Lookin' for an SLR

[blackdoglab]

I'm fairly new to photography and I'm searchin' for a good but inexpensive 35mm slr. My requirements are simple, it must cost below $250.00, have a good zoom lens on it, do double exposures, have a bulb mode shutter, and take good pictures. I've been eyeing a vivitar in the freestyle photographic catalog that costs about $170.00 and it looks somewhat promising. I'm going to be using it for photographing landscapes, plants, dogs and other pets that cross my way, and the occasional human.

 

[SeanL]

Well, I'm assuming you're looking for film, cause you won't find a DSLR that cheap, you may not even find a new film camera that cheap. Any slr will look for the applications you're looking for, it all depends on the lens you use. But yea not big into film photography, but I'd reccomend Nikon or Canon.

 

[Tiberius]

You can get some pretty nice bodies in that range, but a decent Zoom Lens itself (For film, probably a 28-105 if you want both landscapes and portraits) would cost around $200.

 

[omeletteman]

check ebay. I bought a really old school SLR for $35. It didn't come with a zoom lens, but I'm sure for an extra little bit you could find one that did.

 

[Torus34]

When buying an older 35mm camera, be sure that it will work without batteries. The electrical system on an older camera can go south and leave you with a nice display item if it cannot be operated without it.

That said, there are many older 35mm bodies to pick from. Same with the lenses. Just picked up a Konica TC with f1.7 Hexanon to carry as a spare.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I'm fairly new to photography and I'm searchin' for a good but inexpensive 35mm slr. My requirements are simple, it must cost below $250.00, have a good zoom lens on it, do double exposures, have a bulb mode shutter, and take good pictures. I've been eyeing a vivitar in the freestyle photographic catalog that costs about $170.00 and it looks somewhat promising. I'm going to be using it for photographing landscapes, plants, dogs and other pets that cross my way, and the occasional human.

Don't be afraid to consider old manual focus film bodies. I'm currently using an FE with an MD-12 motordrive and I love it! I can drop it, kick it, and play soccer with it and it will still work like new!

Go to a local camera store and see what they have in used equipment. I suggest goign with a Nikon or Canon camera if you can afford it, and as long as you buy a lens with an aperture ring, your good to go!