SLR frustrations

[mfogiel]

If you want reliability and good lenses, the solution is a Nikon F2 with plain finder and with one of the Zeiss ZF lenses. I use the 25/2.8, 35/2, 50/2 Makro and 100/2 Makro. The 25/2.8 is peculiar for field curvature - interesting for close up stuff, but not for landscape, anyway for landscape a MF camera is a must. The 35/2 and 50/2 MP are both great although a bit on the big side.
An F3HP +DK17M is aso a sublime body, but you have electronics to cope with.

 

[f16sunshine]

f16sunshine: the FX3 2000 is for sure the cheapest and most sensible choice. I found a beat up FX3 recently and quite like it except for the fact that the film advance is wobbly (just like the contax 139, I think they actually share the same film advance mechanism just that the 139 seems to have bearings) but that could just be my copy. It needs new seals and has a sketchy back door hinge that prevent me from using it. There's another one in a store nearby so I may go take a closer look it out when I have the chance. The 2000 is appealing since I tend to use high shutter speeds, I'm just not all that crazy about the loud shutter.

I would not recomend buying a beat one. They can take some serious abuse before showing signs of wear. If it's showing..... it's been hammered 😱

There should be plenty of nice clean lightly used copies available for peanuts in cash.

It is a bit loud that's true. It's one trade off the other for me being.... no DOF pre-view lever.
Otherwise an excellent mecanical choice for C/Y lenses.

Oddly the only other Mechanical C/Y body is the Contax S2. The last body they designed.
I would love to find one I could afford. The S2 is a spot meter version. S2B is Center weighted. It's a lovely Mechanical 1/4000 shutter body. Not quite in my budget. I have plenty of C/Y Bodies as it is 😀

Good luck!

 

[Paul Jenkin]

Another vote for the FM/FM2N/F3 option. Tank-like build, lots of availability so not massively expensive and great lenses. Can't criticise C/Y bodies or the exceptional Zeiss glass lenses but I've never had any of my Nikons miss a beat on me.

 

[nobbylon]

As I see it there's 2 options. Use the RX and enjoy it or put it away to gum up and decay and get a decent F3 with 28, 50 and 105 Nikkors.
Personally I would use the RX as you alresdy have it And like the lenses.

 

[Johann Espiritu]

Any of the Nikon FM's would be great. If you can find a good deal on an FM2, go for it.

 

[nongfuspring]

Just a quick update (will reply in more detail when I have a bit more time) I just got a reply from KEH and they gave me a full refund on not only the camera but the shipping costs also! I thought maybe they'd do a partial refund on the camera, so I'm impressed they paid me back for the shipping as well.

 

[ruby.monkey]

I would not recomend buying a beat one. They can take some serious abuse before showing signs of wear. If it's showing..... it's been hammered 😱

There should be plenty of nice clean lightly used copies available for peanuts in cash.

It is a bit loud that's true. It's one trade off the other for me being.... no DOF pre-view lever.
Otherwise an excellent mecanical choice for C/Y lenses.

Oddly the only other Mechanical C/Y body is the Contax S2. The last body they designed.
I would love to find one I could afford. The S2 is a spot meter version. S2B is Center weighted. It's a lovely Mechanical 1/4000 shutter body. Not quite in my budget. I have plenty of C/Y Bodies as it is 😀

Good luck!

Don't forget the Yashica FX-2. It's a manual-metered version of the FX-1, needing a battery for the meter only, and looks to be made of recycled tractors.

 

[mbisc]

You got Zeiss glass, which you will miss if you get some kind of Canikon/Pentax camera. Hence anpother vote for the Aria from me 😀

 

[Dwig]

If you want reliability and good lenses, the solution is a Nikon F2 with plain finder ...

+1

Also consider a plain prism Nikon F. Without the bulky Photomic finders both the F and the F2 are relatively compact and extremely rugged.

In general, I would avoid 1st and perhaps 2nd generation electronic cameras if you want rugged and reliable.

If you don't want to get new lenses then consider a good clean Minolta SRT, preferably a 201 or 202 (US/Can designation, different elsewhere, if think 202=303b in Europe)

Nikkormats and Nikon FM series are also very good as are the Pentax KX and MX, the Oly OM-1n (I hate the flawed OM-1), and the Canon FTb/TLb models, though the Canons are heavy and have shutter spindle wear problems that can't be repaired.

 

[Nokton48]

There is a Yashica FX-2 in the Christmas give-away!