Canon AE-1 Program or Nikon FE?

[ParanoidHiro]

Hello there! This is my first post on this forum (how could i not bother you with a beginner's question?)

The problem is pretty simple...

I'm a student (law) who took up my uncle's film camera (Praktica MTL3 with a 50mm / 1.8 MC Pancolar) and fell in love with it. Point is i will have to give it back to him since he is really fond of it. I've been saving for a while and at last i can afford to buy my very own first film camera. Searching on the internet i came up with these

Canon AE-1 Program + Canon FD 28mm 2.8 + Canon FD 50mm 1.8 + Canon FD 135mm 3.5

Canon AE-1 Program + Canon FD 50mm 1.8 + Vivitar 28-85mm 3.5-4.5 + Vivitar 70-200mm 3.8-4

Nikon FE + Nikon Series E 35mm 2.5

all are around the same price but i'm stuck and i cant decide which to buy... i would mainly shoot street photography \ portraits \ architecture \ and would really like to be able to shoot at night

thanks for your patience, i look forward to an answer!

 

[vimwiz]

All Canons are cheap on EBay. To start, get a body with the FD f/1.8 50mm lens, it is very good and not expensive. The fast speed means itas good at night, if you use fast film.

Nikon lenses work on Nikon DSLRs. Canon FD lenses wont work on an EOS. Therefore, they are cheaper. This is why I use Canon FD mount film bodies, as you dont have to spend much on glass to get strated and get good results.

The A and F bodies are usually a bit expensive because hipsters like them (as they are chrome and manual wind), but you can get a more modern 1980s T models for cheaper usually, and it has more features, like LCD menus, better modes and metering, auto-wind / rewind, more common (AA) batteries, and takes the same lenses. Thats what I did - the T90 in my pic is a "pro" body, and it with the lens I mentioned was like £50 incl. shipping and a bag, on ebay.

 

[timor]

I would agree with T70 or T90 (expensive and rare) as a better bodies than AE-1P. Better shutter and newer electronics. AE-1 and this family of Canons have issues with that, often they go bersek. I don't know about T90, never seen one in my life, but T70 needs special remote control for long exposures. They are fairly cheap (like $5), but hard to find.
I would go with Nikon. Much better body, electronics in this cameras never fail, common, cheap batteries. Lenses costlier, but the camera may take the newest (providing there is aperture ring) Nikon lenses. Then there is a plethora of F mount third party lenses from Vivitar (look for Vivitar Series 1), Cosina and many more producers. Some of them really good.
On the other hand hang on to Practica and Pancolar. This combo gives you same capabilities for long exposure shots like FE or AE-1 and I know Pancolar. Optically it is very good, however, if there is a problem with the housing... What version of Pancolar do you have ?

 

[minicoop1985]

I would also recommend the Nikon. It's totally subjective, but my experiences with the Canon film cameras, while well developed and designed, just left me uninspired. Again, that's all subjective, and your experience may vary.

 

[vimwiz]

I would agree with T70 or T90 (expensive and rare) as a better bodies than AE-1P. Better shutter and newer electronics. AE-1 and this family of Canons have issues with that, often they go bersek. I don't know about T90, never seen one in my life, but T70 needs special remote control for long exposures. They are fairly cheap (like $5), but hard to find.

The remote cost me about £5 online on like amazon or ebay. I started with a T70 (Cost about 30 quid) and upgraded to a T90. Beware the 90 though, as they were used by pros, they tend to have a very high shutter count whereas the 70s tend to be in bettter condition. Only buy ones which say working shutter magnets, bright LCD, working internal battery.

My Av-1 is very reliable, though somewhat limited. An AE-1 would not be a bad staring camera for you, hard to break

 

[webestang64]

Canon AE-1 Program + Canon FD 28mm 2.8 + Canon FD 50mm 1.8 + Canon FD 135mm 3.5 ...........if you get all 3 lens with the body.....go for it.

 

[minicoop1985]

OK, I tested an AE-1 Program today. I take that back-this one was somewhat inspiring, actually. Not as manual as I like, but actually kinda fun to use.

 

[djacobox372]

Ae1 shutters are quite unreliable these days. They often start to squeak before they fail.

I'd go with Nikon, they age really well.

 

[vimwiz]

Ae1 shutters are quite unreliable these days. They often start to squeak before they fail.

An easy repair though. Easier than fixing the electromagnets or LCDs on later canons at any rate.

 

[ParanoidHiro]

What version of Pancolar do you have ?

 

[ParanoidHiro]

I'd like to thank you all for the answers! This morning i have spent even more time searching for alternatives and (always in my budget area) i have found some interesting stuff... Could any of you tell me which to choose between Nikon EM \ FG \ FE \ FM? The price range is very close and i'm afraid to pick the ''wrong'' one (if such thing even exists!)

 

[compur]

EM: Auto exposure only, no manual mode, plastic construction (often found with missing/broken parts) -- AI, AIS or AF Nikkor lenses
FG: same size as EM and a bit more robust, adds manual and program modes, TTL flash and and a few other features -- AI, AIS or AF Nikkor
FG-20: same as FG but no program mode, no TTL flash
FE/FM: metal bodied, reliable, FM is manual, FE is manual + aperture pref. auto + optional screens -- AI, AIS, AF Nikkor, pre-AI in stop down mode
FE2, FM2: updated FE/FM with faster shutter speeds, brighter viewfinders, optional screens, TTL flash on FE2 -- AI, AIS or AF Nikkor
FM3a: updated combination FM2/FE2 with some refinements

(all are manual focus)

In my opinion the FE/FM/FE2/FM2 cameras are among the best manual focus 35mm SLRs ever made.

 

[cgw]

EM: Auto exposure only, no manual mode, plastic construction (often found with missing/broken parts) -- AI, AIS or AF Nikkor lenses
FG: same size as EM and a bit more robust, adds manual and program modes, TTL flash and and a few other features -- AI, AIS or AF Nikkor
FG-20: same as FG but no program mode, no TTL flash
FE/FM: metal bodied, reliable, FM is manual, FE is manual + aperture pref. auto + optional screens -- AI, AIS, AF Nikkor, pre-AI in stop down mode
FE2, FM2: updated FE/FM with faster shutter speeds, brighter viewfinders, optional screens, TTL flash on FE2 -- AI, AIS or AF Nikkor
FM3a: updated combination FM2/FE2 with some refinements

(all are manual focus)

In my opinion the FE/FM/FE2/FM2 cameras are among the best manual focus 35mm SLRs ever made.

Probably the biggest single difference among these is the meter display. The EM/FG/FG20/FM variants(except the FM3a) use LEDs; the FE/FE2 use a match needle display. With the exception of the late model FM3a, all sold strongly which means no shortages on the used market. I often see the remarkably capable FG+50/1.8E kit in very nice shape for peanuts. If it matters, the EM/FG/FG20 bodies are a bit smaller than the FM/FE variants.

 

[timor]

I often see the remarkably capable FG+50/1.8E kit in very nice shape for peanuts.

I have one like that, even with the winder. Very nice to shoot.

 

[cgw]

I often see the remarkably capable FG+50/1.8E kit in very nice shape for peanuts.

I have one like that, even with the winder. Very nice to shoot.

It's a sweet little camera that's often overlooked. Have the 45/2.8 Ai-P that makes the FG almost pocketable. Funny but the new Fuji X-T1 is the same size as the FG.