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

[DWThomas]

A bit tedious to use, but there's always an Argus C-3!

 

[Anon Ymous]

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 can get an EOS 300V for that much. Actually, I bought a couple for less than 20€ each few years ago.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

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 pay far too much for lunch.

How about a Pentax SPF for 4 USD? edit - with the 55/1.8.

 

[M-88]

Nikon n8008/F-801 or N/F80 sound reasonable to me. They cost much cheaper compared to what they are capable of. Want backward compatibility with manual lenses? Go for n8008. Want better compatibility with modern ones? Then it's N80.

P.S. In my country, the only thing you can get for lunch money is either a disposable camera, or a roll of color negative film. Noth cameras mentioned by me go for as "little" as 70-90$

 

[Sanug]

In Germany you can get a Praktica M series (MTL, LTL...) with Pentacon 1.8/50 for close to nothing. Even cheaper is the Revueflex ML labelled version of the Praktica MTL50.

 

[miha]

You can get an EOS 300V for that much. Actually, I bought a couple for less than 20€ each few years ago.

How is the viewfinder? Pentamirror?

 

[miha]

In Germany you can get a Praktica M series (MTL, LTL...) with Pentacon 1.8/50 for close to nothing. Even cheaper is the Revueflex ML labelled version of the Praktica MTL50.

But would you recommend it overall?

 

[Sanug]

But would you recommend it overall?

It depends on your expectation and your needs. With Praktica you get a fully mechanical system camera with robust shutter mechanism and a big and bright viewfinder. With M42 mount you will have a great choice concerning lenses.

On the negative side, it is loud, heavy, and you will feel the mirror slap. No automatic at all, just a TTL metering with needle.

No problem finding a battery, a PX 625 A / 1.5 V alkaline battery will do (no need to convert to 1.35 V).

An alternative may be the Asahi Pentax Spotmatic. But many Spotmatics suffer from hanging mirrors and shutter problems at 1/1000s.

 

[koraks]

Lunches have become quite expensive due to the analog revival.

 

[miha]

a big and bright viewfinder.

Bold take! I'm not certain I agree with it, though.

 

[Anon Ymous]

How is the viewfinder? Pentamirror?

AFAIK, yes, but it never bothered me. It has very decent AF and metering, it's very light and small. Coupled with the 40mm STM makes a very small combination.

 

[miha]

AFAIK, yes, but it never bothered me. It has very decent AF and metering, it's very light and small. Coupled with the 40mm STM makes a very small combination.

The 40mm package will be my next and hopefully last lens for quite some time. I need to stop the GAS soon.

 

[Anon Ymous]

The 40mm package will be my next and hopefully last lens for quite some time. I need to stop the GAS soon.

Oh well, at least it won't be an expensive purchase.

 

[paddycook]

Olympus OM1n with a 50mm f1.8. Better viewfinder than any camera mentioned here, fully mechanical and a sweet little lens. Whole package is just about pocketable.

 

[miha]

Olympus OM1n with a 50mm f1.8. Better viewfinder than any camera mentioned here, fully mechanical and a sweet little lens. Whole package is just about pocketable.

For 30 bucks?

 

[paddycook]

For 30 bucks?

Well certainly not in minty condition no but I’ve seen local Craigslist ads for 50-60 bucks for this combo in ok condition. I guess the equivalent of lunch + a couple of beers..

 

[koraks]

lunch + a couple of beers..

A quick peek suggests that if you can find an OMN1 around here (which is a BIG if), it's going to cost €80-€200.
Craft beers for a trained alcoholic...?

Around the €20 mark, our local 2nd hand platform offers the following:
A Konica Z-up 70 for €30
An oddball Rheinmetall bakelite antique camera for €20
A Canon Prima Zoom 70F for €45
An Agfa Iso Rapid for €30
A Bella Bilora for €25
A medium format Agfa folder with working shutter for €20
A Pentax Espio 738 for €29
A Polaroid Image2 for €25
A Minox 35PL that apparently comes alive when batteries are inserted; operation unknown otherwise, for €45
...etc.

In other words: not a whole lot worth skipping lunch for. Definitely nothing along the lines of what people suggested in this thread so far. Such cameras are offered, but generally starting at around €100.

I suspect many here are severely underestimating what this analog revival thing has been doing to second hand camera prices.

 

[benjiboy]

It depends where you buy your meals, is it a greasy spoon cafe , or the Four Seasons?.

 

[paddycook]

A quick peek suggests that if you can find an OMN1 around here (which is a BIG if), it's going to cost €80-€200.
Craft beers for a trained alcoholic...?

Around the €20 mark, our local 2nd hand platform offers the following:
A Konica Z-up 70 for €30
An oddball Rheinmetall bakelite antique camera for €20
A Canon Prima Zoom 70F for €45
An Agfa Iso Rapid for €30
A Bella Bilora for €25
A medium format Agfa folder with working shutter for €20
A Pentax Espio 738 for €29
A Polaroid Image2 for €25
A Minox 35PL that apparently comes alive when batteries are inserted; operation unknown otherwise, for €45
...etc.

In other words: not a whole lot worth skipping lunch for. Definitely nothing along the lines of what people suggested in this thread so far. Such cameras are offered, but generally starting at around €100.

I suspect many here are severely underestimating what this analog revival thing has been doing to second hand camera prices.

I guess the OP may want to increase his budget then.

 

[4season]

Olympus OM1n with a 50mm f1.8. Better viewfinder than any camera mentioned here, fully mechanical and a sweet little lens. Whole package is just about pocketable.

If motor drives and the dedicated flash aren't important considerations, the older OM1 variants are also very nice and relatively easy to service.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

The end of the line film slrs are super cheap these days and great cameras. The Canon Rebel T2 and the Nikon N80 are two that I’ve picked up for less than $20, but there are lots of others.

 

[loccdor]

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?

I opened this thread and I was about to post the exact camera you started with, the EOS 650. 620 also qualifies, I think.

The only downside is the lenses are still somewhat current and expensive, and the shutter will likely suffer from Canonitis after all these years, but have no fear, small slits of paper soaked in isopropyl alcohol can usually cure this.

 

[miha]

I guess the OP may want to increase his budget then.

I’m not in the market for a new camera, but the model I suggested fits the budget nicely.

 

[skahde]

Limiting the range to 20-30 USD/EUR with lens makes it quite hard these days as prices are making a slight bounce from the bottom of the bin. Working Nikon EM or Minolta X300 are already above that with a lens that fits a beginners needs.
My recommendation for a cheap camera you can build on would be the Ricoh KR10 and its variations (just as it has been 30 years ago when I recommened it to a friend as a local shop had one for little money, he still had and liked it when we met years later).
Ebay's ended auctions shows them going in the range requested.

 

[Paul Howell]

The cameras I would avoid are the entry level AF Pentax's with the nylon gears.