First SLR for my daughter

SteveInConverse · Feb 16, 2023

Nikon FA would be a nice choice. It's light and has a bit of automation if you want it. Check eBay and ensure the LCD is in working order with no bleed. Since you have Nikon, keep her in that family so she can make use of your lenses for now.

Bill Burk · Feb 16, 2023

You shoot Nikon. Give her a Nikon F and tell her if that camera can’t do it nothing can.

Moose22 · Feb 16, 2023

N80 is the shiz for a starter.

Does everything, can be full manual, but... it does not do too much. Still has a program auto mode, and a little flash for party photos or fill flash at sunset or whatever, so it'll do what young photographers like to do, whatever that is.

Honestly, I have several young women friends who have all manual cameras. One was super frustrated at first, even though she has a really nice old Minolta, but she carries a work record with her all the time now and has had to sneak up on the all-manual stuff. She got there, but only after backing away from the all manual and learning some.

Another was always reticent to carry her vintage cameras and shoot in anything but full sun, but now she uses my 8008 regularly. Another I purchased Huss' old N75 and sold that to her, and I would recommend that except the N80 you can set ISO so you don't have to have DX encoding, where the N75 needs dx encoded film.

The fact that I have that many 20 year old friends is a story for another time, but the point is that they all used the auto exposure "help" to keep them from being scared of wasting film. All of these stepping stone cameras got them over the hump and they can all shoot manual or aperture priority now.

Having used the N80 now (and just reloaded it, I'm taking it out tonight) I'll tell you, it is PERFECT for this. All it has is ISO, P A S M modes, really good metering, and the controls you use 99% of the time. Not intimidating, powerful enough, just enough help to make the transition from P&S to SLR.

I've used a Canon rebel, BTW. Someone mentioned it. It's the same, simple and good, but the viewfinder isn't as nice as the Nikon and, if you already have Nikon lenses to share, get the N80. I am 99 44/100% certain that it is a perfect first SLR.

Patrick Robert James · Feb 16, 2023

If she doesn't want anything that "looks" digital, then an older camera with aperture priority would be the way to go. She would enjoy the interface of winding and rewinding the film and changing the aperture but it wouldn't be too complicated at first. All she would need to do is focus.

If you do have Nikon and you want to experience photography with her, get her a Nikon. Don't let her take your lenses though. Tell her she can use whatever she wants as long as you are with her. That should get you some great memories before she is too old.

By the way, when I first started messing around with Minox I got pretty much all the info I needed from your site. Thanks for that. I shoot Minox all the time now. Lots on my Instagram.

Rick A · Feb 16, 2023

If you're shooting Nikon then buy your daughter Nikon gear. Otherwise I would recommend an Olympus OM-2.

MattKing · Feb 16, 2023

Depends on whether or not you want her to ask to borrow your lenses
But if you do, a Nikon seems to be a good choice.

Bill Burk · Feb 16, 2023

I’m really getting pissed at aperture priority these days. As I explore a small scene with my eyes to the finder, I know the correct shutter speed is not anywhere from 1/1000 to 1/125 just because the scene has more or less sky or water.

Then I have to switch to manual to set the sensible shutter speed and compose and shoot.

Especially hate looking at a scene where I know the correct shutter speed is a fifteenth but the camera is shooting 1/250 because a light source came into view.

It’s love-hate because there are times I enjoy seeing the needle come down where I expect and I can shoot right away.

Autonerd · Feb 16, 2023

Moose22 said:
Honestly, I have several young women friends who have all manual cameras. One was super frustrated at first, even though she has a really nice old Minolta, but she carries a work record with her all the time now and has had to sneak up on the all-manual stuff. She got there, but only after backing away from the all manual and learning some.

I have to wonder if digital has led us to take the wrong approach. I remember the first time I used an SLR -- I think it was a Canon, definitely all-manual, and a friend of my dad's loaned it to me to take some train pictures. I'm guessing she set the shutter speed to 1/60. She told me to focus and to turn the aperture ring until "the needle lines up with the lollypop". Worked! Aside from one badly underexposed photo, I got a deck of usable shots. Wasn't a leap to match-needle metering on my KX a few years later.

Aaron

Autonerd · Feb 16, 2023

Bill Burk said:
I’m really getting pissed at aperture priority these days. As I explore a small scene with my eyes to the finder, I know the correct shutter speed is not anywhere from 1/1000 to 1/125 just because the scene has more or less sky or water.

