Advice needed for Student

[andrew_john]

I'm about to start a photography course and I need to buy a new(er)

35mm SLR (my old Pentax A-3 isn't up to the job). I'll be working

with colour slide film and black & white too. Could someone suggest

some good camera's and lens? My budget limit is AU$2000 (US$1500).

[stemked]

Andrew,

 

That's a pretty good intro budget! Do you already have a bunch of Pentax lenses? There are obviously a ton of options depending on your needs, which I think you need to clue us into. What's important to you, autofocus, macro, specific nature work, etc. One thing though; I'd save a lot of that budget and set it aside for film. If you are still considering using Pentax equipment I'd highly suggest at least looking at the MZ-5n (ZX-5n in the US, about $275 US) or MZ-S (about $650 US)if you want a newer autofocus camera. Pentax does offer a lot of less expensive cameras that will make you never miss the A-3.

[seanmoran]

Hello Andrew,

 

Congratulations on obtaining a place on the course. I wish I was doing the same.

 

In what way do you feel that the Pentax A3 is deficient? After 25 years of using Pentax K1000 and KM cameras, I recently treated myself to a Leica M2 and Summicron 50mm. Naturally, I was interested to compare the Leica with the trusty Pentax, so I did some tests: taking the same picture twice and switching cameras.

 

To my surprise, there was very little difference between portraits taken on the Summicron at f/4 and on the Pentax 50mm f/1.7 at f/4. Perhaps the Pentax had a fraction more microcontrast, but perhaps also the Leica had a touch more 'roundness' in its imaging. I don't think that equipment is the limiting factor in our quest to improve our photography - unless you have very specialist interests. The Leica is now my constant companion - and I love using it (the haptics are even better than Pentax [do you remember the advertising slogan "Just hold a Pentax"?]) - but I can't say hand on heart that it has improved the technical quality of my photographs.

 

Perhaps wait until you start the course and run up against equipment limitations before you spend your $2000? Or are you concerned that fellow students will sneer at your gear?

 

I once went to a traditional Irish music 'session' in a pub in Donegal. A smartly-dressed man produced a beautiful French violin from a velvet-lined fitted case and started to play it with a silver-mounted bow, and do you know what? ... he was terrible.

 

Later on in the evening a bedraggled, unshaven farmer appeared and dragged a battered Chinese fiddle from a case held together with insulating tape, and do you know what? ... he was terrible as well.

 

Cheers,

 

Seán.

[byronlawrence]

with that budget you can get almost any film body you want, and a lens, or most any lens and a limited selection for a body.

 

really it depends on your idea of what you need, as stated in the first response, like do you want autofocus, and other automated abilities, or do you want all manual.

 

for a manual simple body you can get something like the Canon F-1, or the Nikon FM3 (i think), or the Olympus OM-1, or Pentax k1000 (i think that is the one), etc. each major camera manufacturer had a nice mechanical camera with a simple ttl metering system in the early 80's, and most of those cameras are available with a 50mm f1.8 or better lens. something like this is also relatively cheap.

 

for the auto side of things, I would look at an Canon EOS 3 and then get an L lens like the 17-35 f2.8 L lens is mabye a little more than a 1000 us dollars, (with the 450 us $ for the eos3 you would be just under budget) or the 24-70 f2.8 L is $1134 at keh.com. L lenses are canons best lenses and will be the most expensive Canon lenses you can find. lenses like the 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS lens is maybe 450 dollars. I am a canon fan though, and cannot tell you the Nikon or Minolta route. also with any camera you get usually there is a 50mm 1.8 lens available for 70 dollars. that is alway an advisable purchase.

 

alright well good luck.

[mihir_shah]

Andrew, having been in your shoes once, i would suggest going for a cheaper canon body like Elan 7NE(30V i guess in europe)or a used Eos 3 (if getting it in the same price range)and investing more on top quality glass like 24-70/f2.8L or 17-40/f4L(depending on your interests). It will cost you around 1500$US but u will have a good kit to last for a long time. I am a canon user and so cannot really advice on other brands. But the only advice i would give is to invest more on a quality glass then a top film body. Elan 7NE is an excellent camera for beginners and amateurs. good luck.

[marcantel]

Andrew i'm 49 years and took the same class your about to take.I'm also a camera collector but the camera i can't go any where without is my nikon FM2N W/28-70 2.8 covers most of my needs.As a serious amature you will see the need to increas equipment little by little.Its a buyers market for film camers/lens, on ebay.just remember its not the camera its the photographer .Just look at the old timers and see what they had to work with but look at there pictures too.

[danny_liao]

I wish I had that budget when I started out!=) I suggest you go with a used Hasselblad. The 501cm kits are going for around 1100 in excellent condition. Anyway, just a thought. If you're going to stick with 35mm, try the Nikon FE series or the FM series or the F3 if you are going for used gear. If you want new, go for the Nikon FM3A. Of course these are all manual cameras with metering, which are the best way to learn photography. But if you want full auto, the Nikon F100 is always good to go.

[derek_c.]

That's a lot of money for a student gear.<br>

Buy expensive lens, some of your class-mates will be baffled how your images are alwasy better than theirs.

[phyrpowr]

Hate to state the obvious, but I'd get in touch with the instructor and ask him/her

[derek_c.]

Trust me, our suggestions are as good as your instructors'

[h._p.]

