if you had to buy fresh, which one would you go for?

[peterc]

which one is the best chick magnet?

Depends on what the 'chick' knows about cameras.

I don't want something ugly

This is kinda subjective. For many an Argus is a thing of beauty, for others it's a Leica or a Zorki.

I know nothing about cameras.

I think a good place to start would be to stop at a library or bookstore and read up a bit before deciding on what type of magnet to buy.

Peter

 

[Nikon Bob]

The Zeus is out of my price range and there are too many Bessa models to figure them out. I know nothing about cameras. Which camera under 500 dollars is a good one and which one is the best chick magnet? I don't want something ugly hanging around my neck.

If I can speak frankly, that is an interesting view on cameras.

Nikon Bob

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> which one is the best chick magnet?

I mean YOU already have an FM2T, right?

How can it get better than that?

 

[FrankS]

You know, even if the post is not what it seems to be, the info offered in good spirit is very useful to anyone new to RF cameras.

A man has nothing in this world but his honour.

 

[Jocko]

If I can speak frankly, that is an interesting view on cameras.

Nikon Bob

Frankly - the very word.

Ian

 

[Sonnar Brian]

But than again, these will do it everytime.

My daughter always asks to use them. and yesterday, she was the only 7-year old using a Black Nikon F2AS with 55mm F1.2 Nikkor in the Museum. Makes her dad proud.

 

[egpj]

A Fed2 with a beater 50 lens. Says your different and fun guy to be around. 😛

 

[Andy K]

I always buy fresh. Much better than tinned or frozen.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Well the S3-2000 is the first new camera that I've bought in 10 years. It will probably be my last NEW film camera. It's going to outlast me by a long time. As are the 1950's cameras.

I don't know Andy, you strike me as a Tin Type kind of guy. A good Tin Type lasts forever, you know. Especially judging by the Old Family Album.

 

[dostacos]

doing it again, I would pull out my Canonet QL 17 III and used it while reading posts here.

I would NOT get the R this time, I would either hunt down a R2 or get one of the new special edition models that have the bayonet lens mount but are all mechanical.

many will say get a Leica or a ZEISS IKON, well I don't I could see the difference in my photography with the more expensive equipment [hmm, yet I think I have seen a difference between the bessa lenses and my Pentax lenses.....] so you will need to decide if the diminishing returns of the more expensive equipment will improve your pictures

DISCLAIMER:
remember, my opinion and 89 cents will get you a coffee at 7/11, some settling may occur, prices may be higher east of the Mississippi, tax, license and all carrying charges are extra, shipping is extra, objects may appear closer than they actually are, your milage my vary....

 

[agoglanian]

the ladies seem to gravitate to me when im out shooting with my 1Ds and my 5D, i know i know. "how can you be such a traitor??" but how can they not be interested when they see those giant white lenses? LOL

ps - ive got quite a bit of attention when i was using my Olympus 35 SP, its a stunning looking camera, and a great shooter. ive got 2 of em ( that both need adjustment LOL )

 

[Ken Ford]

The Zeus is out of my price range and there are too many Bessa models to figure them out. I know nothing about cameras. Which camera under 500 dollars is a good one and which one is the best chick magnet? I don't want something ugly hanging around my neck.

My BS meter just pegged...

 

[RayPA]

My BS meter just pegged...

Mine too, all weekend, and much more frequently.


🙂

 

[lmd91343]

What do you want to do?

Landscapes? Still lifes? Portraits? Street photography? Macro? Close ups of flowers? Sports? Wildlife? Vacation snapshots? Don't know?

What kind of experience do you have?
None? SLR? Kodak 126? Digicam P&S?

Do you *HAVE TO* buy new? Would you be happy with used?

Do you wear glasses?

It is hard to answer your question with knowing where you have been and where you want to go. If you don't give us the answers to the above, we could recommend something that would totally frustrate you. You may find that you don't like photography after you try it.

 

[sf]

The Zeus is out of my price range and there are too many Bessa models to figure them out. I know nothing about cameras. Which camera under 500 dollars is a good one and which one is the best chick magnet? I don't want something ugly hanging around my neck.

EDIT : I think you should spend a nice deal of time reading through this site, then, and learn about the cameras before doing anything at all.

And a camera's ugliness should not be an issue.

 

[jcline]

I started by breaking this down cameras, and due to a firefox crash, I was forced to rethink my post. If I had it to start over again, it would either be another canonet 28, which while great, I moved away from pretty quick because of lack of control especially while shooting at the ends of its ASA range, or a FSU camera. The advantage to the FSU camera being that you're started with the leica thread mount lenses that you could later use on a bessa/leica/canon/etc, they're cheap and classic looking. Dare I say it, from the right girl, it might even be a good conversation starter, but the rest is up to you. 😉

 

[JoeFriday]

welcome to RFF!

buy something cheap with good glass to start.. Canonet QL17 GIII, Lynx 14, Auto S3, Yashica GSN, or Minolta Himatic 7sii

shouldn't cost you more than $60-70 and it'll be a good introduction to rangefinders.. the fixed-lens aspect means you won't spend your time worrying about what lens to use, and you'll just go out and take pictures.. very crisp pictures

then, once you get a handle on the RF experience, you can move up into more elaborate systems and you'll still have the beater camera for the days you don't want to take the expensive gear out

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

You came to the right place for FRANK advice 🙂

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

a pristine Leica CL with 40mm summicron should serve you nicely

 

[Silva Lining]

Which camera under 500 dollars is a good one and which one is the best chick magnet? I don't want something ugly hanging around my neck.

Ha ha!

You *MUST* buy :

A FED 5 camera
Some grey loafers
Any hat that you can wear at a 'jaunty angle'

Then you should hang around talking loud about the size of your aperture. You'll either bag a 'chick' or get arrested. 😀