Which camera to get

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<p>Except for the 2004 Nikon F6, all the other Nikon AF cameras mentioned are actually older the the 2001 FM3A. You can have a manual focus, TTL flash & 1/250 sync, aperture priority capable - with exposure lock, camera that has all it's shutter speeds available in case battery fails body that is not likely to need a CLA at this time. Now that's what I call having your cake and eating it too . . . ;-)<br /><br /></p>

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<p> The Nikon F100 was manufacured from 1999 to 2006. So it would not be unreasonable to have a F100 that was several years newer then an early FM3A. However I agree the FM3a is a terrific camera but I am not sure about meeting the $400.00 price limit the OP mentioned. <br>

I actually bought a FM3A brand new once and sent it back to BHPhoto because the door was floppy. I had planned on just ordering another one but a couple months later when I was going to order it they were no longer available anywhere. So I bought a FE2 in mint condition used but it proved to be unreliable and sold it for parts. Then I bought a F100 and still love and use it. However for hiking and bicycling I go with the FM10 as it's light. </p>

<p>Well if a person found a FM3a at a price they would like then that would be a very nice camera to buy. </p>

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<p>I'm looking to spend under $400.<br /> I was looking at the Canon AE-1, the Nikon FM10, the Leica R3, and some other products.<br /> I'm not sure that I trust buying a used camera.</p>

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<p>You said three wrong things in a row. If I was buying a 35mm camera that wasn't a Leica or equivalent I would be thinking sub $100 unless you are going for a real Pro body. Of the cameras in your price range that are new I am only seeing the Nikon FM10. Avoid this camera. Buying this camera new in a kit with a cheap consumer zoom is going to set you back $300+. For <$100 you can get the excellent Canon Elan 7NE. I would take a used Elan 7NE over a new FM10 any day of the week. Let's just say the FM10 isn't really where Nikon's focus is right now. The FM10 is a very feature poor down market piece of kit.</p>

<p>The thing about the Elan 7NE is it came into existence as the DSLR phenomenon was heating up. You can find these excellent cameras on sale on Ebay with a negligible number of exposures taken. My advice is to be patient. Only buy a model that has several excellent pictures taken of it. If you see a bunch of scratches, scuff marks and/or RUST move on. There are pristine models getting sold all the time. If you want a manual camera set the lens to manual with a switch on the barrel and set the camera body to M, done! What I would not do is pay three times the price for a piece of junk with a crappy kit lens.</p>

<p>Right now looks like a good time to buy an Elan 7NE. The problem with waiting till the fall is all the new photography students bid up the prices. Shop during the quiet periods. It looks like someone just picked up one of these babies for $73 on ebay! That's nuts. The thing about the Elan 7NE is if you buy it for a reasonable price you can try it out for a few months and if it doesn't meet your expectations (not sure how that is possible) you can sell it for sometimes MORE than you paid for it. That won't happen with a new FM10. Oh and if you get an Elan 7NE you can use ALL modern Canon EF lenses. You don't have to sit there and wonder which lens will work like you do with Nikon. I bought my Elan 7NE as an after thought. I figured why not. I already have a DSLR and all these lenses.</p>

<p>You can currently get an EOS-1 in EX+ condition from KEH (YMMV) for $148.50, with free shipping until this evening.<br>

EX+ should be quite nice. This camera body was built by Canon to exacting professional standards, with a 1/250 sec flash sync and 100% viewfinder coverage. It can auto-focus down to -1EV and will accept all modern EOS lenses. Much, much better than an Elan 7, which was designed as a consumer unit. <br>

And yes, I just bought one from them in "EX" condition two nights ago with PB-E1 booster for $134.00 shipped.<br>

A steal, IMO. <br>

I already have the 1v, but what the hell, it's only money.</p>

<p>Lots of advice, some of which borders on religion. :)</p>

<p>Simple answer is to get a decent-shape Canon AE-1 and you'll be happy. I have 5 of them (including 2 of the Program variety) and they work extremely well and take amazingly good photos. That's not a feature of the body so much as the plethora of good cheap Canon FD lenses out there, especially the very nice 50mm f1.8</p><div></div>

<p>I still have an F2A that I want to let go and haven't had the time to deal with advert it. It's fantastic tank....urrr, I mean a camera. In 32yrs since purchase, it never let me down...well, with one or two exceptions when I tried to squeeze out 38-39-40 shots out of a 36-exp. film cartridge. Maybe that's not a deal maker for you, but I'm able to use 24/2.8 and 105/2.5 lenses that I purchased in 1975....and now I'm using them on D700....and absolutely loving it. Also have an old Vivitar zoom that's a step above coke bottle (barely), but the macro portion on it is equivelent to a current $400-600 lens If your technique is good, you can put D3X owners to shame....yes, the 105 is that good. I think I could do similar with the F3. <br>

Leica is fine if you don't need precise viewing or longer lenses (the parallax does create issues). Also, the lenses are way way more expensive. My 2 cents.<br>

Les</p>

 

<p>You don't want the "best" camera because there is not one You need a "shooter" that is in really good shape. Every camera brand has problems when they get as old as some of these film cameras. Look for a relaible dealer who will let you try the camera out for a couple of weeks or something. The "best" camera that you can afford could turn out to have spent time in the bottom of a lake.<br>

As for the Canon AE-1 not being professional grade that is baloney. There is no such thing as a pro camera. There are thousands and thousands of people making photos for a living every day with cameras the camera magazines would turn their noses up at and call them amateur or "prosumer."<br>

Camera mags and manufactuers have to push more and more expensive cameras out the door and they make stuff up in order to do this. Do not fall for it.</p>