"I want a simple SLR" says my 15y/o son. Err, no you don't!

[OlyMan]

One of my 15 year old twin boys has taken an interest in photography since I resurrected the use of my OM's this past summer. So the other day he suddenly announced that he wants 'a simple SLR' that he can use to learn photography. But truth is, he doesn't want a simple SLR as we know the term: born of the iPhone generation, I had to try to explain that the 'simple SLR' he thinks he needs won't do any thinking for him, and he'd have to set the focus, shutter speed and aperture. "What the heck's an aperture?!". Long talk ensued, as you can imagine. And that's the baseline we're starting at.

After which we've decided what he wants is a program camera that initially will do all the thinking for him (except probably focussing, for the reason given below) and allow him to take control at his own pace while rewarding him with good results that will motivate him to learn.

So I'm looking for ideas. Essential features are:

- Program mode to initially use to gain confidence
- Aperture priority and manual mode for when his ambitions branch out
- Split-image viewfinder to make MF easy (so I think that probably excludes most AF cameras except for a few oddities like the quirky Olympus OM30)
- Genuine manual controls on the lens/body for aperture and shutter speed, not hidden in menus or multipurpose dials and switches. (Again that alienates many AF cameras, so I think it's likely we'll be looking at purely MF cameras).
- Cheap, so $100 / £100 or less for a working example with a lens, on the assumption this will turn out to be a flash in the pan (but if it isn't, no harm done and I've kickstarted a hobby for life for him)

On the radar already is of course the excellent Minolta X700 and the underrated Olympus OM40 / OM-PC.
Pentax / Canon / Nikon must surely have had equivalents? Yet I can't think of them!

All ideas welcomed.

 

[Chan Tran]

You can give him P&S Digital camera (I know it's supposed to be a film post) but I think that's what he wants.
You can give him the Iphone or equivalent.
He's 15 and can't understand the aperture thingy after your attempt to teach him then he shouldn't have a camera. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to learn the aperture, shutter speed, ISO stuff for a 15 year old.

 

[Cholentpot]

Canon Rebel with a 50mm.

It's plastic, it's cheap and if he can't make a good photo with it forget it. Disown him.

To meet your criteria I would look for an OM-G or Pentax ME Super. Both act and look classic and both are still pretty cheap. Pentax and Olympus glass are out of this world.

 

[gr82bart]

Get him a Lomo. It's hip. It's fun. It's his generation. Getting him gramp's camera won't do the trick. My 2 cents.

Regards, Art

 

[pathdoc]

Pentax P30T. Manual, Aperture and Program. Manual wind and focus. Loading so easy a nine year old could do it. Diagonal split prism. Self timer.

Downsides: DX coding only with 100 ASA default, no exposure compensation dial. Absolutely needs batteries but these are LR44 type so easily gotten. Some iterations have no cable release port.

 

[Vaughn]

I think both of you really want a TLR, and hopefully therapy will help.

Edited to add a thumbs up for the various Canon Rebels. Our beginning students did well with them. I remember them having auto-loading, too.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Another vote for a Canon Rebel of some flavor (they made the film ones for a LONG time, with a number of different models, the distinctions between which escape me now). You can get a Rebel with a kit zoom for not much money at all, and it will be a proper idiot camera when he just wants to dork around and point-n-shoot, but all the fancy stuff can be switched off when he wants to as well, or use it in-between in Aperture or Shutter Preferred. And they're incredibly rugged for a cheap camera too.

 

[saman13]

Nikon FG is small and checks all the boxes. Plus they can easily be found for under $30.

 

[pbromaghin]

BINGO! on the X-700. It's the extremely capable heart of a system that, back in the day, would work all the way from beginner to pro.

 

[mgb74]

As the saying goes, "a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down".

So let's recognize that most 15 year olds are sensitive to how they appear to peers. A film camera will have a certain panache to a 15yo if it looks "retro" enough. I suggest you get him a Leica M3. But if you're willing to chance scarring him for life, then something like an OM2, a Nikon FG, or a Minolta XD will work just fine.

 

[GWalls]

Just get him a Nikon F3. Looks and feels like a real camera, not a toy. Has aperture priority, automatic mode and great view finder. A great selection of affordable lenses.

