Classic SLR suggestions

[james_lai]

Rich, if you're going for an F-1, you should take a look at this thread:<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005brn">F-1, F-1 (later model), or F-1n?</a><p>In particular, read Phil Aynsley's response near the end.

[luis triguez]

Try a Nikon F or F2 and the superb zoom 35-70 -72 mm diam. and you`ll go every were<div></div>

[mskovacs]

<i>Mike, I hope you know that I USE the cameras I own.</i>

 

<p>And your point is? I see Alpa, Leica x 2, Contax, Hasselblad in your post.

 

<p>Clearly you want a top quality European camera and there's nothing wrong with that if you have the means. You won't find an SLR with higher build quality than a Contarex and its within your budget. Henry Scherer works on these if you desire to get one restored.

[r s]

Sorry Mike, I guess your comment about 'snob appeal' to me implied that I wanted a camera just to pose with.

<br>I like using cameras that were well built and I'll look into the Contarex (a line of cameras I know very little about). Thanks.

[lucispictor]

Hi!

 

Why don't you try to find a used Leica R-Model in mint condition?

They are not too expensive...

 

C.H.

[james_lai]

Rich, before you go looking for a Contarex, you should know that those cameras were problematic and ended up a disaster for Zeiss Ikon. You can read about them on Henry Scherer's website: <a href="http://www.zeisscamera.com/Contarex/Page4.html">(link)</a>

[mskovacs]

HS is a good marketer of his services. All doom and gloom eh?

[User_502260]

I have done a lot of picture taking and camera collecting in the last 35 years. I consider myself a user-collector with the emphasis on user. There is a difference between owning a camera because it is attractive to look at or is of historic interest or has an odd feature or two and having a camera which can be made to work properly and which is reliable. The fact that a particular camera or lens is heavy does not necessarily mean that it is well made. It just means it is heavy. To my way of thinking there are several cameras which are somewhat classic yet are easy to use and can still be serviced. These would include the Nikon F and F2, the Canon F-1 and F-1n, the Nikkormat FTN, FT2 and FT3, the Canon FTb, The Minolta SRT-101, Pentax Spotmatic F and a few others. I own two Canon F-1 bodies. You can find these for less than $100. It will cost you about $150 to have an overhaul done by a competent repair facility like Essex Camera Service. This will give you a very solid system SLR with a reasonably sensitive light meter. It will also allow you to access a wide range of excellent Canon lenses. Although I have sixteen Nikkormats of various types I don't yet have any Nikon F bodies. I have handled the original F with several different finders but I prefer the layout of the Canon F-1. An Alpa SLR might be quite heavy but I don't believe it would be more reliable in use than an overhauled Nikon F, Nikon F2 or Canon F-1. What about the lenses? I have seen test reports from the 1970s of the Kern macro Switar lenses. For what they cost you can get, for example, a 50/1.8 AI Nikkor and a 55/2.8 Micro Nikkor and have a lot of money left over. Will the Macro Switar be sharper than these two lenses? I don't think so. For a few hundred dollars you can get a reliable overhauled semi-classic SLR with several very nice lenses. The Alpa SLRs are quirky, very expensive and not very friendly to use.

[david_m]

Do you want a camera to look at and handle or one to use. If the former, get an Alpa and look at it; if the latter, get a Nikon F2 or F3 and some Nikkor lenses (I like the 85mm and 105mm). Nikon offered every accessory you could want or dream of. You can even find obscure things like eyesight adjustment diopters on Ebay.

[r s]

<i>Do you want a camera to look at and handle or one to use. If the former, get an Alpa and look at it; if the latter, get a Nikon F2 or F3 and some Nikkor lenses (I like the 85mm and 105mm).</i>

<br><br>

As a hobbyist/amateur I can afford to consider both 'looks' and 'use' to be important factors in my decision making.

<br><br>

Thanks to everyone who provided suggestions. I am finding that I really like the Canon F-1 the more I read about it. I also got a chance to handle one about a month ago at a camera fair and liked how it felt.

[gib]

Rich, Rich, Rich, do try handling the simple, elegant Spotmatics.

 

I have a Nikon F2 and other F models (FM, FM2). Never did get into Canon.

 

I don't know how much flash photography you do, but the Nikon F2 is a little complicated to use with a flash, see the Malaysia Nikon encyclopeida site for the details.

 

The FM2 or FM2n handle flash well. Faster synch speed.

 

If you go Spotmatic some models need an accessory flash shoe that clips onto the pentaprism roof. I have two.

 

There are lots of days when I regret being seduced over the years into buying into the advertising siren songs about newere and better. I would have been well served to stick with a Pentax Spotmatic and a few lenses. Oh, well.

