35mm - Which system ?

[littleearth]

I need a 35mm system that can suit both my personal (landscape, portraits) work and client work (portraits, engagements...)

I want to shoot with a 28mm and 50mm only, and my main concern is reliability and image quality.

I would appreciate your opinions regarding these cameras/lenses.

Thanks !

 

[DNG]

Size not an issue?

Nikon F3 HP
Nikon 28mm Ais (f/2.8 unless you need the f/2 version. The f/2.8 may be sharper at f/2.8 than the f/2 version at f/2)
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 Ais

That would be my set.... Should be under $800

 

[ruby.monkey]

I want to shoot with a 28mm and 50mm only, and my main concern is reliability and image quality.

Take the Nikkors and mount them on an F2.

 

[uhoh7]

You don't want a M6?

 

[Robert Lai]

F3 and 28mm f/2.8 AIS

F3 and 28mm f/2.8 AIS

I had this combination for many years. It is great. The 28mm f/2.8 AIS is probably one of Nikon's finest in manual focus.


The 50mm f/1.4 I was never fond of, as it is too dreamy wide open, and the bokeh is ugly. Much better is a 50mm f/2 or 50mm f/1.8 AI or AIS. Less expensive too.

 

[lxmike]

None of the above.

I own a Pentax MX (two in fact until one sells) and the MX is a smaller camera than any Leica RF, with higher flash sync, TTL light metering, 96% viewfinder and DOF preview.

Hard to beat already and when you venture in the ridiculous prices for an MX body, a 1.4/50mm and other pieces of kit, it becomes ludicrous to even compare the two! 😀

must admit l love my mx🙂

 

[Huss]

The 50mm f/1.4 I was never fond of, as it is too dreamy wide open, and the bokeh is ugly. Much better is a 50mm f/2 or 50mm f/1.8 AI or AIS. Less expensive too.

This. The 1.8 and the 2.0 are better lenses than the 1.4, and much cheaper too.
I have the 1.4 (came with the camera that I bought) and would not recommend it when there are those options.

The Contax RTS series are beautiful cameras, but unreliable. And when they break, chances are they've become unfixable paperweights. Been there twice..

 

[jim_jm]

I would go with the F3 and Nikkor lenses.

The F3 has a great meter (heavily centerweighted at 80/20) and can use pre-AI lenses in stop-down mode if you've got any older glass. Solid build, but it's a bit lighter and feels smaller than the F2, which is also a great camera. The only downside is the viewfinder illumination button never seems to work on any bodies I've seen - just poor design and execution I guess.

I just returned from Death Valley and shot both medium-format and 35mm. The F3 was the only 35mm body I needed and probably used the 28/2.8 AIS lens 80% of the time. I don't use my 50mm lenses too much, but for portraiture the 85/1.4 and 105/2.5 are excellent choices if you want to go longer.

 

[ZeissFan]

Reliability? Probably go with a Nikon but step down to an F2A/AS.

It's possible that you will need to replace the foam seals on all of the Japanese-manufactured cameras.

I probably wouldn't use the Contax G professionally until you get used to the autofocus system.

I don't know enough about the Leica R4S - is that the one that was developed in association with Minolta?

 

[mbisc]

Contax, but I would take the later/younger ARIA instead of an RTSII

 

[Cascadilla]

Of your options, I would choose the Nikon, but I too have a soft spot for Pentax. Both MX and LX bodies and Pentax 28 and 50 lenses served me well for many years of commercial work.

 

[noisycheese]

Leica M4-P, 28/2.8 Elmarit and 50/2.4 Summarit.

Even though this is not one of the poll choices. 😉

 

[Joe Vitessa]

If image quality is your primary concern, I'd go for the Contax G system. Get a G2, if you can swing it. That system has the best lenses of the ones you're considering. It's a totally different experience than shooting with an SLR. Kind of apples-oranges choice you've given us, isn't it?

 

[splitimageview]

Unfortunately, reliability and image quality are (almost) mutually exclusive in this group.

For IQ it's the Contax G, hands down. And they are generally very reliable. I've owned maybe 8-10 bodies over the years, only one that I came across ever needed service.
But as we enter 2015, who knows how much longer these cameras will be serviceable or how long parts will be available? The original promise was 10 years from the date Contax shut down (2005.) And it does take some patience to learn what the AF system likes...

Leica R4 --- run away. The least reliable of the lot...stay away from anything earlier than R5 🙂 (this is from experience running the used dept at a camera store. We'd take them on trade, they would appear to work, and then flake out later and we'd lose $$ on them.)

Nikon F3: *very* reliable, easily repairable, and the 28 is great. The 50, not so much. Maybe go with a 50/1.4 Planar instead? That said, the F2 is *more* reliable, or how about an FM2n or FM3a?

Contax: excellent lenses, but perhaps choose a different body (I've owned the RX, ST, and Aria. If it were me, I'd go Aria...matrix metering, very light, great big viewfinder, and it is the most recent.)

 

[Robert Lai]

Re: F3 meter light

Re: F3 meter light

The F3 meter light requires that the meter is active AND you press AND HOLD that little red button, in order to illuminate the LCD panel. If the meter times out, you need to repeat the process all over again. I usually just brought a small flashlight with me for dark work.

Having said that, my Nikon system is now down to a Nikon F and F2A.

 

[leicapixie]

I voted Nikon F3 because that was the choice and I use one.
If meter is no concern, then the original F or later F2(some with meter).
I use the 28mm f3.5 Nikkor and The 50mm f2.0.
I suggest that one also look at the 55mm Micro-Nikkor, 105mm f2.5 Nikkor.
Adding these will not break the bank!
The smaller FM3 and FE bodies are nice.

I love Pentax!
But, there's the but, the MX is smaller, lighter but way weaker..
owned one.Loved it.
I don't think it had a faster flash synch speed?
Sure some Japanese cameras may need new light sealing foam,
but are remarkable in reliability where the Leica R4 is not.
I have seldom used the others so cannot comment.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

For something not for personal use I prefer Canon EOS system with L series lenses and other manufacturers modern lenses plus modern flashes compatible with digital and film bodies, which are reliable.

 

[Frontman]

I prefer the Nikon F3. I have been shooting the F3 for decades, I have no less than three F3P bodies right now, one of which was dropped in salt water, yet still works.

You have a lot more options with Nikon lenses, the 28/2.8 AIS is pretty much unbeatable (the Contax is better, but the extra cost does not justify the difference in quality). A huge variety of 50mm lenses exist, plus those made in the Nikon mount by other manufacturers. I have been using the old 58mm f/1.4, which I like, and I have an early 50/2 which has 9 aperture blades, and is a great performer.

 

[farlymac]

The F3 kit, but go with a 50/2 instead.

PF

 

[splitimageview]

Or 50/1.2 🙂