climbing_vine
Well-known
While the OM series feel nice in the hands (especially for someone with small hands like myself) and that's undeniably sexy...
... you have a lot more flexibility with Pentax or Minolta SLRs. The bodies are not as dear (and are more common in good shape), but the difference is especially noticeable on the lenses. People argue over Zuiko vs Rokkor vs Takumar, but at the end of the day almost all of them are very good with only slight differences in quality. The material difference is in range and price--Rokkor and Takumar lenses cover a lot more ground than Zuiko, and often go for half the price for comparable items.
I have an OM2 body that was generously passed to me for free, but it will not replace my Spotmatic or my wife's Minolta x370. The lenses are just too dear with not enough to justify the difference. For me. If I had more money to burn, I might consider the smaller size of the Zuikos to be a difference maker. But I'd need a *lot* more money to burn.
I'd also second what someone else said about not being afraid to go modern and autofocus (with a quality body, not some piece of junk) if that's appropriate for what you want to use an SLR for.
... you have a lot more flexibility with Pentax or Minolta SLRs. The bodies are not as dear (and are more common in good shape), but the difference is especially noticeable on the lenses. People argue over Zuiko vs Rokkor vs Takumar, but at the end of the day almost all of them are very good with only slight differences in quality. The material difference is in range and price--Rokkor and Takumar lenses cover a lot more ground than Zuiko, and often go for half the price for comparable items.
I have an OM2 body that was generously passed to me for free, but it will not replace my Spotmatic or my wife's Minolta x370. The lenses are just too dear with not enough to justify the difference. For me. If I had more money to burn, I might consider the smaller size of the Zuikos to be a difference maker. But I'd need a *lot* more money to burn.
I'd also second what someone else said about not being afraid to go modern and autofocus (with a quality body, not some piece of junk) if that's appropriate for what you want to use an SLR for.
pachuco
El ****
I too recommend the Canon FD system and the F1N in particular. It is heavy and louder than thunder but a durable and solid camera. I always have one as a back up to my DSLR.
climbing_vine
Well-known
Not quite right. The K1000 natively uses modern silver/alkaline (silver recommended, of course) cells (S76 or SR44).
The Spotmatics (and any of the early K models that may have been designed for mercury, can't recall now if any were) have a circuit that normalizes voltage as necessary (within a certain range of course), so they can take modern silver oxide batteries with no adjustment or adapters.
fbf
Well-known
I just turned to the dark side...I have the om1, 2n now. I love them very much though I have only had them for 4 days...
One question though, I noticed the finder is about 25-30% darker than my m4p and m6. Is it normal? It is very hard to use in dim light condition. The meter is almost useless.
I love its size, weight and the function. Its design is completely different than the other systems I have used. The meter on my om2 is dead-on (absolutely stunned when I checked it) I concur what Keith said to me " To be honest I could never quite understand what all the fuss was about ... until I actually got one!
"
One question though, I noticed the finder is about 25-30% darker than my m4p and m6. Is it normal? It is very hard to use in dim light condition. The meter is almost useless.
I love its size, weight and the function. Its design is completely different than the other systems I have used. The meter on my om2 is dead-on (absolutely stunned when I checked it) I concur what Keith said to me " To be honest I could never quite understand what all the fuss was about ... until I actually got one!
"
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freeranger
Well-known
Here's another recommendation for the OM system. Pretty little things with very nice viewfinders. Do put some money aside for a service.
kxl
Social Documentary
I guess the prevailing choices here are Nikon or OM, and I'm no different. I have an FM3A, FM2N and FE, and manual focus lenses from 20mm to 105mm. They are so good that it's a struggle sometimes to choose between an SLR kit or an RF kit when I go away for a weekend.
Check out keh.com and find out what's available for what you want to spend. You can find some things cheaper, but buying from keh.com gives you peace of mind wrt quality. They also have a 14-day no-questions-asked return policy.
I'm not affiliated with keh, just a long-time customer.
Check out keh.com and find out what's available for what you want to spend. You can find some things cheaper, but buying from keh.com gives you peace of mind wrt quality. They also have a 14-day no-questions-asked return policy.
I'm not affiliated with keh, just a long-time customer.
Merkin
For the Weekend
A biased guide to 35mm SLR systems:
First of all, if It is not listed here, it is shooting fish in a barrel. No matter how good the deal is, if it is not made by one of the main japanese manufacturers, it is either most likely overpriced for your needs, or unreliable (yes, I consider Leica R mount systems overpriced).
Nikon- One of two systems whose old lenses work with current digital cameras. Known for making some of the most famous professional SLR cameras of all time, notably the F and F2. If you buy an F2 (my personal pick), make sure the meter is completely reliable. I will be honest and admit that I am not particularly 'up' on nikon's non-'pro' cameras, although in this day and age, with a few notable exceptions (such as the Pentax K1000) there is no reason not to buy a 'pro' model, regardless of what brand you choose. If you insist on going with a currently manufactured 35mm film SLR with all of the bells and whistles, the F6 is, in my opinion, the only choice. As a rule of thumb, if you are buying manual focus lenses, buy ones that have the word 'Nikkor' written on them. For the majority of the Nikon 'F' mount's existence, Nikkor was the term for their high-end lenses.
