looking for a decent 35mm film camera

[petrina_yyuen]

I dont know where else to post this... so sorry if its in the wrong place.

 

Well i've been thinking of getting a 35mm film camera, someting decent but afforadable. Around the $100 mark.

 

I realised they are harder to find, but quite cheap these days. I kind of miss my old one, that has suddenly vanished.

Feel free to suggest!

[SteveH]

Canon A-1 or AE1 Program.

[matias]

Nikon F100 I think it´s your best option

[Michael R Freeman]

>"Nikon F100 I think it´s your best option"

 

Not for 100 bucks, even in today's depressed film market. ;-)

 

> "I realize they are harder to find"

 

Only if you want to buy a new one. If you want to buy a used one, they are easy to find (thousands available on eBay every day). There must be dozens of older Pentax, Minolta, Canon and Nikon models, both autofocus and manual focus, that can be had for $100. Unless you are more specific about what you want (AF or MF), it's going to be hard to make useful suggestions, and you'll just get a list of everyone's old favorites.

[bkpix]

Canon A2 or A2E, both well under $100 at KEH. Good autofocus, silent operation, fast frame rate.

[cliff_henry]

Petrina,

 

I have a Canon EOS 5 (A2E) for sale. If you are interested email me at chenry4@satx.rr.com and I'll send you pictures and all the detail. Camera is in very good condition with extras.

 

Cliff

[JDMvW]

I think that you would be well advised to get a film camera that is compatible with whatever digital SLR you may

have, if you have. Otherwise, if you have thought about where you want to go in digital, then go film in the

same system.

 

Nikon has technical compatibility in the mount, but make sure whatever film system you get will have lenses that

will at least work manually on the newer ones.

 

Any of the Canon film EOS cameras will be perfectly compatible with all Canon EF lenses (NOT including those

labeled EF-S which are only for the newer crop body cameras). Many of the early EOS film cameras (ranging from

the first-the EOS 650 to many later models such as the EOS 5 and later) are good buys. The early ones such as the

650 and the 620 often go for less than $40 on the auction sites.

 

There are also a whole bunch of EOS Rebel film cameras that are also very cheap on the internet, so look

around.

 

All the Canon film cameras can be found with AF 20-something to 70-something zoom lenses that are very useful

all-around shooters.<div></div>

[JDMvW]

The older "FD"-mount, pre-EOS Canons like the AE-1 are also very inexpensive, and the lenses are cheap, but be aware that these lenses will not work without adapters that will degrade image quality on any EOS system body. That is why they are cheap!

[hugh_davis]

Like some of the other posters, I'd recommend the KEH website for starters, particularly if you're in North America. JDM's comment about lens compatibility is worth noting. Canon and Minolta both orphaned their manual focus systems to move to autofocus in the late '80's. Nikon and Pentax did not, although there are other compatibilty issues (e.g. being able to use all types of metering and all shooting modes) as one gets closer to the present. If possible, got to a camera store and do some hands on research also. Finally, ask more questions here as your thinking develops. Best of luck...HWD

[petrina_yyuen]

thanks everyone! i will check ebay out!

[walter_degroot]

a guideline:

Some brands and types of film cameras were excellent cameras.

BUT since many of these cameras are now 30 years old, another very important consideration is how can I get it

repaired ( or should I just buy another one)

and how easy are lenses to find and buy.

possibly this narrows the seach to 4 Nikon F (type) canon ( fd) or pentax (k)

and Minolta sr and srt series. be sure the one you choose uses NON-mercury cells.

The older M42 screw thread cameras are good, especially the pentaxes, but use stop-down metering, there are some

( look on www.butkus.org) he lists some m42 cameras that will use a screw thread lens at open aperture.

 

Take care to avoid any cameras with "orphan" mounts" Like the mamiya bayonets and the Fujica bayonet mount

cameras. The Konica Auto reflex was a fine camera but lenses are harder to find.

 

In short, Buy a Chevy, Dodge or Ford or Toyota and not a BMW or other less common model.

[james_tye1]

I'd recommend the Nikon F90x. I have that one and the F100 and prefer it. It does pretty much the same thing but cheaper and more comfortable to use. (again, ebay your best bet)