Finding the "Right" Cheap SLR

Mastrianni said:

Miroslav Tichy Homemade camera and work

Click to expand...

thank you !

people forget often times the camera has nothing to do with the photographs
its a box with a shutter to regulate light.
all the bells and whistles aren't going to save something awful from being exposed
whether or not it is a fantastic camera, the best ever made or a cardboard box.
all too often people put too much faith &c in to the camera being used ...

However well designed cameras are a joy to use. Simple or complex.

Theo Sulphate said:

No aperture readout on FTb or FTbN.

FE also allows use of pre-AI lenses and can meter them in stop-down mode. FE2 cannot.

Click to expand...

Yep, Theo, and your last comment is one reason why I think the FE is an important camera. (the FM too for the same reason) i have several pre-AI lenses so I can still use them on my FE. I own an FE2 also, and I like it for its extended capabilities, but I consider the FE2 to be an addition to the FE and not the other way around.

I think that, In General, Minolta is underappreciated. In terms of MONEY.....Their XG-M is almost worthless. I bought one with a 50/1.7..... all in good shape, for 30 bux. I hope to be able to Sell/Give it to one of the students in my Photo Class.
Do not know if this Minolta would be "The Right"...cheap, SLR. But it certainly deserves a look.
Born in 1960, I cut my teeth on the Canon AE-1 and AE-1P. Circa 2015 i prefer the Minolta X-570 to those Canon Cameras.
I have their SRT-202 and XD-11. I am in process of selling my AE-1P and A-1, which are Awesome Cameras, because i have grown to prefer Minolta.
My F1-New would be the Canon Vs Minolta exception.
good luck

CMoore, I am in agreement with almost everything you wrote. The sole exception is I would prefer the SRT-101 over the 202. The reason being that almost all 101s have a mirror lock-up function, whereas the 202 does not. I'm not all that acquainted with the various XG models, but I do know that some of them will not meter in manual mode, making them almost worthless to me. I wouldn't give it to a photography student, however. Not doing them any favors.

The X-570 is the real sleeper among the X-series ranks. It may not have the X-700's program mode, but it is a real pleasure to use in manual and is a better camera than the X-700 in that regard.. It is for similar reasons that the A-series Canons are not as effective in manual mode as the X-570. With Canon, choices are slim. The old FTb and origina F-1, New F-1, and the rather obscure AT-1 are the only FD Canons that have fully coupled meters like the X-570.

I would probably be more enthusiastic about Minolta and my X-570 and XD-11 if I had a larger collection of Minolta lenses, but I don't yet. I have a large collection of Tamron lenses, which makes up for the shortfall by a significant amount..Like you, I cut my teeth on A-series Canons and I've subsequently accumulated a rather large collection of FD glass. And even though I prefer using my F-1s and FTbs over my A-1 and AE-1P, I will not sell my A-series Canons because of their historical significance and importance.

cooltouch said:

. I'm not all that acquainted with the various XG models, but I do know that some of them will not meter in manual mode, making them almost worthless to me. I wouldn't give it to a photography student, however. Not doing them any favors.

Click to expand...

The XG-M has an "A-Mode" and an "M-Mode".
The meter functions in manual mode.
I find it strange that a camera Would NOT meter in Manual Mode. but it would in Auto Mode.?
Manual is when you Need The Meter most.......

You've gotten so many good replies. You need to narrow them down and handle them in person next. Find a used camera dealer with a good selection or join a camera club. Ergonomics is important and something that you can't get from a forum post...how well you can see through it. All brands are not the same, our eyes are different. While I could see fine through a Minolta or Nikon I couldn't focus properly with a Olympus. Not the cameras, it was me.
Last, pick a brand that you can grow with, a brand that offers the lenses and accessories you need.

cooltouch said:

... Canons are not as effective in manual mode as the X-570. With Canon, choices are slim. The old FTb and origina F-1, New F-1, and the rather obscure AT-1 are the only FD Canons that have fully coupled meters like the X-570.
...

Click to expand...

Also the Canon EF - the black beauty.

Nope. The EF's meter is not coupled to the aperture ring. Unfortunately.

CMoore said:

The XG-M has an "A-Mode" and an "M-Mode".
The meter functions in manual mode.
I find it strange that a camera Would NOT meter in Manual Mode. but it would in Auto Mode.?
Manual is when you Need The Meter most.......

Click to expand...

I knew I remembered this correctly, I just wasn't sure which models were not metered in manual. It would appear to be the case that the XG-M was the only camera in the XG series that was metered in manual mode. The XG-E, XG-1, XG-1n, XG-7, XG-9, XG-SE -- any others? -- none of these meter in manual mode. See:

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Minolta_XG_series

Yours is a great question, by the way, and one I always wondered about myself.

Apart from being a Nikon user I have long had a soft spot for Minolta. I presently own a black XE1 and a SRT101b and both are super reliable and a joy to use. Minolta lenses, especially the short zoom standard type with constant aperture are also second to none, especially the 24/35 and 35/70 lenses. Both F3.5.

If the XE1 was good enough for Leica to adopt the body, make slight alterations including a spot meter feature and then call it the R3, then for me it is a good design. Even the 35/70 zoom was cloned by Leica.
( I also know where a chrome XE1 is for sale so may add to my collection.)

Theo Sulphate said:

Also the Canon EF - the black beauty.

Click to expand...

cooltouch said:

Nope. The EF's meter is not coupled to the aperture ring. Unfortunately.

Click to expand...

However, its meter can be used in stop-down mode. Not as useful as manual metering. Sad!

cooltouch said:

I knew I remembered this correctly, I just wasn't sure which models were not metered in manual. It would appear to be the case that the XG-M was the only camera in the XG series that was metered in manual mode. The XG-E, XG-1, XG-1n, XG-7, XG-9, XG-SE -- any others? -- none of these meter in manual mode. See:

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Minolta_XG_series

Yours is a great question, by the way, and one I always wondered about myself.

Click to expand...

That IS odd.
I had NO idea about any of that stuff when i got this M-Model. Just lucked-out i guess.
It really is a fine camera. Hopefully it goes to a student in need.
Thanks Again for the info.......