dogbunny
Registered Boozer
Sorry for starting another rabid "what should I buy" thread, but here it goes.
I currently, have a Spotmatic SPII, but I've been a little frustrated with it lately. It is a bit of a beater. The timer lever is missing, the distance indicator on the lens is broken and it just spins, and the exposure meter switch is really annoying. Sometimes I have to press the exposure meter switch 3 or 4 times for it to finally click into place. The glass itself is fine, and the camera overall takes good pictures.
The two things that annoy me the most are the exposure switch and that I find the viewfinder relatively dim, so I have trouble focusing at times. This might be part of my own limitations, for example I can focus my Hexar RF no problem, but I have some difficulties focusing my Yashica GTN.
So, long story made as short as possible, I'm considering playing around with another system. I really don't have any money tied up in SLR glass. I was looking at the Olympus camera or the Nikons.
I would really like:
1) a bright, easily focussed viewfinder
2) easy to use metering (manual only is just fine)
3) glass that makes me happy
I've been impressed with what I've seen from both early Olympus and Nikon, kind of leaning towards the olympus for its compact size and relatively cheap price and nice glass.
Anyhow, Thanks in advance
DB
I currently, have a Spotmatic SPII, but I've been a little frustrated with it lately. It is a bit of a beater. The timer lever is missing, the distance indicator on the lens is broken and it just spins, and the exposure meter switch is really annoying. Sometimes I have to press the exposure meter switch 3 or 4 times for it to finally click into place. The glass itself is fine, and the camera overall takes good pictures.
The two things that annoy me the most are the exposure switch and that I find the viewfinder relatively dim, so I have trouble focusing at times. This might be part of my own limitations, for example I can focus my Hexar RF no problem, but I have some difficulties focusing my Yashica GTN.
So, long story made as short as possible, I'm considering playing around with another system. I really don't have any money tied up in SLR glass. I was looking at the Olympus camera or the Nikons.
I would really like:
1) a bright, easily focussed viewfinder
2) easy to use metering (manual only is just fine)
3) glass that makes me happy
I've been impressed with what I've seen from both early Olympus and Nikon, kind of leaning towards the olympus for its compact size and relatively cheap price and nice glass.
Anyhow, Thanks in advance
DB
Contarama
Well-known
Take a look at the FM2...
W
wlewisiii
Guest
I recently jumped whole hog into a Nikon F2 system. If you go that early you get pre-AI glass which is stupid cheap & really great. Body, metering head, various accessores, plus 28, 35, 50, 55 macro, 105, 200 & 85-200 zoom lenses for less than $400 total.
Personally, I've tried Oly three times and sold it quickly each time. I dislike their ergos intensely. The IQ was good but no better than Canon or Nikon to me.
Personally, I've tried Oly three times and sold it quickly each time. I dislike their ergos intensely. The IQ was good but no better than Canon or Nikon to me.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I have an old spotmatic and I have to confess I hate the viewfinder ... it's a gloomy tunnel.
I'm a fan of the OM series for their tactile feel and their amazing viewfinders ... and Zuiko glass is hard to fault. Probably not as tough as a Nikon but still very reliable IMO. I have an OM-1 that had the prism replaced recently ... with a decent screen in it and my 50mm f1.2, it's easier to focus than my M2.
The shutter speed dial location can be a deal breaker for some though!
I'm a fan of the OM series for their tactile feel and their amazing viewfinders ... and Zuiko glass is hard to fault. Probably not as tough as a Nikon but still very reliable IMO. I have an OM-1 that had the prism replaced recently ... with a decent screen in it and my 50mm f1.2, it's easier to focus than my M2.
The shutter speed dial location can be a deal breaker for some though!
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W
wlewisiii
Guest
f16sunshine
Moderator
Contax rts, rts2, aria, or RX. Beautiful vf's and fantastic Zeiss lenses (And a few great Yashica ones). Few contax slr mentions here at rff. as a long tine user I say give a try. Plus with a simple $10 adapter you can use your m42 mount pentax lenses as well.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
It's a funny thing that dial ... personally I love it but I can understand that if you don't get on with it the OM becomes far less attractive.
redisburning
Well-known
Keith has it.
I like the shutter speed dial. You have two main controls when shooting manually, aperture and shutter speed, I like having both in what I consider to be easy access to my left hand.
left hand exposure, right hand making the film counter go up. makes perfect sense to me. like left hand fretting and right hand strumming, or left hand shield right hand sword or something.
