Taking a photography class, need some suggestions please! (:

MinnieMelissa · Jul 27, 2009

I'm taking a Photography class this upcoming semester and I was just informed that I'd need a 35mm SLR type and I'm completely clueless when it comes to cameras so any help/suggestions of what kind/brand I should get would be much appreciated! I'd like to keep it under $150 if at all possible.
Thanks!
--Melissa

musicaleCA · Jul 27, 2009

I think they mean film. You can easily pick up old 35mm film cameras for under $150.

MinnieMelissa · Jul 28, 2009

musicaleCA said:
I think they mean film. You can easily pick up old 35mm film cameras for under $150.

Yeah she did mean film lol, I'm guessing amazon or ebay would be my best bet then. Anyone have any brand suggestions?

musicaleCA · Jul 28, 2009

Minolta, Canon, Olympus, Nikon. All pretty standard fare. If you go with Canon or Nikon though, and upgrade later to digital, you should be able to keep your glass and use it on a newer body (assuming you're buying older glass too).

DSPhotography · Jul 28, 2009

you can get a Nikon N75 body, sometimes with a decent lens, on eBay for pretty cheap

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-N75_W0QQi...eras?hash=item27aa46211f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-N75-Body-...eras?hash=item3ca3fcbdde&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-N75-35mm-...eras?hash=item33544faa09&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

ann · Jul 28, 2009

why not ask the teacher.

also check out KEH.com for a basic pentax K1000

blash · Jul 28, 2009

Standard intro to photo kit:
Vivitar V3800N 50mm Lens Kit with 50mm f/1.7 lens, case, strap, Batteries | Freestyle Photographic Supplies

Nikon intro to photo kit:
Nikon FM10 Manual Focus Camera w/35-70mm Lens Includes: Case Batteries & Strap (52mm filter size) | Freestyle Photographic Supplies

Those kits are recommended because a lot of teachers like to teach intro to photo on manual-control photography bodies (although most won't raise a fuss if you bring in electronic/automatic bodies, so the above eBay links are probably OK). Ask your teacher what he/she wants you to buy before class starts; I was emailed by my professor a few weeks before the semester began with those suggestions.

Actor · Jul 28, 2009

For decades the standard student camera has been the Pentax K-1000, which you can get off eBay for under $50.

A new Promaster 2500PK with 50mm lens is about $125.

christopher walrath · Jul 28, 2009

My personal recommendation would be a Minolta XG-M 35mm SLR (an XG-1, XD-7, X370, sr-T101, sr-T201 - any X or sr camera would do), a 28mm MD mount lens (Rokkor or Vivitar), a 45, 50 or 58mm MD mount lens (Rokkor w/ f/2 or larger aperture (less quid)), and a 70-210 or so MD mount zoom (macro optional) MD mount lens (steer clear of really weird names like Soligor and KMart and such) Vivitar or Quantaray. Get a good strap. Get an older universal flash like a Vivitar 3800 or a Minolta PX280. Get a normal sized bag (650 cubic inches capacity or so (8x8x10)) and a good strap, not a foamy stretchy kind.

And, no matter what, do not get a Celtic 135mm MD mount lens. I have three that are junk.

You could conceivably pick all of this up from eBay and some film to boot within your price range.

bhop · Jul 28, 2009

Pentax K1000. Cheap and the simplicity will help you learn. Most came with the standard 50mm f/1.7 lens.

Flickr: Pentax K-1000 users and lovers (k1000)

Or a Nikon FM, which is similar, but will be smoother (wind lever for example), probably better built, and you can use Nikon lenses on digital bodies.

Soocom1 · Jul 28, 2009

As a former K1000 user, great camera! Good and cheap.

personally, I would stick with a newer style lens sytem though, Nikon can be used for ever and a day w/ older lenses. Canon can be had decently w/EF lenses (so you can mount on a digital later if you keep it) pentax has changed, Minolta doesnt exist anymore, and the legacy stuff (Minolta MA mounts) will work on the Sony stuff.
Olympus is good for older stuff, and the old Konica has killer glass. But is difficult to find good lenses.
So all said and done.. I say the old stand by of Nikon or Canon.

sharkylittleton · Jul 28, 2009

I just went through this myself. It came down to the Pentax K1000 and the Canon AE1. The k1000 averages for about $10 more on eBay than the Canon. But the Canon's f1.8 50mm vs the Pentax's piddly f2 was the deciding factor for me.)

Either way you can't to wrong, got my AE1 for $46 shipped from eBay.

MinnieMelissa · Jul 28, 2009

Thanks so much everyone for all the help!

I did email my teacher and she suggested Nikon or Canon as well so I'll definitely be looking into one of those. A friend suggested the Canon EOS Rebel G2. Any thoughts on that?

Soocom1 · Jul 28, 2009

It is NOT an SLR, and I would really not reccomend it for a classrom enviroment.

Personally, I would look into a DSLR or even a film body on e-bay or keh.com

djacobox372 · Jul 28, 2009

Soocom1 said:
It is NOT an SLR, and I would really not reccomend it for a classrom enviroment.

Personally, I would look into a DSLR or even a film body on e-bay or keh.com

Hmmmm... the Canon EOS Rebel G2 is an slr, and since she's asking this in a film forum I think it's safe to assume the class requires a film camera.

If you see yourself continuing to use film, then a nikon f100 would be a god choice, they're about $200.

If you see yourself going to digital in the future, go for a cheapo minolta, or perhaps a nikon FE.