What camera to get for my best friend?

[Roberto V.]

My best friend will graduate in two years, so I want to start saving to get her a nice camera. She is a great photographer, yesterday I gave her her first SLR camera, which she already knows how to use.
I'm looking for something not too big, with top quality lenses available, but not as expensive as Leica M. I want to get her a classy looking body with one lens, and one of my concerns is for the system not to be so expensive so she can expand it later. It can be either rangefinder or SLR, although she already has an SLR (2 if you count a non-working Konica I'm repairing). Also I'd like something that will last a long time, so no digital for the same reason.
My first thought was Contax G2, but maybe you guys have other suggestions.

Thanks!
Rob

Edit: I forgot to add, I'm looking to spend somewhere around $1000, but I'd make an exception for something really good. I do have 2 years left so no biggie. Fast lenses are also a plus.

 

[coelacanth]

I'd suggest R2M (or A if she really needs AE). It has everything she'd need from an RF camera, huge collection of lenses to try out over time, and it's still a modern camera so less chance of encountering with unfixable problems.

 

[bgb]

A new Bessa is a good choice for a rangefinder, all that lovely Leica glass
What kind of SLR did you give her? You could just add some lenses to that kit.

 

[sahe69]

Contax G2 is probably a good idea.

Contax Aria with a couple of those nice Zeiss lenses could be a good idea as well, if she prefers SLRs.

 

[Roberto V.]

A new Bessa is a good choice for a rangefinder, all that lovely Leica glass
What kind of SLR did you give her? You could just add some lenses to that kit.

I gave her a Canon Rebel 2000. I'd rather give her something different to try out though, she'll probably already have a couple more lenses by then.

Thanks for suggesting the Bessa guys. Here are some other cameras I've considered:

Canon P/VT deluxe/L1
Contax 139Q/Aria
Leica M2 with ZM glass (more expensive though)
Hassy 500C/M (not small, slower glass, but bigger negs)
Oly OM-1
Besides the camera, I'll also get her a Sekonic L-208s

I'll probably get an M2 for myself by then, so I'll see which type of camera she prefers, but keep the suggestions coming please.
Also, I'm her mentor in photography, so I'll need to choose very well to get a camera that will help her express her vision.

Cheers,
Rob

 

[pggunn]

Hi Rob,

If she doesn't graduate for two more years, why not keep saving and see which direction her interests go, how her vision and photography evolve? Then, you can start looking for the right fit a few months before graduation.

Good luck.

 

[Roberto V.]

Hi Rob,

If she doesn't graduate for two more years, why not keep saving and see which direction her interests go, how her vision and photography evolve? Then, you can start looking for the right fit a few months before graduation.

Good luck.

I'll definitely do that, but I want to have an idea of which cameras to consider, then I'll pick one from those. Thanks.

 

[Roberto V.]

So, any other suggestions guys? What about Alpa, are they good for actually taking pictures?

 

[Don Parsons]

Canon F1. FD lens are great but priced at the bottom of the barrel right now.

Or if that's too big, get her a Pentax MX. Lots of lenses out there and it's priced right.

Or get her an AE-1 now and see where her interests take her.

You'll spend well under $1k.

 

[Roberto V.]

Canon F1. FD lens are great but priced at the bottom of the barrel right now.

Or if that's too big, get her a Pentax MX. Lots of lenses out there and it's priced right.

Or get her an AE-1 now and see where her interests take her.

You'll spend well under $1k.

She already tried an AE-1. She liked it, but she already has a Konica FT-1 that will soon be fixed and has great glass available, so I want something more "high end" or so to say.

 

[russelljtdyer]

Can't go wrong with a Zeiss Ikon

Can't go wrong with a Zeiss Ikon

I'm infatuated with my Zeiss Ikon camera (see shot of it below) and recommend this model, highly. I bought this one used from KEH.com for about $1100, but without a lens. When I first bought it, I used a Voigtlander 50mm lens I bought the year before for about $350. This totals a little more than your budget, but two years from now you can probably get it for a few hundred dollars less and pick up cheaply a Zeiss lens like this one in the photo. It will put her in the M-mount lens system and get her a nice functioning and nice looking camera. To me, it would be a fabulous present from a best friend and one that commemorates well a college graduation. This camera will probably still function decades from now and will always look impressive. She'll probably keep it all her life. Even if they stop making 35mm film one day, it's a fine representation of design and engineering from a wonderful era in history. She could put in on a shelf in her home and visitors will admire it and ask about it. She can tell them about the camera and how she came to possess it; she can tell them about you. But hey, I'm sentimental like that.