Canon- There are two different types- eras, if you will- of canon cameras- the FD mount cameras, and the EF mount cameras. If you are concerned about digital compatibility (and, in my opinion, not concerned about looking like a tourist), the EF mount cameras are a solid way to go, except for the fact that they all rely upon microprocessors instead of gears. If I were to buy a canon camera today (in the interest of full disclosure, I used to be a bigtime canon EF fanboy, I still own an EOS elan IIe), I would buy a canon F1, F1n, or 'new f1' camera. These were the pro models. Many will sing the praises of the AE1 or the T90, but with today's prices, I recommend sticking with the pro models, as they are not that much more expensive. For EF cameras at least, the keyword for buying the best glass is the letter 'L.' I am not sure about the FD mount glass, and if you go with an EF mount camera, L glass will cost you a significant premium. The best cheap EF lens is the 50mm 'plastic fantastic' f/1.8 lens, which costs around 100 bucks, and is capable of producing outstanding photographs.
Olympus- If you are interested in small size, or ease of adjusting shutter speed, it is hard to beat an Olympus system. Instead of having the shutter speed dial on top of the camera body, Olympus cameras have it built in to the lens bayonet mount, on front of the camera. Olympus cameras were not as popular when new as canon, nikon, or pentax, and therefore tend to cost more because of rarity, depending on where you are (see footnote). Zuiko is the keyword for buying olympus lenses, it is the term for their high-end glass.
Minolta- Personally, I am not impressed with anything minolta has ever made in their SLR lines (I do, however, really like the Leica CL). Minolta has always seemed to be the girl at the prom that no one would ask out in the realm of japanese SLR cameras to me, although i am sure there are plenty of people who would disagree with me. If I am not mistaken, some Minolta lenses work with current Sony DSLR cameras, although don't quote me on that, or take the advice to heart, especially since Sony DSLR cameras seem to be the girl at the prom that no one would ask out.
Pentax, manufacturers of the non-pro camera I would most reccommend- Unless you want the amazingly small Pentax MX camera, the best bet here as far as reliability and price is the Pentax K1000. The K1000 is the AK-47 of cameras, indestructible and completely ubiquitous. It, as well as the vast majority of Pentax cameras, use the venerable K mount. This means that most, if not all, Pentax K mount lenses work on the current line of Pentax DSLR cameras. It also means that there are a lot of K mount lenses, such as ricoh lenses (avoid ricoh bodies unless they are in absolute mint condition and cheap, imho) which work on older film Pentax cameras but not the current digital cameras which can be had for a song. If price is your number one concern, a Pentax K1000 with a ricoh 50mm f//1.7 lens is the perfect choice.
Footnote- an important consideration as far as SLR systems go is the following question: "What was popular in my area during the 1980's?". This is a major factor in availability of lenses, bodies, and accessories, as well as a major factor in price in your local shops. For instance, I grew up in East/Central North Carolina, where it seems like no one shot olympus cameras. To that end, It is the last place I would want to buy Olympus gear, because if it is available, it will be priced according to its rarity.
footnote 2- This should be obvious from the choices above, but I highly recommend a fully manual camera. A fully manual camera that gets broken/out of alignment can be repaired a lot more easily and cheaply than an electronic one. Basically, if it has a LCD, don't buy it.
footnote 3- If I have left anything important out, please forgive me, as it is 3 in the morning here and my bedtime is well overdue.
First of all, if It is not listed here, it is shooting fish in a barrel. No matter how good the deal is, if it is not made by one of the main japanese manufacturers, it is either most likely overpriced for your needs, or unreliable (yes, I consider Leica R mount systems overpriced).
Nikon- One of two systems whose old lenses work with current digital cameras. Known for making some of the most famous professional SLR cameras of all time, notably the F and F2. If you buy an F2 (my personal pick), make sure the meter is completely reliable. I will be honest and admit that I am not particularly 'up' on nikon's non-'pro' cameras, although in this day and age, with a few notable exceptions (such as the Pentax K1000) there is no reason not to buy a 'pro' model, regardless of what brand you choose. If you insist on going with a currently manufactured 35mm film SLR with all of the bells and whistles, the F6 is, in my opinion, the only choice. As a rule of thumb, if you are buying manual focus lenses, buy ones that have the word 'Nikkor' written on them. For the majority of the Nikon 'F' mount's existence, Nikkor was the term for their high-end lenses.