 

[AgX]

- Program mode to initially use to gain confidence
- Aperture priority and manual mode for when his ambitions branch out
- Split-image viewfinder to make MF easy (so I think that probably excludes most AF cameras except for a few oddities like the quirky Olympus OM30)
- Genuine manual controls on the lens/body for aperture and shutter speed, not hidden in menus or multipurpose dials and switches. (Again that alienates many AF cameras, so I think it's likely we'll be looking at purely MF cameras).
- Cheap, so $100 / £100 or less for a working example with a lens, on the assumption this will turn out to be a flash in the pan (but if it isn't, no harm done and I've kickstarted a hobby for life for him)

Canon AE-1Program

But with two issues:
-) camera with lens would be much cheaper than 100$ (likely too cheap for you...)
-) In plain autoexposure it has time-priority

 

[Dennis S]

My vote is for the X-700 you mentioned and with any Rokkor glass he will pleased.

 

[Bill Burk]

OM-4, auto will take care of the ease of use and can go to manual anytime

 

[MartinCrabtree]

Another for the Canon AE-1 Program. The bonus is FD glass is cheap compared to the other brands and every bit as good.

 

[Sirius Glass]

BINGO! on the X-700. It's the extremely capable heart of a system that, back in the day, would work all the way from beginner to pro.

+1 I used it for years and one of my children learned on it.

 

[jim10219]

How about the Nikon N2020? It’s got program, aperture priority, manual, a split prism, auto film advance, continuous or single settings, and easy load system, and autofocus. Plus it’s lightweight and takes AA or AAA batteries. It’s also pretty cheap. I have an N2000, which is the same but without autofocus, and it’s far and away my best camera for under $10.

If you want something with program, aperture priority, manual, split prism and depth of field preview in a more vintage looking body, check out the Pentax Super Program.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Nikon N75, Nikon F-100.

 

[removed account4]

giv e him a pentax k1000 or equivalent and say when the arrow in is in
the middle that is the correct everthing .. thats what a lot of people did when
they were that age .. in a different decade
don't pander to the auto everything ... if he wants it , he wants if, if not , sell it ..

 

[Cholentpot]

How about the Nikon N2020? It’s got program, aperture priority, manual, a split prism, auto film advance, continuous or single settings, and easy load system, and autofocus. Plus it’s lightweight and takes AA or AAA batteries. It’s also pretty cheap. I have an N2000, which is the same but without autofocus, and it’s far and away my best camera for under $10.

If you want something with program, aperture priority, manual, split prism and depth of field preview in a more vintage looking body, check out the Pentax Super Program.

I was going to suggest the N2000. It's 80's retro cool looking and very cheap. Also the N75 is nice, it's got the built in electronic rangefinder for manual lenses. Batteries are a little pricey though...

 

[shutterfinger]

Nikon FA , FG or Canon AE1.
Nikon F3 and F4 were pro workhorses, FM, FM2, FM3 are all manual.

 

[MattKing]

How about your OM-2sp (known as an OM-2s over here)?

 

[keenmaster486]

Firsthand experience speaking here - I learned photography in general on my farher's Pentax P30t, since digital SLR's were rather out of my league price-wise.

 

[albada]

+1 for the AE-1 Program.
As soon as I read your post, I said to myself, "he just described the AE-1 Program".

Mark Overton

- Program mode to initially use to gain confidence
- Aperture priority and manual mode for when his ambitions branch out
- Split-image viewfinder to make MF easy (so I think that probably excludes most AF cameras except for a few oddities like the quirky Olympus OM30)
- Genuine manual controls on the lens/body for aperture and shutter speed, not hidden in menus or multipurpose dials and switches. (Again that alienates many AF cameras, so I think it's likely we'll be looking at purely MF cameras).
- Cheap, so $100 / £100 or less for a working example with a lens, on the assumption this will turn out to be a flash in the pan (but if it isn't, no harm done and I've kickstarted a hobby for life for him)

Canon AE-1Program

But with two issues:
-) camera with lens would be much cheaper than 100$ (likely too cheap for you...)
-) In plain autoexposure it has time-priority

 

[tomfrh]

Canon Rebel with a 50mm.

This.

Better option than an AE-1 series.

He can put it in green mode and take it from there.

the 40mm pancake is a good lens too.