By the way, Roberto, do you need another best friend? I'm available to fill a void, or just as a back-up best friend in case she gets tired of you. Just let me know. I'm there for you buddy.

-Russell

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

hmmm hexar rf? better built than the ZI and faster shutter.
the ZI is a good camera, too.

 

[israel_alanis]

I agree with Pggunn but it's good you go investigate what type of photography she like to do, that will determine a lot on the type of camera, digital or film.

Now, a rangefinder camera, old, used of course, small and nice for your friend it could be a Robot Star.

This camera has a lens of 40 mm and 1.9f

Greetings.

 

[israel_alanis]

Another great camera is the Canon Canonet
I have one and its great, the lens is 45mm and 1.9f It has a meter light installed into lens and it does not use battery, its a great camera.

 

[Roberto V.]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated.

Russel, thanks for the great post, I'll consider the ZI very seriously. I've been lusting over one for myself for a while now, but i always spend the money on other stuff . The Zeiss ZM lenses have always impressed me, and the camera is beautiful IMO. AE wouldn't hurt either. This seems to be the leading option despite the price.
Oh, and imagine if i had more than 1 best friend... I'd be poor by now

Cheers!
Rob

 

[Roberto V.]

hmmm hexar rf? better built than the ZI and faster shutter.
the ZI is a good camera, too.

The difficulty of getting it repaired if it fails scares me away. Otherwise it's a great camera too.

BTW, great stuff on your flickr!

 

[Brian Legge]

Alternatively, consider a trip and a lot of film. Or something less camera specific.

At least for me, camera choice is personal. I barely know what I'm interested in at any given time. Film is almost always a safe bet as there, it largely comes down to two formats as a starting point.

If your friend already has an SLR, I'd suggest trying something radically different like a rangefinder or TLR. You don't need to go too high end with either if it is just an experiment to see if the camera style clicks. Good rangefinders and TLRs can be found for less than $100.

Alternatively, if your friend is somewhat dedicated to film but not developing at home in the future, a kit to start doing that is another option.

 

[Harry S.]

I think she would like a medium format camera.

In my experience, (and I dont know exactly what determines this) but young women who are more than casually interested in photography tend to lean towards MF as they progress. I think in general women are more subtle creatures and medium format produces more subtle results that they seem to appreciate at a larger percentage then guys. I also think women are masters of the one camera one lens situation!

So,

Yashica Mat 124G
Mamiya 7 with 65mm
Bronica or Mamiya 645

Most of these are already cheaper than M mount gear and in the right hands produce better results. The lenses are slower but more ideal for portraiture/fashion/landscapes than reportage/street.

Just another opinion!
H

 

[Roberto V.]

Alternatively, consider a trip and a lot of film. Or something less camera specific.

At least for me, camera choice is personal. I barely know what I'm interested in at any given time. Film is almost always a safe bet as there, it largely comes down to two formats as a starting point.

If your friend already has an SLR, I'd suggest trying something radically different like a rangefinder or TLR. You don't need to go too high end with either if it is just an experiment to see if the camera style clicks. Good rangefinders and TLRs can be found for less than $100.

Alternatively, if your friend is somewhat dedicated to film but not developing at home in the future, a kit to start doing that is another option.

Thanks Brian, we've already got the travel and darkroom covered . We're building a darkroom at her place, and we're going to travel somewhere next year.

 

[Roberto V.]

I think she would like a medium format camera.

In my experience, (and I dont know exactly what determines this) but young women who are more than casually interested in photography tend to lean towards MF as they progress. I think in general women are more subtle creatures and medium format produces more subtle results that they seem to appreciate at a larger percentage then guys. I also think women are masters of the one camera one lens situation!

So,

Yashica Mat 124G
Mamiya 7 with 65mm
Bronica or Mamiya 645

Most of these are already cheaper than M mount gear and in the right hands produce better results. The lenses are slower but more ideal for portraiture/fashion/landscapes than reportage/street.

Just another opinion!
H

Good suggestion Harry, I hadn't given MF much thought. And she tends to do more landscapes too, so I guess I'll have to see how her photography evolves and then it will probably be down to the Zeiss Ikon or an MF kit