

Pumalite · Apr 23, 2011

I also prefer Nikon F and Nikkormats with the old lenses.

benjiboy · Apr 24, 2011

I prefer none motor driven cameras with leaf shutters for street shooting that don't look too pro because to me shooting street once your subject is aware of you and starts posing you've blown it.

j-dogg · Apr 24, 2011

Pumalite said:
I also prefer Nikon F and Nikkormats with the old lenses.

This......just bought my dream 105 f2.5 lens for my Nikkormat.

Best of all if you get mugged you can whack them in the face with it and take their picture when you're done.

Jeff Kubach · Apr 24, 2011

benjiboy said:
I prefer none motor driven cameras with leaf shutters for street shooting that don't look too pro because to me shooting street once your subject is aware of you and starts posing you've blown it.

That has happen to me also.

Jeff

CGW · Apr 24, 2011

Hit 'em with an F3HP+MD4 and they don't get up--quickly.

Anything with a WLF is probably the most innocuous street rig. That you're never facing a subject viewed thru a WLF removes the primal confrontational thing that aiming an SLR involves. They often never see you.

benjiboy · Apr 24, 2011

What I often use is a Minox 35GT http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=ytff1-sunm&va=minox+35+gt+camera it's very small , is very quiet , has an excellent 35mm f2.8 lens,aperture priority AE, and if your victim takes offence and sticks your camera "where the sun don't shine"it shouldn't be too painful to remove

blockend · Apr 24, 2011

Kiron Kid said:
Don't get caught up in lens sharpness, MTF charts, etc. It's all about vision, feeling and passion...

Indeed. It doesn't matter what camera you use so long as you're there for the shot.

Russ - SVP · Apr 24, 2011

blockend said:
Indeed. It doesn't matter what camera you use so long as you're there for the shot.

So very true!

Cool, unusual street shooter...

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