Looking to buy a Film Camera..but..

Battou · Sep 3, 2008

Paul Ron said:
So spend your money wisely kids! Am I sounding like your dad now?

No...You sound like me, except you are pushing pentax wile I am pushing Canon

monkeykoder · Sep 3, 2008

You know the best way to get a film camera??? Ask around if anyone you know has one they're looking to get rid of...

Battou · Sep 3, 2008

monkeykoder said:
You know the best way to get a film camera??? Ask around if anyone you know has one they're looking to get rid of...

Ironically, I've never done that, I should tho.

monkeykoder · Sep 3, 2008

Hey my first 2 film cameras came from my dad who just happened to want to go digital (plus he hadn't used either in years).

Sbuxo · Sep 4, 2008

@Paul: My dad would usually say "Don't spend your money AT ALL" :lol:

Paul Ron · Sep 4, 2008

I'm not trying to push Pentax, although the most popular camera in school just happens to be K1000. I see em in classifieds selling cheap and in more closets than most other brands. My kids had em all, Nikon, Cannon, Pentax and all are still in thier closets.

Buy anything but get the best price. Don't think any one brand is better... it's a starter camera. The idea is you learn the basic mechanics of photogrpahy and any manual camera will be perfect for that. Someone said it best... the camera is nothing more than a light tight box with a shutter. Right now the quality shouldn't be a factor because you'll be upgrading anyway.

Also, I doubt you'll be wanting to slap on a 40 year old lens on your D3. I think you'll be investing in VR n specail glass lenses with less glare, better coatings, auto everything.

Now if you were a MF/LF junkie... you wouldn't be thinking digital upgrades because your 40 year old lens will kick the filters off any of your newer equipment. Hooked on MF for life!

enjoy your class!

BTW my son gave his camera away to another student last year.

Sbuxo · Sep 4, 2008

Like I said, my class[es] will be in January, therefore I want to start practicing now. But I've set my mind to buy both the Rebel & FM.

Paul Ron · Sep 4, 2008

Yes, get your equipment way ahead of the class so you can be familiar with the camera and how it handels.

Besides you have so many talented people here to help answer any of your questions, you'll be a pro by Jan.

Just my 2¢... stick with a normal lens n a simple manual camera. I've always advised my students (optional) to get a hand held meter. You get a much better, more selective, reading and will be able to visualize your options at a glance instead of messing with on camera dials not knowing how the speed/ stop realationship works.

Another selling point for a meter is compensation settings. By manipulating exposure/development, you can gain control over your negs that just can't be done on camera. I'm a zonie, (zone system user.) I manipulate my negatives way before any light hits the film and pre plan my development times very carefully. I need my meter right there in front of me.

Burn alot of film n get as much practice as you can... have fun doing it. If you've been playing with digital.. .you alread developed an eye, now go get some skills.

Paul Ron · Sep 4, 2008

Yes, get your equipment way ahead of the class so you can be familiar with the camera and how it handels.

Besides you have so many talented people here to help answer any of your questions, you'll be a pro by Jan.

Just my 2¢... stick with a normal lens n a simple manual camera. I've always advised my students (optional) to get a hand held meter. You get a much better, more selective, reading and will be able to visualize your options at a glance instead of messing with on camera dials not knowing how the speed/ stop realationship works.

Another selling point for a meter is compensation settings. By manipulating exposure/development, you can gain control over your negs that just can't be done on camera. I'm a zonie, (zone system user.) I manipulate my negatives way before any light hits the film and pre plan my development times very carefully. I need my meter right there in front of me.

Burn alot of film n get as much practice as you can... have fun doing it. If you've been playing with digital.. .you already developed an eye, now go get some skills.

epatsellis · Sep 4, 2008

I'd echo what Paul says, and you'll know when you're ready to go MF or LF. (and hide your credit card when you do)

erie

Paul Ron · Sep 4, 2008

Come on Erie... you can get a built like a russian tank Mamiya RB these days for $350, or an ETRS 645 for around the same money that willoutlast any digital camera on eh road today. Enlarger, $200 with a Nikor lens. Trays, $25, chems, $50, 11x14 paper, $100. IT'S THAT CHEAP?

Now consider digital.... you'll need a decent camera... say $800 with a cheapo zoom lens. Oh now that we've got a nice camera we'll need a faster computer with a ton of memory, yeah get it cheap at Best Buy, $500. Oh but wait that's not all, the printer is everything in digital... another $400. But if you order before midnight... ink, paper software but not that's the cheapo part of it all... Oh and BTW only the best, or your pics look like crap. So what are we up to now?

LWW · Sep 4, 2008

djacobox372 said:
Nikon FM is a "full manual" camera with a light meter. I can sell you this one for $65:

The king IMHO.

LWW

Sbuxo · Sep 4, 2008

Oh.
Well I'm gonna get the Canon Rebel EOS K2 35mm with the 28-90mm kit lens & then 50mm lens.

And I probably won't get the FM anymore..unless I find it for cheaper than what djacob is selling it for. D:

Josh66 · Sep 4, 2008

I was looking at that a while ago (Rebel K2), but once I saw that it had a plastic mount I quickly decided not to.
A plastic mount on a lens isn't ideal, but on the camera I would avoid it at all costs. (My personal opinion, of course.)

...It's something to consider. If you're not going to be changing lenses frequently it might not be an issue though.

epatsellis · Sep 4, 2008

Paul Ron said:
Come on Erie... you can get a built like a russian tank Mamiya RB these days for $350, or an ETRS 645 for around the same money that willoutlast any digital camera on eh road today. Enlarger, $200 with a Nikor lens. Trays, $25, chems, $50, 11x14 paper, $100. IT'S THAT CHEAP?

Now consider digital.... you'll need a decent camera... say $800 with a cheapo zoom lens. Oh now that we've got a nice camera we'll need a faster computer with a ton of memory, yeah get it cheap at Best Buy, $500. Oh but wait that's not all, the printer is everything in digital... another $400. But if you order before midnight... ink, paper software but not that's the cheapo part of it all... Oh and BTW only the best, or your pics look like crap. So what are we up to now?

Just to jog your memory, I have 3 RBs, all the lenses except the 37 and 140, and about a dozen various backs, hoods, prism, etc..(and have been using them since the early 80's, sans a period in the late 90s when I put my photography away for a while) Yes, they are cheap, in fact I probably have more tied up in 120/220 film in the freezer then in cameras and lenses. But it's easy to spend lots on the little bits.

I feel, and I'm sure you agree, that buying an RB from ebay and the like is a crap shoot, people are better off in the long term buying one from you, or a dealer, that has been gone through and everything checked and adjusted. There are a lot of RBs out there that have seen hard use, and with some TLC, will last a lifetime, but there's so many "I don't know anything about cameras and it seems to work" type sellers that I'd hate to suggest that somebody go that route, either way, you'll end up spending it, might as well be for one that you know will work right off.