If you are just starting out in film

[dave lackey]

They are very plentiful and cheap! It should be easy to get another, when you decide the time is right.

Yes, they are! For me, it is just pure nostalgia reminding me of better days when our kids were very young, I was in grad school, and we took them to Disney World for the first time. Youth is fleeting... I am forever thankful for those memories captured on film. They are tangible evidence of a life filled with happiness, that I can see touch and hold in my hand just the same as when I loaded that film in the camera and made the images. The prints are fading fast. But the negs and slides look new.

Absolutely, I do need an X700 sitting on my desk to remind me ... I must put a few dollars back to start saving for a very nice one...🙂

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

My problem is that I am like a child in a candy store with old film cameras. I loved my old OM2n, but I remember all the reviews in Amateur Photographer for lovely things like the Contax, Pentax, Nikon, Canon etc and want to try them all. Now of course, I've discovered the loveliness of Topcon, East German lenses, TLRs from Rollei, a Pentax 67, oh and my Leica Ms.

My kitchen table is currently piled high with newly arrived cameras and lenses. Today was the first day this week when nothing photographic turned up in the post. I wouldn't put it past a courier to arrive unannounced with something though...

 

[mcfingon]

I used a black FE2 and a chrome FE2 with MD12 when I was a newspaper photographer in the 1980's. I did not use them in auto mode, as I just loved the display on the left hand side of the screen telling me what the camera thought was the right exposure, as well as what I had set. I could see what the brightness range of the shot was in real time and expose at my own setting, knowing where the zones would fall. It was the best viewfinder setup of any camera I have ever used. I bought my son one a few years ago so he could get acquainted with the FE2 as well.

 

[leicapixie]

I have a FE given to me by a now departed friend.
The focus screen is trashed but the results are great.
I will purchase a donor camera.
Light, small and easy to use.
The only hassle is the latch like my "beep" F3.
I really like the meter switch.
A great intro and so many, many Nikkor lenses!
Good luck and great exposures.

 

[mconnealy]

No argument with your assessment of the Nikon FE. I was given one not long ago and my immediate impression was that Nikon got everything right in regard to features and handling. Regarding the title of the post, however, I am much more inclined to hope that new film users will choose to start off with the simplest of box cameras, not only to learn the basics, but also to discover the extraordinary potential of such cameras.

 

[creenus]

I hear you. I have an OM-4ti and a bunch of Zuikos. I just like the feel of an Olympus with a Winder 2 - perfect balance, IMO. I had a 100mm f2.8 but I sold it when I got a Tamron 90mm macro. Wish I had kept the 100, as it was one of my most-used lenses - sharp, light, small. The 24mm f2.8 is also a little jewel. =)

Nothing against Nikons, though. I recently bought a Nikon DSLR to explore the world of digital. It's a D5600 and it's pretty cool. I'm a bit late to the digital thing.

I'd rather have an OM2 and a couple of Zuikos personally but each to their own Akiva! 😀

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I my case it would be Smena-8m. 🙂

 

[David Hughes]

The lenses alone are a good reason to buy a Minolta and the bodies aren't exactly dear. I paid 3 or 4 for one and 9 or 10 for another but it had the lens with it.

Primes and zooms are pretty good value, regardless of which you go for and there's the wonderful 7000i.

Regards, David

PS and so are all the other well known makes. And for dirt cheap there's that nice little LOMO triplet 40mm on the Symbol and Smena...

 

[vonfilm]

A Pentax ME Super is a great compact lightweight inexpensive(mine was $40 with a 50mm f2.0) SLR that has auto and manual exposure. I picked up a 35mm f2.8 for $20. A huge amount of affordable Pentax K mount glass is available.

A sample picture:
Pentax ME Super II by vonfilm, on Flickr

 

[Sumarongi]

The lenses alone are a good reason to buy a Minolta and the bodies aren't exactly dear.

Of course you're right, David.
My favourite Minolta model ... looks and handles very very much like a Leica M ...

 

[Keith]

Suffice to say if you have decided to venture into film the world is your oyster regarding choice and Nikon is obviously up there when you consider the build quality. As much as I love the OM lineage the Nikons definitely have an enviable reputation for untended reliability.

You can't dismiss the FSU choices but if you are just starting out and feeling your way it's nice to know that the mistakes you encounter are your own and not the camera's! My Fed2 has a shutter capping issue and my Kiev has a light leak ... 'nuff said! 😀

 

[David Hughes]

Suffice to say if you have decided to venture into film the world is your oyster regarding choice and Nikon is obviously up there when you consider the build quality. As much as I love the OM lineage the Nikons definitely have an enviable reputation for untended reliability.

You can't dismiss the FSU choices but if you are just starting out and feeling your way it's nice to know that the mistakes you encounter are your own and not the camera's! My Fed2 has a shutter capping issue and my Kiev has a light leak ... 'nuff said! 😀

Hi,

Treat all cameras the same and you'd be surprised; that means give the Kiev 2 and the Contax II the same attention and servicing etc. This applies to Leica model II's and FEDs but people will spend a lot on keeping a Leica going and try DIY on the poor old FED. And the makers get praised and blamed...

Regards, David

 

[Keith]

Hi David,

Don't get me wrong ... I love my little Russians and until the shutter started capping on the Fed2 I got from Oleg I used it a lot. It was actually my choice of camera when I ventured into film for the first time and the Fed2 in general is still my favourite FSU. I had an Iskra for a while that I really liked but made the mistake of lending to a fellow RFFer based here in Brisbane and that was the last I saw of it. Shame because it had no issues with the film advance counter as some do and the lens was absolutely superb ... a really brilliant medium format camera. 🙂

 

[kshapero]

A Pentax ME Super is a great compact lightweight inexpensive(mine was $40 with a 50mm f2.0) SLR that has auto and manual exposure. I picked up a 35mm f2.8 for $20. A huge amount of affordable Pentax K mount glass is available.

Love those Pentax's, but was too far down the Nikon Rabbit hole to switch.

In 1991 when I was a working Photo stiff, Olympus lended me their new OM4Ti and a bunch of lenses. Love, love, 😀loved the rig. Loved it.

 

[Tim Murphy]

Nikon and Canon for me

Nikon and Canon for me

Dear kshapero,

I have a Nikon FG that I didn't pay much for 18 years ago when most people were still actively shooting film. A pair of 50 cent batteries keep it working the same as new. It's small and light even with the MD14 attached. With the SB15 or 16B you can have TTL flash metering too. If you shop smartly you'd be hard pressed to spend $ 100.00 on the camera, motordrive, flash, and a 50mm f1.8 AI lens.

But I also like Canon and I have a couple of cheap beater F-1's that I use.

I have tried with all of my heart to like Pentax cameras but after buying 4 or 5 ME Supers that stopped working I sort of abandoned the brand. But then I won a $ 10.00 P30Tn on ebay and I suddenly like Pentax again.

I'll admit that I am a junk collector. I simply can't pass up a deal whether I need it or not. I do try to send a roll of film or two through every camera that I own each year and I am pretty successful with accomplishing that goal.

Now, it's on to Minolta!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg, PA 🙂

 

[David Hughes]

I guess my advice to anyone starting out in film is that you should only buy cameras with a lens, clean battery terminals, an instruction book and, most important, a lens cap. (A shoulder strap, filters and body cap would be a bonus but usually there's one odd filter and no box for it.)

Doing that will save a lot of hassle and extra expense. Then sit down and read the instruction book.

You might have to do a little research if you buy one that needs a mercury battery but there are Wein cells to replace it.

As for the make, any of the well known makers will do and the same goes for film.

Regards, David