What is a good SLR Non digital camera to purchase for a beginner?
January 6, 2009 by Cam
Gina E asked:
I am going to begin photographing as a hobbiest. I am attending a convention in which old and new SLR cameras will be sold. I am aiming for a Nikon or Canon. What is a good model to purchase? Keep in mind that I do not want a Digital Camera.
I am going to begin photographing as a hobbiest. I am attending a convention in which old and new SLR cameras will be sold. I am aiming for a Nikon or Canon. What is a good model to purchase? Keep in mind that I do not want a Digital Camera.
Canon Elan 7e
Canon AE-1
Any fully adjustable 35 mm SLR will do. If you stick to Nikon and Canon, you will have one of the two largest camera systems available today
When you later buy a DSLR to complement your system, you will already have lenses you can use. As long as you find one that is less than 15 years old, you will have system compatible cameras, whether you choose Nikon or Canon.
You can find good used cameras on craigslist for good prices and will be able to actually handle the cameras before you hand over your hard earned money.
Sample from my area.
Emulsion’s on the right track. I have the AE-1, and it’s a fantastic camera. I’ve used (and really want) the Elan 7e’s ancestor, the Elan IIE, and again, it’s also a rather good camera. The AE-1’s going to be cheaper battery-side – I picked up my AE-1 a good year ago, and it’s going well with the battery I have in it now, while the Elan 7e’s battery is rather touchy, especially when it comes to cold – it’ll drain far faster below 32 degrees F.
I’d also suggest the Pentax K-1000. It’s rather bare bones – no auto features at all, and honestly, I sort of like that about it. A few months before my friend moved to Taiwan to teach English, he told me he wanted to learn photography, so I lent him my K-1000. Right now it’s over there because he got accustomed to it.
i only shoot film myself.
you didn’t state whether you are shooting in 35mm or medium format.
a “good model” all depends on how much your willing to spend.
as a beginner i would start with a medium priced camera. £50-£150.
i guessing you will be wanting something that takes 35mm.
Canon AE-1
Olympus OM-1
and and any of the Nikon F series cameras, though these can be a little more pricey.
Have a good look on ebay, they have an amazing selection of good quality cameras, (but if u are to purchase of there, check that the camera if functional, and not “sold as” as it might not work or be unreparable.
The Nikon FM2 would be a very good choice.
If you stick with a fully mechanical camera, you won’t have to worry about 20 year electronics going bad (like my Pentax SF-1 did) or out of date batteries (some of the older cameras used mercury batteries, which are now illegal). Additionally, the FM2 was constructed very well.
The older Canon’s used FD lens mount which isn’t compatible with the EF lens mount introduced around 1988, meaning that the older FD mount lenses are quite cheap, but forward compatibility is limited.
I had a Pentax when i was first starting out that I absolutely loved.
it may be a bit harder to find these days though cause nikon and canon are so popular
I would look for a slightly used Nikon F with a Photomic T thru-the-lense light meter with a 50 mm, F2.8 normal lense. They are currently priced at $275.00 [samys.com].
Good luck!
There are several ‘generational’ issues to consider:
Generation 1 – completely manual – focus, exposure control, flash, the works. Major sub-generations are before and after through the lens metering (TTL) introduced in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Leave the earlier cameras to the collectors, and consider only the later versions.
Examples:
Canon F-1, FT-b
Nikon FM2, FM2n, FM10
Pentax K1000
Ricoh KR5, KR10
etc.
Generation 2 – Centre-weighted or spot auto-exposure. Essentially these have a single cell exposure meter. It adjusts either the shutter speed (called aperture priority AE) or the lens aperture (shutter speed priority AE),
Examples
Canon AE-1, A-1 (has both aperture and shutter priority)
Nikon FE, FE2
as well as other similar cameras from other makers.
Generation 3 – Program mode auto-exposure, often with the introduction of more complex matrix metering. This requires more than one metering sensor, and will generally give better results.
Most program mode cameras also offered manual and a non-program AE mode.
Examples:
Canon AE-1 Program, T90
Nikon FA, F3
Generation 4 – Auto-focus lenses. Canon bit the bullet and introduced a completely new lens mount for their autofocus range, as did Yashica and Contax. Nikon and Pentax modified their existing lens mount, allowing owners to continue to use older manual focus lenses. Also a major water-shed for some makers, who left this market to the major players.
Canon – EOS range, aka Rebel
Nikon – F4 is the first ‘professional’ autofocus body. Consumer bodies worth considering are the F70, F80 (N80 in the US), F90x (aka N90S) and N100. I would pass on the Fx5 series, the F50 and F60. Note that the F70 is seen as a bit of an odd-ball, with a quite different LCD display. I have one, and as Nikons go you could still do far worse.
While I have examples of bodies and associated lenses across all four generations, if you are a beginner, I would recommend a Generation 4 camera. I don’t know the Canon range well enough, but the F80 or F100 would be good choices from Nikon in that generation.
If you are considering a Generation 2 or 3 camera, my picks would be the Canon T90, Nikon F3, FA or FM2n.
Good hunting.
Samsung is ok