Auto Focus, Film SLR Recommendations...

[jbielikowski]

I get my EOS 1n for 100euro and 50/1.8 for bit less that 100euro. Bigger P&S with great capabilities. And I like 5 AF points more than loads of them in EOS 3.

 

[j.scooter]

As far as I know the only autofocus zeiss lenses (for 135 format) are those for the sony alpha and there there are only two primes. 85/1.4 and a 24/2. There may be a new 35/1.4 in future but that is uncertain.

For primes you forgot the majestic Zeiss 135/1.8

Then there the Zeiss zooms
16-35/2.8
24-70/2.8

 

[ChipMcD]

Once again, thanks so much you lot! There I was, happy that I had just secured myself an F100 to replace my manual focus F, F2's and F3 and then I start thinking about F5's.
I'd always thought that it was too big and heavy. I'll let you know as one is in the post to me! aaaaarghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
must sell some manual bodies now.

The F5 is a tank and a bargain. It's super fast and its metering system is hard to fool, in my experience. I haven't used mine much since "going Leica," but for moving subjects, it's great. Maybe it's time to put some batteries in and blaze away again....

Have fun.

 

[nobbylon]

You already have the F, F2 and F3, I think you should just go the while nine yards and find yourself the next three: F4, F5, and F6 :angel:😀

Personally, I stopped my AF Nikon F series GAS at the F4s. It's a great body to use with my legacy manual focus Nikkor lenses when I get the urge. Of course, I use the F4s for AF too.

--Warren

Warren,
I had an F4s but sold it recently as I hated the slow A/F. Felt the most solid of any camera i've had though.
I'm looking forward to the F5 that's on the way and I'm sure that when I see an F6 at the right price I will try one.
I should sell off my Leica gear now but after doing so many times before will give it some time to decide.
I like the viewfinder set up on the F5 for manual focus with the different colour arrows and dot. It's a shame it's not on the F6.
J

 

[Andy Kibber]

Nikon F100.

 

[Chris101]

Nikon F5 is big and heavy. But I also use a D2x digital, so it matches. I use both of those cameras when I don't need to lug them around. For carrying an autofocus SLR, I have a N80, (or F80 if you live outside the US.) It ain't perfect, but it's super light, autofocuses reasonably fast, and allows adjustment of everything important. On the downside it does not meter with older manual focus lenses. You should be able to find one quite inexpensively.

 

[Haigh]

I have an F100. Beautiful camera. There are Voigtlander lenses for it if you are inclined.

 

[Bobfrance]

Hmm, I am leaning towards a F100. It seems to offer a lot of bang for your bucks. If I really like shooting Nikon SLR them maybe I could upgrade to the F6.

 

[Haigh]

As I said, I use an F100 and if you want top quality fixed focal length lenses you can check out the CV range. Of course they are manual focus.

 

[Bobfrance]

As I said, I use an F100 and if you want top quality fixed focal length lenses you can check out the CV range. Of course they are manual focus.

I really like CV lenses, but my main reasoning for getting an SLR is for fast auto focus, so I guess that rules them (and Zeiss) out.

 

[racoll]

My primary system is Canon EOS and in my mind the 1v is the greatest camera ever. It's built like a tank and is incredibly fast at everything, and it just feels good in the hand. I absolutely love it! That being said, the other AF camera I have that I also love dearly is the F100. It's compact without being small and it's fairly lightweight, but it's also very fast in operation. I love the info in the viewfinder which is much more helpful than that in the 1v's viewfinder. I still shoot a lot of film and always have a film slr in my bag along with my 7D. Lately it's been the F100 that gets the stage time. It feels and handles a lot like my 7D; it's simply a wonderful camera. Either would be an awesome choice. I had a Maxxum 7, 2 of them actually, but I sold both. While it's a most impressive camera, it feels a lot flimsier than the F100 and even more so in comparison to the 1v.