Yep. All you need to do to take good pictures is spend a lot of money.

[kaiblanke]

Since all options are available you first have to decide which direction you will go with that SLR you are about to buy: Manual focus or autofocus. This is a personal preference. I would also always buy used: Film gear can be found so cheap these days, and 'like new' stuff costs sometimes less than half the new price. If you buy from a decent source (like KEH or someone from eBay with a really good feedback) you will get quite a deal.

<p>

For AF there are alot of obvious choices like a Nikon F90x or F100 or a Canon EOS / Elan series plus a decent set of primes or a nice zoom. For manual focus there are lots of older bodies, but also the nice new Nikon FM3n or something like a Contax RX or Aria, also with either a nice zoom or a set of primes. Moneywise and qualitywise there should be no difference, it is about handling. So do yourself a favour, try them and choose the one you like best. My choice would be a Contax: Though discontinued they offer great usability with some of the best lenses available from Zeiss - either Contax with the 28-85 zoom and a 50/1.4 would fit the bill and leave nothing to desire except maybe the more extreme ends in focal length.

<p>

If you choose a camera system, be aware that you might keep the lenses longer than the body. So invest in the lenses more, and also make sure there is a 'digital upgrade path' later: Almost all MF SLR lenses will work on a Canon EOS digital body, but not so many on a Nikon digital SLR. This might be a decision point.

[h._p.]

"Almost all MF SLR lenses will work on a Canon EOS digital body, but not so many on a Nikon digital SLR."

 

Shurely shum mishtake? Eos lenses are all AF whereas the Nikon bayonet mount has remained essentially unchanged since 1959. Any Nikon MF lens will mount and work to some degree on any Nikon camera but Canon MF lenses will not work on an Eos without some considerable effort.

[jim_mcdonald2]

My advice first of all is to buy secondhand. Look for minted amateur gear, dont buy an EOS1, go for an EOS 3 in mint condition, look on Ebay. Buy a couple of decent zooms, the Sigma EX range are very good. Move onto primes later on. Get a Canon 550EX and a Quantum battery pack. If you get a kit like this you wont look like a weirdo when you turn up at a press event or a wedding. If you buy unconventional gear you will regret it later on. As for medium format. Forget it, your college should have them and you wont need it in the real world so don't wast yer money.

[bengt_rehn]

Andrew, I need some feedback from you! Why is your old Pentax A-3 not up to the job ? What are you expecting from an other camera and lens ? What do you actually need for the course ? What do you think about the future? Are you looking for to build something that are compatible to a modern digital system? There are good arguments for a range of solutions for you, but which is better depends on your feedback.

[kaiblanke]

Harvey,

<p>

of course one looses the AF ability when putting i.e. a Leica lens in front of a Canon rebel digital, but at least it is possible to do so - one gets a nice MF digital SLR in that case. But due to the film flange distance and the mount diameter it is not possible to do so with Nikon cameras - there you are restricted to mainly Nikon an M42 lenses and have no possibility to mount i.e. Canon or Leitz or Zeiss glass.

[bsphoto]

"Yep. All you need to do to take good pictures is spend a lot of money."

 

I hate to say it but that seems to be the thinking nowadays... no skill anymore, just equipment. but thats a whole nother arguement..

 

With a budget of $1500, i would have been having a 300 f2.8 or better lens for my camera... for you, i'd say spend your money on a good body (i recommend Canon's AE-1 Program, 200 or so for an excelent body on keh, or even less w/ lenses on ebay but not always best quality) and then get the "essential" lenses, 50mm, a wide angle (24-28 is usually enough), and a mid telephoto around 105-135 is good. plus if your moving around and doing lots of things a normal-tele zoom is a nice addition say 70-210 or so. you may also want to invest in a GOOD spot/light meter for more accurate exposures... a good tripod will help you out alot too... last is nice padded bag or case for all this... i'd suggest a pelican but thats only for safety of the equipment... its hard to lug around and is noticed by thiefs as a big $$$ target in and of its self... next choice would be one of the photo backpacks... it keeps all your gear right on you and well you have less to worry about people stealing your gear. plus it keeps your hands free when your working w/ your subjects/camera.

 

my recomended package:

 

AE1----------200

 

24mm---------150

 

50mm---------150

 

105mm--------150

 

70-210-------200

 

Tripod-------080

 

Bag----------120

 

Meter--------350

 

Total-------apporox.US$1200

 

Im sure that you can find lenses cheaper then what i've estimated but i gave a mid to high range estimate for most. the tripods can get alot more expensive for the upper models ($400+ but you don't need that high a quality one yet as a student) same w/ meters... they can run you over 600 or more new...

 

Look on ebay for some of this stuff or go to keh.com and look through their used equipment. i would also check w/ your teacher for any suggestions they have... bare bones you can get a body and 50mm easily for $1500.

[nic_thornhill]

Whatever you buy - and with that budget you have some choice! - I suggest that you keep some cash back to purchase a second hand Olympus XA rangefinder to KEEP in your pocket. You can guarantee that the best photo opportunities will arise when your shiny new gear is sitting in it's bag back home...

[fredrik_calabrese]

I would go for a used Nikon F100 or F4 or a Canon EOS. You can find them dirt cheap on Ebay.

You get all the options in a good durable body and tons of options for lenses, flashes and digital walkover.