photo student

[vegas]

I am a photo student in college and i need a good manual beginners camera. The requirements are a manual adjustable shutter speed, manual amount of light, and manual focus. I tried Nikon but i can't find any in my area any other suggestions similar to the Nikon FM or FM2. Thanks

 

[Jeremy Z]

I had both a Nikon FM and an FM2 at one point. They are pretty much the cream of the crop for manual SLRs.

However, I started with a Pentax K1000. Do an ebay search on 'Pentax K1000'. Look through those auctions. Don't be impressed with "includes 5 lenses", but when you look at the lenses, they are all crappy "Focal" lenses from the 70s. There are some good aftermarket lenses, but for the most part, the lens you're interested in is a Pentax 50mm f/2 or f/1.7 or f/1.4. The cheap bag is not worth much either.

Are you forbidden from having any automatic features, or do you just have to make sure you have manual in addition to the manual features?

Other options: Minolta SRTxxx (any of them) Minolta X-370, Minolta X-700, Olympus OM1n, Canon Ftb.

You could also search for "student camera"

Here's another option: Buy the Canon EOS 620 I have for sale in the Buy & Sell forum, and the 35-70 zoom lens. It has full manual control, can focus either automatically or manually, but it also has full automatic and partially automatic control for when you're "off duty" and just want to take some snapshots. It is a pro grade camera, and the price is reasonable. Another perk is that if you go digital later, you can still use this lens. I'll give you the camera & lens for $150 shipped, if you're in the continental USA.

If you are forbidden from having any automatic features, never mind. But if you can have them and they will trust you not to use them, it is another story.

 

[Jeremy Z]

Here are some ebay auctions:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-K1000-35...5QQihZ002QQcategoryZ15240QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-K1000-Ca...4QQihZ005QQcategoryZ15240QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-K1000-35...85QQihZ011QQcategoryZ3334QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-K1000-35...2QQihZ012QQcategoryZ15240QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-K1000-Fi...0QQihZ014QQcategoryZ15240QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The Nikons are going to be a lot more, ditto for the optics.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-FM-35mm-C...QQihZ004QQcategoryZ107925QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-FM2N-FM-3...QQihZ007QQcategoryZ107925QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-FM2-BLACK...QQihZ017QQcategoryZ107925QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

But the EOS 620 will do everything those will do and more, except work without a battery.

 

[vegas]

Wow thanks bro yeah i talked to some nikon guys and they said stay away from the pentax but i am open to it all...

 

[Peanuts]

Wow thanks bro yeah i talked to some nikon guys and they said stay away from the pentax but i am open to it all...

They were probably thinking more along the lines of their current digital cameras. (Not bashing anyone with a digital pentax by the way)

I started with a Pentax Asahi and don't regret it at all. Taught me all of the basics about exposure the hard way. I am actually using an EOS 620 along the side now and the limited use I have with it - I love it.

Jeremy Z has given you plenty of advice. Good luck

 

[Digital Matt]

I'm assuming you are in Vegas, so this is a GREAT place to buy used film SLRs.

http://www.keh.com

They are very reliable, and their rating system for the quality of the item is spot on.

 

[Groupcaptainbonzo]

Film or Digital?

Good manual cameras are in plentiful supply. because Most good fully auto cameras have a manual setting.

Film cameras are really cheap at the moment and as stated Nikon FM are the top (as a classic they are expensive). (The camera is just a light proof box. it is the lens, the "Film" and the photographer which produce the results).

Any well known name will have a good system to buy into. canon and Nikon are classic already but Minolta, pentax. Olympus etc are all out there.

look on ebay for well supported makes and systems. Talk to your LCS (Local Camera Shop) to see what they recommend. And buy a good quality SLR and a 50 mm lens a flash unit and a light meter. If it is available, switch AUTO "OFF". and get going....
Canon G series are getting quite cheap


e.g.http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-Power-S...ryZ31388QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


as are all older digital cameras as they are replaced by newer models.
All old cameras take pictures as well as they did when new. so don't worry too much about their ability.

