Which one I should buy?

scrawny · Feb 2, 2016

I just started my journey with analog photography, and I want to start with the best equipment. Should I buy Zenit 11, FED 5 or Vivitar Ultra Wide Slim 22mm? Maybe you can recommend me something different? I need a good quality, sharp 35mm camera which can allow me to do photos in different locations with different lightning. Thank you

Sirius Glass · Feb 2, 2016

Welcome to APUG

MDR · Feb 2, 2016

Depends on your budget but I have to say none of the above if you want long term reliability or best quality is what you are after. The Selenium meter on the fed and zenit rarely works. For a little more money you can get a Pentax Spotmatic or one of the older Canon SLRs (early Canon AF cameras are very cheap these days as are older Canon FTb) they are usually better build and the lenses are excellent.

Welcome to Apug

frank · Feb 2, 2016

Personally, I would steal clear of the Russian and eastern block cameras because I have experienced too much unreliability from the FSU cameras I've had. Photography can be tricky/challenging enough without the worry of equipment malfunction, IMO.

Sewin · Feb 2, 2016

Welcome,

Well you've certainly picked three completely different cameras

Zenit is an SLR
Fed is a rangefinder
Vivitar is point and shoot.

Why the variation.

If you are just starting out maybe try a basic SLR, nothing wrong with the Zenit, but some can be unreliable.
Something like an all mechanical i.e no meter Pentax or Praktica (which I have a soft spot for) M42 lens and manual settings plus a light meter to learn the basics.

Good luck.

Terry Christian · Feb 2, 2016

Not only are the other right about FSU cameras, but all three you mentioned are different types of cameras: SLR, rangefinder, and point-and-shoot, respectively.
Given your criteria, I'd recommend an SLR, such as the ones MDR recommended above.

frank · Feb 2, 2016

I don't have positive feelings for Practicas either. This is not based on personal experience, but this negative opinion comes from a friend of mine who works in photographic retail and sold cameras, including Practicas in their day. He said that if a customer asked to handle a new Practica from the shelf and wound on and fired the shutter several times, he would silently count down from 100, signifying the limit of trouble free exposures. This is obviously hyperbole but his opinion of Practicas is based on the number of cameras bought and returned with issues.

My apologies to satisfied and happy Practica owners!

Alan Gales · Feb 2, 2016

In alphabetical order, Canon, Contax, Leica, Mamiya, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Ricoh will all do what you want. Just pick out what you like and/or can afford.

Welcome to the forum!

Sewin · Feb 2, 2016

That's ok Frank.

I know the reputation Prakticas have, mine must be of the fortunate flock who are still up and running, fingers crossed.

Ricardo Miranda · Feb 2, 2016

Welcome!
I wouldn't say that the Zenit 11 and FED 5 are "best equipment". Saying that, I do have one of each in perfect working condition. If you find one for a bargain price and it is fully working, them they can be good cameras to have.
The Zenit in particular opens the possibility of further nice lens as it has a M42 mount and lenses are easy to find and cheap.

But, they do have several drawbacks, the major one being their rustic manufacture.

I would advise a better system camera.
You have many to choose from.
But, one thing you need to choose is what type of camera you want your 35mm to be.
You posted an example of a compact, a rangefinder and a SLR.
I'll suggest you get one and only one, preferably a SLR or a rangefinder with a 50mm lens.
Use it, learn how it works, practice until you can reach all controls with your eyes blindfolded. Get intimate with it.
In the same way, use one film until you know all its nuances.

Have a nice photography.

frank · Feb 2, 2016

Scrawny, where are located? If you're near to me, I have a camera to give you. If not, I'm almost sure that there is an APUG member who is close by with the same offer to a beginning photographer.

Sirius Glass · Feb 2, 2016

Alan Gales said:
In alphabetical order, Canon, Contax, Leica, Mamiya, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Ricoh will all do what you want. Just pick out what you like and/or can afford.

Welcome to the forum!

I agree. Go with known winners and let someone else fight with the cameras at the end of the bell curve.

scrawny · Feb 2, 2016

Thank you for all replies .

I'm from Poland so it is hard for me to say how much money I have. I found in my house unused Lomography Fisheye 2 - I want to sell it and find something different for myself. So we can say that my budget is equal to 80% of Lomography Fisheye 2. I also thought about Prima Super 135 and T70. But Prima Super 135 is not available right now.

Ko.Fe. · Feb 2, 2016

scrawny said:
I just started my journey with analog photography, and I want to start with the best equipment. Should I buy Zenit 11, FED 5 or Vivitar Ultra Wide Slim 22mm? Maybe you can recommend me something different? I need a good quality, sharp 35mm camera which can allow me to do photos in different locations with different lightning. Thank you

First two would start your journey to analog cameras repair, not to photography of any kind. Third is toy camera, which is not in category of sharp and quality, different lightning. It is artist camera

I would check if any SLR plus 50 or wider lens is available locally as working, tested kit. If not, check it here. Or ask for the one. Somebody in Europe.

