Just a novice with some questions. :]

[_sydnee_]

Feel free to answer one or all questions. I know I have a lot to ask. Any help/suggestion is much apreciated! :D

I'm new to photography, and plan to learn photography on my own if I can't get into the photography class at my high school. Suggested books to learn from?

A 35mm SLR manual adjusted camera is required for the class; I've been looking into getting a Nikon FM10 for the body, but was wondering if anyone had a better suggestion for students.

As far as lenses go, I was told I need a manual lens for the FM10; can I have an auto focus lens and use it manually, or will the lens not work on the camera body I want?

I want a manual 50mm f/1.8, and have been having trouble finding a used one of the Nikon brand that is $150 or less. Are there better lenses for beginners? Would a 50mm f/1.4 suit me just as well?

I'm also wondering about the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 or the 105mm f/2.8 - good for beginners?
I'd like to be able to do both close up shots, but use the same lens for general photography.

As far as film goes:
Good brands for black and white?
Good brands for color?
Good brands overall?
What kind of price am I looking at per cartridge?

Thanks for everything. [:

[Iguanamom]

You can get a very good manual Olympus and 50mm 1.8 for short money. An OM-2 or an OM-1 would be excellent choices. Many can be found on eBay or at reputable 2nd hand dealers (KEH, B&H, Adorama are some to look at). You can also find superior primes for short money. The 135mm f2.8 or f3.5 is one of the best 35mm lenses out there. I shot with one for years. I would stay away from using a macro lens for regular photography as the depth of field will behave differently and you might be frustrated until you figure it out.

What kind of photography interests you besides close up photography?

[_sydnee_]

I'm interested in black and white, candid, animal/pet, and panoramic photography.

[n8]

I would imagine that you can override your auto lens to use it manually by switching off the auto focus and using the manual aperture/shutter speed controls. As far as the nikon 50mm 1.8's, I saw several on ebay that are under $50, even under $20, provided they are purely manual. I have an old nikon E series body with a 50mm that I probably couldn't sell for over $50 if I tried, so you just have to look.

[mjs1973]

Welcome to the Forum Sydnee. Nice to see another "Cheese Head" on the forums. What part of the state are you from?

I did some checking and I see the FM10 uses the Nikon F mount. This is the same mount that Nikon still uses on their newest DSLR's so any lenses you get for this camera will continue to be usable if you decided to get a Nikon DSLR. That's a good thing.

Almost every auto focus lens will have a switch on it so you can turn it on/off. Most of the newer lenses don't have a manual aperture ring but you can still set it manually using the camera.

For more info on specific films, you may want to check out the film forum. I don't do much with B&W film, but when I did, I shot mostly Kodak Tri-X and developed it in Kodak chemistry. There are lots of choices for B&W film out there depending on what you want. Different films will give you a different look. Depending on where you live, you are most likely going to have to order B&W film. About the only B&W left in store is the C-41 stuff that you can get processed anywhere, but it could be a good film to start with.

For color film, I love Fuji Velvia 50, and Provia 400. Both of these are color slide films. Both are fine grain and have great colors. Again, you will most likely have to order these unless you have a good camera store near by. You will also have to send them off to a lab for development.

For color print film (the kind you can buy at any store), I was always happy with Fuji Superia and Kodak Portra. Kodak also has a very nice professional print film out called Ektar.

Something to keep in mind is that the development process can have a lot to do with the way the final image turns out. If you are going to be taking color print film to the local drugstore or Wal-mart, I think I would stick with something cheap like Superia. I don't see much point in spending money on expensive pro film only to have it run through mini lab machine by some lab tech at Wal-mart that doesn't have a clue what they are doing.

The price of film can range anywhere from $2-10/roll, depending on what you want.

[PWhite214]

I am very impressed with my copy of 'The Nature Photographer's Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques' by John Shaw. The basics of making photographs and composition are applicable to any type of photo. Mr Shaw shot his work on Kodachrome, so you have to adapt a little to films available today. I got my copy used on Amazon for a very reasonable price.

There are many used film cameras on the market. A trip to your local pawn shop might get you everything you need for your class. If you have a friend that is knowledgeable, they might help you check out anything you find.

If you go the EBAY route, make sure there is a reasonable return policy. I have bought a lot of photo gear on EBAY, and have not had a problem. The descriptions are very good as to condition, but be careful if you do not understand what they write. Look at the seller ratings, and do not be afraid to email them any questions you have.

You might want to check out Freestyle Photo Supplies, http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_main.php, look under "Student List" for some ideas on what you need. They also offer film at reasonable prices. I just ordered several rolls of Arista B&W film to try out, I will post in the film section after shooting some. Should have it by next weekend. Walmart carries both Kodak and Fuji films, which are very good.

Before you pick a camera, you might want to read the instruction manual. The manual for the FM10 is here: http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon/n...nikon_fm10.htm

I hope this helps, if not, keep asking.

Phil

[Frog]

If you stick with Nikon you should be able to find a used 50mm for $100 or less.
Good lenses last a long time and the Nikon 50 is very durable and the only prime lens you can get for so little money.
Check your local craig's list. That way you can see and probably test the lens before buying. Ebay usually will have them too and if you find good dealers, you won't have a problem. Even B&H has them for only $119 on sale right now. That's for a brand new one and B&H is one of our most trusted sites.

[Anbesol]

As no one mentioned - autofocus cameras will have the ability to manual focus, and offer a good upgrade potential. On the other hand, they are designed around their autofocus capabilities, the manual focus ring is usually very small and designed only as a secondary function to the AF on these lens. That and the pentamirror is suited better towards getting accurate manual focus, with the contrast detection prism in the center. In MF cameras the center focus point is magnified to show you more precise focus clarity.

So, yes - AF cameras will suffice as MF, but true MF does the manual focus part much better.

I'm surprised they still use MF in high school classes, as useless as film is in this modern day, film is now much more of a hobbyist pursuit then professional and art curriculum. Theres a lot less practicality in learning MF then learning digital. He must be hard set on making you guys learn exposure the harder way.

[freygr]

Feel free to answer one or all questions. I know I have a lot to ask. Any help/suggestion is much apreciated!

I'm new to photography, and plan to learn photography on my own if I can't get into the photography class at my high school. Suggested books to learn from?

A 35mm SLR manual adjusted camera is required for the class; I've been looking into getting a Nikon FM10 for the body, but was wondering if anyone had a better suggestion for students.

As far as lenses go, I was told I need a manual lens for the FM10; can I have an auto focus lens and use it manually, or will the lens not work on the camera body I want?

I want a manual 50mm f/1.8, and have been having trouble finding a used one of the Nikon brand that is $150 or less. Are there better lenses for beginners? Would a 50mm f/1.4 suit me just as well?

I'm also wondering about the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 or the 105mm f/2.8 - good for beginners?
I'd like to be able to do both close up shots, but use the same lens for general photography.

As far as film goes:
Good brands for black and white?
Good brands for color?
Good brands overall?
What kind of price am I looking at per cartridge?

Thanks for everything. [:

I have an FM10 kit with a 35-70mm zoom. I liked it a lot (and still have it). For Cameras and lenses ebay is a good place but there are bad sellers so pay attention to there feed back.

As for what lens to get the 50mm was a standard on the cameras before zoom lenses became common. Either the 50mm in 1.4 or 1.8 are very good lenses, but when I purchased my film cameras I did get the 50mm F1.4 lenses.

AS for film the selection is not what it was 10 years ago. You need to find a local camera store (not a big box) which specializes in film or Pro Photography.