what camera to buy (beginner)

[Battou]

All SLR cameras have a Mirror that must move before a picture can be taken, this is a quick snap, it is not a prolonged thing, from my experiance.

What part houses AF?

To be honest it varies, older AF cameras had AF moters in the bodies, but most modern AF SLRs it is housed in the lens.

As for putting Film imagery onto the computer all you need is a film enabled scanner, they are readilly available, price can rangnge anywhere from 80 (USD) up into the thousands. You can find them at Office supply stores, E-Bay, B&H Photo and whatnot, all you have to make sure is that it is film enabled. It will have a slide holder that holds the film negitive and a back light for scanning, if you ask a sales rep for one that is capible fo scanning negitives they should know what you mean.

I use an older Canon Dedicated scanner MSRP $1159 that I bought in new condition for just short of $200 on E-bay for mine.

 

[djacobox372]

To Overread:

1) correct... for everything (camera, lenses, motor?, etc) nothing over $400. around $200 or less would be great.

2) No, I am no set on film, cameras. But what I was gathering from previous information is that digital isn't (without exceeding my limit) capable of taking quick motion snapshots that are in absolute clear focus as well as the interchangeable lenses.

FYI: in the long run, a $200 film camera will cost you more then a $500 digital, due to developing costs. You are also NOT likely to find a good, fast, reliable autofocus SLR film camera for less then $200.

For $400 you should be able to find a used nikon d70 digital slr with a inexpensive zoom lens on ebay. That's my recommendation for your price range. Anyone that has owned a d70 will tell you that it's an awesome camera. It should cover your snap shot needs, it shoots 3fps, and there's no delay between turning it on and taking pictures.

Here's a review: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD70/

Here's an example of one on ebay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D70-Camer...yZ107912QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[djacobox372]

BTW: if you can stretch your budget to $500, a nikon d40 + kit lens is the way to go!

If you insist on film, then take a look at a nikon f4, it's a great camera and can be had for about $400 with a lens.

The nice thing about classic cameras like the f4, is that they are somewhat collectible, so you should be able to recoupe most or all of your $400 if you should decide to sell it in the future.

 

[Battou]

FYI: in the long run, a $200 film camera will cost you more then a $500 digital, due to developing costs. You are also NOT likely to find a good, fast, reliable autofocus SLR film camera for less then $200.

For $400 you should be able to find a used nikon d70 digital slr with a inexpensive zoom lens on ebay. That's my recommendation for your price range. Anyone that has owned a d70 will tell you that it's an awesome camera. It should cover your snap shot needs, it shoots 3fps, and there's no delay between turning it on and taking pictures.

Here's a review: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD70/

Here's an example of one on ebay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D70-Camer...yZ107912QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

You are incorrect, on many counts, all of the last generation film SLR cameras use the same AF lenses as their digital counterparts.

The point of buying film SLRs due to a budget is specifically to spread out cost over time. As money comes in and becomes available as opposed to having to drop more money than one has at any one given time. Further more there are modern AF lenses for both of the major names that exceede the total I have spent on film processing in my entire life. Not to mention, if one gets into self processing all that processing expence gets dropped considerably.

Such closed mindedness is irritating.

 

[yellowjeep]

Hey. Yes its the latter, your not going to notice and I'm willing to bet it will take pictures faster than any digital P&S.

Now that you mention it I don't see that that camera has the option to MF. At least not in a way that I am used to, my camera has a AF/M button right below the lens that you would push with your left hand when holding the camera.

You can clearly see the AF/M button on this 600si.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Near-Mint-Minol...ryZ43493QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Both the body and the lens make it AF, The body has to have sensors to know when something is in focus as well as a motor to drive the lens. The lens has to be build as such that it can be controlled by the camera.

You can get film developed at Walgreens/CVS or at Costco or Sam's club or most any grocery store. Some offer a disc with your pictures but they scan them at pretty low res. An actual photo lab, or camera store offers the option of high res scans on a disc.

You could also pick up a scanner that will scan film and do it yourself, which is what I'm planning on doing. Then you just have any one hour lab develop your film but no prints.


Looks Like Battou beat me again.

 

[yellowjeep]

Such closed mindedness is irritating.

Word.

And not to derail the thread but what Canon model do you have?

 

[CalebGGodwin]

haha... thanks Overread, yeah I suppose friends can be too nice and thus I wouldn't get the criticism I need.

