Seeking recs for professional level 35mm camera for my son

GRHazelton · Jun 20, 2018

The Pentax LX is a professional level camera, comparatively small and light, especially compared to the Nikon F2 and F3, both of which I own. It takes a 2fps winder which is also relatively small and light. Like any camera 20 years old or more it may need servicing. CLAs on pro cameras are fairly expensive, so regardless of which used pro camera budget $200 for a CLA. Lenses are readily available, and essentially any K mount lens will work nicely with the LX, something not true of Canon given its variety of lens mounts. Nikon is better than Canon in that regard.

If lens interchangeability is not necessary, look into a leaf-shutter 35mm rangefinder. They're typically small, light, quiet, and most come with excellent lenses. A Retina IIIc or IIIC would be a good choice. The f 2 Xenon or uncommon Heligon are excellent lenses. Olympus, Nikon and others made a variety of such.

faberryman · Jun 20, 2018

My favorite camera is...

jimjm · Jun 20, 2018

If he wants the option of using autofocus lenses, then take a look at the Nikon F100, F5 or F6, and Canon EOS 1n or 1v.

I've not used the Canons, so can't give much more advice on those. The Nikon F100 is the smallest and lightest, F5 is the heaviest (and probably bomb-proof) and the F6 is the latest and still available new, but might be over your budget.

Arthurwg · Jun 20, 2018

I love my Nikon F100. I use a 28mm Nikon AF lens. Perfect.

markjwyatt · Jun 20, 2018

For street photography, light small, mechanical and flexible is good. With your budget he has money for some options (lenses etc.); though the 40mm f1.8 pancake would be great for a lot of street shooting.

Konica TC SLR 35mm film camera + f1.8 40mm lens
(example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/KONICA-AUT...802903&hash=item25eeeaf5f9:g:yT8AAOSwQYValgCw )

Review:
Konica Autoreflex TC

Wallendo · Jun 20, 2018

It may be worthwhile for you or your son to contact the instructors at his new school to see what they recommend.

jgoody · Jun 20, 2018

Wallendo said:
It may be worthwhile for you or your son to contact the instructors at his new school to see what they recommend.

This is the best advice.

guangong · Jun 20, 2018

Although for 35mm I lean toward Leica rf and Leicaflex/Nikon F, in this instance I would recommend a Nikon over all others because of the huge number of lenses, etc available compared to all other SLR cameras...and therefore high quality at a good price. Your son probably has some idea what he wants, but if I were beginning photography today, a Nikon would be my first choice. This is not to say that Nikons are better, but just more stuff available. Repairs also easier to come by.

johnha · Jun 20, 2018

As film cameras (at least 35mm SLRs) are no longer made (excepting perhaps a Nikon F6 on special order), most 'pro' level cameras will be over 10yrs old - many will have been heavily used and abused by pros. £1000 is a large budget for.a used 35mm film camera unless you're looking at Leica or Contax G rangefinders, there are also a lot of medium format options available (but only a handful of auto-focus capable cameras). There's so much variety available, the best advice would be for him to go to a used gear dealer or camera fair and get 'hands-on' with various models to see which he feels most comfortable with (handling really is an important factor).

As he has no current film gear, it's likely that an auto-focus SLR from Nikon or Canon is the most practical option - they both produced a range of pro level cameras for which lenses are still available new today. There should be plenty of examples to choose from, look for one that looks like it's only had light amateur use rather than being bashed about by a pro. Bear in mind that some '90s era camera batteries can be hard to find or expensive and any OEM NiCd battery 'booster' packs will probably be exhausted or won't last much longer - something that has the option of commonly available batteries like AA's would be worth looking at.

John.

Poisson Du Jour · Jun 20, 2018

My God, AU$1, 800 is a hell of a lot for a used pro-level camera. You could by two Canon EOS 1V bodies for that (not often seen in second hand windows as people hang on to these cameras, and well looked-after cameras go for around AU$700 with power drive booster E1) , and still have change for a wide or ultra wide and lens or zoom for street use.

mshchem · Jun 20, 2018

Wallendo said:
It may be worthwhile for you or your son to contact the instructors at his new school to see what they recommend.

+++1.

John Koehrer · Jun 20, 2018

The best argument for having your son choose the system is ergonomics. Consider that both Canon and Nikon are the two most well
known as professional grade cameras(F100, F4, F5, F6 and the Eos 1n, 1v) mentioned above. AF or MF choice, Auto/Manual etc.

Is your son a big man? If not, the Nikon F100 is the smallest and the others are bulkier and heavier. In the grand scheme of things
the bodies/lenses are just personal preference.

mshchem · Jun 20, 2018

Buy a Holga 120 30-40 dollars. Don't spend money, wait until he knows what he needs. Find a cheap functional used camera, I would definitely check with the instructor.

jgoody · Jun 20, 2018

I would concur that you have a good budget -- but don't spend a huge amount on the body. There are plenty of good offerings from Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Pentax, in single lens reflex 35mm, as well as older rangefinders from Leica, and Canon -- not to mention Rollei etc for medium format -- but be aware that nearly all film cameras are old and may need a CLA (clean lube adjust) or repair. I would allow for that in the budget. A good place to buy is a trusted repair specialist in the cameras you are interested in - they sometimes have cameras that are CLAed and guaranteed. I would assume that as a student your son would be better off with as manual a camera as possible. What cameras did he get at the charity shop - perhaps he has something that can be salvaged there - or has developed a preference?

