In your opinion, what are the best modern 35mm film SLRs ever built?

[Andrew O'Neill]

No bells and no whistles Pentax K1000

 

[Paul Howell]

Only if they are shooting the true DSLRs, not the translucent mirror and much newer e mount. By the time of the translucent mirrors the only thing in common with the last of the Minolta's was the A mount.

 

[GregY]

I think Huss is on to something. Given one of the OP's desires ....
"I'm looking for a camera that'll let me use the very best/sharpest prime lenses."
is at odds with other statements like "is lightweight"
There's no question that for example Canon's L series lenses are incredibly sharp..... but small or lightweight they're not.
As for the quality of the "larger that 16x20" prints....will you be comparing only sharpness or also lens character?
At some point I think the different desires need to be prioritized.

 

[Huss]

The R lenses are just fantastic. Of course as long as you avoid the Sigma rebrands…. The Minolta rebrand - the 35-70 3.5 - is very good but if you’re going to use that it makes much more sense to buy the Minolta version for 1/10th the price and use it on something killer like an XK.

This pic taken w the gen-you-whine Leica 35-70 f4 ROM on the R9





This one taken with an R8 and Summicron 50




Other fantastic modem R options are the R7 and the R5/R-E

 

[Paul Howell]

"I have to say that I'm equally impressed with the Minolta Maxxum 7 (Dynax 7/Alpha 7), particularly because it's so lightweight and the lenses are apparently very good and can be used with my Sony a7R IV (albeit with an A-mount to E-mount adapter). Evidently, you can also pop in a roll of film, use it halfway, rewind said film, use another roll, go back to that half-used roll of film and go back to the frame you left off from. It also has a flash on the body, which I'm sure I'd find handy."

I don't know why I never taken the 7, it is a very nice camera, has most of the features of the 9, and then a few the 9 does not have, it came out after the 9 which is why it can use Minolta/Sony A mount SSM lens. Yesterday I walked the local zoo, took the Minolta 800si, battery grip, compared to the 9 it is light, used the fill in flash, the 800 has one of the most powerful on board flashes made. Next time I'll make it a point to battery up my 7, it needs a walk. With an adaptor any lens, gear or SSM you buy in A mount can be with your E mount body. I think you need the Sony version for gear drive.

 

[Huss]

FYI I am printing/selling at 24x36 from 35mm. And the images look great close up, no need to step back…
The most important thing for that is technique. None are on tripod, but all were handheld in bright sunlight w the lenses stopped down to at least F8 and a minimum shutter speed of 1/250. The next key step was scanning w my Z7 which renders an image at least 8000 pixels long.
From that no problem sharp 24x36 prints.

 

[Sirius Glass]

ROAR is great. Hasselblad's CLACK-PHOOK is also awesome. In fact, all medium format SLRs are fine, sure they're louder but the timbre is deeper. It's the tinny metallic mirror slap of 35mm SLRs that's disgusting, like dropping china on the floor. The F3 sounds better because it's closer to medium format.

I call it more of a TH-WACK!

 

[MartinCrabtree]

Don't have experience with many others but if I had to choose it would be between my F5 and Fm2n. The FM2n would win 'cause of the mechanical nature.

 

[Cholentpot]

I think Huss is on to something. Given one of the OP's desires ....
"I'm looking for a camera that'll let me use the very best/sharpest prime lenses."
is at odds with other statements like "is lightweight"
There's no question that for example Canon's L series lenses are incredibly sharp..... but small or lightweight they're not.
As for the quality of the "larger that 16x20" prints....will you be comparing only sharpness or also lens character?
At some point I think the different desires need to be prioritized.

Sharpest lens I own is a Pentax-A 50 f/2

It's small and light and fits on some very small and light pentax cameras.

 

[Paul Howell]

Most prime lens made in the last 40 years will resolve Tmax 100 and Ektar 100 stopped down to 5.6, most of the top tier lens like Pentax Limited Edition and Sigma Art will resolve wide to stopped down. Minolta lens are some of the sharpest made at the time but may be as good wide open as a Sigma 50mm 1.4 art. The Sigma line up is made in Sony A, the 7 should work with all Art lens, I do have a Sigma 50 1.4 but it is a older generation not the art, so not sure if the art will work with a 7.

 

[flavio81]

There's no question that for example Canon's L series lenses are incredibly sharp..... but small or lightweight they're not.

Mostly because they're insanely fast.

Instead of asking for a 35/1.4L you can ask Canon to create a 35/3.5L and I can bet you it will be a tiny lens, probably a pancake lens.

 

[Bill Burk]

Get a 24 or 35mm shift lens, and then buy the body it fits.