I like the shutter speed dial. You have two main controls when shooting manually, aperture and shutter speed, I like having both in what I consider to be easy access to my left hand.
left hand exposure, right hand making the film counter go up. makes perfect sense to me. like left hand fretting and right hand strumming, or left hand shield right hand sword or something.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
gavinlg
Veteran
OM for sure. It's maybe not quite as tough as the Nikon FM and F's, but then it doesn't have that clunky/souless 'toyota-like' feel that the nikons have either - the OMs are much more svelte and ergonomically slick. The OM viewfinder is HUGE and super easy to focus. I much prefer the OM glass to nikkors as well.
redisburning
Well-known
Maybe Maitani was a guitarist ... or a swordsman?
well I was going to go with the quake reference but I didnt think that many people on the forum would understand using one hand to strafe jump and the other to make noobs cry via railgun
bgb
Well-known
OM-2 maybe, leave it on Auto
the viewfinder is amazing and the glass ain't bad either
the viewfinder is amazing and the glass ain't bad either
paulfish4570
Veteran
looks to me like you might have a vision problem with focusing issues that differ from camera to camera, so i suggest nikon. corrective eyepieces are easily available ...
hausen
Well-known
Another for the Om series. My OM-4 with my 28/35/50 are so much easier to focus with the bright VF. Am left eye dominant and nose can be a problem getting right into the VF but the OM is easy.
dogbunny
Registered Boozer
That's entirely possible, Paul. I might be having eye problems. Folks above have commented on the Olympus having a good viewfinder. How does the Nikon compare? Would I be correct in guessing that both cameras have better viewfinders than the Spotmatic I am using now?
Steve M.
Veteran
I love Nikon SLR's. I also love Leica glass. Soooo, a marriage made in heaven. One of the brightest viewfinders you can find too.
ZeissFan
Veteran
In general, the viewfinders of the Yashica/Kyocera Contax SLRs are significantly brighter than most of their peers, including Nikon (the FM/FE is poor by comparison), Olympus, Pentax, Minolta and Canon.
I was surprised by how much brighter the screens were. The Yashica-branded SLRs are OK but not nearly as bright as their Contax siblings.
Regarding the Spotmatic, if you like your lenses, you could move into a Pentax K body and pickup an M42-K mount adapter.
Or simply start over with a different brand.
I still have my original Nikons (F2A and FE) that I bought new in 1979 and 1980 plus a small selection of Nikkor lenses -- 20, 28, 50, 105 -- and a couple of Vivitar Series 1 zooms.
But I also have other systems, because we I can. Lately, I've been shooting a lot with a Rolleiflex SL 35 E and a handful of lenses.
I was surprised by how much brighter the screens were. The Yashica-branded SLRs are OK but not nearly as bright as their Contax siblings.
Regarding the Spotmatic, if you like your lenses, you could move into a Pentax K body and pickup an M42-K mount adapter.
Or simply start over with a different brand.
I still have my original Nikons (F2A and FE) that I bought new in 1979 and 1980 plus a small selection of Nikkor lenses -- 20, 28, 50, 105 -- and a couple of Vivitar Series 1 zooms.
But I also have other systems, because we I can. Lately, I've been shooting a lot with a Rolleiflex SL 35 E and a handful of lenses.
LKeithR
Improving daily--I think.
I haven't had the pleasure of using a lot of the other cameras mentioned here but I've always found the Pentax viewfinders to be more than acceptable for manual focusing. The LX had to have one of the nicest screens ever and I currently have an MZ-6 which I find very nice to handle and to focus.
It's just too bad it's a film camera because I love the feel of it in my hands--right size, right weight, with a nice clear viewfinder...
It's just too bad it's a film camera because I love the feel of it in my hands--right size, right weight, with a nice clear viewfinder...
DanOnRoute66
I now live in Des Moines
If you go with the Olympus OM system I'd say the OM-2N is the best bargain out there. Versatile exposure (manual or aperture-preferred auto) and nearly fool-proof flash when you hook up a T-20, T-32 or T-45.
gavinlg
Veteran
Olympus OM viewfinder blows away the nikon fm and the pentax spotmatic. It's actually the biggest 35mm viewfinder I've ever looked through, and it's plenty bright. Haven't used a contax SLR so can't compare with that. But I'll be surprised if it's much bigger than an OM finder.