Help me find THE camera!

[AriaLaReine]

Hey guys! I never had a film camera before. I am looking for one that is small enough, (I have a canon dslr and it's killing me sometimes!) and cool enough to use! My budget is pretty low, so I don't think I could go beyong $120.
I really liked Olympus mju-ii, but is it good for portrait and HUMAN photography? I know its great for "tourists".. 😀
I'm also liking the minolta hi-matic af2, but is it too manual?

hopefully you'll help!:angel:

 

[thegman]

You may be able to squeeze in a Rollei 35 for that budget, and although an acquired taste, they're small and pleasant to use I find.

Alternatively, if you're not fussy about brands etc. just go on eBay, search for 35mm cameras, and you'll find loads for under your budget.

Also consider an SLR, maybe Pentax K1000 or similar. ME Super, something like that. As far as SLRs goes, they're pretty small, and vastly more flexible than any film compact.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I hear the dorkbar Leica CL may be available for about $120

 

[Steve Bellayr]

I have used the mju-ii for portraits without problems. It is a good camera. If you want to experiment with film that would be one way. Another camera under $100 but much bigger & without auto focus is the Yashica GSN. It is a rangefinder. But, make sure that the model you get actually works...and that goes for any used film camera.

 

[efix]

Contax T series (T, T2, T3) are great but probably above your budget.
Olympus XA is reportedly VERY good, but manual focus.

All of the above are very small, have built-in meters and are reported to be good and reliable cameras.

 

[oftheherd]

What are you looking for in a camera? Do you want an SLR, rangefinder, P&S, fully manual, auto exposure, auto focus? Beside portraits and whatever HUMAN is, what else do you want to photograph? There are so many cameras that do so many different things better than others, it would help to know a little more.

Also, you should know that if you take the time to learn how, most any camera can do most anything you want.

 

[AriaLaReine]

I don't want a fully manual camera. Nor an SLR. I want a built-in flash. Not a big camera. I've never used a rangefinder before so I'm not sure of whether a rangefinder or p n s.

 

[Turtle]

What about one of those Olympus 35 (SP?) RF cameras with a nice 40mm Zuiko F2 lens? I dont know much about them, but they sounds great as fixed lens RFs on a budget. Much lighter than a SLR, smaller, but manual and with a great lens. Sounds ideal to me and I would bet your budget will be viable.

Can someone chime in an explain what I am making a hash of?

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

So you want a non SLR camera with autoexposure, autofocus and flash?

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Mablo]

Olympus Trip 35. Very cool. Very inexpensive. Very easy to use. No built in flash though (who uses them anyway).

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

If you want fast shooting and flash, this is a very good camera with a sharp 35mm f2.8 lens:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwOPHkgx_3M

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Greyscale]

I would recommend the Canon Sure Shot Classic 120. Affordable, versatile, stylish, and with the best zoom lens on any of the compact AF cameras.

Read about it here:

http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/canon_classic120.html

and some pics from mine:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjtDSTNb

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

If you prefer zoom: a couple of years ago I needed a fast AF compact for street shooting, capable of 3200 film use to ensure great DOF... After the great Olympus XA, the brand developed a huge series of cameras with the same small, quality, clamshell camera concept... The most famous among the first models was the one I recommended before: the stylus epic, loved by lots of photographers who use manual gear... But the line continued adding models for more than 20 years! After maybe 20 or 30 models, they made one with a zoom starting at 28mm (not usual at all!) and ending at 100mm... That's the one I bought... When I don't want to carry my nicer cameras, I have my Oly XA for sun in one pocket and my Oly 100Wide for shadows/overcast/indoors in the other pocket. Both give me more than I need for liking a B&W image...

You can check that line here:

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Olympus_mju_Stylus_Epic

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Deniz Merdan]

you should read my review between a yashica T4 and a Konica big mini
http://denizmerdan.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/terry-richardson-vs-robert-frank-the-quest-for-the-perfect-camera-man/

 

[batterytypehah!]

A bewildering array of options in this long-running thread: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104074

 

[PatrickONeill]

stylus epic: cheep, and has a beautiful lens. excellent 1st film camera if you are going the automated route. 🙂

 

[Jani_from_Finland]

Contax T3, always get me to think why i have those other cameras when i develope those films. Just an amazing piece of jewel for a lens. If you have the chance to buy one you can afford, id say you grab it!
Otherwise, i have had an Mju:2 (35/2.8) since they came out, its really good camera.

 

[Krosya]

I would recommend the Canon Sure Shot Classic 120. Affordable, versatile, stylish, and with the best zoom lens on any of the compact AF cameras.

Read about it here:

http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/canon_classic120.html

and some pics from mine:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjtDSTNb

Agreed : +1, also Pentax UC-1 is awsome P&S little camera.

 

[gb hill]

You should consider a manual camera like a Olympus OM SLR to really learn the characteristics of film. Not to mention the enjoyment. I only mention the OM because from what i've read on here they are small & lightweight. Plus cheaper than Nikon.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

I agree with Greg!

I just ordered what to me is THE camera... I ordered my second black Nikon FE2.

I know the OP talked about a point-and-shoot: well, with a 35 stopped-down, that's what it is... It's ultrafast even with a 50... As Greg said, to enjoy film, being in control is the key... Most point-and-shoots won't lend him a hand at that...

It's incredible what an amazing camera you can buy for $119 (KEH, BGN)... (OP's budget) I talked to Dan and they have 11 of them at that grade/price... And if the OP adds a 50 1.8, he gets for a total of $200 one of the best camera/lenses ever, with 1/4000 top shutter speed, a mechanical 1/250 shutter speed, small size, a fast lens and the ability to use real selective focus... I'd like to know about other great deals for that kind of money... I can't imagine any better tool for that price...

Cheers,

Juan