What 35mm camera would you recommend for the cost of a meal?

[miha]

My pick would be the Canon EOS 650. It is a no-fuss reliable 35mm film camera with a large, bright viewfinder and full compatibility with Canon’s EOS system, including Image stabilization. The design is clean and built to prioritize ease of use. The camera just goes, without getting in your way. You can often find this classic SLR for the price of lunch (€/$20 to €/$30).

What other cameras would you recommend for a similar price range?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Any working camera that someone gifts to you.

 

[Nitroplait]

A Nikon F801s.
With an AF 35-70mm it can probably be had for under $50.
A great platform for both Nikkor Ai and AF/AF-D lenses.

 

[Paul Howell]

Minolta 5
Minolta 700
Nikon N90
Konica T3
Konica A, less expensive than the T3
Konica TC
Pentax Spotmatic
Canon T70
Minolta XM

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Well I guess it depend on how much you speed on your lunch.My lunch goes from $5 to $10 so probably a cardboard box with a pinhole?

 

[Hunter_Compton]

Kodak Signet 35. It's a delightful compact 35mm camera with a coupled coincident image rangefinder viewfinder. It has a stellar 44mm f/3.5 Ektar lens. The shutter is limited in speeds and they often gum up, but the shutters are also very simple and easy to work on. When you can often find them for under $20 I suggest everyone try one at least once.

 

[cliveh]

What a strange question! Where are you dining?

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Probably mussing if it worth skipping dinner to get a new camera?

 

[miha]

What a strange question! Where are you dining?

Care to elaborate?

 

[miha]

Probably mussing if it worth skipping dinner to get a new camera?

Skipping dinner for a new camera could be a great idea! It promotes healthy habits.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

My pick would be the Canon EOS 650. It is a no-fuss reliable 35mm film camera with a large, bright viewfinder and full compatibility with Canon’s EOS system, including Image stabilization. The design is clean and built to prioritize ease of use. The camera just goes, without getting in your way. You can often find this classic SLR for the price of lunch (€/$20 to €/$30).

What other cameras would you recommend for a similar price range?

You have expensive lunches.

 

[markaudacity]

My pick would be the Canon EOS 650.

Seconded. The 650/630/620 are as cheap now as a K1000 was in the aughts, and are solid cameras. I like how minimal they are by comparison to modern SLRs, and their metering system is more than good enough for slides.

They even do very respectable auto fill flash!

 

[miha]

They even do very respectable auto fill flash!

True, and this is why I got a Speedlight 430 for the price of a cup of coffee (apologies to @RalphLambrecht in advance)

 

[cliveh]

Care to elaborate?

Are you dining at McDonalds or the Ritz

 

[miha]

Minolta 5
Minolta 700
Nikon N90
Konica T3
Konica A, less expensive than the T3
Konica TC
Pentax Spotmatic
Canon T70
Minolta XM

Can you share what made each camera a favorite on your list?

 

[miha]

Are you dining at McDonalds or the Ritz

Are we nitpicking? I mentioned the price range in my original post. Btw, I've never dined at the Ritz.

 

[cliveh]

Are we nitpicking? I mentioned the price range in my original post.

Apologies miha, I missed that bit.

 

[miha]

Apologies miha, I missed that bit.

There's no need to apologize! But I do remember you have a soft spot for a Pentax Spotmatic, am I right?

 

[cliveh]

There's no need to apologize! But I do remember you have a soft spot for a Pentax Spotmatic, am I right?

Perhaps, but probably more so for a Pentax 1000, although I would never really use one as I prefer my Leica.

 

[miha]

Perhaps, but probably more so for a Pentax 1000, although I would never really use one as I prefer my Leica.

I know you do, and that just proves you made the right choice.

 

[Paul Howell]

Can you share what made each camera a favorite on your list?

Minolta 5, many good features, light, has matrix and spot, a back focus button, uses 1 CR 2 batteries, viewfinder is bright, readout easy to read.
Konica T3, shutter speed preferred auto exposure, 1/125th flash synch, full information read out, outstanding lens, works on 2 625 hearing aid batteries.
Minolta XGM had full manual override, light, good viewfinder, complete range of quality mf lens.
Spotmatic, basic camera, easy to use, uses just any battery that will fit the battery compartment, huge selection of lens, very good build quality
Konica A, stipped down T, 1/500 top shutter speed, no off and on switch, just an easy to use no frill camera with shutter speed auto exposure.
Minolta 7000, great bright viewfinder, uses 2 AAA batteries, early matrix metering, most of the time I use mine in manual mode.
Konica TC, replaced the A and A3, all plastic, but all mechanical shutter, like all Konica T shutter speed auto exposure.
Canon T70, think of a T90 light.

 

[miha]

Thank you, Paul.

 

[Paul Howell]

Minolta 5, many good features, light, has matrix and spot, a back focus button, uses 1 CR 2 batteries, viewfinder is bright, readout easy to read.
Konica T3, shutter speed preferred auto exposure, 1/125th flash synch, full information read out, outstanding lens, works on 2 625 hearing aid batteries.
Minolta XGM had full manual override, light, good viewfinder, complete range of quality mf lens.
Spotmatic, basic camera, easy to use, uses just any battery that will fit the battery compartment, huge selection of lens, very good build quality
Konica A, stipped down T, 1/500 top shutter speed, no off and on switch, just an easy to use no frill camera with shutter speed auto exposure.
Minolta 7000, great bright viewfinder, uses 2 AAA batteries, early matrix metering, most of the time I use mine in manual mode.
Konica TC, replaced the A and A3, all plastic, but all mechanical shutter, like all Konica T shutter speed auto exposure.
Canon T70, think of a T90 light.

Forgot the N90, better AF than the F4, rugged, used by AP, Army, AF, can use most Nikon lens, AI or AIS MF and AF, to D, not G or E. Uses AA batteries. Mirror lock, ME, matrix, average, and spot metering.

 

[mshchem]

N90 or a really sticky F100, some F100 bodies I've seen are terribly sticky. There's remedies out there.

 

[4season]

It might still be possible to get a Nikkormat FTn w/lens for the cost of a pretty good lunch. They're kind of a brick, but they are relatively easy to service, and quality is top-notch.