i'm looking to purchase an inexpensive (but quality) manual 35mm camera for a photog class. something $300 or less would be ideal. does anyone have any recommendations?
I would recommend a used minolta x-700. I bought mine for a photography class years ago and it has proven to be a great and reliable camera that i still use regularly. It is much cheaper than a used nikon or canon and is also smaller, less bulky and easier to use than a new camera. You can usually get one used on ebay or a used camera shop for under a $100 plus about $50 to $100 for each lens.
On the other hand, if you plan to eventually get a digital SLR I would consider investing in a newer Canon Rebel so that you can continue using the lenses.
I would go to a used camera shop or photo swap and look for an older Nikon FM2, or Pentax K1000 (when they were still metal, 80's maybe?) and a 50mm lens. Both of these are quality, industrial strength full manual 35mm cameras that are basic enough to use ituitively, yet give you all the control you need to produce anything you want.
I had a FM2 w/ a bunch of lenses (24,50,90,70-210,300) that got stolen in my 2nd year of arch. school. I replaced it w/ a used FM2n and a good 50mm lens, and found that I came up with better compositions when constrained to just the 50mm lens.
I definately agree, no matter what camera you go with buy the best 50mm lens you can and don't use other lenses for a while. You will be amazed how much this constraint while help you. The worst thing that beginners can do is start out using a zoom lens.
adorama and b+h (occaisionally) have used nikon fm-2n's (black body-looks HOT with a shallow 50mm lens) at decent prices. i've had mine for a while, and it's the best camera i have ever owned. that it was the standard back up for most nat'l geo photographers says a lot. you can get a body and a lens or 2 for about $300 easily. ebay has them as well... but i trust adorama a lot more than some shmuck selling his mom's old camera. but that's me.
thanks so much for the recomm. i'm going to go to a camera shop this week.
love the holga, but the 12 format film is pricey, and i frequently screw up developing. i think lomos 35mm (esp lc-a) are waaay more fun, and you get just as odd/interesting photos.
i've had a canon 300D since x-mas, and am already drooling over a 20D. obviously these are out of your current price range, but i have a point.
Any wal-mart or TARGET carries the rebel 35mm cameras for a decent sub $300 price. it also happens that canon makes a stellar 50mm f/1.8 lens for $100 list. i wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations to stick to a 50mm lense when you first start out.
go get one of cheapy rebels, which i was really impressed with when i was a beginner, and look forward to being able to use all of your lenses with future DSLR bodies when/if you decide to spend upgrade to a digital body.
people still seem to be surprised to see me using a "normal film lense" on my digital rebel/300D.
oh and if you are thinking about getting a pentax k1000 for any reason, consider this: they are so well known and recommended it is almost gauranteed that several newbies have owned it, and mistreated it, before you get your hands on it. that and they never drop in value, so you really are overpaying for a camera that is no more rock-solid than the countless other cameras that were made in the 60's-70's-80's. i have one myself, so i am guilty as everyone else who says they swear by them, but i will say that the canon 50mm will giveyou results just as nice and any of those intro rebel's probably have a better meter at this point, as well as autofocus for those times when you are too lazy to squint for an hour to get the right DOF.
camera recommendations?
i'm looking to purchase an inexpensive (but quality) manual 35mm camera for a photog class. something $300 or less would be ideal. does anyone have any recommendations?
I would recommend a used minolta x-700. I bought mine for a photography class years ago and it has proven to be a great and reliable camera that i still use regularly. It is much cheaper than a used nikon or canon and is also smaller, less bulky and easier to use than a new camera. You can usually get one used on ebay or a used camera shop for under a $100 plus about $50 to $100 for each lens.
On the other hand, if you plan to eventually get a digital SLR I would consider investing in a newer Canon Rebel so that you can continue using the lenses.
I would go to a used camera shop or photo swap and look for an older Nikon FM2, or Pentax K1000 (when they were still metal, 80's maybe?) and a 50mm lens. Both of these are quality, industrial strength full manual 35mm cameras that are basic enough to use ituitively, yet give you all the control you need to produce anything you want.
I had a FM2 w/ a bunch of lenses (24,50,90,70-210,300) that got stolen in my 2nd year of arch. school. I replaced it w/ a used FM2n and a good 50mm lens, and found that I came up with better compositions when constrained to just the 50mm lens.
I definately agree, no matter what camera you go with buy the best 50mm lens you can and don't use other lenses for a while. You will be amazed how much this constraint while help you. The worst thing that beginners can do is start out using a zoom lens.
adorama and b+h (occaisionally) have used nikon fm-2n's (black body-looks HOT with a shallow 50mm lens) at decent prices. i've had mine for a while, and it's the best camera i have ever owned. that it was the standard back up for most nat'l geo photographers says a lot. you can get a body and a lens or 2 for about $300 easily. ebay has them as well... but i trust adorama a lot more than some shmuck selling his mom's old camera. but that's me.
here are a few... let's see if this works...
link
link
the canon ae-1 is simple and unstoppable (except I 'fixed' mine) and comes with shutter priority mode as well as manual
the pentax me is smaller and cooler, and completely manual.
go simple rather than looking for a collectors item, because you won't be too worried about using it in the rain, or at the beach or whatever.
[and Holga]is where it's at. Get one of those. Seriously.
You can't get any more inexpensive or quality than that.
thanks so much for the recomm. i'm going to go to a camera shop this week.
love the holga, but the 12 format film is pricey, and i frequently screw up developing. i think lomos 35mm (esp lc-a) are waaay more fun, and you get just as odd/interesting photos.
Yeah, 120 is pricey, but you can get a Holga for under $50! And the things are almost infinitely hot rod-able.
But yeah, Lomos are fun too. And didn't DWR just have a blurb about them and start selling them?
i've had a canon 300D since x-mas, and am already drooling over a 20D. obviously these are out of your current price range, but i have a point.
Any wal-mart or TARGET carries the rebel 35mm cameras for a decent sub $300 price. it also happens that canon makes a stellar 50mm f/1.8 lens for $100 list. i wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations to stick to a 50mm lense when you first start out.
go get one of cheapy rebels, which i was really impressed with when i was a beginner, and look forward to being able to use all of your lenses with future DSLR bodies when/if you decide to spend upgrade to a digital body.
people still seem to be surprised to see me using a "normal film lense" on my digital rebel/300D.
oh and if you are thinking about getting a pentax k1000 for any reason, consider this: they are so well known and recommended it is almost gauranteed that several newbies have owned it, and mistreated it, before you get your hands on it. that and they never drop in value, so you really are overpaying for a camera that is no more rock-solid than the countless other cameras that were made in the 60's-70's-80's. i have one myself, so i am guilty as everyone else who says they swear by them, but i will say that the canon 50mm will giveyou results just as nice and any of those intro rebel's probably have a better meter at this point, as well as autofocus for those times when you are too lazy to squint for an hour to get the right DOF.
oh and of course the beginner rebels let you take fully manual exposures, as well as their pre-programmed modes...
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