A cheap, reliable, manual 35mm camera?

[markdeneen]

<p>Cameras I've been shooting with this past year which might work for you:<br>

1. Canon 7S rangefinder - built like a tank and manual - a bit pricey, but this has the Leica M39 screw mount which means you can put the world's best lenses on it.<br>

2. Canon FTb - SLR that uses FD lenses so a system can be built economically. Manual focus, manual shutter, simple match needle meter. Nice rig - simple.<br>

3. Canon QL17 III - small rangefinder with fixed lens, but GREAT quality. A beautiful small rig that you can put in a pocket.<br>

4. Minolta SRT 102 - nice, simple, workmanlike camera, and the Rokkor lenses are pretty nice and not too pricey.<br>

Get a nice sample of any of these older cameras and send it out for a professional cleaning and adjustment which runs about $100.</p>

[ken_jeanette1]

<p>Pentax ME Super--Almost pocketable, cheap, k-mount lenses (also cheap) available in droves, of every size and shape.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

If you consider the SLR a Pentax ME or MX with 40 mm pancake lens will fit a jacket pocket. Or for lighter weight a

Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 with CZ 45mm f2.8 pancake.

[JDMvW]

<p>One that no one has mentioned is the classic Rollei 35. A peculiar camera, but extremely compact and pocketable, and the worst lenses on it are very good indeed.</p>

<p>They have a great variety of models, and the Singapore made ones are usually cheaper. Some models sell for as little as US$60 or so, with most around $150-250 depending on the "collectablity" of the model. Platinum or gold models go for as high as $4000 (sounds like some Russian makers of "gold" Leicas could do a land office business if they switched to Rollei 35 conversions, at least for a little while !)</p>

[Mike Gammill]

Don't know why I didn't mention the Rollei- I have the Rollei 35 and B35. Nice traveling companion. I call my B35 my

"anti-digital."

[red_buckner]

<p>I'll add yet another vote for the Minolta SRT 102. Great and sturdy, and you can use those marvelous Rokkor lenses that are now selling for next to nothing. </p>

[sobing_lee]

<p>vivitar is PK MOUNT it is a lot of PK -MOUNT in 2nd hand-market it is also can usr rioch K mount and M42 with adoptor ring.<br>

In fact that,it hard to find all new manuls 35mm camera only CHINESE band like SEAGULL is MD MOUNT, phoenix mainly PK MOUNT DN 66 is NIKON F MOUNT.<br>

so may be consider 2'nd hand like EOS 1000 88 etc.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Check the archives for this forum and you will find lots of examples of classic manual cameras as well as images from those cameras. Lots of comments from the owners as well as other forum members. Definetely worth a look.</p>

[smccartney]

<p>Such an open ended question. I'd strongly second the suggestion that you cruise through the Cameraquest classic camera section - lots of good reviews that will whet your appetite. The cameras I've used to answer my version of your problem:<br>

Olympus XA - it's always handy, so it gets the shots that no other camera can get, because they're not there! Can't tell you how good this thing is. Don't get an XA2, they're a great camera but no DOF control.<br>

Pentax ME-Super or MX (I've used both) are great cameras which taught me most of what I know about photography, and they're very small SLR's - maybe even smaller than the OM series Olys.<br>

Canonet QL17 GIII or whatever it is. Really nice, small rangefinder with aperture priority AE, which means DOF control (like the Oly, above). Only got to put one roll of film through one of these, and it left me wanting more.</p>