nikon f50 vs pentax k-1000

hazzayoungn · Dec 20, 2006

So a bit of background first

I took a year of high school photography and I know all about apertures, shutter speeds, depth of field, iso, blah blah blah...

the teacher made sure we knew what we were doing before we got to touch the cameras, so we went through 3 months (out of a 9 month course) going through the basics

So at this point im just past being a beginner. Chances are I'll be using automatic extremely infrequently. I'm looking for a camera, and ive been reccomended the pentax k-1000 by two shops, but im in love with the nikons. I went to a local pawn shop and found both in decent condition for the same price ($120 US, pentax has a 50mm lens, nikon has 28-80 i think).He reccomended the pentax, but the problem is, if I'm going to get more lenses and such, I'd much rather get a nikon because I know what the quality is like, and so on and so on...

Also, the biggest reason i dont want to get a dslr is because I'm a poor college student.

Any help, opinions or suggestions?

castrol · Dec 20, 2006

I miss my Pentax K-1000... My vote lies there. Sorry to disappoint.

Patrice · Dec 20, 2006

The K-1000 is likely a better machine than the F50, however if you persevere you might find a Nikon FM2, and if you're really lucky, one with a titanium shutter. Many consider this among the best mechanical cameras made.

hazzayoungn · Dec 21, 2006

awesome thanks for the help

ill keep my eyes peeled :lol:

Sw1tchFX · Dec 21, 2006

Check out www.bhphotovideo.com and see what they've got as far as nikon's go. You can also go on ebay and get a Nikon FE, FM, FE2, etc... real cheap. I also suggest getting an AF lens, becuase even though you won't be albe to use it in AF mode on the olde manual bodies, you will if you go to an AF SLR. If you want a 50 prime, than get the 50mm f/1.8 or 1.4D. They are sold new at B&H. Just remember to buy a lens with an aperture ring. NO AF-G lenses if you buy a manual camera.

hazzayoungn · Dec 23, 2006

maybe i need more help than i thought initially

after figuring out that i probably wont get a specific model by wandering in local shops and such, i need a couple models that would be good, so i dont wind up with something like...a hello kitty 35mm camera...

what id like to know from you guys is...

what would you reccomend for the advanced amateur?
or
when you were starting out in photography, what camera did you enjoy using?
or
what camera holds a special place in your heart?
etc.

ps, i really do :heart: nikons, but other suggestions are always welcome

Patrice · Dec 23, 2006

As a teenager I was taking pictures with a borrowed Speed Graphic. After high school I bought a Rolleichord and used it for a decade. My first 'system' camera was a Nikon FM2 with 28-85 zoom lens and a Vivitar flash. Next came a F4 and more glass. These last two cameras were used extensively for nearly 20 years (nearly 40,000 negatives). My favorite, measured by which got the most use, has been the FM2. That machine becomes an extension of body when I pick it up. Is there a point to this? Yes - buy into a system you think will meet your needs, start slow and let it grow into a part of you.

You are starting on a lifelong learning journey, enjoy the ride.

Don Simon · Dec 23, 2006

Hi there. If you think you might use the automatic exposure settings or autofocus, and want to go with Nikon, I'm inclined to recommend the F80 (or N80). It has all the automatic bells, whistles and doo-dahs, and has dropped in price a lot. It's now actually cheaper than a lot of the old manual cameras. The FM2n is another excellent choice for its fully mechanical operation, flash sync speed, top shutter speed and general classiness. Bear in mind though that if you don't need automated operation or need a camera that works without batteries, Nikon made a whole load of other cameras down the years that would still fit the bill for an advanced amateur.

I have mixed views on the K1000. I think it's a good camera, and I don't believe for a second you need to worry about quality with Pentax. They didn't survive this long without making very good equipment. But the K1000 is recommended almost too often. A lot of people remember using it (often learning on it) themselves, and a lot of other people hear it recommended as a first camera and then recommend it to others as such. The problem here is that it's actually too popular, so prices (on Ebay at least) are really much higher than they should be. My advice would be to also keep your eyes open for anything in the Pentax K- series, ME-F, ME-Super, or MX. The P30n/P30t are very good basic cameras but cost very little because they don't look as nice as the older mechanical models or work without batteries.

I do believe Nikon or Pentax are good choices from your point of view, because with both of them you can buy a lens made several decades ago and use it on a camera made this year, or vice versa. Having said that, if you want fully manual gear and have no intention of buying a modern auto-everything film or digital SLR system, you could also consider the manual-focus systems by Canon, Minolta, Olympus, Yashica, and others.

hazzayoungn · Dec 23, 2006

patrice

i found an fm2 at a camera store next door to my house (whaddaya know...)

does $200-250 sound like a good price? i cant recall if he said it came with a zoom or 50mm. it definately seems like it from what i can tell on ebay

im just worried im gonna spend 200something bucks and not use it as much as i imagined

edit: and if im willing to spend 250, should i just wait till i have enough for a d50 or something? AGH the agony's killing me (if you cant tell, im pretty indecisive)

fightheheathens · Dec 23, 2006

i would go for the nikon, or a pentax MX. the MX pentax might be harder to find, and it has limitations. (such as the only auto thing on it is the light meter) but its a great camera, i have my dads, its 30 years old and has well over 20,000 shots on it and its still going strong.

as far as glass goes, you can find some excellent pentax glass for the cameras. at the time of the pentax K-1000/ MX/ 1970's pentax made so of the best glass. second only to nikon.

i am biased though because i have a MX and i love it.

bryanwhite · Dec 25, 2006

My advice is to take a feel of both cameras, take pictures in the shop if they'll let you, and then choose the one that is most comfortable to you to use. That was the one decision factor between the D50 and a Rebel for me.

usayit · Dec 25, 2006

ZaphodB said:
My advice would be to also keep your eyes open for anything in the Pentax K- series, ME-F, ME-Super, or MX.

Nix the ME-F. Go with the MX or ME-Super from that list. The plain ME is one of my personal favorites but it only has aperture priority. The MX, ME-Super, and the pro level LX (too expensive though) are feature rich cameras for the K-mounts.

The ME-F was a modified ME body with extra electronics for AF. It was the first 35mm autofocus camera marketed but was considered a failure ( minolta 7000 did it correctly). Difficult to find, AF only works with 1 lens, will cost more than a plain ME or ME-Super.

I'm one of the odd-balls out there that has one in my collection simply because it marks as an early autofocus attempt.

http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29492&highlight=ME-F

Digital Matt · Dec 25, 2006

There's 20 pages of Nikon manual focus camera outfits (body and lens), as well as every other brand, including incredible deals on MF and LF gear.

http://www.keh.com/

It's a very rebutable site. You get what you pay for.