£300 for camera and lens

R cameras are definitely in budget but a cron for the r is not.

HHPhoto I'm looking at the difference between the FE and FA, FE2's are a bit more and the way to turn them on wouldn't work for me. Think the FE would have everything that I would need but i was out today in the sun and shot a photo at 1/4000 of a second on my fuji so the FA is interesting.
 
If you want a small aperture priority only Nikon there is also this one, althought i didnt bond with it really.


nikon+em.jpg
 
I really love my FA, it has largely displaced my other Nikons when I want a simple, lightweight kit with a good meter that I can trust when shooting "fire and forget". It just works. As far as using the lever to turn the camera on, it is not a big deal. I'm left-eyed and it doesn't bother me at all. To each their own though.
Phil Forrest
 
AlexBG said:
HHPhoto I'm looking at the difference between the FE and FA, FE2's are a bit more and the way to turn them on wouldn't work for me. Think the FE would have everything that I would need but i was out today in the sun and shot a photo at 1/4000 of a second on my fuji so the FA is interesting.
Click to expand...

The FA has the following important features:
- AMP and centre weighted metering
- manual mode, aperture priority, shutter priority and programe mode
- shutter with times from B, 1s to 1/4000s, 1/250s sync speed and mechanical M1/250 speed without batteries
- TTL flash metering and hot-shoe
- multiple exposures possible
- stop-down lever (DOF preview)
- MLU via selftimer
- ISO 12 - 3200
- light-meter indication, shutter and aperture values visible in the viewfinder
- shutter for the viewfinder (for automatic exposures with selftimer)
- exposure compensation in automatic modes from +2 to +2 stops in 1/3 stops
- PC
- grip for right hand for better ergonomics
- motor-winders as accessoires

Cheers, Jan
 
The MD15 winder is awesome with the FA and a big fast lens like the 180/2.8 or 80-200. It's not as big as the MD4 and it doesn't drive as fast but with an MR-3 you can turn the smart cable release socket into a vertical shutter button. If you want a photo of this kit, I'll shoot one and post it. Now I'm chomping at the bit to get out and shoot. Stupid pandemic.
Phil Forrest
 
I suppose the easiest way to stay within budget - any budget - is to look for a film SLR system that isn't in demand because the lenses are usable in a digital. As adapters might make anything possible i guess I better add "popular" to the spec.


Regards, David
 
That's true David and also look at something like the Nikon FE v FE2 and OM2 v OM4, slight improvement but sometimes quite a lot of money.

Also user grade cameras compared to the pro cameras are a lot less and sometimes more feature rich.

I'm enjoying the search at the moment, think I have found 'the one'.
 
AlexBG said:
That's true David and also look at something like the Nikon FE v FE2 and OM2 v OM4, slight improvement but sometimes quite a lot of money.

Also user grade cameras compared to the pro cameras are a lot less and sometimes more feature rich.

I'm enjoying the search at the moment, think I have found 'the one'.
Click to expand...

Got to support your comment about the non-pro cameras. I've one or two that are the lowest of the low but they use the same lenses and are designed to be fool-proof. And one or two of those SLRs cost me a single coin or - just once - two coins: the seller called "tails" and so I paid three quid instead of two...

Let us know what you decide.

Regards, David
 
AlexBG said:
R cameras are definitely in budget but a cron for the r is not.

HHPhoto I'm looking at the difference between the FE and FA, FE2's are a bit more and the way to turn them on wouldn't work for me. Think the FE would have everything that I would need but i was out today in the sun and shot a photo at 1/4000 of a second on my fuji so the FA is interesting.
Click to expand...

You saw my post in the Leica CLA thread, so you know where I am.

I believe the FA has reliability issues - at least, I half looked for one once, but a lot for sale had issues and it’s just gone a step too far for me in automation/complexity. I think it is probably best to avoid a Program camera if you want to “get into” an M3. The FE2 is pricey but that’s because it really is the Goldilocks of cameras in some ways.

However!!!!! I 100% agree on the turn on. I had to have a 3D printed custom winder made so that it didn’t stick in my right eye.
 
I thought I would update this with a conclusion, sort of as camera choice is very subjective.

Firstly what I didn't get and why.
Olympus OM4 - I have had an OM2n before, liked it but the shutter speed dial was always in the wrong place for me.
Canon - Only one person said about Canon SLR's so I didn't look into them even though the SSC 50mm f1.4 is one of my favourite lenses (On my old A7)
Leicas - Summicrons are over my budget
Minolta - Used to have an X700 with a 58mm and never really gelled with it.
Contax - A few bodies fitted the bill perfectly but I did want a f1.4 50mm lens and that put the price too high.
Pentax - The super ME is a bargain and maybe the best choice but there was a spanner in the works when I saw this photo.

Old Faithful by Johan Niels Kuiper, on Flickr

This is what my ideal camera looks like, mint glass and great photos and well used body. So the Nikon hunt was on. FE2 looked like the one but good ones with 50mm 1.4 lenses were over budget so I started looking for an FE. I couldn't find, at the time of looking, a good condition one and also went out shooting for a day and used shutter speeds over 1/1000 a bit so started to get worried. Then I found the FA. To me it is basically a better FE2. Fully electronic which doesn't bother me at all and also has matrix metering and faster shutter speeds. Just a shame it has FA written on the front, I prefer the plain body look.

It didn't take long until one was ordered and delivered from Japan within 4 days. And here she is:

Nikon FA 50mm f1.4 by Alex George, on Flickr

Also at the start of the thread Retinax suggested about having an SLR with a wider lens than the 50mm on my leica and once the Leica is back from service keeping both, so then this happened:

Nikon FA 28mm f2 by Alex George, on Flickr

The 28mm has been converted so works fine except the matrix metering. It also looks awesome. The price of the Nikon lenses is very good, the 105mm f2.5 looks great and I may one day get one but is a bit long for me.

So there is my fun story. Camera has already had a roll through it, works great, focusing is fantastic, only thing I need to get used to is swapping lenses because they seat turning the opposite way I am used to. I've tested both lenses on my X-T3 and both render beautifully and are both nicely sharp. I've hardly taken the 28mm off my X-T3, seems like 42mm focal length is my sweet-spot.

Thanks for everyone's advice.
 
I've purchased from West Yorkshire Cameras (wycameras.com) in person and online before and I've always had a positive experience :)

When I bought my IIIf the guy gave me a roll of HP5 to show me how to load it, gave me a handful of magazines featuring the IIIf and gave me a portrait of myself that he took on a large format camera with an instant back :D A good experience all round haha

Edit: turns out by the time I wrote out this message OP I bought his camera and had it delivered from Japan! Also, the last camera I bought from the above mentioned shop was a black FA haha!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom