What's your favourite 35mm camera or substitute?

[casualfunk]

Hi Nicole

Nikon F80 would fit the bill, small and light its the only upper class Nikon for ladys! But I don't know the name in US and down under!
Or if you really not like a little klack of the mirror then take a Leica M6 or M7

That'd be the N80 in the states and I believe in Oz as well.

 

[chiller]

For me the OM system is wonderful. I purchased my first OM1 in the seventies and it is still working fine. It is the most wonderful feeling camera [Leica like ] and the lenses are awesome. The 100/2.8 is a sensational portrait lens.

I confess to having too many OM bodies but really how many is too many.

My vote OM - Olympus.

 

[GeneW]

I've tried a number of systems but in the end I've come back to the pair of Olympus OM-1's I purchased in the 70's. I like them so much I'm sending both out for overhaul so they'll continue to be good shooters for many more years.

Gene

 

[Earl Dunbar]

Another vote for OM here, along with my friends Bill Barber and Gene Wilburn. For spot meter capability, the OM3 and OM4 are the options. Mind you, I've never had either (yet), but have had several OM1 and OM2 bodies (both plain and "n" models), and am a diehard Zuikoholic. Since I also shoot large format (and used to shoot unmetered Rollei SL66), I also had a spot meter, so didn't feel that I really "needed" an OM3 or OM4. But as Bill and Gene will tell you, "need" has very little to do with Zuikoholism. Be prepared to pay a good buck for an EX or better OM4t, and get a second mortgage for an OM3t.

Earl

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

I rarely shoot 35mm any more - but when I do, it's with my Contax G2.

 

[André E.C.]

My favourite is the one I own, Nikon F100!
As for the alternative, I`m searching for one Nikon S2 Black in good condition, so far, no luck!

Cheers

André

 

[panchromatic]

My favourite is the one I own, Nikon F100!
As for the alternative, I`m searching for one Nikon S2 Black in good condition, so far, no luck!

Cheers

André

I also shoot an F100 that I absolutely LOVE, though i did get to demo the F6 for a weekend, and lets just say I want one, but for the price...

 

[waynecrider]

I picked up two N80's only because their light, have great metering and most of all were cheap. I keep a 24mm on one and a short zoom on the other for walk abouts. I do find quite often that I keep reaching for my FTBn for alot of my 35mm flower and landscape work because of the mirror lockup and their indestructible nature. I also love the sound they make. The prices are very fair, except strangely for some of the lenses. The metering isn't spot, but I've never had a problem and I do use a handheld sometimes.

 

[Mongo]

My current favorite is my Contax G1. I picked this up for business travel (when I have so little time to shoot that I wanted an auto-almost-everything camera that I could over-ride easily)...but I've found that it's just a blast to work with. It's small, built like a tank, and is fairly discreet. (I've noticed that, although the camera seems loud to me, it never bothers those I'm shooting.)

Plus the lenses are incredible, and quite a bargain given the current prices. I'll probably add a G2 body in the future. (This is the equipment junkie in me...what started as a simple body + normal lens has become a body and three lenses, and will become two bodies, three lenses, and a flash in the near future. I guess I should be thankful that there's not more to this system, as eventually I'll probably end up buying one of everything.)

My other current favorite "point-and-shoot" is a Crown Graphic with a Graphmatic back. I'm just learning what this one is capable of, and I'm mighty impressed. With a Metz potato-masher, it's almost as easy to work with as the Contax. Not nearly as discreet, though!

 

[noseoil]

Favorite 35mm is my Nikon FM. What I take out to bang around with or travel to unfriendly parts is an old Fujica STX-1. Both have decent glass available in many focal lengths.

 

[Ed Sukach]

My Olympus OM-4. "The most sophisticated exposure meter they ever built a camera around!"

 

[panchromatic]

If you can stand the size go the the Nikon F100, if not the N80 is a nice piece.



Though i'm in love with the F6

 

[Pete H]

Another vote for the Contax G2. I sold my Nikon N80 and a heap of lenses after buying the G2, on the grounds that a 35 mm is for travelling light. For travelling heavy I prefer my 645 or 5x4 (and perhaps a llama to carry it !)

 

[Mongo]

I sold my Nikon N80 and a heap of lenses after buying the G2, on the grounds that a 35 mm is for travelling light.

I kept my FE2 and all of the bits and pieces that go with it...but only because there are some things that an SLR is just better at. Macro work being the most obvious example (and I love to do macro work....). But I haven't actually taken the FE2 out of the house since I got the G...all of my macro work lately has been in the "studio" (i.e., in my attic), using either the FE2 or an LF camera.

