Question:
Best 35mm film SLR for intermediate photographer?
anonymous
2011-03-06 05:18:41 UTC
I have been fascinated with the look and offerings of older, 35mm film cameras for awhile now, and I'm looking to buy one this month. I have experience with shutter speed, white balance, and a little bit of aperture and exposure from my digital GE-X5 that has what I would call a semi-automatic manual mode (if that makes sense..). I have also used DSLRs in the past for yearbook staff things, so I understand the basics of manually focusing a lens. But I would really like to try older cameras with completely manual settings so that when I do graduate from my X5 I will already have a foot in the door with SLR-grade tech.
The only thing that concerns me are prices and what the camera specializes in. I am a huge fan of macro photography and bokeh, so I need a camera that can provide this easily. I also like to take portraits with available and full natural lighting, and the camera needs to uphold that. Also, my budget to spend on the camera body and lens is about 120 USD. I have heard of many cameras like the Minolta SRT-101 which seem appealing to me in terms of what they have to offer.
I am "apprenticing" with a wedding photographer soon and would like to take my camera with me so I have something to work with while he shows me the ropes.
That's pretty much it. An affordable 35mm SLR camera within my budget, that has many different lenses to choose from, that will shoot natural light and macro effortlessly in time.
Thanks in advance!
Nine answers:
Wise0ldMan
2011-03-06 05:44:26 UTC
Hi there



Its good to hear that you are interested in film photography.



My choice would be a Pentax ME , ME super , or a Ricoh XR-5.

These all have excellent manual operation and you have a vast choices of lenses to use with the Pentax K mount.

Even the Ricoh uses the K mount.



Next best choice would be a Canon T70 , but the manual over ride is a bit less handy compared to the Pentax's or the Ricoh.



I wouldn't go with the Minolta as it is a 40 year old design with a cloth shutter , which can get holes in it.
Robsteriark
2011-03-06 06:16:30 UTC
I'd suggest the Olympus OM1n. It's a small and beautifully made fully manual SLR and was built for professional use. They're relatively plentiful, usually quite cheap now (or even free) and many were really well looked after although they are able to stand up to a fair bit of abuse.



I have a couple of them which I still regularly use and I far prefer them to the similar models from other manufacturers which are just bulky heavy and noisy by comparison. Olympus lenses are great and the OM system really specialised in macro to tie in with their production of microscopes and medical imaging devices. Another huge benefit of OM lenses is that they ALWAYS have a depth of field preview button on them, so you can instantly and easily see exactly what the effects will be of your chosen aperture, regardless of which body the lens is mounted to.



The only downside to the OM1n is that it's designed to use a mercuric oxide battery, and they're now banned in most countries. You can instead use a Weincell zinc-air battery which produces exactly the same voltage but which has a lifespan of just a few months, or use either the CrisCam MR-9 adapter or the Felix de Gruitjer equivalent device which costs half as much for those of us living on the eastern side of the Atlantic. If you live stateside I'd go for the CrisCam. The adapters simply reduce the voltage of a silver oxide cell to the 1.35v of the original mercury cell. The same adapter fits many other cameras and lightmeters which used the same battery, so you keep the equipment original and when it moves on you keep the adapter. if shooting on colour negatives then there's no problem at all, just use a lithium cell PX625 which is the exact same shape but has the wrong and unstable voltage (starts too high and constantly drifts down as it's used to being too low). Negative film has a wide exposure latitude, and a stop of under or over exposure is easily corrected at the printing stage. Note that the battery powers the meter only: everything else is clockwork so the full range of shutter speeds remains available. With a dead meter or dead batteries you can usually get a usable exposure by following the Sunny Sixteen rule.



Olympus also made the OM2n, a virtually identical model which had both metered manual exposure like on the OM1n but added the option of aperture priority automatic operation. You set the aperture to suit the bokeh and depth of field desired, and the camera sets the shutter speed for you. OM2n also boasts a superb Off The Film flash metering system (stunningly good but especially so when using single or multiple flashes for macro).The OM2n is also relatively cheap or free but it depends entirely upon (easily available) SR44 batteries for operation.



The letter "n" after each model number shows that they are later models with a few internal improvements. On the OM1n the only real difference in use is that the viewfinder has an LED to confirm when the dedicated flash has fully charged and which blinks to confirm correct flash auto exposure. The OM2n uses the LED in the same way, but is also fully compatible with OTF flash metering on the Olympus "T" flashes introduced at the same time.



