The built-like-a-tank SLR of your choice

Due to their lighter amateur use most of those old Nikkormats
probably have as many - or more - shutter cycles left in them
as Nikon F series cameras, many of which have seen heavy use.

Though I do prefer horizontal-run cloth shutters I am a grudging
admirer of the extreme durability of vertical-run metal shutters.

Chris
 
johannielscom said:
Hey,

Recommend me an SLR that is tough as nails in every aspect and won't break (the bank)?

My backpacking daughter takes SLRs on her trip and even manages to wreck a Chinon Memotron CE-II, which is a pretty tough camera already. So any advice on a tough-as-nails camera that preferably can also withstand a bit of beach sand is very welcome. Student's backpacking budget, so please no recommendations of the top line Nikon or Canon SLR...? Internal meter required and anything else is up for debate except build quality 😀 😀:angel:
Click to expand...

The toughest SLR I have is a Nikon F2, but I would never take it backpacking... it's just too heavy. In my youth, I took my Olympus XA backpacking for more than 10 years. It survived being bashed into stone cliff walls, being dropped several times, being stepped on in the dark, and it still works fine 35 years later.

Is your daughter really committed to film photography? Cheap digital cameras, extra memory cards and batteries are much lighter, and much less gut wrenching when they are damaged on a trip. (OK, almost any digital camera is less dear to me than film cameras, but that is my personal bias.) Even a modern cell phone makes a pretty rugged backpacking camera, and is very compact.

Scott
 
I am thinking that the recent low cost of sturdy middle of the road 1970s SLRs should make the solution to your daughter's annihilation of cameras a moot point.

I mean these days one can pick up a Canon FTb or a Nikkormat or a Minolta SRT for 30 to 80 dollars,

80 dollars equates to less than 15 dollars in mid 1970s Inflation Calculator mode and those sturdy cameras cost us much more than 15 bucks in the 1970s.
 
Nikon F. Reliable and cheap. Even near mint samples are going for "pennies" on that big auction site. Repairs aren't that expensive either, but the recent three I've acquired have needed none, other then mirror foam. And that fix is $3 plus my time.
 
After three pages of recommendations I have concluded two things:

There is a score of SLR's available that fit the bill, and
Many RFF members cannot be bothered reading a whole thread to see what is actually requested, both technically and price-wise...
😉
 
There are quite a few that can withstand abuse to a degree. But none is indestructible. This is so true when it comes to lenses. Being careful is the best protection.

But to avoid accidents in journey, I recommend a relatively light camera such as Nikon FTN with a small lens combination, equipped with a pouch.
 
EliasK said:
There is no such thing as a "built-like-a-tank" camera. Cameras are sensitive and delicate instruments.

They are only lucky owners who happened to abuse them, but not critically damage them.
Click to expand...

Yes, I cringe everytime I see someone posting their rain soaked camera on Instagram as a trophy shot

Just because a camera is running after abuse doesn't mean it's happy. Sand and moisture inside will definitely accelerate wear, even if the camera seems fine
 
johannielscom said:
After three pages of recommendations I have concluded two things:

There is a score of SLR's available that fit the bill, and
Many RFF members cannot be bothered reading a whole thread to see what is actually requested, both technically and price-wise...
😉
Click to expand...

Posting here can be a challenge, Johan. A Ph.D. does not help much! 😀:bang:😎🙄
 
johannielscom said:
Many RFF members cannot be bothered reading a whole thread to see what is actually requested, both technically and price-wise...
😉
Click to expand...

RFF members should not need to read the whole thread to see what is actually requested.

To see was is actually requested, RFF members should only need to read the first post in the thread.
 
As in most threads the majority of the replies addressed the intial query.

Should any thread be a simple Q and A? IMO it would be far less interesting
without the twists and turns threads make here and on other good forums.

Chris
 
ChrisPlatt said:
As in most threads the majority of the replies addressed the intial query.

Should any thread be a simple Q and A? IMO it would be far less interesting
without the twists and turns threads make here and on other good forums.

Chris
Click to expand...
Dear Chris,

And others said, "But can you live without...?" or "Could you live with...?" or "Had you considered the possibility of..."

Cheers,

R.
 
Hi,

This is a forum and that, to me, means a place where things etc are discussed. I'd hate to answer a multiple choice question with the tick boxes alone to select as my opinion.

And the original question was "So any advice on a tough-as-nails camera that preferably can also withstand a bit of beach sand is very welcome. Student's backpacking budget, so please no recommendations of the top line Nikon or Canon SLR...? Internal meter required and anything else is up for debate except build quality... "

So I reckon we've answered it...

Regards, David
 
johannielscom said:
After three pages of recommendations I have concluded two things:

There is a score of SLRs available that fit the bill, and
Many RFF members cannot be bothered reading a whole thread to see what is actually requested, both technically and price-wise...
😉
Click to expand...

1. You're correct.

2. It's the OP's responsibility to read through all responses and determine what is right for her/him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
somebody make a video of you hammering nails with your camera and upload it to youtube. i guarantee it'll get millions of views. 😀
 
I'm currently using a Soligor TM (Miranda Sensomat with M42 mount) and it's survived getting beer spilled on it (twice) at a wedding and having my 18 stone self land on it when falling off a rock on the moors. Still works smoothly.
 
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