film SLR under $150 - any recommendations?

[Anthony Harvey]

All the above is great advice.

In the end it's simply a matter of preference but of all the cameras mentioned above, make sure that you hold, try or borrow the OM cameras and both the Pentax MX and ME Super.

I have OM1n, OM4-Ti, Pentax MX and ME Super. I like the OMs a lot but simply from preference - especially the feel in the hand and the tonal quality produced by the commonly-used Pentax M lenses as shown in black and white prints - I find that I consistently use and prefer the Pentax cameras and lenses. I find them more enjoyable, both for taking and for looking at the B&W prints afterwards. They're all terrific cameras and lenses though.

 

[FrankS]

I suggested the Contax 139 earlier, but was reminded by a more recent post that the answer truly is the Nikon FG with series E 50f1.8 version 2.

 

[awbphotog]

It's been said over and over, but the Pentax ME Super is one of the best handling 35mm cameras I've used. Beautiful VF, which tends to make everything look photo-worthy. Great camera, ultra reliable, and very hard to break. Mine was left in a cooler with ice (don't ask)- the ice melted, camera still works 100%. Definitely a camera to consider.

Andy

 

[stompyq]

Thnak you all for the wonderful recommendations. Seems like there's a lot of good cameras out there. Just to update the thread, I just got a wonderfully clean Olympus OM-2 with 50mm and 28mm lenses from Jean-Marc aka JMQ (thanks!!). I'am planning to give it a solid go for a few months. In the meantime keep the recommendations coming. I particularly like the suggestion about the Yashica.

 

[Calzone]

Thnak you all for the wonderful recommendations. Seems like there's a lot of good cameras out there. Just to update the thread, I just got a wonderfully clean Olympus OM-2 with 50mm and 28mm lenses from Jean-Marc aka JMQ (thanks!!). I'am planning to give it a solid go for a few months. In the meantime keep the recommendations coming. I particularly like the suggestion about the Yashica.

Pro-Mone,

Even though I'm a Nikon shooter I always admired the Olympus bodies for their compact sizes. Good luck with your new rig.

28 and 50 is a great pair. Basically all you need to do lots of shooting.

Cal

 

[JMQ]

Pramodh, best wishes on your OM-2 and zuikos. Post some photos. If you get accosted in the streets, don't try to defend yourself with the OM. You need one of Cal's heavy artillery pieces.

 

[struene]

Hallo,

i am not the one that already tested all slrs/brands, but for the demand of a light, sturdy, reliable and cheap classic slr with good finder and lenses i can tell a bit about the Yashica FX-3 (or FX-3 super/2000), which i own (and also use from time to time).

1. They are really cheap, ~20€ with lens. Thats why i got a backup also and couldn´t resist to get a third one too (~7€ or so...) sure you will have to replace the camera leather, cause thats typically worn of completely and looks highly ugly... but thats the reason too, why they are so cheap - most of them look like ****, when on Ebay, with the worn of leather. I replaced the leathers for a couple of € (from Aki Asahi, in red...)

2. They are sturdy. Basically they are BEssas with Mirror instead of the RF, actually its the other way round: the bessas are FX-3 with RF.... Build by cosina based on gool old reliable techique. The construction is so simple and proven, there is nothing to brake. Classic All manual/mechanical slr with a the battery just for the -o+ lightreading in the VF.

3. They are light. The exterior ist all black plastic, much lighter than the metalbodies. No complain with my 3 exmaples regarding the material/aging of the plastic used. Doesn look cheap. (would buy the FX-7 though which is the silver version...)

4. The Yashica lenses are good (no Zeiss, but good) and really affordable. The 28 2.8 ~ 30€ the 50/1.7 ~40€. Those are the two to consider. The 50/2.0 or 1.9 that comes with most bodies "for free" ist not bad but build of plastik an doesnt feel as nice, as the very well build (all metal) 28/2.8 and 50/1.7. Be sure to get the latest multicoated versions. There is also a 50/1.4, but it is much more expensive (~90€?) than the 50/1.7 and said to be mediocre...
Of course there is also the whole range of Zeiss/Contax glass which fits the mount, but those lenses are all above your budget, except the ZEiss/Contax 50/1.7 maybe, which sadly is the only Zeiss SLR-LEnses, i know of, which is made of plastic.

schöne Grüße,

Johann

 

[Wulfthari]

actually the cosina CSM is almost the size on the OM1 actually. not a lot of people know about this camera but it is a pretty light sized option with the 55mm SMC 1.8. https://camerajunky.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/cosina-csm/
and size comparison with om4ti:
https://camerajunky.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/olympus-om-4-ti-black/

Well, here there's a bad digital pic of a FM with a Nikkor 1.8 against a LX with a M 50 mm f.17:

The two bodies are more or less the same size, but the M lens so ridicously tiny that makes the LX pentaprism enormous...look at the lenses.