[gib]

Mir site page on the Canon F1

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/canonf1/index.htm

 

you can back up to the Nikon pages from there as well

[r s]

Thanks, for some reason I never 'got into' Nikon and was a dedicated Canon SLR user for about five years before I ended up getting into rangefinder cameras and got out of touch with SLRs.

<br>

Canon or Nikon preference seems to have similarities with how PC and Mac users 'defend' their system of choice. I think in many cases it's just what you started out with/grew up with.

<br>

Thanks for the link to the mir-site, I know about it from before and it has an incredible wealth of information on a number of cameras and lenses.

<br><br>

[gib]

one last thing that might help

 

Baldur Birgis (Iceland) is a pn member who shoots F1n almost exclusively

 

see his work at

http://www.photo.net/photos/Baldur%20Birgis

 

you might drop him an email line - he might shed light on any warts the camera has

[vidom]

Any of these would do as a nice classic slr for serious work. Show me a modern 35mm camera that can seriously outperform these! If there is any truth in what HS writes about C'rexes I can't confirm it from my own experience - both my C'rexes are great shooters, the shutter is reliable and precise enough for me; only the Bullseye's meter is somewhat unreliable, so I'm using the camera with an external meter.<div></div>

[john_chambers]

Several people mentioned the Pentax Spotmatics but no one mentioned the K mount Pentax. There are two models that may fix your needs; the Pentax MX is an excellent all manual camera, very small, very well built, elegant, feels great in the hand. The KX is larger, also all manual, with the added bonus of mirror lockup.

 

K mount lenses are not as old as screw mount lenses and therefore are less likely to have fungus. (I have lots of experience with both.)

 

Besides Pentax, I second the opinion for the Leicaflex SL too.

 

John

[dennis_w3]

Topcon Super D, RE-Super, or DM. Interchangable finders/screens and backs, fabulous lenses from 20 to 500 mm, motor capability if you want it, excellent metering system (in the body, not the finder, unlike Nikon F). Tank-like ruggedness, aesthetically cool, and smooth-as-silk operation. AND, not everybody has one. I've used Nikon, Canon, and Topcon, and I'll take my 2 Super Ds any day. Just my minority opinion. They turn up on Ebay quite frequently. Google Topcon Super D, and choose the first selection. Its a very informative website that will tell you all you need to know.<div></div>

[mskovacs]

Peter - that's some heavy metal you have there ;)

[santiago_montenegro]

Another vote for the Contarex. I got one almost by chance, just out of brand loyalty. But now I can really say that it is the best 35mm I have ever handled. The precieved quality is extreme, out there with F Rolleiflexes. And, incredible as it sounds, it is one of the more user-friendly cams for me. I have but one lens, the 55/1.4 Planar, but it will blow the socks off any other lens I own for 135 format.

Only rant: it weigths a ton.

[andrew robertson]

How about an OM? They are smaller than most any other 35mm SLR (about the size on an

M3), built like a ton of bricks, and have superb lenses.

[steve_bellayr]

You have some very nice cameras. I have been using "classic" slrs since they not considered classic but new. The Nikon F/Nikkormat line are currently inexpensive and easily available in many choices for experimentation. The Pentax Spotmatic with the super Takumar lenses will also give to you that classic camera experience comparable to your current repertoire. However, since the Spotmatics were not as good a seller as the Nikon line they are not as readily available nor is there the large choice of lenses that the Nikon line has to offer. Also, the Takumar lenses are rarer and their prices are approaching those of Nikon. Also, keep in mind that the early Nikon lenses will not match the later AIs for the F3, which in of itself is becoming a classic. Now to really throw a curve ball at you...How about an old TLR...Rolliflex without a meter...make you feel right at home with your lovely Leica IIIf and Hasselblad 500C/M. (I love these old cameras. They are a challenge to use and even harder to get a good picture.)

[r s]

I happened upon a Pentax Spotmatic today in good condition with a matching motordrive, grip and 50/1.4 lens - for $500

<br>

I'm still contemplating maybe getting it as it was a great looking camera and 'felt good'. Need to read up on the lenses though.

[summitar]

I would estimate that a Pentax Spotmatic with f1.4 lens would cost on the order of $75 to $150 in today's market. There are a lot of good choices in the classic SLR field. Be sure to consider Minolta SRT's and XD'x and XE's. All in all, I think I would go with a Canon T90 and the FD lenses.

[r s]

Thanks, do you know if the matching motordrive for the Pentax spotmatic is rare - and hence the higher price?

[dennis_w3]

The Spotmatic has that stop-down metering, doesn't it? I know you can shoot at full aperture, but darkening the viewfinder to take a meter reading, especially to f16, would drive me nuts; I tried it several times with a friend's Spotmatic, and never could get the hang of it. Or was I doing something wrong?