Frank, we can't help as easily as some overs could do, shipping cost to Poland from here is expensive.

benjiboy · Feb 2, 2016

frank said:
I don't have positive feelings for Practicas either. This is not based on personal experience, but this negative opinion comes from a friend of mine who works in photographic retail and sold cameras, including Practicas in their day. He said that if a customer asked to handle a new Practica from the shelf and wound on and fired the shutter several times, he would silently count down from 100, signifying the limit of trouble free exposures. This is obviously hyperbole but his opinion of Practicas is based on the number of cameras bought and returned with issues.

My apologies to satisfied and happy Practica owners!

When I managed photographic stores I sometimes had to remonstrate with some members of staff for referring to them amongst themselves as " crapticas " in case they accidentally said it in front of rhe customers, and they used to say that for every five we sold we got eight back as faulty .

Sirius Glass · Feb 2, 2016

Alan Gales said:
In alphabetical order, Canon, Contax, Leica, Mamiya, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Ricoh will all do what you want. Just pick out what you like and/or can afford.

Welcome to the forum!

Sirius Glass said:
I agree. Go with known winners and let someone else fight with the cameras at the end of the bell curve.

Stick to these or you will drain you wallet and resources paying for repairs. There are good reasons that these cameras sold well and others did not.

darkosaric · Feb 2, 2016

scrawny said:
I'm from Poland

On allegro.pl you can find nikon F55 of F60 with some 28-80mm lens for around 100 PLN (25 euros).
I have used similar setup for the first 3 years - it is all you need for start.

Pozdrawiam,
Darko

LarryP · Feb 2, 2016

Darko has a very good suggestion. one of those would give you a nice starter you could grow with. And I'm more of a pentax fan .

GRHazelton · Feb 3, 2016

Sewin said:
That's ok Frank.

I know the reputation Prakticas have, mine must be of the fortunate flock who are still up and running, fingers crossed.

Luck of the draw, I suppose. I bought a LTL new in 1971 or '72 and used it heavily, even bouncing it off a sidewalk once or twice. I hauled it out the other day and found that the shutter sounded okay on the low speeds. The quite good f1.8 50mm needs a CLA, to be expected after so many years. While its fit and finish isn't up to Pentax standards, it did the job and has the most user-friendly stop down metering I've ever encountered.

IloveTLRs · Feb 3, 2016

scrawny said:
I just started my journey with analog photography, and I want to start with the best equipment. Should I buy ... or Vivitar Ultra Wide Slim 22mm?

I have a Japanese clone, the White Slim Angel. It's a nice enough camera, but it flares a LOT in direct sunlight, has only one shutter speed and one aperture. It's a nice camera and I like it, but it's not suitable for all around photography when compared to the others you listed.

scrawny · Feb 3, 2016

My friend who is interested in analog told me that I should use anything I can find at my own home. She said it is a good way to not spend any money and have an introduction to analog photography. All I have in my house is:
-Fuji DL-25
-Samsung Slim Zoom 145S
-Lomography Action Sampler
-Lomography Fisheye 2

I think it is not stupid idea

darkosaric · Feb 3, 2016

scrawny said:
My friend who is interested in analog told me that I should use anything I can find at my own home. She said it is a good way to not spend any money and have an introduction to analog photography. All I have in my house is:
-Fuji DL-25
-Samsung Slim Zoom 145S
-Lomography Action Sampler
-Lomography Fisheye 2

I think it is not stupid idea

It all depends what you want to do. I find Fisheye 2 a great fun camera, with bulb option and multiple exposure - great fun.
Ask yourself: what do you want, what kind of photos you want to make. If you want to have full control of all settings (focus, shutter speed, f stop) - then neither of those cameras will do. If you want to have fun and get photos that are different then digital ones - then all those 4 cameras are great.

So my question to you is: what do you want? Which kind of photographers work you say "I want to make something like that"? Is it landscape, street, portraits... grain less, super sharp, great tonality....? Salgado, Adams, Bresson, Koudelka, McCurry ...?

scrawny · Feb 3, 2016

I want to make photos for fun mostly, save moments in interesting way. Cross proccess my film to get some colorful, vivid shots. You can find tousands of it at lomography site. Im not that much into serious artistic shoting

darkosaric · Feb 3, 2016

scrawny said:
I want to make photos for fun mostly, save moments in interesting way. Cross proccess my film to get some colorful, vivid shots. You can find tousands of it at lomography site. Im not that much into serious artistic shoting

Then those 4 cameras will do just fine. If you have some extra money - go and buy some film .

scrawny · Feb 3, 2016

darkosaric said:
Then those 4 cameras will do just fine. If you have some extra money - go and buy some film .

What film do you recommend for outstanding color and quality? I found some Lomo Color Negative 100 and 800

Which one I should buy?

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