Some questions for the old-timers.

[david_carroll4]

<p>Michael Ferron beat me to the punch - IMO the OM-4T share equal billing with the F3HP as the best 35mm SLR ever. There isn't a single SLR that will provide every item on the OP's wish list - many that come very close. The OM-4T is as close as any - light and compact, well constructed, great viewfinder, beautiful multispot metering with an excellent display, great lenses. The <em>only</em> thing it lacks is a manual MLU (self-timer prefire only).</p>

[Andy Collins]

<p>Moving outside of the Nikon realm, there's the Canon T90, definitely one of the best SLRs ever. It has centerweighted metering, partial, spot metering, and will average 8 spot meter readings for one shot. It has a top shutter speed of 1/4000s, flash sync at 1/250s, internal motor drive that shoots up to 4.5 frames per second, definitely TTL, including TTL flash with the 300TL flash unit. No needle in the viewfinder though. It can be bought in EX condition from KEH for less than $200 and FD lenses are superb but inexpensive. Consider it seriously. If you must stick with a Nikon body though, I also recommend the F3HP. I've not had mine for very long but it has quickly become one of my favorite cameras, film or digital.</p>

[rick_helmke1]

Based on the OP's requirements I'll reccomend a Nikkormat FT2 or FT3, an F2 which is the best 35mm ever made, an F4s or an F3.

 

Rick H.

[leighb]

<blockquote>

<p>Get a nice F100 for $200, put it in all manual and pretend. It's a fine camera that does have a spot meter and can meter with the old lenses as well.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The angle of acceptance for the F100 "spot" meter is 4.60°, nowhere close to the true spot meter spec of 1°. </p>

<p>As I've said repeatedly, there are no SLRs with real built-in spot meters.</p>

<p>- Leigh<br>

<br /></p>

[jeff_livacich]

<p>The spot meter's actual angle of acceptance will vary with focal length of the lens-that is inescapable. But a 1 degree acceptance angle is rather arbitrary to use for defining a 'real" spot meter, anyway. Why not .5 degree?<br>

If I use an SLR's spot meter with a 1000mm lens, I will have a "spot" much tighter than one degree. An SLR's spot meter is a spot meter, just not as selective with most lenses as a hand-held spot meter. I do think that if someone really wants to use a spot meter all the time, they should go ahead and get a hand-held one.</p>

[rustys pics]

<p>Get an FM-2. Use the Spot Meter in your brain. As for a meter with needle readout, it's virtually useless in the dark or dim light. The FM2 series has nice bright LEDs you can see anywhere.</p>

[hankh]

How about a NikonF2.

[psul_aul]

<p>If you want to change brands, a, canon F1N would pretty much fit the bill except for the MLU. Spot metering with the right focusing screen, match needle readout and fully manual. I think the older F1 and F1n versions had mirror lock up, but not the spot meter.</p>

[james_kennedy9]

<p>I presume that he might also want a lens. I would suggest an Nikkormat FT2 or FT3 or an FE because these are compatible with virtually every lens Nikon made, and you can get some really good non-AI lenses at reasonable prices. I would go with the FE because the meters on my Nikkormats tend to be flakey, and the FE uses silicon rather than CdS. Of course the Nikkormats have MLU. If all of the money can go for the camera, you may be able to get a decent F100, which is limited to newer lenses and has no MLU, but it does have the spot meter option. Everything in life involves compromises.</p>

<p>While we are dreaming impossible dreams, I would like a new Mercedes convertible suitable to take Amy Adams on a hot date. I am willing to spend up to $100.00</p>

[adrian_weale]

<p>Like several other posters, I would recommend the OM4ti as the closest match to the OP's requirements. I have both Nikon and Olympus systems and in real use it isn't possible to see any difference in the results between both systems' lenses. Another advantage of the Olympus system is that you do get access to some very good secondhand glass at very, very low prices.</p>

[Uhooru]

<p>So many of the recommendations are good here. Never used 1, but have heard the T90 is a fabulous camera. I have an F and and FE2. FE2 is a great little camera, sturdy, needle meter, actually very simple to use, takes Ai lenses and there's so many of those that are good and inexpensive. No spot, no MLU but self timer works the same. TTL flash with a 1/250 sync speed and a great titanium shutter. It's small and light and also has a DOF preview lever and exposure lock. You just have to make sure that the meter is in good order like you would for any old camera. Also, needs battery to shoot at any but 1/250. As with any older camera you get, you might need to have it Cleaned/lubricated/Adjusted and to check the foam to make sure it's in good shape.<br />For spot meter your best bet is to buy one. The other camera as recommended above is the FM2n all manual speeds, slower sync speed otherwise a purely mechanical analogue to the FE2. You can get these for for little money.<br />I think you are expecting too much from one camera, but get the camera that would be most useful to you. Don't forget, you have to be a little careful when buying these older cameras to make sure they are in good working order. But when clean and maintained, they last and last.</p>

[robert_k1]

<p>While they may not meet all your requirements, the F100 at ~$150 and the 8008s at ~$50 (in the US) are the best bangs for your Euros.</p>