The "K" 55 mm f2.0 and 1.8 are much bigger lenses, almost as big as Nikkors, I don't have direct experience with Olympus and Cosina but I know that Pentax started the "M" operation to challenge the OM series.

 

[ray*j*gun]

Nikon F or Nikkormat ..... make sure they have been serviced and you will have a life long friend and a TON of glass to chose from.

 

[Wulfthari]

Pro-mone,

To me shooting a SLR is for accurate framing, and the Nikon F2 and F3 you are not considering are both Pro cameras with 100% VF'ers.

Not sure if many of the camers mentioned on this thread have 100% VF'ers. I suspect that maybe the OM-1 might.

Cal

The Pentax MX and LX have a 97% VFs much brighter than my Nikon F2s, they feel much bigger, however in comparison with the LX and even more the MX in terms of size and weight the Nikons are dinosaurs...the LX is as big as an FM and the MX the tiniest SLR I have...the downside is that they are difficult to service because the packaging was extreme.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Pentax MX, ME and ME Super are terrific modern manual focus SLRs with big bright viewfinders.
Unlike some models mentioned in this thread they all use a still commonly available battery,
the ubiquitous 44/76/357 1.5V silver cell.

Eric Hendickson, Pentax repair specialist in Knoxville TN (pentaxs.com)
will make your old Pentax work like new at very modest cost.
I've been a happy customer of Eric for over 15 years now.

Chris

 

[DNG]

My vote:
Nikon FM/FE
Nikon E 50mm f/1.8

Prefer'd

Nikon FE
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 Ais, any version

 

[Greyscale]

I've never paid more than $70 for a film SLR, so I guess that my answer would have to be "pretty much any of them".

 

[-Nash-]

The Pentax P30 is a surprisingly good 35mm camera. Its pretty much a hidden gem. The P30T comes with an added auto mode for PKA lenses - manual and full auto rolled into one. There is also the P50, but i've not used one so I can't really say anything about that model.

The only downsides are the shutter button (no thread for wire release) and no ISO override (DX encoding).

 

[Trooper]

I'm a Nikon guy, so Nikon FE. But any of the other suggestions are good too.

 

[pakeha]

everyone's all over this might as well join in - with something less obvious.
Mamiya ZM with 50 1.4 or 1.7.Small,light and user friendly

 

[ChrisPlatt]

The Pentax P30 is a surprisingly good 35mm camera. Its pretty much a hidden gem.
The P30T comes with an added auto mode for PKA lenses - manual and full auto rolled into one.

I quite like my near identical Pentax P3N. You can probably find a like-new P3N or P30T with SMC Pentax-A 50/2 lens for about $50.

Chris

 

[Calzone]

The Pentax MX and LX have a 97% VFs much brighter than my Nikon F2s, they feel much bigger, however in comparison with the LX and even more the MX in terms of size and weight the Nikons are dinosaurs...the LX is as big as an FM and the MX the tiniest SLR I have...the downside is that they are difficult to service because the packaging was extreme.

W,

Thanks for the post. I agree the F2 and F3 are dinosaurs, but that is why I love them.

The small light but robust camera for no money is also a very cool way to go. Even though I like the chunky Nikons, I always admired the smaller size of Pentax and Olympus for a different charm, especially if you want to carry two rigged cameras to avoid lens changing.

Cal

 

[JMQ]

+1 for the F2. I love my 2 dinosaurs....and they can be turned into self-defense tools in the streets of NY.

 

[Calzone]

+1 for the F2. I love my 2 dinosaurs....and they can be turned into self-defense tools in the streets of NY.

My Nikon F3P rigged with MD-4 and AH-2 hand strap was mistaken for a hand gun by some guy walking by on the north side of Queens Plaza. This guy ran for cover doing the zig-zag after running across the street.

Also not far away on a different day some truck driver that had dialed 911 mistakenly thought my Gossen Luna Pro was an under cover cops badge holder. He yelled to me, "I called 911 15 minutes ago: about time you got here." Evidently I stumbled into a crime scene.

BTW Queens Plaza is where prisoners get released from Rikers, and also is where you can get the Q100 bus to visit prisoners at Rikers.

Cal