Which Camera to Buy (Noob)

[Aphex]

First let me say hello to everyone. I hope to be a frequent poster/reader here on the boards.

Now to my first query:

I was in China recently and purchased a camera for my friend. It was a Seagull SLR. I purchased it for about 644 Yuan (about 80 bucks) and it included a case, zoom lens, and a cleaning kit. I didn't think much of it, since I am kind of new to film photography, but I was pretty upset when the photos came out really wonderful, and I found out how much SLR's cost. At 80 bucks that package was incredible, especially since it was all brand new.

So now just my luck, I got into a photography class in my school. I need to buy a SLR and need help getting a decent one. Here is a list in order of importance of what I need:

1. Good quality film SLR camera, with good quality lense (FAST Prime Lens like a 50mm f/1.4 or f1/8).
2. Must have an Automatic mode and a light meter.
3. I prefer the camera to have a metal body, but a durable plastic one is ok too.
4. My budget is as low as possible: $100 - 200
5. I prefer but don't need the camera to look cool. Preferably all black.
6. Good battery life, or a camera that doesn't even need a battery.

Doing research my camera of choice is the Nikon FM10. It has all the basics I need but the price is sort of scaring me. A friend mentioned Vivitar to have good models at decent prices to me also, but I have heard little of them. I don't really know how much a camera should cost, but I'm hoping for less than $200, maybe in the $150 range, including the lense and shipping.

Can someone help me out? Where can I buy a camera cheap? Which one to buy?

Thanks,
Alex

P.S. I know Leica camera's are expensive, but can I maybe buy a decent one used or something?

[Aphex]

I found this just now... what do you think about this camera?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...0365463&is=USE

[walterick]

Hello Alex -

The camera you linked to is a manual camera, meaning there is no auto focusing option. It may have auto-exposure but no auto focusing.

The Nikon FM10 is a decent camera. But I would skip right over it and look for an FM2N, F3, or maybe an FE2. These are top-level Nikons no longer made but still incredible, indestructible cameras. For the best used prices on these (in various conditions) go to keh.com. Other good ones are bhphotovideo.com and adorama.com.

But you are looking for an automatic camera, which puts these Nikons just mentioned behind you. You can find good, used fully automatic Nikons (automatic meaning auto-focus AND auto-exposure) on any of the above sites - look for the 6006 and 8008s. They are older but capable cameras. I own the 8008s and don't miss much from other newer cameras. They should be in yoru price range.

I am sticking with Nikon for you because I believe it to be a good investment - it's one of only 2 cameras in which you can use manual-focus lenses on automatic bodies, and vice-versa. Pentax is the only other brand. Canon and Minolta cannnot swap manual-automatic bodies/lenses.

The other thing I am going to recommend to you is looking at the newer Nikons, a bit outside your price range - the N65, N55, and newer N75 are GREAT, beginner-level cameras with more features than you can shake a stick at. They are beginning to come online used so look around a but for them. I'd say this is the best way to go initially then upgrade your camera body and lenses as you go. The 50mm 1.8 is definitly a good choice, but a zoom lens is also good for when you're snap-shooting.

Look around, check the reviews here and have fun!

Rick

[Peter_AUS]

Alex,

Have a look at the new cameras and lenses, there are lots of cameras there that would suit your needs, have a look at the specifications and that will give you a guide to what cameras might suit your needs. I noticed several there that were under or at $200 with 50mm f/2.0 lenses. Remember you are just strarting out with this, and you need something that you can knock around with a bit as well.

I think realistically you need to adjust your amount to spend upwards to $399, then you could get say a Nikon N70 or N80 Body and a lens, or a Canon EOS camera and kit lens which is OK to start with. There is even a camera that is built similarly to the Leica camera style that is around $200 as well.

Look at Cameras New, then list them cheapest to highest and scroll through the pages, there are about 8 pages I saw.

The other place people recommend for secondhand cameras online, is www.keh.com have a look there as well.

[Aphex]

Hello Alex -

The camera you linked to is a manual camera, meaning there is no auto focusing option. It may have auto-exposure but no auto focusing.

The Nikon FM10 is a decent camera. But I would skip right over it and look for an FM2N, F3, or maybe an FE2. These are top-level Nikons no longer made but still incredible, indestructible cameras. For the best used prices on these (in various conditions) go to keh.com. Other good ones are bhphotovideo.com and adorama.com.

But you are looking for an automatic camera, which puts these Nikons just mentioned behind you. You can find good, used fully automatic Nikons (automatic meaning auto-focus AND auto-exposure) on any of the above sites - look for the 6006 and 8008s. They are older but capable cameras. I own the 8008s and don't miss much from other newer cameras. They should be in yoru price range.

I am sticking with Nikon for you because I believe it to be a good investment - it's one of only 2 cameras in which you can use manual-focus lenses on automatic bodies, and vice-versa. Pentax is the only other brand. Canon and Minolta cannnot swap manual-automatic bodies/lenses.

The other thing I am going to recommend to you is looking at the newer Nikons, a bit outside your price range - the N65, N55, and newer N75 are GREAT, beginner-level cameras with more features than you can shake a stick at. They are beginning to come online used so look around a but for them. I'd say this is the best way to go initially then upgrade your camera body and lenses as you go. The 50mm 1.8 is definitly a good choice, but a zoom lens is also good for when you're snap-shooting.

Look around, check the reviews here and have fun!

Rick

Hey Walter, I'm sorry when I said automatic I meant auto exposure. Manual focus is a plus but not necessary. Knowing this, could you recommend a decent set of camera's for me or would you recommend I stick with what you mentioned? The ability to later use a auto lense if I wanted to would be a neat feature however...

[another view]

Hey Walter, I'm sorry when I said automatic I meant auto exposure. Manual focus is a plus but not necessary. Knowing this, could you recommend a decent set of camera's for me or would you recommend I stick with what you mentioned? The ability to later use a auto lense if I wanted to would be a neat feature however...

Take a look at the Nikon FE with a 50mm f1.4 lens, it meets all of your points in the original message. I replaced my batteries yearly although I probably didn't need to. An 8008s is also a good choice but a very different camera. The autofocus can be turned off but it's a plastic body. Actually, it's polycarbonate which is also known as Lexan so it's very tough.

The older Canon manual focus cameras are not compatible with the newer auto focus cameras - something to be aware of. Nikons are in many ways but you won't get all of the features. For example, a manual focus AIS series lens on an 8008s won't give you matrix metering. An AIS lens on a newer body like an N80 won't give you any metering.

Welcome to the forum.

[Aphex]

Here are some cameras I found:

USED:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...0336688&is=USE
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...0367105&is=USE
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...0349192&is=USE
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...0360540&is=USE

and probably the most attractive one I have seen, a olympus om-10 with f1.8 50mm lense (is this good):
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...0350782&is=USE

NEW:
Vivitar V3800N with F1.7 lense http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=232175&is=REG