Hi-end classic SLR with a 40. Nearly unlimited budget. What are my options?

CharlesDAMorgan said:
I agree with every word - it was my needle sticking and now it isn't. I just wish the glass was a smidgen sharper, but what cameras and lenses for the money.
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Get the 50/2 Macro, the 90/2 Macro or the 100/2 and you won't wish they were any sharper. Incredible lenses.

Marty
 
David Hughes said:
May I suggest that at this point the best step would be to find a dealer with one in stock and hold the thing and so on?
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In the best of times finding a Camera Store with a stock of film cameras is pretty difficult if you don't live in NYC or London. Finding one open is pretty improbable.
 
jarski said:
Maybe op can build his dream kit around new Sigma 40mm Art lens.
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Certainly not a sigma. There is one 40mm that I am lusting about, but the lens itself is 1200 USD and would have to be used via adapter, so no native performance with stopping the aperture down, etc – it's a Skopagon 40/2. Distagon type of design, my dream lens, but it's a DKL mount. I know there are adapters from DKL to Nikon, but I reckon you can't set the lens to f4, meter wide open and then have the camera stop it down via adapter. If that was possible I would definitely go for the FM3A.

I found an FM3A on facebook marketplace, pristine condition, bundled with a 1.2 fifty, for 500 bucks. Seems like an amazing deal, talking to seller now.
 
Beemermark said:
In the best of times finding a Camera Store with a stock of film cameras is pretty difficult if you don't live in NYC or London. Finding one open is pretty improbable.
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You're quite right although I'll add that finding one where I live is easy (about 12 miles away) and they do repairs and so on. Half of their window display is film cameras and the other side digital. They've a LX and OM-4Ti in stock at present...

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for them because of this virus.

Regards, David
 
svinao said:
I found an FM3A on facebook marketplace, pristine condition, bundled with a 1.2 fifty, for 500 bucks. Seems like an amazing deal, talking to seller now.
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That sounds like a very good deal. But do take care that the seller is genuine. Ideally a face to face meeting if that is permitted where you live.

The 50/1.2 is a lovely lens but if it's not what you're looking for it can be readily sold.
 
svinao said:
Anyhow, I think the next step would be to research lenses and figure out which one works better for my taste and make a choice based on that.

I've shot a lot of cropped sensors/cinema cameras and my favorite lenses hands down were Distagons in 28mm which results in approx 43mm on 136 film. Distagon design provides the rendition that I absolutely love, bokeh does not get too weird since fronts are big and there's no cat's eye or swirl due to bokeh vignetting.

I realize the three lenses in question – Pentax Limited 43mm, Ultron SL or the Zuiko 40 – are not Distagons, but I'd love to get as close in terms of rendition to what I like.
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I get you. I'm also into cine lenses, I work in post/VFX for Hollywood. FWIW it's unusual to have a shot that passes by my desk that isn't cropped by at least 5%, so while 28mm is one of the "classic" cinema focal lengths for super 35mm when it comes to what you actually see on screen it's likely to be closer to 50mm FF equiv, especially when you factor in the difference in aspect ratio.

If you're really into emulating the s35 film look, then there's the option of adapting FF 28mm lenses to an Olympus half frame SLR. Overkill probably, but loaded with Cinestill and you've got a single frame s35 cine camera.
 
svinao said:
Certainly not a sigma. There is one 40mm that I am lusting about, but the lens itself is 1200 USD and would have to be used via adapter, so no native performance with stopping the aperture down, etc – it's a Skopagon 40/2. Distagon type of design, my dream lens, but it's a DKL mount. I know there are adapters from DKL to Nikon, but I reckon you can't set the lens to f4, meter wide open and then have the camera stop it down via adapter. If that was possible I would definitely go for the FM3A.

I found an FM3A on facebook marketplace, pristine condition, bundled with a 1.2 fifty, for 500 bucks. Seems like an amazing deal, talking to seller now.
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The Skopagons don't actually sell for 1200 USD. Sold listings in ebay are 750€ and under. If that's your dream lens and you have the budget, why not get it? Of course with one of the matching DKL mount SLRs, unless you only want to shoot wide open or very slowly in manual stop down.