No different than manual, though -- the meter gives wrong info. That (to me) is one of the interesting challenges of shooting with older gear -- you have to listen to the meter but also know when it's wrong!

I used to have an issue with aperture priority, but I console myself by saying it's just a matter of the camera spinning the speed dial instead of me, and it can set it between clicks, which I can't!

Aaron

Moose22 · Feb 17, 2023

Autonerd said:
I have to wonder if digital has led us to take the wrong approach. I remember the first time I used an SLR

Sure. Why not?

But I don't care. I'm making a recommendation for today's young people based on today's experiences with different of today's young people. And that recommendation is an inexpensive SLR that fits exactly what young friends like.

Trust me, dude. I'm the guy who thinks drivers should know how to use a manual transmission and pilots sure as fuck better be able to fly a conventionally geared airplane, and I learned on them as well as being introduced to photography on a Leica M3 and a Nikon F2. For a lot of years I've looked down my nose at folks who learned with the training wheels, but I'm not a boomer and even in my day that thinking was antiquated.

Don't care about the philosophy of what they "should" learn on, or what the old farts learned on. I just care about inspiring young people to enjoy photography if they want to do that. So, unless I know that specific kid, here's my experience of what a good first SLR for a young person is: The N80. I'd also support one of a bunch of other excellent choices like the Canon rebel or n75, but my first choice is that particular gem of a Nikon.

madNbad · Feb 17, 2023

Moose22 said:
But I don't care. I'm making a recommendation for today's young people based on today's experiences with different of today's young people. And that recommendation is an inexpensive SLR that fits exactly what young friends like.

I'm a crusty old boomer who arrived at the same time as the M3 but firmly believe if someone starting out in film photography is consistently getting good, well exposed images, they are much more likely to stay with it and want to learn more. The turn of the century plastic fantastic SLR are light, offer a variety of exposure modes and right now, pretty darn inexpensive. AE and the program modes are not a crutch, they're a gateway. As young people have done forever, they will experiment. If the firsts rolls look good, the chances of spinning the dial from Auto to Manual are increased. It's a lot easier to carry around a N80 or a Maxxum 5 than it is to lug around a Nikon F. They're easier and faster to use, a higher percentage of well exposed images and if they loose intrest in six months, there hasn't been a big investment.

Minox · Feb 17, 2023

Guys, I am really humbled and pleasantly surprised by the amount of responses, and I do thank you all for your kind and on point advices and opinions. These are greatly appreciated!!

After discussing with her some more, she decided that she wants to try one of my Canons, an old but in perfect working condition AV1. I have explained the basics of the camera (mainly the aperture priority meaning and functionality), gave her the manual and a couple of 100 bw films. I guess that in good time she will commandeer one of my Nikons, and I do hope so .

I'll see how this develops in the future. One good thing though is that the amateur that I am was always speaking with her about this and that related to photography, even if she was small and didn't understood what the heck I was saying. It's just a habit to discuss about all kind of stuff with her, no matter the subject.

But these kids are like sponges, they absorb much more information that I thought they would. She surprised me when she explained to me the depth of field principles, related to the F settings of a lens (all right, not in professional terms), and I do not even remember teaching her about this, not on purpose anyways (so this is the setting that makes those wonderful pictures of mom, her face clear and everything else hazy - referring to the shallow dof).

Again, thank you so much, I do hope you all have a great w/end !!

BrianShaw · Feb 17, 2023

She made a good decision and seems to have good plans. Congratulations!

guangong · Feb 17, 2023

My eight year old grandson wanted an SLR. I got him a Pentax Spotmatic with 50mm lens for a good price. He understands that a picture requires certain amount of light, which is decided by the size of the hole and how long the hole is left open. This idea is not beyond a child’s understanding. He enjoys puzzles. Also, living in south Florida, natural lighting is rather constant.
Also removed batteries from camera so he is dependent upon simple exposure table.

grain elevator · Feb 17, 2023

You've already solved this but here's a consideration I'd like to add: if automation is wanted, a camera with the auto setting on the same physical dial as the manual settings, like the Nikon FE with its auto position on the shutter speed dial, makes it easy to understand what that's about and hard to forget what the camera is set to.

IMetodiev · Feb 23, 2023

I have and recommend Minolta X700, it's light, cheap, smooth and very capable. Paired with a 50mm it's an excellent starter camera.

__Brian · Feb 23, 2023

I've given away 3 SLR's in the last 6 weeks to teen-age friends of my Daughter, expressing interest. Pentax ME-Super with 50/1.4, Nikon N8008s with 35~80, and Konica FC-1 with 50/1.8. The one that gets the most use is the N8008s. Nothing wrong with program mode as you are learning, they can concentrate on framing.

