Manual focus film cameras

[edward_karaa1]

I would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me out with info about

the "very limited" available choices for manual focus 35mm SLR camera systems.

 

I currently use EOS equipment which is frustrating to focus manually. I know

the most obvious choice is Leica but it is way beyond my budget. I saw that

Nikon still makes the FM10 and FM3A which are available in Thailand (where I

live), but there are no manual focus lenses available.

 

Any replies would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,Edward

[yann1]

It's very easy to find manual focus lenses everywhere especially in Thailand ! Now if you are looking for new stuff, indeed, I don't think there are newly made manual focus lenses, excepted for the FM10 as you said. Some second hand lenses could be purchased easily in Bangkok and some shops will find some for you that almost look like new. Or maybe I didn't understand the question...

[neild]

eBay is your friend. But first you must decide on what you want, through your own research. To throw money at eBay *without* knowing exactly what you want is the way to unhappiness!

[machts gut]

Hello Edward,

if you want a new camera, the FM3a is a good choice. The FM10 is a relabelled Cosina. Probably not bad, but not the quality of a Nikon. But as has been said before, I would go for a second hand cam and have a look at ebay. Any brand like Nikon, Canon, Minolta or Pentax made good cameras and excellent lenses. I just bought a Minolta X-500 with Minolta 28, 50 and 135mm lenses in excellent condition for 70 Euro (posting incl.), which is about the sum I would spend for an evening in a low-budget restaurant with my girl-friend.

 

Stefan

 

Stefan

[._._z]

There is no "very limited" choice.

 

There is a universe of used gear in excellent condition.

[edward_karaa1]

Thanks all for your replies. Actually I was looking for new gear, models which are still in production. Unfortunately Leica and Nikon seem to be the only brands who still make them. Leicas are way too expensive and Nikon makes only the camera bodies but not the lenses. As all of you suggested, the second hand market is the only way to go. I was kind of hoping that someone would point my attention to a model that I've somehow overseen.

[._._z]

There are such limited models in production, and you get so much more for your money used, that the choice -- if you want a film camera -- seems clear. :-)

[bwcombs]

I haven't tried to buy new Nikon manual lenses, so I can't qualify that. But today's used and

like new lenses are readily available in all price ranges. I am tempted again to buy some

manual lenses for my F2...

 

Aw, the cycle continues.

[frank uhlig]

Ok, I do not understand your frustration.

 

Every all automatic SLR can be set to all manual and there you have what you are looking for: a fully manual camera of high quality.

 

So: what makes you say: "...EOS equipment which is frustrating to focus manually..."?

 

Do you just have difficulties to find the manual/automatic switches on the body or the lens? Or is there some deeper problem?

[edward_karaa1]

Are there AF/MF switches on the lens? Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Would you be so kind to indicate the exact location of the switch? Thanks in advance.

[jeffpolaski]

Look into Pentax SLRs. http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/

[edward_karaa1]

Jeff, Thanks. Very interesting link.

[gary_watson]

My brother-in-law visits Bangkok regularly and reports a brisk market in used film gear in fine shape at bargain prices, notably Nikon. He picked up a complete Contax G2 outfit in near-mint shape this summer for peanuts. I'd ask/look around for used MF Nikon.

[athinkle]

If you must buy new gear and you don't want Leica (understandable) then I'd say the FM3a would probably be your best bet. I've logged time with the FM10 and, while it certainly gets the job done, it's really nothing to write home about. The money you'd pay for an FM10 would be better spent on a used Minolta SRT series. As far as new lenses, I think the Tamron Adaptall lenses are still available. They have the added bonus of being usable on different mounts using interchangeable adapters.

[athinkle]

Or, since you'll have to switch lenses anyway, you could always just go to 645 or 6x6. Now THOSE are easy to focus manually!

[frank uhlig]

You are kind of smart, Edward, yet you ask - and I assume this is not in sarcasm:

 

"Are there AF/MF switches on the lens? Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Would you be so kind to indicate the exact location of the switch? Thanks in advance."

 

Yes, Nikon AFS and Canon USM lenses do have manual/automatic switches on the lens barrel.

 

Other lenses can always be set to focus manually if you switch to manual focus on the camera BODY. Sorry about the confusion.

 

Read the manual, if all else fails you. It is explained there and you do not need a new camera body. Not at all.

[richard_cochran]

<cite>Every all automatic SLR can be set to all manual and there you have what you are looking for: a fully manual camera of high quality.

</cite>

<p>

You're correct that virtually any autofocus camera can be used manually, but there's a lot more to manual focus than that. If you actually use a camera designed for manual focus, you'll notice that it has a big, clear viewfinder with a screen that makes it very obvious what's in and out of focus. An autofocus viewfinder doesn't compare; its screen lacks focusing aids and is designed for brightness at the expense of focusing precision (it needs the extra brightness to compensate for the light that gets diverted to the AF sensors by the semi-silvered mirror). A manual focus lens will have a smooth helicoid that is very easy to use, along with a proper depth of field scale that's easy to read.

<p>

If a person's manual focus experience is limited to using an autofocus camera switched to manual, that person would probably be under the mistaken impression that precise manual focusing is a lot more difficult than it really is.

[eric_miller10]

I would go for an older MF Pentax or Minolta; Minolta MC/MD lenses are cheap and provide good quality, and SMC Pentax lenses are good as well, and if yoy want to use m42 glass, the Russians and Germans made plenty of those too. LZOS still makes lenses in m42 mount, some better than others, but you can mount those easily with the right adapter to most SLR's.

 

I have a couple Russian rangefinders too (FED 2 and Kiev 4), and those are nice to use as well, I prefer the Kiev with my Jupiter 3.

[douglas_green1]

I rarely agree with .[.Z about anything, but he's right this time. Buy one of the wonderful used cameras that are easily found in excellent to near mint condition for a small fraction of the cost of a scarce new one. A Nikon FE2 or F3HP would be an excellent starting point. Other great choices would include an Olympus OM4 or a Canon T90, or a Pentax LX.

 

For a small fraction of the cost of those, a Minolta X-700 would do the job and can probably be found for the cost of dinner and an evening's entertainment.

 

There are tons of EXCELLENT used lenses available for any of these cameras, and they will cost a small fraction of the Autofocus optics, and are far better built.