One of these and a Bessamatic have come into my family, I've handled it but not taken pictures so far, because the Bessamatic is jammed. While very well made, it's a lump of a camera and doesn't feel great, but might improve after a CLA of course. The Skopagon, too, is big and only feels so-so. I don't get why they used bare aluminium on such a high end lens. So while I don't know its optical merits, I wouldn't recommend it.
 
Orthogonal said:
If you're really into emulating the s35 film look, then there's the option of adapting FF 28mm lenses to an Olympus half frame SLR. Overkill probably, but loaded with Cinestill and you've got a single frame s35 cine camera.
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I did think of that, my cine 28mm has a PL mount, and I have a PL to EOS adapter from C7, and I think there is a readily available EOS to Pen F adapter out there. The only downside in this plan for me was that the Pen F cameras were not really automated, I think they are all full manual unless you use an external accessory with a meter. I might be wrong tho, need to look into it closer, but all I really want is just one camera :) I know there are also a lot of 'better' half frame cameras that are full frame SLRs modified to take half frame shots, like the autoreflex that has a switch from half to full, or the half frame nikons, but the issue is all of them keep the same mirror assembly that does not work with the deep rears of vintage cine lenses. The closest option I found so far was contax 35 1.4 which is a distagon, and quite nice and soft wide open. It is a tad awkward for me to frame portraits with it tho.
 
p.giannakis said:
Have you got a favourite?
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I think the Minolta is much 'cooler', its meter read out is much clearer especially with manual metering. Also the way of adding exposure compensation is genius.
It's film advance lever is much more solid and smooth than the sloppy mess on the F3.

But.. the F3 handles much better as 10 years difference in age shows in the design ergonomics. It also is built and finished so well. A testament to this is that this camera could be a new current production item, and no-one would think otherwise. edit - this Nikon is made of titanium (the F3P and F3 Limited) - this may affect the finish and how it feels.

So.... the Nikon because it just fits so much better in the hand, and the HP finder is magnificent.
 
svinao said:
I did think of that, my cine 28mm has a PL mount, and I have a PL to EOS adapter from C7, and I think there is a readily available EOS to Pen F adapter out there. The only downside in this plan for me was that the Pen F cameras were not really automated, I think they are all full manual unless you use an external accessory with a meter. I might be wrong tho, need to look into it closer, but all I really want is just one camera :) ...
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I have a Pen Fv and two Pen FT cameras... Even with the accessory meter, the Pen F is still fully manual in operation. The benefit is having the meter connected to the shutter speed dial so it "knows" the set shutter speed. Of course the accessory meter is unnecessary on the Pen FT which has TTL metering... but still no exposure automation.
 
jsrockit said:
VERY COOL...what makes the F3 "Limited?"
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Special edition for Japan
It's a f3 press minus the mf6b back and limited on front

The press had better sealing, and a finder top hotshoe, the mf6b motordrive stop back so that your film winds with the leader out, no multiple exposure lever, no shutter cable hole (solid shutter button with a rubber cap), and no forced 1/90s for until 1 on the counter

No titanium on the body, just on the finder housing
 
For some reason I don't feel connection to the LX, so currently I am choosing between FM3A and Olympus.

I would probably go for Olympus if I could find the 40/2 outside of Japan for something more reasonable then 500 usd.

I did find great options for FM3A, two of them actually, both sellers are legit, low prices are due to crisis it seems which is very sad. Very tempting to pull the trigger on one of them, but I'm still stewing and can't choose one of the two.

Found tons of Olympus bodies for peanuts as well, no Ti unfortunately, all OM4s.

I really appreciate everyone who helped me narrow down my choice to these two cameras, you people are great. Thank you.
 
The OM's and Pros..
Well Olympus made very attractive offers to certain pros in the 60~70's..UK only?
UK photographers can give more exact dates..
Truth tell the OM's did not satisfy totally!
Sure "letters of commendation" !,
A friend in South Africa was given a Complete Canon outfit,
bodies, lenses, (Lens for lens).
in a swap from his Nikons..
Canon learn't to rue that day, with the needs and expectations of that pro.
A year or two later almost none used the OM..
 
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