cheap & light SLR for backpacking

[kanzlr]

what they say.

I bought an Olympus XA for hiking. Feed it with Ektar, and it produces superb results. Very nice stopped down, and in a pinch, it gives you nicely defocused backgrounds with decent resolution.

 

[konicaman]

Konica TC w/ 50/1.7 and 28/3.5

If AF is OK an EOS 300 body with the old 28-90 kit zoom

 

[Dirk]

I second the Nikon N80/F80. I am also on the large side (6'3") and while the Pentax ME Super doesn't feel too small to me, the N80 is the best fit. Try it with the 50mm 1.8 and the 24mm 2.8, or the aforementioned 28-70mm 3.5-4.5, and you'll have a lightweight combination that'll give you excellent results.

 

[waynec]

If your out for a day trip any body will do. It's the multiple day outings with a full pack and food which usually gives concern over weight down to ounces. I prefer something you can pound tent stakes in with so I usually go full metal jacket. Much less damage when things go wrong.

The only time you should worry about a heavy kit is if your carrying more then 20 extra pounds of body fat and are out of shape and want to day hike up in rather large mountains in crappy sneakers or a 10 mile plus hike along hard up and down trails. The it doesn't matter how light the kit is, it's going to annoy you all the way.

 

[GaryLH]

if I were to use MF, I would not be at ease without tripod. there is this mental connection with me - large negative -> tripod. (Maybe if I were using mamiya 7 or the new fuji folder, I would be healed of this, but...)

If we go off the lightest 35mm track..

How about one of the lightest medium format folders out there? Voitlander Perkeo 6x6 w/ Color Skopar lens? It maybe lighter than some of the slr+50mm lens combo.. It is so small when folded that I an easily fit it in the back pocket of my jeans.

Scale/zone focus, sunny 16 rule or hand held light meter. The skopar is a 4 element design usually the default lens on Perkeo II and the Vaskar is a 3 element design usually the default lens on Perkeo I. One of my all time favorite mf folders 😀

If u need rangefinder focusing, the next lightest mf folder would be the Zeiss super ikonta IIi w/ a tessar lens.

Gary

 

[Dunn]

I vote for the Nikon FG. You can check mine out in the classifieds 😉
But seriously, it is a great, compact slr. It was never a burden on me and I took it everywhere. And a great lens to pair with it is the 24mm 2.8 ais.