Ko.Fe. · Jun 20, 2018

Do not buy any camera. If kid doesn't know what camera for street photography, he is not into it really, yet. T3 is good enough for it now.
I would take it on the street instead of any SLR.
He needs to get into the street for real, not just stroll for few slides.
Once he will do it and study street photography as any art, he will know which camera to get.

If it has to be SLR as camera for this school get Canon EOS system. It supports current lenses and flashes; so less old junk to crap out with extencive use.

narsuitus · Jun 20, 2018

1. Contact the school for recommendations.

2. Allow your son to make his selection.

3. Take your son shopping and allow him to make his selection.

4. Let us know what you and your son decide to do.

CMoore · Jun 20, 2018

RhodriMawr said:
My son will be going to London to study photography at university. My wife and I purchased him a DSLR two years ago but he has discovered that he prefers working on a film camera. Unfortunately, the camera that he uses is my old Contax T3, which is a point and shoot that isn't really great for professional photography, he has many other cameras that he purchased from charity shops, but my wife and I would like to get him a high quality, professional 35mm camera. Which models do you recommend?

His style of photography is mostly street photography, and he mainly uses the film used to make slides to go in a projector, he also uses a lot of black and white film.

Our budget is £1000/AU$1800, or around US$1320. We can't really afford to spend more on the camera itself because we would also like to purchase lenses and other accessories, including a film scanner and a newer slide projector.

Thank you for your assistance.

I have to ask, the title of your post, that word....."Professional".
Is that YOUR phrasing, or did your son say......."I need a professional level SLR."
The term is (almost) meaningless anymore. A professional Can and Does shoot with any camera.
Canon AE1-P
Canon A-1
Olympus OM20
Minolta X570
Pentax K1000
They were never considered a "Pro" camera, but they are STILL around, still working just fine and many "Pros" use them.
At one time a Pro Body implied some kind of Durability and Quality, and a certain number of accessories and Prisms.
But now, circa 2015, we see even the "Entry Level" 35mm SLR is (still) taking fine pictures.
I would be much more concerned with buying lens that were in good shape, and buying one of several bodies that are of the same brand as the lens.
Ask your son what he really "Needs".
Buy one of those bodies, send it for a CLA, and get some lens for it that are in good shape. I do not think you will even "Need" to spend more than 500-800 US Dollars for all of it
good luck

abruzzi · Jun 20, 2018

I he wants professional quality (i.e. rugged build) auto focus capability, but the ability to go full manual, then to me my first though is Nikon F4, F5 or F6. A lot of models being pitched don't do auto focus, but those three do--assuming you have an AF lens. The other benefit of the Nikons is their wide (even current) lens selection. I'm not familiar with the Canon AF bodies, but I'm sure they made some nice ones. Of the AF capable Pentax bodies, the MZ-S is the only one that seem close to "professional", and I'm not sure I'd recommend it over the Nikons. Minolta made some nice AF SLRs, but I don't know much about them either.

moto-uno · Jun 21, 2018

Pm me , for the price of postage I may have something that's needed a good cause !
Peter

AgX · Jun 21, 2018

RhodriMawr said:
We would also like to purchase ... a newer slide projector.

There are no longer 35mm slide projectors made. Recently the german manufacturer Reflecta sold his last samples.

One either can buy used ones "as is" (what I do not consider a large risk) or can buy refurbished ones at much, much higher cost.

Bill Burk · Jun 21, 2018

Shoot, where to start?

If I were in the position where I wanted to shoot slide film and had to buy everything, I would buy an OM-4T and have it sent to be Cleaned-Lubed-Adjusted (CLA).

I would want a starter set of lenses, so OM 50mm f/1.4, OM 35mm f/2, OM 85mm f/2 and a telephoto such as OM 180 f/2.8 but that purchase could be deferred. As a backup body, an OM-1 also with CLA.

A pair of Kodak projectors would be fine should be able to get for under a hundred for the pair. And I'd get a 3M Digicue for about twenty bucks, to synchronize the slide shows to music.

If you could get all that, it would work.

Bill Burk · Jun 21, 2018

I meant to say, manual focus cameras and lenses feel more responsive to the touch than autofocus. I would not recommend an autofocus camera.

Others may disagree, and I suppose professional grade Nikon or Canon may be worth checking out. But don't go too old. I find the first-generation EOS vintage autofocus lacking in response time.

George Mann · Jun 21, 2018

I would recommend a camera that is capable of full manual mode, with traditional manual controls, and manual lenses as well (1 wide, 1 normal and 1 tele). Add a flash, a set of filters, a tripod or monopod, and a good bag and strap.

Poisson Du Jour · Jun 21, 2018

Bill Burk said:
But don't go too old. I find the first-generation EOS vintage autofocus lacking in response time.

Avoiding vintage EOS camera that rely on the flimsy 2CR5 batteries behind the hand grip will go some way toward improving AF performance, but snappy AF speed (and accuracy) are really only the preserve of higher-specified amateur and professional-level bodies e.g. the EOS 1N (and variants) and also the EOS 3 and 1V are all tuned to provide high speed AF response and accuracy with all EF lenses, but very especially all of the power-intensive L-series lenses that perform best when the heavier duty power source of the power drive booster E1 is fitted. When those cameras are fitted with just the standard 2CR5 battery, AF performance can be significantly retarded, even more so if the lens has image stabilisation.

Having thought about it, I cannot see the intrinsic value of a professional-level camera for a student setting out in street photography. It is significant that I recall an Australian photographer who mastered street photography with nothing more than an Olympus XA!

EdSawyer · Jun 21, 2018

For the EOS lineup, the 1V is the king, and the best choice if you go that route.

Seeking recs for professional level 35mm camera for my son

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency