whats the best 35mm SLR camera?

Question

Okay, I am taking a photography 1 class this year and they said i could buy this really cheap camera but they won't let you use it in photography 2 which i am interested in. So i plan to invest in this camera. They said it has to be a 35mm slr camera, nothing else, so don't suggest a different camera cause that won't help me what so ever. I want a really good camera that will probably last me a while and takes really good pictures....thing is also i just started photography so i don't quite understand what everyone is saying sometimes about their cameras.....i'm used to my regular digital camera where it's just point shoot upload and your done lol.....anyway if you can explain it in the simplest way possible that would be really great...

Answer 1

I agree that you probably don't really want the "best," which would cost a couple thousand dollars for the body. Here's my stock answer to this question:

35 mm Film Camera for students (Prices - June 2007)

Buy either a Nikon or Canon camera, such as a Nikon F-80 (autofocus), Nikon FM-10 (manual focus), Canon EOS Elan 7N (mid-level camera), or one of the Canon Rebel cameras (K2 or T2).

My reasons for suggesting Nikon or Canon is so that you can have the widest possibile selection of high quality lenses available to you. Once you have really gotten into photography, you will have a few lenses and then you can keep your top quality lenses and upgrade to a more expensive camera in the same line. Pentax is another fine camera with a huge line of lenses and I always owned Pentax film cameras, but I think you have even more to choose from in Nikon and Canon, so these are the brands I have recommended to my own children.

Get one "general purpose lens" of a wide-to-tele zoom of the same brand as your camera in the 35-70 or 35-105 range.

The Nikon FM10 35mm SLR Manual Focus Camera Kit with Nikon 35-70mm f3.5-4.8 AIS Lens is a good student kit which is available for about $250.

The Nikon F80 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Kit with Nikon 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6 G-AF Lens is an autofocus camera and lens which is available for about $350.

The Canon EOS Rebel K2 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Kit with Canon 28-90mm f/4-5.6 III Lens costs about $210.

The Canon EOS Rebel T2 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Kit with Canon 28-90mm f/4-5.6 EF III Lens adds a few features and costs about $260.

The Canon EOS Elan 7NE 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Kit (Eye Control) with Canon 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens is a step closer to a professional camera and it sells for about $490.

The Pentax K1000 is certainly a proven student camera that would serve you well, but you'll have to shop used, as it is not a current model. It was been replaced by the ZX-M, which looks like a good student camera, but I see that is only available "used" now also. It is a manual focus only camera with four exposure modes: Program AE, Aperture priority, Shutter priority and full manual. The camera body sells for about $150 used. A Pentax lens worth owning is the Pentax Zoom Wide Angle SMCP-FA 28-105mm f/3.2-4.5 AL IF Autofocus Lens which sells for about $200. This makes the Pentax "kit" cost about $350. You might also consider a "normal" Pentax 50 mm f/1.4 lens instead of the zoom, but that costs slightly more money. Personally, I prefer the 50 mm lens for a student, but that's just my vintage taste.

Answer 2

Film 35mm SLRs are becoming a rare breed in brand-new cameras. Hence, your best bet is actually a used film SLR, typically to be found on eBay, pawn shops, and Craigslist.

For manual focus SLRs, the granddaddy of all student cameras is the Pentax K1000.

For autofocus SLRs, you'll want to primarily choose between Nikon, Canon, and Pentax. Minolta made autofocus SLRs too, but ran into quality issues that weren't addressed until their later models. Rather than try to figure out which ones were good vs. bad with them, I am suggesting you stick to Nikon, Canon, or Pentax autofocus SLRs, especially because of the wide availability of good lenses for those cameras.

In Nikon, you should look at the N80 or F100 as good autofocus SLRs. The N80 has a built-in popup flash; the F100 does not (since Nikon figures you'd have a separate flash unit if you need it). The N80 was known outside the U.S. as the F80.

In Canon, their EOS film lineup is huge.

Pentax had their ZX series of cameras. Take a look at the ZX-5. If you're on a budget, the ZX-50 was a good entry-level option.

Remember to set some money aside for a good lens for the camera body, unless you get a deal that includes a lens. And get yourself a book which explains camera terminology, so you can understand what people are saying.

If money is no object, the best film SLR right now is probably the Nikon F6. However, it's very expensive. By comparison, the Nikon N80 does just about everything the F6 does, but at a fraction of the price.

Answer 3

There are two issues here you might want to consider. First, what are the camera requirements for the two subjects. Second, do you want the camera you buy now to be the basis for a system that you will expand over the years, including moving to digital?

Typical requirements for student cameras include:
- able to set all the exposure controls manually, including film speed, shutter speed and aperture
- manual focus
- depth of field preview
You will need to avoid camera bodies that do not allow you to do these things, such as those that only operate in an auto-exposure mode. Modern camera bodies will provide four exposure modes:
Program (or multi-program) where the camera aperture and shutter speed is set automatically.
Aperture Priority which allows you to choose the lens aperture, and the camera will then select the shutter speed.
Shutter Priority - you select the shutter speed, and the camera selects the aperture for correct exposure.
Manual - you control both the aperture and shutter speed. The camera will normally indicate whether the result will be correctly, over or under exposed. You might see this referred to as PASM, for the initial letters of the four modes.