OM-1 has the viewfinder to beat. And it has real mirror lockup. Nikon viewfinders represent 100% of what’s at the film gate.

OM electronics are a finicky lot. OM-3 escapes reliance on electronics but no mirror lockup or even self-timer so those long exposures will require cable release and care. As for Nikon, I saw pictures of an F3 opened up and I don’t like its flexible circuits. I don’t want to be there when your F6 stops working. So depending on what lens series you chase, maybe go with Nikon and get an F or F2. The OM series lenses cost more than I think they’re worth (image quality per dollar). Love them but they command high prices.

 

[wiltw]

-has incredibly good metering capability (where even snow wouldn't confuse or trick the meter)

No meter, except for a spot meter (which can see only subject area and not what is around the subject) can avoid subject-failure induced exposure error!!!
Every meter is designed to take the metering area and average it all to 'midtone' gray. Matrix metering is an attempt to bias readings, but are subject to exposure error, just not quite as much error as simple averaging or weighted area metering.

 

[grat]

-has incredibly good metering capability (where even snow wouldn't confuse or trick the meter)

That's a tricky one. My EOS 90D, which appears to be the last APS-C DSLR from Canon, has superb metering, including a 220,000 pixel array with 216 zones, 45 point evaluative metering, partial, spot, and center-weighted metering, and a CPU more powerful than most 1990's era supercomputers. And it occasionally gets the metering wrong (Not often, but it has happened) through the OVF.

On the other hand, I find with center-weighted and/or spot metering, and AE lock, I can get a decent exposure of just about any scene if I'm paying attention.

 

[flavio81]

-is lightweight

Minox 35GL/GT/etc

-a very bright fresnel viewfinder, preferably with high magnification
[/B]

Mamiya RZ67

-includes mirror lockup

Mamiya RZ67

You want a Mamiya 67 with the weight of a Minox 35GL

It seems like the Nikon F6 or F100 might be the best way to go,

F6: Too expensive

F100: questionable materials choice (door latch breaks, etc). Not compatible with pre-AI lenses = insulting Nikon's own history.[/b]

 

[abruzzi]

By far, the most important aspect of this camera purchase is the lens ecosystem. Since I'm aiming to make some large prints (larger than 16" x 20") with my potential 35mm film camera, I'm looking for a camera that'll let me use the very best/sharpest prime lenses. (I suppose zoom lenses, even the very 'best' ones, are out, but you tell me!) While this is totally subjective (and thus perhaps even meaningless to mention), I also do like lenses that have 'character.'

it certainly isn't what I'd want, but given that sharpness and ultra high resolution is what drives most of modern lens design, I'd suggest picking a system that allows easy usage of modern--i.e. 2010's and 2020's lenses. And while there is a degree of that compatibility with other manufacturers, the Canon EF system probably has the best forward and backward compatibility. So I would suggest getting a late EOS film camera--I'm not very familiar with the models--1v maybe? Then buy some Zeiss Otus lenses or other obscenely expensive or sharp lenses. Assuming the Nikon F6 can work with G lenses (Nikon lenses with no aperture ring) that could also be a good choice.

 

[Cholentpot]

it certainly isn't what I'd want, but given that sharpness and ultra high resolution is what drives most of modern lens design, I'd suggest picking a system that allows easy usage of modern--i.e. 2010's and 2020's lenses. And while there is a degree of that compatibility with other manufacturers, the Canon EF system probably has the best forward and backward compatibility. So I would suggest getting a late EOS film camera--I'm not very familiar with the models--1v maybe? Then buy some Zeiss Otus lenses or other obscenely expensive or sharp lenses. Assuming the Nikon F6 can work with G lenses (Nikon lenses with no aperture ring) that could also be a good choice.

Elan II, it's light and it works.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Assuming the Nikon F6 can work with G lenses (Nikon lenses with no aperture ring) that could also be a good choice.

It can, indeed. I use G lenses with mine, all the time.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

My F5 works with G lenses.

 

[Huss]

F75 works w G lenses

 

[Cholentpot]

F75 works w G lenses

F75 also makes an excellent anchor.

 

[Paul Howell]

Any camera system that will take Sigma Art lens.

 

[MattKing]

Argumentative posts about philosophy deleted, plus some responses.
This is a thread about cameras and lenses.

 

[Huss]

F75 also makes an excellent anchor.

It's a bit light weight for that. it was fun using it with my Sigma 35 and 50 Art lenses, albeit briefly. Felt like you were just holding a lens with a little handle attached to it!

 

[Nicklop]

wouldn't know I only have old stuff...