Looking for a Film Camera

Primarilyk1000

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Hey, first post and it's a "need a camera" one but I want one:(.

I bought a k1000 on ebay and it works most of the time but some setting mess up the whole camera and the pictures come out dark. So, I recently started looking on ebay and amazon but all i get are new cameras. Not to disrescpect anyone's opinon, but I don't like new cameras, esp digitals. I know there are other cameras from the 70s but I would like recommendations from you guys.

Also, I found the canon eos 300 and was considering it since it's cheap. my grudge against it is that it's light weight and plastic. The reason I like the older cameras is because I like the weight and knowing i can use the camera as a weapon if i need to:D

money is a factor, i was thinking of spending $1-$175. i'm a beginner but I catch on quick so just throw any camera that you think is good.
 
How about a K1000 from a reputable dealer willing to work with you if there's a problem? K1000 is a great film camera... a bit basic but has everything one needs to create great photos. I like mine... How about a newer K-mount such as a Pentax MX or ME super? Another great metal bodied camera I enjoyed in the past is a Canon AE-1. Lots of FD lenses out there too. All have the metal and weight you seem to like.
 
I primarily use Nikon's ( film ) but recently got a Canon F1 w/ 50mm 1.4 lens for $150.00. I found a 70-210 Canon FD for $52.00, so I have a car camera that to me is disposable. You can find Nikon FE's with a lens or two everyday for less than $150.00, or even FM's. I really don't know about what other early Canon model's that are not plastic, I guess AE-1's from the previous post. FD lens' are certainly cheap and easy to find. I have always had Nikon's, and like the backwards compatibility with their lenses. My newest body is a 1988 F4, and I don't really use the features that it has, but they are tough. I would not rule out Olympus either ( OM-1, OM-2 )
 
Nothing wrong with your camera. It's a good one although it my need repairs if the metering is not working.

Lots of Canon AE-1 cameras out there and lenses for them are relatively cheap. Or look for a Nikon FE, FM, FM2, etc. These would be my choices.
 
Since you already have what is considered a really classic manual camera, why not take that money and get it repaired, along with a CLA (cleaning/lube/adjustment)? Just a thought.

I'm with you completely about these older cams, most of them are better built, solid, and with a little lovin' care they will shoot indefinitely. :thumbup:

But I can appreciate the call for something else, too. Just keep in mind you might still end up with something that might require a little love, too. ;) I like Pentax ME's just fine. And the previously mentioned Nikons. All rugged, durable cameras built to last.

Good luck, and have fun while you choose! There is a wealth of gorgeous old film cams out there, most of which will still be shooting beautiful pictures while their digital counterparts are sitting in the landfill, obsolete.
 
You also might want to have someone who's familiar with the K1000 run a roll through it. I'm not sure how new you are to photography, but it might be something as simple as having the wrong ISO set for the film you are using.
 
Thank you all for the replies. I am taking all of them into consideration, but they all seem nice the trouble is finding them. Tomorrow, I'll be going to the some pawn shops trying to find a treasure :D.

As for the K1000 cleaning, I was thinking about it but I don't know any photo stores around here. I'm sure there is one since it's a big city (UCF, Orlando). The thing is that I'm new to the area.

I have searched around the internet and have found that there are other people who have the same problem with a camera so it might be the user:D.
 
I've had several cameras repaired by KEH. They do a good job and send them back pretty quickly. You can check them out at www.keh.com

The suggestion about having someone knowlageble check your settings is a good one. As they said it may just be a simple matter of correcting your ISO settings or something similar and no repairs would be needed.
 
i would go with terri.
i have a pentax MX (ca. 1977...according to carbon dating :lol:) It was my dads and now its mine. Its a wonderful camera, it has taken well over 10,000 pictures and the only electronic part on it is the light meter.

as a bonus, aparently at the time my dad bought the camera, it had the next best glass to nikon.

a friend of mine found the exact same camera on e-bay with a 50mm 1.4 pentax lens, a 200mm sigma lens and a sigma 28mm lens for 175 u.s.d.
 
I love old cameras, but sometimes they are simply too heavy. If I had some pentax glass I'd consider THIS. It's light, small and if you shoot enough to wear out the shutter on it - it's money well spent!

Or just get another older pentax. There's loads of them out there.
 
Primarilyk1000 said:
As for the K1000 cleaning, I was thinking about it but I don't know any photo stores around here. I'm sure there is one since it's a big city (UCF, Orlando). The thing is that I'm new to the area.
Get off the computer, pick up the actual yellow pages, and take a look at camera stores ads. Go to the one that says "In business since..." at least 30 years ago. Find the old, gruff, not-interested-in-your-life-story guy sitting at the repair desk, and ask him to get the thing working. He's probably also not going to be interested in giving you photography tips, or quipping with you about old equipment being better than all that new-fangled digital stuff. But he will fix your camera.
 
Uncool, but sturdy, functional, and dirt cheap: Ricoh. Bodies like the KR-5 ( basically just like the K-1000 ) go for under $30 on Ebay. They have a K-mount so you can use Pentax glass. Ricoh puts together a mechanical camera body just as good as the rest of them.

Many of them were barely used by students before they got tired of being made fun of by kids with Canons and Nikons, and upgraded, leaving the Ricoh in a box in the closet. ;)
 

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