The Canon AV-1, good choice. I also gave away a Canon FTb with 50/1.8 to a friend for his teenage daughter.

Sirius Glass · Feb 23, 2023

Many years ago I bought a Minolta X700 for my daughter and after about 10 years it was sold for more than I paid for it.

alanrockwood · Feb 24, 2023

Consider a Canon EOS 300x (also known as Rebel T2), EOS 300v (also known as Rebel Ti), or EOS 300 (also known as Rebel 2000). The T2 is slightly higher level than the Ti, and the 2000 is slightly lower level than the Ti. Of the three I would prefer the T2.

Get the kit zoom lens with the camera. All of the above are very competent cameras, and they sell for cheap on ebay. You should be able to pick one up for under $100, sometimes under $50 with a little patience.

Starting with one of these, she may want to just stick with it forever. However, there is a growth path if desired, in both body and lens.

As far as being a "manual" camera is concerned, any of these is a manual camera if you set the mode selector to M.

On the other hand, if you want to stay compatible with your Nikon system then get one of the Nikon models that correspond roughly to the Canon models I above mentioned. Pretty much anything I said about the Canon model line would apply to the Nikon model line as well.

Minox · Feb 27, 2023

Guys, I am very grateful for all your help and good advice. I have attached here a photograph of my daughter, with her first SLR, an Olympus OM10. The photograph was taken with my Nikon FM3A, Nikkor Micro 55/2.8, film is Fomapan 100. I had a blue filter on that day.

All the best to all !

wiltw · Feb 27, 2023

Autonerd said:
I have to wonder if digital has led us to take the wrong approach. I remember the first time I used an SLR -- I think it was a Canon, definitely all-manual, and a friend of my dad's loaned it to me to take some train pictures. I'm guessing she set the shutter speed to 1/60. She told me to focus and to turn the aperture ring until "the needle lines up with the lollypop". Worked! Aside from one badly underexposed photo, I got a deck of usable shots. Wasn't a leap to match-needle metering on my KX a few years later.

Aaron

It is wrong to blame 'digital'...ALL of the exposure automation existed in the days of film cameras, and originated there!!! Autoexposure in SLRs existed even in the 1960's, aimed mostly to the amateur. Autoexposure automation simply gained sophistication, with progression to professional grade bodies and user-selected mode flexibility in following decades.

T70 - Canon Camera Museum

Here, you can find out about Canon's Film Cameras > T > T70.

global.canon

"

Marketed

April 1984

The second T-series camera. The camera kit included an FD 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens or an FD 28-55mm f/3.5-4.5.

The large LCD panel and key-touch buttons had a major impact on 35mm SLR cameras that followed. The T70 features shutter speed-priority TTL AE, TTL multi-program AE, and preset aperture AE. The dual metering system gives a choice of center-weighted averaging metering and partial metering at the center. In 1984, the camera won the Good Design Award (from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry) and the European Camera of the Year Award."

Huss · Feb 27, 2023

Minox said:
Guys, I am very grateful for all your help and good advice. I have attached here a photograph of my daughter, with her first SLR, an Olympus OM10. The photograph was taken with my Nikon FM3A, Nikkor Micro 55/2.8, film is Fomapan 100. I had a blue filter on that day.

All the best to all !

Nice!

That was my first SLR too! I think I was 13 or 14.

xkaes · Feb 27, 2023

Minox said:
Guys, I am very grateful for all your help and good advice. I have attached here a photograph of my daughter, with her first SLR, an Olympus OM10. The photograph was taken with my Nikon FM3A, Nikkor Micro 55/2.8, film is Fomapan 100. I had a blue filter on that day.

All the best to all !

That's a great choice. Now we can move on to why your Nikon FM3A is underexposing your photos -- but I have a better idea. Let you daughter figure it out.

Minox · Feb 27, 2023

And why would that be?

cliveh · Feb 27, 2023

Pentax K1000

First SLR for my daughter

SteveInConverse

Bill Burk

Moose22

Patrick Robert James

Rick A

MattKing

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Bill Burk

Autonerd

Autonerd

Moose22

madNbad

Minox

BrianShaw

guangong

grain elevator

IMetodiev

__Brian

Sirius Glass

alanrockwood

Minox

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wiltw

T70 - Canon Camera Museum

Huss

xkaes

Minox

cliveh

First SLR for my daughter

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