Best value Film Cameras

[ZeissFan]

One of the better values in classic cameras are the Kodak Retinas, particularly the II, IIa and IIc/IIC and possibly the IIIc.

The Retina IIIC tends to sell for too much money, I believe.

They have excellent lenses, are very reliable and look better than most of that plastic crap sold in the 1980s and 1990s.

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Hi,

I'd say the canonet ql3 1.7 is the best value. For around $50 you get a great lens, AE and AEL in a smal package.

But then again I bought a Leica M3 for a 1000 guilders when I was 24. I sold it for 1200 guilders ten years later. I had ten years of trouble free shooting and gained 200 guilders. How's that about value for the money?!

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[JeffM]

Another vote for the K1000: Can be had easily for about $50 bucks on the second hand market... and most of the time that includes a lens.

The first camera that came to mind for me was definitely the k1000, or the K2. The Pentax K and screw mount series has probably the best, in my opinion, quality to price value factor in the second hand market these days. I have a Asahi Spotmatic from 1969 that is still running strong, though it has had to have a lot of work throughout the years, but like a lot of older cameras, it's self repairable. Such a solid but smooth advance and quite shutter release.

As far as rangefinder value my vote goes to the Yashica Electro G series. Can be had anywhere from $40 to $100 bucks. Might cost a little bit extra to bring one up to speed, but I think it's worth it. Love that lens.

As for medium format, well it's certainly isn't the most valuable camera in the world but how about a second hand Holga? They cost about $20 dollars to buy new, so second hand they'd be what? Free? 🙂

 

[NickTrop]

Best value -

Kiev 60...
Where else can you get a MF interchangeable lens SLR camera with a decent lens (the Arsat) for around $100? The lenses - all excellent, especially the 2.8/180 Sonnar, cost around the same as 35mm primes. When you compare the cost of like systems, the Kiev is the best value. Not a camera for everyone - and it's big and dorky looking, but the best pics I've ever taken I've taken with that camera.

 

[wlewisiii]

A great value is the Canon T-90, simply the finest manual focus SLR ever made IMO. Not as cheap as some, but stil a great value. Couple it with the exquisite 50/1.4 lens and you have a marvellous combination.

The best thing Canon ever did was make the total break from FD to EF. It let them make a much better AF camera and allows bottom feeders like me to enjoy very high end glass at silly low prices 😉

William

 

[NikonsRMe]

I gotta agree with the Retina's I have some pics from the 50's, ( I was 12), shot with a IIA on Koadachrome 64, ( of course), that I'll put up against any others. Schneiders were fantastic, the Retinas reliable and you can buy a IIa for about $35 today. Try to beat it for a rangefinder. We were talking about rangefinders, right?????

 

[css9450]

My experiance with the K1000 has been a little different. I got mine brand new in 1979 (my parents were tired of me going out bike riding with their Minolta SR1 around my neck), and it was something like $110 if I remember right. In the following years, both my parents, my brother, and another relative or two all eventually bought K1000s, but oddly all of them except for mine all wound up with dead light meters eventually. Estimates from the repair shops usually came with the notation that it might me cheaper just to buy another K1000...

So I don't know, maybe there were just a few bad apples, but my family would up with all of them. My K1000 still works though, so technically its been a great value!

 

[clintock]

Mamiya c series TLR and lenses..
make you look like a pro because the bodies say so right on the front!

 

[shadowfox]

Yashica MAT 124: half the price of a Rollei, similar results

half?? try one-tenth! 😀