Camera Recommendation?

Strychnine. · Dec 21, 2017

I've recently started taking an interest in film photography and wanted to actually try getting my feet wet and purchase myself a film camera. I'm looking for something nice under a $100 that takes 35mm film. If anyone has any recommendations that would be amazing! Thank you!

timor · Dec 22, 2017

All depends how much do you know about working with film. Here I think about exposing and developing film. If nothing get Nikon F75.
Here some info about it:
Nikon N75 (aka F75 or U2)
I paid for my $25 but without a lens. With basic 50mm still should be below $100.

OldManJim · Dec 22, 2017

Agree with Timor. Don't invest very much until the film bug has bitten you hard. Something like a used Nikon (or Canon) is a good idea. The older Nikons were mostly metal and pretty reliable. Buy from a reputable dealer so if there's a problem, you can get it easily resolved. If there is a local camera shop in your area, I'd patronize them. They should offer advice and help with getting started.

Good luck and welcome to he forum.

limr · Dec 22, 2017

Meh, forget Canon or Nikon. Yeah, they're fine cameras but they also carry a price premium because of brand recognition, even the old film cameras. The Pentax K1000 was a student standard for decades, and actually is still recommended in the schools that still teach film. All manual, built solidly, and really good lenses. Overall, a camera that stands up to the other Canon and Nikon work horses of their day, and there are tons of them out there so you can probably find a camera in good condition for a good price.

timor · Dec 22, 2017

I would agree with you Leonore... but not here. :02.47-tranquillity:

I like my K1000, have 3 of them, but how did you say, it is nowadays very good photography student's tool. Is OP a student of photography course ? If not and the only experience comes from digi, F75 (N75 in USA) is as close to it as it gets. In this light K1000 is a camera for more advanced film shooters, for people who understand exposure and development relationship or actively seeking this knowledge. If OP is one of those people fine, he/she is prepared for initial frustrations. If he/she is not F75 will serve well as it shoots like digi just without the LCD at the back. :1251:

jcdeboever · Dec 22, 2017

Strychnine. said:
I've recently started taking an interest in film photography and wanted to actually try getting my feet wet and purchase myself a film camera. I'm looking for something nice under a $100 that takes 35mm film. If anyone has any recommendations that would be amazing! Thank you!

If your in US, look up still works classic on Etsy. Send him an email and he will hook you up with a working, reliable, cla'd camera and lens to fit your budget. His name is Charles and a super, awesome, seller.

limr · Dec 22, 2017

timor said:
I would agree with you Leonore... but not here.
I like my K1000, have 3 of them, but how did you say, it is nowadays very good photography student's tool. Is OP a student of photography course ? If not and the only experience comes from digi, F75 (N75 in USA) is as close to it as it gets. In this light K1000 is a camera for more advanced film shooters, for people who understand exposure and development relationship or actively seeking this knowledge. If OP is one of those people fine, he/she is prepared for initial frustrations. If he/she is not F75 will serve well as it shoots like digi just without the LCD at the back.

If the K1000 is for more advanced film users, why was it used to teach students who were starting from zero? There are a lot of assumptions about the OP's skill level and experience, but regardless, I don't think it matters anyway. Start with a camera that doesn't do anything automatically. Experience a steep learning curve. Learn to slow down and appreciate the medium. Why would someone want a camera that shoots like digital if what they want is a different experience? That doesn't teach them to appreciate film. It teaches them that it's all just the same, except for the 36-exposure limit, so why even bother?

So, @Strychnine. You still around? What do you feel your needs are in terms of auto vs manual settings? How similar do you want the experiences to be? Are you afraid of getting some really bad shots for the first few rolls before you get your first 'keeper'?

timor · Dec 22, 2017

limr said:
timor said:

I would agree with you Leonore... but not here.
I like my K1000, have 3 of them, but how did you say, it is nowadays very good photography student's tool. Is OP a student of photography course ? If not and the only experience comes from digi, F75 (N75 in USA) is as close to it as it gets. In this light K1000 is a camera for more advanced film shooters, for people who understand exposure and development relationship or actively seeking this knowledge. If OP is one of those people fine, he/she is prepared for initial frustrations. If he/she is not F75 will serve well as it shoots like digi just without the LCD at the back.

Click to expand...