Andy

 

[barnwulf]

I had a couple of Nikon F100s and loved them. Excellent camera and at a very reasonable price now. Jim

 

[peterm1]

I second all of the suggestions for a f100. I have been tempted to buy one on a few occasions as they are such nice cameras and so cheap now. But I just do not shoot film enough to justify it. I still own my old Nikon 801s which is a few generations behind the f100 and find its still a good camera to use for this purpose on the few occasions I need to shoot film. And its worth just a few dollars thesse days so there is no point in me disposing of it. One thing I like about the 801s is that it uses standard AA batteries - a consideration for older cameras when proprietary batteries may be hard to find.

 

[Ranchu]

A nice thing about the F100 is when you set it to meter/expose in half stop increments instead of third stop the 'meter needle' readout in the finder will show a total of six stops, three up and three down. Very slick for use with the spotmeter. I also liked the shutter/wind sound. It works very slick with the 50mm f1.4 AF-s, though not particularly fast, they suit each other I think. The 50mm f1.8 AF-D screw drive is faster but makes a hell of a chatter on my face with the F100. Like Megatron.

 

[Mablo]

I'm using a F100 primarily with a 50mm/1.8 AF-D. It's a great combo for the money (around €300 used).

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Hmm, I am leaning towards a F100. It seems to offer a lot of bang for your bucks. If I really like shooting Nikon SLR them maybe I could upgrade to the F6.

Nikon film bodies are so cheap (except F6 😀) I picked up an F4 because it will mount and meter some older non AIS glass I had as well as the newest lenses and when younger lusted after it. It is referred to as the rosetta stone of nikon slrs. The single point autofocus works. (full stop 😀)
I wanted an F6 for all the reasons quoted above but bought an F100 because at £120 it was a no-brainer. Very good camera, again as above, but it is not a single number F. The feel and build are a stop down. Plastic rear door, early ones, search the net, had a plastic rewind fork prone to breaking. I have had some great shots from it, the metering in particular is excellent, but it is not a go to camera. But goodness me what value. The F5 was the last pro Nikon the F6 was designed and marketed for amateurs (I am using the terms as they would be understood 20 years ago say no slurr on either camp). The design was after all the press pros had gone digital £5,000 D1 amateurs wouldn't pay that and a market for a top film camera existed. but not for long, and I know they still, allegedly, make them. That doesn't mean it is not excellent but the prism is fixed and they laboured long over how it sounded when in the pro range it was how it worked and how rugged it was not how nice it sounded. The F5 is no more a beast than a D2/D3 body but the technology in autofocus is a few steps back. Yes it does work well but looses some of the tricks the newer cameras have.

So, on balance, buy an F100, what can you loose? spend on glass, the camera is the light tight box remember, shoot some film if you love the results and the style then splash on an F6, the F100 will sell or be a back up and you will "loose" very little on it. If you buy an F6 you stand to loose more if you back out. FFordes "always" have some (other stores also) they don't fly out.
Canon- don't be silly 🙄
Digital yes, film never 😀

 

[matthew J Shaw]

Hi Bob

Well, you have narrowed it down to 2 top SLR's, and fortunately I have used both... 🙂

I love the contax system, and have used a few varients of it as my own camera, the Lenses are stunning, but have a slightly limited range, and very little to choose from in good 3rd party lenses.

The EOS1 would be my choice, the canon glass overall is good, but the L series are breath taking. I use them day in day out for work and have never had any problems. There is also a much wider range of third party lenses, which, although the quality is not as good as the canon L series, it opens up alot more avenues. I for one would be lost with out my Sigma 8mm fish eye.

The best EOS1 varient I know, and the one I will never part with is the rarer (and slightly more expensive) EOS 1N RS. I know its designed for sports use, but once you use a camera with a pelicle mirror, its hard to walk away from it, been able to monitor the subject during exposure, see where flash shadows fall etc is a god send.

If your really looking for the best SLR (in my humble oppinion) I would keep looking and be patient until you can find one of these beauties.

M

 

[p.giannakis]

How about a Minolta 9xi? The AF is pretty good (on a par with my EOS 5 in good light) and it is quite cheap - around £130 with lens included.