Recommend lightweight autofocus/autoexposure camera for my wife

Chaplain Jeff · Jul 9, 2009

Hello,

I've never held a Maxxum 5, but my mother has a Minolta 50, which is (to me) tiny and she absolutely loves it. She is NOT a camera person, but the thing is small and easy to use. She bought it from KEH along with a Minolta 35-70 AF lens. Until she bought her digi p/s it was her only camera / lens and she carried it everywhere.

It's the camera I wish I'd bought my wife instead of the clunky, user-unfriendly Nikon n80 seven years ago.

BetterSense · Jul 9, 2009

Is the Nikon N75 comparable in size and weight to the N80?

I just got back from the camera store where they had an N80, and it was pretty small, but stunningly light compared to my F4. Practically a feather. Very plasticky and cheap feeling too, but still. N80's seem to go for about what N75s do, and I don't know exactly what the differences are.

zesbaugh · Jul 9, 2009

Fred De Van said:
The Minolta Maxxum/Dynex 5 meets and exceeds your specs. It is a more advanced camera than your Nikon. Light as a feather. Uses any Minolta/Sony lens made since 1985 See specs and manual on Minolta web site.

Heartily second this one. First and only AF SLR bought new. Does everything well on it's own, or fully manual if wanted.
Seem to remember it being advertised as the smallest fully functional AF SLR available on the market, and that was just before the death of Film cameras so doubt anything smaller produced afterwards.
Was until recently backup for my Maxxum 7 (though never needed it), might still be if the wife hadn't recently co-opted for her own use.

BetterSense · Jul 9, 2009

The maxxum 5 looks very nice and it's cheap too, but I would have to buy a minolta AF prime lens. If I bought an N75 I could use a Nikon AF lens I already have or if I bought a Pentax MZ-5n or similar I could use my Pentax MF lenses on it until I could afford a Pentax AF lens. So although the maxxum 5 looks like the best one recommended so far, the glass situation makes it a bit worse than Nikon or Pentax.

flashgumby · Jul 10, 2009

BetterSense said:
The maxxum 5 looks very nice and it's cheap too, but I would have to buy a minolta AF prime lens. If I bought an N75 I could use a Nikon AF lens I already have or if I bought a Pentax MZ-5n or similar I could use my Pentax MF lenses on it until I could afford a Pentax AF lens. So although the maxxum 5 looks like the best one recommended so far, the glass situation makes it a bit worse than Nikon or Pentax.

Yep, sometimes you have to refrain from buying the best body in its class to save having to buy more lenses, as it takes some of the value out of the bargain price that the Dynax 5 is selling for

I was going to suggest the 5 as well, but I didn't because looking at what you already have, the Pentax might fit the bill better.

@ Chaplain Jeff - the Maxxum 50 is a perfectly good camera, but it isn't even half as good as a Maxxum 5. The model above the 50 (Maxxum 70) is in some ways better than a 5 but in other ways it is a step backwards.

I only replaced my 5 with a 600si, and then a Maxxum 7 because the 5 is just too darn small!!! And just maybe I'm a gear freak and can't resist temptation Funny thing is, I just can't bring myself to get rid of any of them...

Good luck with the decision,
Gordon

2F/2F · Jul 10, 2009

For auto focus to work well, it needs to be operated with a manual mindset anyhow, so this is not necessarily a fix-all solution unless she also learns to take manual control of her automatic focusing. When used for best results, it is not really auto focus. It is just motorized focus. If you don't manually tell it exactly what part of the composition to focus on, you get mixed results. If she can deal with single point AF and pull the AF command off of the shutter, then she will have perfect results every time. I would suggest one of the low end SLRs from whichever company you have a nice selection of compatible lenses. They are generally very light. Some won't allow you to remove the AF command from the shutter to a different button, however.

Pumal · Jul 10, 2009

Your wife would love the Pentax ME Super (No AF). OTOH; Olympus Stylus Epic fits the bill. I have one; small, compact, sharp. It travels in my shirt pocket all the time.

Elox · Jul 10, 2009

BetterSense said:
I need:
1. Autofocus
2. Program autoexposure preferably with Matrix or other idiot-proof metering
3. As small and light as possible.

................

What she really needs is a camera about the size of my ME Super or OM2, only AF with a program mode and matrix metering, but I don't there such a thing exists.

What about a Pentax ZX-30/50/60? Should be about the same size as the ME (but has a built-in grip) and would be about 3 or 4 oz lighter. Another option would be the Pentax *ist (film) but they tend to command much higher prices than the ZX bodies and are harder to find.

Sirius Glass · Jul 10, 2009

Another consideration is that the camera for your wife should use the same lenses that you have. Nikon-Nikon or Canon-Canon.

Steve

BetterSense · Jul 10, 2009

If she can deal with single point AF and pull the AF command off of the shutter, then she will have perfect results every time. I would suggest one of the low end SLRs from whichever company you have a nice selection of compatible lenses. They are generally very light. Some won't allow you to remove the AF command from the shutter to a different button, however.

I've never known of a camera that lets you remove the AF function from the shutter button; all the AF cameras I've ever used you had to press the shutter release down halfway to auto-focus.

Your wife would love the Pentax ME Super

I have several of those. I like them a alot, but she has a hard time focusing them at larger apertures.

What about a Pentax ZX-30/50/60? Should be about the same size as the ME (but has a built-in grip) and would be about 3 or 4 oz lighter. Another option would be the Pentax *ist (film) but they tend to command much higher prices than the ZX bodies and are harder to find.

I'm really leaning toward a MZ/ZX-5n or MZ-3. It seems to be very full- featured yet small. A N75 would be the cheapest thing because I already have AF nikon lenses, but at least I have manual-focus Pentax lenses. I can't find a *ist anywhere. What about those ZX-30/50/60 bodies? Are they the cheaper models, kind of how the OM10 is the cheaper model compared to the OM1?

Leighgion · Jul 13, 2009

Might I inquire what do you feel is wrong/what your wife feels is lacking with the Samsung P&S she is currently using?

It might not be high end, but if it works for her, that's what's important, right?

BetterSense · Jul 13, 2009

There's always that, of course. But I see her trying to use my cameras, it's just that they are too hard for her to focus. I just think that she would be even happier with a camera that was easy to use like the Samsung yet gave her better results like my cameras.

EASmithV · Jul 13, 2009

35mm Holga?

It fits all your requirements!

Auto exposure... Yeah don't worry about it.

Auto focus... You don't have to worry about it! It does everything for you...

Recommend lightweight autofocus/autoexposure camera for my wife

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