Canon- There are two different types- eras, if you will- of canon cameras- the FD mount cameras, and the EF mount cameras. If you are concerned about digital compatibility (and, in my opinion, not concerned about looking like a tourist), the EF mount cameras are a solid way to go, except for the fact that they all rely upon microprocessors instead of gears. If I were to buy a canon camera today (in the interest of full disclosure, I used to be a bigtime canon EF fanboy, I still own an EOS elan IIe), I would buy a canon F1, F1n, or 'new f1' camera. These were the pro models. Many will sing the praises of the AE1 or the T90, but with today's prices, I recommend sticking with the pro models, as they are not that much more expensive. For EF cameras at least, the keyword for buying the best glass is the letter 'L.' I am not sure about the FD mount glass, and if you go with an EF mount camera, L glass will cost you a significant premium. The best cheap EF lens is the 50mm 'plastic fantastic' f/1.8 lens, which costs around 100 bucks, and is capable of producing outstanding photographs.
Olympus- If you are interested in small size, or ease of adjusting shutter speed, it is hard to beat an Olympus system. Instead of having the shutter speed dial on top of the camera body, Olympus cameras have it built in to the lens bayonet mount, on front of the camera. Olympus cameras were not as popular when new as canon, nikon, or pentax, and therefore tend to cost more because of rarity, depending on where you are (see footnote). Zuiko is the keyword for buying olympus lenses, it is the term for their high-end glass.
Minolta- Personally, I am not impressed with anything minolta has ever made in their SLR lines (I do, however, really like the Leica CL). Minolta has always seemed to be the girl at the prom that no one would ask out in the realm of japanese SLR cameras to me, although i am sure there are plenty of people who would disagree with me. If I am not mistaken, some Minolta lenses work with current Sony DSLR cameras, although don't quote me on that, or take the advice to heart, especially since Sony DSLR cameras seem to be the girl at the prom that no one would ask out.
Pentax, manufacturers of the non-pro camera I would most reccommend- Unless you want the amazingly small Pentax MX camera, the best bet here as far as reliability and price is the Pentax K1000. The K1000 is the AK-47 of cameras, indestructible and completely ubiquitous. It, as well as the vast majority of Pentax cameras, use the venerable K mount. This means that most, if not all, Pentax K mount lenses work on the current line of Pentax DSLR cameras. It also means that there are a lot of K mount lenses, such as ricoh lenses (avoid ricoh bodies unless they are in absolute mint condition and cheap, imho) which work on older film Pentax cameras but not the current digital cameras which can be had for a song. If price is your number one concern, a Pentax K1000 with a ricoh 50mm f//1.7 lens is the perfect choice.
Footnote- an important consideration as far as SLR systems go is the following question: "What was popular in my area during the 1980's?". This is a major factor in availability of lenses, bodies, and accessories, as well as a major factor in price in your local shops. For instance, I grew up in East/Central North Carolina, where it seems like no one shot olympus cameras. To that end, It is the last place I would want to buy Olympus gear, because if it is available, it will be priced according to its rarity.
footnote 2- This should be obvious from the choices above, but I highly recommend a fully manual camera. A fully manual camera that gets broken/out of alignment can be repaired a lot more easily and cheaply than an electronic one. Basically, if it has a LCD, don't buy it.
footnote 3- If I have left anything important out, please forgive me, as it is 3 in the morning here and my bedtime is well overdue.
martinsmith99
Established
I shoot with a Pentax Spotmatic SPii. The M42 lenses are plentiful & reasonably priced and there are some great lenses to be had. I'm also after an M42 mount Chinon as these seem to come highly recommended.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
In the past, I made the mistake of disregarding Minolta myself.
But when I accidentally stumble on an SRT-101 with a Rokkor 35mm/1.8 lens on it, boy, what a revelation. That beautiful glass renders colors vibrantly and the bokeh is just creamy.
Good Rokkor lenses are the rarer ones and therefore expensive. Much later I finally get a hold of the 58mm/1.2. Now I am content with one body and two lenses. Which body? XD-11
What surprised me most about the later AF Minolta lenses is how good they are and therefore rare and expensive. The "beercan" is probably one of the most coveted 70-210mm lenses out there.
Now, I am no zoom lover, but some of these AF Minoltas are just that good.
novum
Well-known
I use an FM2n regularly, though I'm considering an FE for automated exposure. I'm even thinking about getting an F6 as my eyes become less reliable for focusing. But I'm not convinced that the F6 will do the trick, and they seem hard to buy right now too.
kshapero
South Florida Man
I love the Nikon's and the Olympus systems.
fbf
Well-known
So I kinda lost control lately...bought too many om toys...
Now I have the om1,om2n,om4ti all in silver and minty condition... They look so lovely. I just replaced the lightseal for all of them. I have run two rolls through the om2n. OMG, it is a workhorse for sure. I think I am keeping it as a SLR system though nowadays people are selling them by kg.
Now I have the om1,om2n,om4ti all in silver and minty condition... They look so lovely. I just replaced the lightseal for all of them. I have run two rolls through the om2n. OMG, it is a workhorse for sure. I think I am keeping it as a SLR system though nowadays people are selling them by kg.