Student Seeking Suggestions/Advice From Advanced Photographer (35mm)

Gary Holliday said:

Not wanting to get into an argument, but an auto-focus system has absolutely nothing to do with composition, nor whatever image management is??

If you are photographing a grey sea with a grey sky, yes turn it off, but at least he has the option.

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Not exactly true - because the AF sensors are at fixed points in the viewfinder, there is a tendency to place the subject on one of these points when a position between sensors may produce a better composition.

The problem with the idea that you can simply turn off the AF and focus manually is that except for the most expensive pro cameras, AF cameras do not have a split-image focusing screen which makes manual focus difficult. An MF camera is usually much easier to focus manually than an AF camera.

Fortunately AF cameras are quite popular and used MF cameras can be had quite cheaply, so having both kinds of camera body is usually affordable.

Richard Kelham said:

One possible reason its not been suggested is because it is old and therefore likely to be unreliable, and difficult/impossible to repair. Errr, that's two reasons.

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Not sure about that. The only ones I can talk about are the ones I own...and both are very reliable. Why would they be any more difficult to repair than any other 35mm?

Errr, I'm old too...but I'm pretty reliable!


Mike

The problem with the idea that you can simply turn off the AF and focus manually is that except for the most expensive pro cameras, AF cameras do not have a split-image focusing screen which makes manual focus difficult. An MF camera is usually much easier to focus manually than an AF camera.

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I have to disagree. Many autofocus cameras still utilize the solid black dot when using a manual lens in manual mode. Therefore when you focus manually the black dot will show up as solid. If your out of focus an arrow will dpint left or right. My Nikon N70 is very manual friendly and extremely easy to focus any manual lens.

Hallo,

Briefly, I took up photography a couple of years ago and went down the manual camera route. It is frustrating but ultimately very enlightening. It involved a lot of waste and expense. If I were to start again with hindsight, I would also purchase a digital camera longside my film camera. Why?
Because I have come to realize that all great photography has great compositon - they are rules - forget photography; look up composition in painting; a digital is an inexpensive way of learning composition, over and over. Forget printing the result. Concentrate on the shot.
You may rarely get the light you want but with a strong sense of composition, one can still excel. Incidentally, I got a pentax k1000. It was fine. If I were to go again, I would purchase a Olympus OM T4. It is a smaller camera and the glass is terrific.
Good luck Mel.

spiralcity said:

I have to disagree. Many autofocus cameras still utilize the solid black dot when using a manual lens in manual mode. Therefore when you focus manually the black dot will show up as solid. If your out of focus an arrow will dpint left or right. My Nikon N70 is very manual friendly and extremely easy to focus any manual lens.

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I find using that dot to be much more difficult than a split-image. While I'm looking at the dot, my camera drifts off the subject. It is especially difficult when you're trying to follow some action.

The dot is easy. I may just be very used to using it but I can focus any manual lens I own with very little effort.

Mattg said:

Don't be fooled into thinking you need an expenisve camera to make great pictures, nothing could be further from the truth.

Manual controls, mechanical operation, good choice of cheap but good quality lenses are the things you should look for. For years the standard students' camera was the Pentax K1000, I think this would be a great place for you to start.

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what mattg said!
i got my k1000 in the early 80s .. and i am glad i did

good luck ashley

john