Good all manual SLR?

[and so on]

I'm 16 years old, and ever since taking a photo I course at my high school, I've been doing photography as a hobby in my spare time. My dad has given me full use of his Nikon n6006 camera, and its served me pretty well (I'll post some of my pics as soon as I get a scanner). The thing is, well, I don't really like the camera. It seems kind of tacky, and all its electronic doo-dads just annoy me. I'm looking for something in a completely manual SLR 35mm that won't be rediculously expensive. I'd like a solidly built camera that can take some abuse (I hike a lot, and I'd like to bring it with me). I don't know much about various brands of cameras and stuff, so any advice you could give me would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Scott WRG Editor]

Best bet is look for a Canon AE-1 setup on Ebay, they run around 50 bucks for a body and one or two lenses.

 

[drlynn]

A new Nikon FM-10 with a 35-70mm zoom lens will cost about $250 or less, including shipping. Same is true for a Pentax ZXM.

And for even less, Phoenix and Vivitar have full manual models with lens for under $200. Both these cameras were given fairly good reviews by Herbert Keppler in Popular Photography a few months back.

The advantages over eBay are that you're getting new equipment that will be under warrantee. Click the Adorama sign at the bottom of the page to look at these cameras.

The advantage of eBay is that you can probably get something just as nice for less money. I have had pretty good luck buying photo gear from eBay, but I've heard of folks who didn't as well.

 

[Mitica100]

For an all manual camera I would consider the ever rugged Pentax K1000. It's cheap and solidly made, won't let you down. Then you can get a lens or two from E-bay (Pentax K mount type) for fairly cheap.

Good luck.

 

[Bob_McBob]

Canon FTb with standard FD 50/1.8. Cheaper and IMO better than the K1000.

 

[lauren]

canon ae-1, pentax k1000, or olympus om-1.

all solidly made of metal, and can be found for an extremely reasonable price on ebay or any store that sells used cameras!

 

[ksmattfish]

I always recommend the Pentax K-1000, but there are many other cameras that are very similar.

I started with a Ricoh KR5. It's a solidly built camera that takes Pentax lenses. They are going for $15 to $35 on Ebay.

If you go with a Canon AE-1 make sure it is in very good condition. This is one of the most popular cameras ever made, and many have been through several owners. When I worked at a camera store (about 5 years ago) we began to have problems getting them repaired as the repair places are starting to run low on parts bodies. There are still plenty out there; just get a good one.

I've never liked the Nikon FM-10. I've gone into greater detail in previous posts as to why. Personally I'd spend a little more on a used Nikon FM2 if I were to go the Nikon route. That said, there are many folks getting fine pics with FM-10s.

 

[malachite]

Let's not forget to add the Nikon FM2N. My favorite all manual preference

edit: and then if I had read the previous post in it's entirety, I would have seen it was there already. But it's good enough to list twice........

 

[Alison]

I learned on the AE-1, have always used Canon since.

 

[ismael]

Hi,

You can't go wrong with a Pentax K-1000 It has been discontinued for years, but you can still find them at good prices. My first one is over 16 years old and it is still my workhorse. A few months ago I picked one at ebay in perfect mechanical conditions but bad cosmetics (dirty, scratched, a few dents, missing some trim parts) for $35 including a lens and a flash. I only cleaned it and sold it for $100. I recently met with the guy I sold it to and he is asking me for 2 more
Other good choices are Canon AE-1 and Nikon FM series.

Thanks,
Ismael

 

[BernieSC]

No doubt the Pentax K-1000 is your best choice. That thing is a rock. You can use it anytime anyplace. Since Pentax stop making them they actually have gone way up in value for used bodies. Of course you will have use the pentax mounts but those are easy to find. Its just Pentax has kind of fallen behind all the other major camera makers, but it has been that way for years. But Pentax is still in the game no doubt.

The K-1000 is fully mechanical the only electronic part of it is the needle match light meter which you don't even need that to use the camera so it will always be ready to shoot. I use to pick those up whenever I could find them cheap and even when they were not fully functional or had wear on them I could still shoot photos with it fine.

If you want to step up, and its a pretty big step up in quality and price is find a good used canon F1 they were the pro rock of their time and they also were fully mechanical but had a lot of options and features kind of in line with the Nikon f3.

 

[Bob_McBob]

Again, I don't see what makes the K-1000 special nowadays. It's been recommended as the ultimate student camera etc. for a long time, and it just doesn't make sense. The real reason it had/has such a cult following is that it was cheaper than everything else back in the day, so you bought it if you couldn't afford anything better.

And now this basic body without even depth of field preview is the camera to buy, even when there are much better options for the same price or less. I recommended the Canon FTb in my previous post, and another poster recommended the Canon F-1 as the upgrade to the K-1000. Here's a hint for anyone who cares: the FTb is basically a slightly downgraded version of the F-1.

 

[BernieSC]

Most all cameras be it a new model or a 30 year old model can be used fully manual whice will help you learn. But one thing that professionals look for is, if all else fails in a camera can you still shoot a photo. And most new cameras if your battery dies you are dead in the water. With a fully mechanical camera you can shoot iin any condition no matter where you are. I have shot with a camera like the K1000, with no lightmetter using the 16 rule and got great photos, thats something you can't do with newer models. Of course I use a fully electronic camera now. But there is something to be said about the older mechanical cameras. Auto exposure is nice but the one thing I would not want to give up is auto focus. That is the best thing ever created over auto exposure. Very seldom is there any second guessing with focus on an AF camera, which you can't say about auto exposure.

The biggest argument about a fully mechanical camera is probably something that most people would never experience but if you were in the middle of nowhere in the world shooting photos where temperture and moisture could affect the working of a camera you better at least have a fully mechanical camera as a back up.

 

[LizM]

Pentax K-1000 hands down! That camera worked faithfully for me for years. Best camera buy I ever made!

 

[molested_cow]

I use Nikon F501, called N2020 in the US. My dad gave it to me after he went digital. It's semi-auto, meaning you can use the P mode or set it to manual with simple knobs. No digital screen to mess aroung with. The negative is wind automatically though, but the shutter sound is awesome!

I think you can get a body and a lens for abt $150 on ebay.

The only thing I complain about it is as compared to new models, it's auto focus function doesn't work under lower lighting conditions, that means I won't be able to capture the actions under indoor condition.