If the K1000 is for more advanced film users, why was it used to teach students who were starting from zero? There are a lot of assumptions about the OP's skill level and experience, but regardless, I don't think it matters anyway. Start with a camera that doesn't do anything automatically. Experience a steep learning curve. Learn to slow down and appreciate the medium. Why would someone want a camera that shoots like digital if what they want is a different experience? That doesn't teach them to appreciate film. It teaches them that it's all just the same, except for the 36-exposure limit, so why even bother?

So, @Strychnine. You still around? What do you feel your needs are in terms of auto vs manual settings? How similar do you want the experiences to be? Are you afraid of getting some really bad shots for the first few rolls before you get your first 'keeper'?

I like your answer. Since I don't think OP will ever show up again we can discuss some merits of teaching young people shooting film. Students you mention, yes, they might have zero experience. But they have teacher and are enrolled in a learning program. They will make mistakes, but mistakes will be discussed, understood and corrected. Now someone who wants to get his/her "feet wet" and buy K1000. That person will handle this camera like digital camera. I saw that. Guys after clicking started to look at the camera back. Sometimes it took 10 seconds for them to realize, that there is no picture showing, because there is no lcd screen.. Second comes very basic light metering in K1000, source of most of the frames being over or under exposed. Third is film development if shooting own b&w. :alien:

Alien world.
So, what do you think, who is Strychnine (BTW that's rat poison), dedicated student ? I don't think so. F75 gives wide spectrum of possibilities, from fully automatic to see, that it is possible to make good looking negatives, to fully manual (except for film transport) mode to understand how to make good looking negatives without help of the computer.

webestang64 · Dec 22, 2017

limr said:
Meh, forget Canon or Nikon. Yeah, they're fine cameras but they also carry a price premium because of brand recognition, even the old film cameras. The Pentax K1000 was a student standard for decades, and actually is still recommended in the schools that still teach film. All manual, built solidly, and really good lenses. Overall, a camera that stands up to the other Canon and Nikon work horses of their day, and there are tons of them out there so you can probably find a camera in good condition for a good price.

I vote for K1000 as well. Or a KM or K2 or KX.

RowdyRay · Dec 22, 2017

How about an N80?

Free Nikon N80 35mm Camera

earthmanbuck · Dec 22, 2017

I haven't really progressed beyond the "occasional hobby" stage myself, so I don't have an enormous wealth of camera knowledge or experience. However, I started with a K1000, and it's still my favourite model to shoot with of the ones I've tried (in fact I have 2 now). There definitely is a learning curve in getting the hang of how exposure works, but it's a sturdy camera and it's laid out in a really straightforward and easy to read way, which is not always true of more advanced cameras.

I have a couple lesser-used cameras I'm trying to sell, and I've considered just giving one to my girlfriend, because she's expressed an interest in learning...but my experience with learning on the K1000 makes me a little hesitant to give her anything that isn't super basic to learn on. The problem with that is of course whenever I do see a cheap K1000 pop up and think about buying it for her, I'm worried I'm just going to keep it. :fangs:

Strychnine. · Dec 23, 2017

Thanks for the tips everyone! I'm definitely looking for something that's going to be different from my DSLR. If I wanted to stick to what I know I would just keep shooting digital. I'm going to look into a K1000 as that seems to be the popular option. Going forward, what's a good place online to buy cameras. I, unfortunately, don't have any shops where I live.

timor said:
Strychnine (BTW that's rat poison)

Thank you, I am very aware of this.

OldManJim · Dec 23, 2017

KEH Camera, Roberts Camera, & B+H are all good options for used cameras. You can, of course, find them on eBay but those are individual sellers and that's a little riskier than an established store.

timor · Dec 23, 2017

Strychnine. said:
Thanks for the tips everyone! I'm definitely looking for something that's going to be different from my DSLR. If I wanted to stick to what I know I would just keep shooting digital. I'm going to look into a K1000 as that seems to be the popular option. Going forward, what's a good place online to buy cameras. I, unfortunately, don't have any shops where I live.

timor said:

Strychnine (BTW that's rat poison)

Click to expand...

Thank you, I am very aware of this.

Very nice. I am glad to see you back. Honestly, I didn't have much hope. I've seen it before. People coming with interest in shooting film and disappearing after realizing how much trouble it is comparing to digital. I hope you are as tough as your forum name suggests. Good luck !