Plenty of film bodies would be suitable if you are allowed to have a PASM camera. The selection narrows considerably if the requirement is to have a camera that can ONLY operate in a manual mode, ie has no automatic exposure, automatic focus, etc. While there are plenty of older cameras that are purely manual, only Nikon and Pentax have continued to make such cameras, with the FM10 and K1000. The last Canon manual only camera bodies are from the late 1970s, and used the obsolete FD mount. Newer Canon bodies use the EF mount, which is not compatible with the earlier FD mount lenses.

You may choose to assemble a system around the camera you choose now, or decide to defer that until after your courses, when you will be a much better informed buyer.

If you defer the decision, you can assemble a basic system from almost any maker with good second hand equipment.

On the other hand, if you decide to make the camera you choose now to be the start of your system, You really do limit yourself much more. While not the only choices, there are three basic options based on the lens mount - Nikon, Pentax and Canon with the F, EF and K mounts respectively. All three mounts have been in use for 20 years or more, and are well supported by both the original manufacturer and non-OEM lens makers like Cosina, Tokina, Tamron, Sigma, etc.

If you can only use a manual only camera, then Nikon and Pentax are the basic choices.

Canon and Nikon both offer a wide range of lens. The Canon Camera Museum site lists 130 EF mount lens now not in production, and their current lens list has 65 different lenses. Nikon made about 207 different F mount lenses between 1959 and 1999, and their current catalog has 48 different lenses. Pentax list 17 lenses in their current catalog. Both the F mount and K mount are used by other camera makers. Fuji and Kodak have used the F mount on digital bodies. The K mount was used by about 20 makers in total, including Ricoh, Cosina, Miranda, Chinon and Vivitar, so there is a wide selection of older bodies around that use this mount.

I think any of these three maker's cameras would give you good service both as a student photographer and as the basis for a larger system if that is where you want to take your photography.

Answer 4

You really don't need the "best" 35mm camera. Most of the major manufacturers make good cameras. You can pick up a good used one really cheaply now that a lot of people prefer digital. As a student, you'll find out that more expensive cameras don't make your pictures better, that is a result of knowing how to use the camera you have. I used a very inexpensive Pentax K1000 for years. People would assume I had an expensive Nikon because the pictures were sharp, well-exposed, etc. I've seen beautiful pictures taken with a 100 year old box camera that probably cost $1 brand new. If you were a professional, you'd spend more money to get a camera with more features and durability. A high-quality lens can be very expensive too, but you don't need that yet either. Good luck.

Answer 5

Best 35mm Slr Camera

Answer 6

firstly you will learnt the camera is a minor part in great photography, any old slr will do it for you, you will learn to "make" not take photos.

cameras have far less to do wih quality images than the photographer

so a Nikon F2 of F4, a canon AE1, minolta X700, x300, x370, pentax K1000, or newer ones are nikon f90, f100, f65 et centera, Pentax MZ's, Canon Eos, Minolta dynax/dimage.

go learn that cameras are just tools like lights and stuff, great images are 90% photographer, the other 10% is the tools used

if you get an Eos canon then the lenses can be used on a DSLR when you get one.

Congradulations at least your one of the smart ones that realises study is the way. I did my time and its the reason Im still at it and those that confuse money spent with skill are doing desk jobs now.

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Answer 7

Search ebay for a Minolta SRT-202 with an MC ROKKOR-X f1.4 lens. You can also look at KEH, B&H and Adorama. Make sure you ask the seller if the meter is working and if the battery compartment is clean and free of corrosion. You can find a replacement battery - the WEIN CELL 1.35V - on ebay or at most camera stores.

I bought my 202 in 1974. This year I finally had to send it in for service.

Minolta was so well thought of back in the '70's that Leica, lagging in development of an "auto" exposure camera, came to Minolta for help. The result was the Minolta XE-7. Minolta then manufactured the camera with a Leica lens mount and metering system and Leica sold it as the Leica R 3. Their next camera was the Minolta XD-11 which Leica sold as the R 4. Leica also bought the 16mm f2.8 fisheye and the 35-70mm f3.4 and 70-210mm f4 constant aperture zooms from Minolta and sold them with a Leica mount.

Answer 8

Real short answer:

Great photos are made with a combination of a quality lens and the photographer's skill. The camera body has very little to do with it.

Consider only Nikon or Canon. Those are the two big players and what the pro's all use.

The Nikon FM10 would be my choice. No bells or whistles. Rock solid. $250 with a zoom lens.

Answer 9

Nikon N80 is a great SLR. It's not too expensive and you have the option of using a lot of different lenses.