Which SLR system?

Which SLR system?

  • Nikon F3

    Votes: 50 49.5%

  • Olympus OM-1n

    Votes: 38 37.6%

  • Minolta X-700

    Votes: 13 12.9%
  • Total voters
    101
  • Poll closed .
First of all. Nikon.
Second. Avoid any electronic camera. Get yourself a "nice" Nikon F with non-metered prism and you are ready for life, a F2 will do it too.

My 2 cents.
 
I used a Nikon F3 for 25+ years and only stopped when I came across the Leica M. The F3 is incredibly durable - nothing ever went wrong with mine and I hammered it. One of the classics. Get a 28mm instead of the 35, it matches better with the 50 and the 28/2.8 that focuses down to 0.2M is an absolutely stellar lens.


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No way to tell unless you handle the two models you don't have. With an ON-1 or OM-1n just use the #675 zinc air hearing aid batteries, used them for years in my own Olympus cameras and they work fine and are cheap in 12 and 24 packs (At least here in the US). It is true that the OM comes closest to a RF experience. I find my ancient OM-1 and a couple of lenses no more bulky to carry than my M4-2 with two lenses. The focusing screen installed in the OM can make a big difference. I prefer the 1-10 screen, a plain matte screen with grid lines. Others like the split wedge with micro prism collar screens but to me focusing aides smack dab in the middle of where you are trying to compose are just too distracting.

One more tip. If you decide on the OM-1 and get a 35 f2.8 Zuiko you will find that the front element of that lens is right near the surface. To give it a bit more protection from random bangs and scrapes I put on a 49mm metal filter ring with the glass removed. I can still use the lens cap that way. To save space I don't usually use hoods but shade the lens with my hand.
 
I am a user of OM's, currently have OM1, OM2, OM2n, OM2S, OM4Ti. Using mostly OM1 and OM2 or OM2n. As for lenses i have recently been using only the 50/1.8, the 24/2.8 is usually on the 2nd body. When it gets summer up here in Finland and snow melts away i use mostly only the 50/3.5 macro lens and for travels I take the 35-70/3.6 zoom along with the 50 and 24mm.
Olympus OM is a very tough system, light to gear up and drag along, very durable.
As it goes for Nikon, if you want to use film along with your digital gear, then get a Nikon body for shooting film shots. I am with Peter that the 28/2.8 [8/8 element, crc] AIs lens is stellar. It has been one of the absolute best 35mm WA lens i've used, i still miss that one.
 
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I was (kinda still am) in a very similar situation and while I did no buy any SLR sytem (yet) my candidates are:

- Nikon FM3a (or F3 or FE2) with the Voigtlander lenses 20 & 40
- Contax Aria with some of the 'slow' lenses
- Minolta XD-7 or X-570 with 20/2.8, 35/1.8, 85/2.0

Contax is the most expensive, but I like the way the lenses draw. Fast lenses (like 35/1.4) are VERY expensive.

Minolta - the bodies may need some work (leatherette) and the lenses I found interesting are hard to fine and not cheap. But the users swear by them.

Nikon - the F3 is 'the' camera and the FM3A is great too - and rather new. The lenses from Voigtlander are very good. Opinions on the 35mm lenses from Nikon are rather OK than GREAT (guy, do not kill me here - just what I read).

I would guess that all of the system you mentioned are very good and have great lenses - it is just a matter of what you like and get a good copy of (quality variation after 20 years is simply there).

good luck - there is no 'bad' or 'best' choice - bud many very good ones (that is what makes the choice so hard)
 
I am biased to Minolta because I've been using them since the early 80's. I bought a used X-570 as a backup body for my X-700 (which I got new in '87) and found that I liked it even better (especially in manual mode). The VF on those Minoltas is huge and bright. They are kind of "plasticky"-feeling but that never seemed to be an actual problem except in my mind. I had them both overhauled with new caps by John Titterington who did a great job. I was lucky to start collecting lenses before the prices got silly (I suspect a lot of people are buying them up to use on NEX/mFT, etc.). I have Canon and Nikon DSLRs and a Nikon F70 (AF 35mm) and I still keep coming back to the Minoltas for shooting 35mm. They are just fun to use and the lenses are very nice.

But... if you already have a Nikon DSLR then I can see why you might want to go that way for compatibility reasons.

Good luck with your choice!
Scott
 
Matus said:
- Nikon FM3a (or F3 or FE2) with the Voigtlander lenses 20 & 40
Click to expand...
I don't know about the 20, but really like the Voigtlander 40/f2. An FM3a with CV 40/f2 is my standard Nikon rig in good light (with an FM2n and Nikkor 50/f1.4 as my usual choice in low light).

...Mike
 
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