Anywho, here are a few cameras I found on ebay... Honestly, I don't know why I chose 'these', i guess because they come with multiple lenses. Anyway, what do you guys think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-2-Pentax...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


not used in a year or so, but he/she seems to know a bit about the lenses and appears to take well care of them.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-K1000-wi...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.com/PENTAX-SF10-35m...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



I got really excited about this huge lot... after reading, I figured there would be a few items in there at least to start and learn with... what do you guys think???
http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-35mm-STUDE...ryZ43486QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


I think I really like this one too... looks promising. but what do I know.. lol. Opinion on this one???
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ndexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting


i don't know if this is good for the price, but otherwise, it looks good.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-ME-Super...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


and I'm still looking on ebay, but those are just some of the ones I found that I kinda like...

 

[CalebGGodwin]

alrighty, well I understand the auto/manual focus a good deal more now. Thank you Battou and Yellowjeep.

About the development, Yellowjeep, you said "Then you just have any one hour lab develop your film but no prints".... what does that mean?

I'm trying to weigh my options for development as well...

1) allow cvs/walgreens/etc to develop them and put them in low res on a disc as well as prints

2) camera store developed with high res on disc and prints

3) buy a scanner that scans film negatives

... if I do the third option... how does that work? you have your roll of film in which you took the pictures, and you have your scanner. I know there's more to it, but what?

 

[Overread]

to me they all look fine purchase wise, except this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-35mm-STUDE...ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
if it were me I would not bid. There is a lot of kit there and it certainly would keep you busy for ages, but I wonder about creadability. Firstly he does not list all the contents (if he can't be bothered to list them how is he at bothering to package?) also the rolls of film displayed are expired - which I take to mean almost usless.
I just think it might be too good an offer to be true or as good as you might think. Were I you I would get one of the other deals (one working camera is going to be plenty enough for you to start learning on anyway - 6 is overkill)

 

[CalebGGodwin]

actually Overread... I started to think the same thing. I figured had I gotten that, IF they were all in working and good shape... what would I really do? I'd probably be lost using one camera then another, blah blah blah... so yeah, ruled that one out.

 

[CalebGGodwin]

so as of now, I am looking at one of these three.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-2-Pentax...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ndexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-ME-Super...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


I'm not sure how to explain it... but how can I be sure I get a camera that I don't have to 'wind' every time after a shot? for instance, i want to take motion snapshots... so I just want to be able to 'press the button' so to say. I don't want to take one picture, wind it, take another picture, wind it, etc... (somewhat like a disposable does) how can I be sure to avoid that???

 

[Smith2688]

I'm not sure if it's been said in one of the previous posts (I've skimmed through them, but haven't read all the posts), but, do you want a camera capable of auto-focus? If so, then you need to get lenses and a body that support this. I'll be able to further direct you then in regards to a K-mount camera since the field narrows a bit.

 

[CalebGGodwin]

Not particularly Smith. Though I was asking how the autofocus works and such, I would prefer a manual focus, even though it's just another thing to learn. Thanks

 

[yellowjeep]

so as of now, I am looking at one of these three.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-2-Pentax...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ndexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-ME-Super...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


I'm not sure how to explain it... but how can I be sure I get a camera that I don't have to 'wind' every time after a shot? for instance, i want to take motion snapshots... so I just want to be able to 'press the button' so to say. I don't want to take one picture, wind it, take another picture, wind it, etc... (somewhat like a disposable does) how can I be sure to avoid that???

All 3 of cameras you have posted the film has to be advanced manually (you have to wind it). There is a lever on the top of the camera to the right side when holding it dead give away.

Here is an example of a manual focus camera with an intagrated motor drive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/KONICA-FS-1-CAM...ryZ15236QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And one with an aux. drive.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-LX-SLR-c...ryZ15240QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[yellowjeep]

alrighty, well I understand the auto/manual focus a good deal more now. Thank you Battou and Yellowjeep.

About the development, Yellowjeep, you said "Then you just have any one hour lab develop your film but no prints".... what does that mean?

I'm trying to weigh my options for development as well...

1) allow cvs/walgreens/etc to develop them and put them in low res on a disc as well as prints

2) camera store developed with high res on disc and prints

3) buy a scanner that scans film negatives

... if I do the third option... how does that work? you have your roll of film in which you took the pictures, and you have your scanner. I know there's more to it, but what?

They can simply process the film with out making prints then you just have a roll of negs.

To scan them you need A) a scanner that will scan transparencies that is to say, it has a light on the top that shines down though the neg (or slide). $. or B) A dedicated film scanner. $$$

http://www.normankoren.com/scanners.html

This site is slightly out dated in terms of the models listed but its full of good info on scanning film.