There is also a later OM2 Spot Program, it's a superb camera, but uses far more electronics inside, and the circuit boards have had reliability issues as they age. Truly lovely when they work, but best avoided. They also weren't constructed to the same professional use build quality as the earlier models as by then Olympus regarded the OM3 and OM4 as their pro-spec models. Avoid the OM4 for the same reasons as the OM2SP, you're also unlikely to find it cheaply. If you get offered an OM3 then it's still regarded as one of the finest ever fully manual SLR's, but they're rare and expensive.
anonymous
2016-02-28 09:29:42 UTC
I'm sure this isn't an answer you want to hear, but just to throw in my two cents: I've been shooting for 20 years - been pro for about three quarters of that time. Right up until about three or four years ago, I swore I'd never stop shooting film. That has changed. With the current state of D-SLR technology, I see no real point in going back to 35mm film. Now, if you're shooting medium format, yes! Digital is still nowhere near being able to compete. But, with 35mm - film just isn't worth it. Sure, there's still a certain look to 35mm, that in certain situations, is desirable and impossible to accurately simulate with digital, but with the current state of D-SLR tech, those situations are so few and far between and the difference so slight, it's just not worth it to me to give up the conveniences of digital for it. So, my advice would be - pick up a used medium format TLR - you can find old Minolta Autocords, or Yashicas in excellent condition for around the kind of money you've mentioned - and they're great cameras. You'll absolutely BLOW 35mm film and digital out of the water with the quality of your images. But, if you're set on staying at 35mm - go digital. 35mm film isn't worth it any longer. Just my opinion. ***EDIT: John Martyr - I went to your website, I saw your images. They're good. You're a talented photographer. Nothing that you've posted there couldn't have been achieved digitally. So what's the point? A few years ago with digital there was a trade-off between quality and convenience. And, I was right there with you. You can take all the convenience in the world and shove it if I have to trade away quality for it. But, that was a few years ago. In the realm of 35mm there's no longer a trade-off. The choice is now quality OR just as much quality PLUS a whole hell of a lot more convenience coupled with a whole hell of a lot more ease of customization of the final product. For MY purposes, the choice is a simple one. No, film isn't dead. But, 35mm film is currently confined to a hospital bed, being fed through a tube and spending it's days pissing into a stainless steel pan. That's just the reality of it. You want to keep shooting 35mm film? I don't care. Have at it. If you enjoy it for some reason, great! I wish you the best of luck. I don't think that makes you a "filmtard", or any other infantile moniker. Hell, I've got 2 film bodies sitting within arms reach of me as I write this, and another 4 in various places throughout the house. I spent more than 15 years shooting nothing but film - but times change. That's always the way it's been. Sorry about your sour grapes. But, they really are YOUR sour grapes.
anonymous
2011-03-06 05:30:00 UTC
SLR cameras dont specialize at anything, its the lens that does that. Why do you want a film camera? A DSLR is exactly the same (most with full manual control) but you can take as many photos as you want without buying expensive film and processing. I doubt the wedding photographer gonna be using film and it would be much easier to learn from him or her if they could review the picture directly after you take it.If you get an old EOS Canon film camera at least you could use the lens on a Canon DSLR as well.
balestra
2016-10-06 05:27:45 UTC
Best 35mm Film
anonymous
2011-03-06 05:23:14 UTC
Probably something along the lines of a Nikon FE2 or Canon AE-1 and a 50mm lens, they're both relatively inexpensive, with great reputations.



Alternatives are the Nikon F70 or F80, and Canon's EOS 600/620/650 and EOS 30E if you want autofocus, again the 50mm lens is the one to use with these. AF lenses are more expensive, but AF bodies are cheaper because they don't always age so well.
?
2011-03-06 19:29:37 UTC
The old 35mm AF EOS lenses work on new digital bodies thanks to Canon.

Getting an autofocus capable Canon 35mm EOS body with full manual control options will set you up for the transition to a digital body when ready or when 35mm film is no longer sold.

The EOS Elan2 E or Elan7 E are fine cameras being sold cheap forget if they go total manual though.
Vinegar Taster
2011-03-06 06:57:58 UTC
One of the top 35mm cameras was the Nikon F3-HP. This was / is still a pro level camera. Another camera to consider is the Nikon FM2n.
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2016-04-22 08:41:01 UTC
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