Have fun and enjoy taking pictures.

 

[fightheheathens]

Pentax MX.
fully manual camera. built to last, and you can find very high quality lens's for it. The 50mm 1.7 or 1.2 is great.
The MX was pentax's top of the line camera before the LX came out and now you can find a good used one on E-bay with a 50mm lens for around 175.

 

[Jeremy Z]

Wow thanks bro yeah i talked to some nikon guys and they said stay away from the pentax but i am open to it all...

Well of course the Nikon guys will say that. Having owned 35mm SLRs from Nikon, (FM, FM2, EM) Canon, (FTb, FT, AE-1 Program) Olympus, (OM1n, OM400?) Pentax, (K1000, ME Super, P30T) and Minolta, (SRT101, SRT201, X-370, X-700) I can tell you this. I have not had good luck with early Olympus or Canon aperture priority auto exposure. The mechanical ones were all excellent. Nikon was good. Minolta was the best. Very reliable, and the lightest touch of your finger on the shutter relase button turns on the light meter. (speaking of the X-370 and X-700) Optically, the Pentax & Nikon lenses were the best, a bit more contrasty than the others (probably better coatings) but Canon & Minolta were so close as to make it a non-issue.

 

[burtharrris]

If you want a manual film camera, don't just look at the brand new offerings. Nikon has an old-school-looking film camera. But you should look at the actual old school film cameras -- Canon AE-1, A-1, Nikon F-1, etc. They are cheap on eBay, great examples for around $50. Plus they are dependable. You could hammer nails with an AE-1 and still take great pictures.

 

[usayit]

Wow thanks bro yeah i talked to some nikon guys and they said stay away from the pentax but i am open to it all...

HEHEHE... lol...

There's a shop nearby that is heavily INVESTED in Nikon... they basically like to say everything non-Nikon is bad. I wonder why??? I'm the Canon dude that buys up all their Canon stuff used and cheap when a poor smuck was convinced to trade in all their Canon equipment for brand new Nikon.

Pentax pioneered the 35mm SLR in the old days.... their stuff is still nothing to sneeze at.

 

[tasman]

I have a Minolta X700 for sale if you are interested with 4 lenses. Trying to raise some money to buy a Nikon D80. Just let me know if you are.

 

[Jeremy Z]

I have a Minolta X700 for sale if you are interested with 4 lenses. Trying to raise some money to buy a Nikon D80. Just let me know if you are.

I'd either jump on this or my EOS 620 vegas. The X-700 is a good, solid camera. The 620 will be better for action, if you ever decide to go that route, but the the X-700 will be easier to focus manually, at least with a fast lens.

The X-700 has an electronic shutter & light meter. The focusing and film advance are manual. (unless you buy the Minolta motor drive for it)

The EOS 620 is 100% electronic. You can make the exposure and focusing manual if you want, or make it automatic if you want. Film loading, rewind, and advance are automatic.

If you won't be shooting any fast action, the X-700 will go MUCH longer on a battery, as it only runs the light meter and times the shutter. With the right lenses (ask tasman if they are 'A' lenses) it can have fully automatic exposure, aperture priority, or shutter priority, as well as manual.

EOS lenses are going to be easier to find, though there are a lot of old Minolta MD lenses still kicking around out there.

Versus either of the above, a mechanical SLR such as a Nikon FM, FM2, Pentax K1000, Olympus OM1n, or Minolta SRT series will be more reliable in cold weather. When you get good enough to make an educated guess at the exposure, you won't even have to stop shooting when the battery dies. But.. you have no automatic option, so if you get tired of doing everything manually, it's just tough luck.

I hope that helps.

 

[tasman]

My X700 is near mint, great camera, works great. Yes it is manual focus, and the film advance is manual (unless you attach a motor drive). The metering is perfect. It has a 28mm f2.8, 50mm f1.7, 135mm f2.8, 85-210 macro f3.8 and 2 2x teleconverters, filters and caps and covers.

Its the only manual film camera I have used, everything else has been an autofocus Minolta 7000i or the Nikon F100.