I wonder if the FE2 misses the great outdoors.

 

[roteague]

The metering isn't spot, but I've never had a problem and I do use a handheld sometimes.

I'm not sure what you mean. There are 5 five Spot meters corresponding to the AF sensors.

 

[waynecrider]

I'm not sure what you mean. There are 5 five Spot meters corresponding to the AF sensors.

I was referring to the FTBn which has centerweighted metering.

 

[roteague]

I was referring to the FTBn which has centerweighted metering.

Sorry, I misunderstood your post. I have an old Nikon F2, which I haven't used in years but just can't seem to part with. I pulled it out the other day and found the shutter is frozen. So, I'm not sure what to do with it - fix it, or make it a paperweight. It's not about the cost, more about the sentiment.

 

[Flotsam]

I like all my 35s but although I haven't used it in a long time, I just had my Contax RTS II CLA'd and Wow, that is a great camera. All the features that I want in a camera (except for interchangable viewfinders) and none that I don't. Aesthetically, it is gorgeous, body sculpted by the Porschia design group who apparently didn't know or care about normal 35mm camera design conventions and put the controls all bass ackwards but it sure is beautiful. IMHO they could have stopped "improving" on SLRs at that point. After that, plastic bodies, Autofocus, super multimode program fuzzy logic matrix auto exposure, LCD screens and the extinction of thumb levers took over. Mine has a motordrive and a 12 AA cell battery pack that allows it to do double duty as a ship's anchor in a pinch.
The dream camera for an old goat.

 

[Jeffrey A. Steinberg]

I vote for the Nikon FM3A. Just a great camera. Works without batteries (not in auto mode, clearly), is light and a joy to use with the MD-12. You can't go wrong there and all the buttons are in the right spot. I don't think it has AE-lock but you can create your own with manual setting once you know what you want (or you can get at it through exposure compensation). Not as elegant as AE-Lock.

The other suggestion is just a good old fashion Nikon F2. They really don't built it like that anymore. The FM3A is a modern version but even that is not of the same build quality. I got a used F2-AS (DP12) and its great. If you use a meter separately, you can ditch the heavy DP-12 and put the DE-1 prism on top and its even lights.

Either of these will serve you well with proper care for the next 20+ years.

Let me know what you decide. I loved your question.

--Jeffrey

 

[haris]

Nicole, I am shooting with Canon EOS 3 and EOS 500n.

But, if I had enough money, I would love to buy Leica, and especially Leica M6 or M7. Small, quiet, optics is great, and metering is enough for b/w negatives. And as you said you have handheld meter, it is not an issue.

I personally use older than me Konica Auto S2 rangefinder, and hope to collect money for Leica M...

Other rangefinders: Voightlaender Bessa R2, and if you have money Konica RF or Contax G1 or G2. Last two are automated rangefinders, Konica can use Leica M lenses, and Contax use Carz Zeiss...

Of course, if you are more for SLR and auto focus or autoexposure, then... I am shooting Canon, so I know only those cameras. Maybe something like EOS 30 or 33, Or even EOS 300 if money is issue?

If you are for SLR, but can live without autofocus, what about Contax Aria? Small (compared with EOS3), well built (as I heard), Carl Zeiss optics... In Germany it can be bought for 400 EURO... without lenses of course.

Olympus OM1, OM2, OM4... Zuiko lenses are great, I tried one

And good old Nikon F2 and something like that is seriously to think about...

OK, now I am of no help at all

 

[johnfalky]

N80 Nikon Very Quiet, smallish, light, easy to use.

 

[gandolfi]

so the voters are on nikon - olympus - pentax - contax......and leica

I started out with Nikon, but faith brought me to the amazing TOPCON, and I never looked back..
kind of heavy - but it works. and the lenses...don't get me started.

the best thing: it is SO cheap, compared the the other brands named...

I have:
three houses (two super DM with winder)
20mm
25mm (amazing toy! with small filters to put on the rear)
28mm
35mm
50mm
55mm
55mm macro
58mm 1.8
58mm 1,4
85mm
100mm
135mm
200mm
300mm2,8 (the first ever built)
400mm
87-205mm

and a LOT of extra stuff..

all aquired for less than 1600$....

for thoos interested: see this site:
Dead Link Removed

 

[highpeak]

I love my Olympus OM2n. Nicole, a OM4Ti will fit your hand nicely.