Nokton48
Veteran
I voted for the Minolta, as that is what I have recently built-up as a system. See here:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=110411
Today I am taking out an old SRT101b with 24mm F2.8 MC W Rokkor-X. Fantastic optic.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=110411
Today I am taking out an old SRT101b with 24mm F2.8 MC W Rokkor-X. Fantastic optic.
Bobbo
Well-known
Let's look at this practically:
You already have a D300 and an X700.
That rules out the Olympus, unless you're a gearhead looking for a fix (sorry guys). With your two systems, there's really no logical reason you can't find something you like that will work with whatever you have already.
Now, what lenses do you have for your other systems? That would be the deciding factor. Do you have an non-DX, non-G lenses for your Nikon? What Minolta lenses do you have?
BTW, if you go with a Nikon, I'd go with a 50/1.8 or 50/2 of any variation. They are all very nice and probably a tad sharper than the 50/1.4, which I've never had much luck with. They're also cheaper (in the case of the Series E about 1/5th the price). Pick the 0.2m-focusing 28/2.8 (I also like the 28/3.5) or a 24mm to go with it. Between those two lenses, the cost difference is mostly gone (still a little more, probably, but much less).
The F3 was the pinnacle of pro-grade manual focus SLRs... It was in production for 20 years, many hundreds of thousands were made, you can still get parts, it's relatively easy to work, there are hundreds of accessories and extremely solid. No other single SLR model can say the same thing.
Besides, the Nikon F-series cameras are like AR-15s or Legos. You want it to fulfill a specific task, you can do it.
You already have a D300 and an X700.
That rules out the Olympus, unless you're a gearhead looking for a fix (sorry guys). With your two systems, there's really no logical reason you can't find something you like that will work with whatever you have already.
Now, what lenses do you have for your other systems? That would be the deciding factor. Do you have an non-DX, non-G lenses for your Nikon? What Minolta lenses do you have?
BTW, if you go with a Nikon, I'd go with a 50/1.8 or 50/2 of any variation. They are all very nice and probably a tad sharper than the 50/1.4, which I've never had much luck with. They're also cheaper (in the case of the Series E about 1/5th the price). Pick the 0.2m-focusing 28/2.8 (I also like the 28/3.5) or a 24mm to go with it. Between those two lenses, the cost difference is mostly gone (still a little more, probably, but much less).
The F3 was the pinnacle of pro-grade manual focus SLRs... It was in production for 20 years, many hundreds of thousands were made, you can still get parts, it's relatively easy to work, there are hundreds of accessories and extremely solid. No other single SLR model can say the same thing.
Besides, the Nikon F-series cameras are like AR-15s or Legos. You want it to fulfill a specific task, you can do it.
Steve Bellayr
Veteran
Nikon F-3HP...24mm f2.8 is outstanding as is the 28mm f2.8. The 35mm f2.0 is spotty, difficult to find, and costly. Nikon 50mm f1.4 the 6th and last is the best. I have not found the 85mm f2.0 to be a bad performer though others prefer the f1.4. The 105mm f2.5 is legendary. The 135 & 180 are excellent also. In addition, Zeiss makes fantastic lenses for the Nikon system...i.e. the 35mm f2.0 and there are CV lenses in Nikon mount. IMHO I am not impressed with the Olympus and Minolta...but that is me and this is an opinion thread.
Soeren
Well-known
Since You allready have a Nikon D300 and your Minolta is "broken" I'd get a Nikon filmbody and perhaps a lens or 2 to go with it. Though I like my F3 a lot I'd recommend a FM2
. The FE series use match needle in manual mode and I find the finder info to be a bit hard to see in difficult light. There is no need to bring more than one system when out photographing and many of the earlier Nikons will take the modern lenses (except G-lenses) as well as the ealier lenses will work on your D300 though you have the cropfactor issue. Another more bulky and perhaps expensive option is something like the F100 which will take both older Ai- and modern G-lenses.
Best regards
. The FE series use match needle in manual mode and I find the finder info to be a bit hard to see in difficult light. There is no need to bring more than one system when out photographing and many of the earlier Nikons will take the modern lenses (except G-lenses) as well as the ealier lenses will work on your D300 though you have the cropfactor issue. Another more bulky and perhaps expensive option is something like the F100 which will take both older Ai- and modern G-lenses.Best regards
Al Patterson
Ferroequinologist
Canon FD, either an A-1 or an F-1.