film SLR camera buyying advice

[ryan1835]

hey guys

im after a film slr this will be my first one

im looking for suggestions

does this seem good? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pentax-ME-Super-SLR-Camera-/180503380303?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Photography_Film_Cameras_ET&hash=item2a06d7014f#ht_508wt_1158

if anyone has something simmilar to sell id like to hear about it too
 

[Zack]

May I ask why?  Planning on doing some darkroom work?  If you are looking for old manual style gear I would suggest the Canon AE-1, Pentax K-1000, Pentax ME Super, Nikon F, there are more but I would have to think on them.  I would go with autofocus though if I were you.  That way if I did want to go to digital at least the majority of my lenses would carry over.  Check out this site: KEH.com.  I get a lot of gear from them for next to nothing prices.  I would be willing to work as the middle man as well and ship it to you.  Also, look at rangefinder cameras.  I have a Canon Canonet I would be willing to let go.

[yud]

I would get the Nikon F6 (they are still made)

[yud]

If everything is as it look the camera looks fine but, you should also look at if you can get other lenses

[ryan1835]

erm not really, i have acess to one but ive just been getting a bit more into photography lately and wanted to try out a film slr, ive been talking to a photographer friend and he seems to think its a good idea. i dont have a dslr so im not too worried about them matching up in the future this is more something just for fun and to see how it goes   i probably sound stupid now lol

ill check out those you mentioned zack  

and id go for it too yud if i have a spare £1.5k  
 
ive been told the tokina lens is quite good?

[yud]

  there are cheap nikons

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ci=269&N=4294541301+4291315846

[Zack]

Pentax makes some great old school film cameras.  One good thing is most of them can run without batteries, you'll lose the meter, but once you get a couple rolls under your belt you will be able to guess the exposure and get relatively close.  I would recommend the K-1000 with these lenses.  28, 50, 80-200 zoom.  Another good thing about the Pentax cameras is they use a legacy mount.  There are literally thousands of lenses for pentax (k mount) and they work on every pentax camera made, even the new crop of DSLR's.    If you are going to be shooting Black and White (which I recommend) I would look into using the Ansel Adams Zone System.  You'll burn through some film at the beginning, but once you finish you'll know what your picture will look like before its even developed.  You can even develop your own film for very little.  Also, look into taking a class or two, if they are still shooting film.

[yud]

I read once that to become a good photographer, "take $1000 spend $100 on camera, and buy $900 worth of film." 

Just something to note

[Zack]

That and a very big trashcan.  Buy bulk film, load your own spools with 10 or so shots, and develop your own.  You'll save lots of money in the long run and the smaller rolls will cause you to think a lot more.

[Magic Bus]

Pentax makes some great old school film cameras.  One good thing is most of them can run without batteries, you'll lose the meter, but once you get a couple rolls under your belt you will be able to guess the exposure and get relatively close.  I would recommend the K-1000 with these lenses.  28, 50, 80-200 zoom.  Another good thing about the Pentax cameras is they use a legacy mount.  There are literally thousands of lenses for pentax (k mount) and they work on every pentax camera made, even the new crop of DSLR's.    If you are going to be shooting Black and White (which I recommend) I would look into using the Ansel Adams Zone System.  You'll burn through some film at the beginning, but once you finish you'll know what your picture will look like before its even developed.  You can even develop your own film for very little.  Also, look into taking a class or two, if they are still shooting film.

+1 I had one of those back in the day, a great camera 

[Neil]

Once upon a time I used to shoot film.... once upon a time you also had to hand crank cars to get them started...  All so charming

I really can't see the point in shooting film any more unless you're into large format.  I know a wander around your local car boot sale can get you a camera for next to nothing but unless you are only taking a few snaps the cost of developing quickly makes film uneconomic.

<cynical hat off>

An exception for 35mm is perhaps shooting slide film as developing it yourself is significantly easier than prints.

 

Actually, no I still wouldn't bother.  This is 2010 for goodness sake its not like we're dealing with 2MP sensors with crap glass in front of them (unless its on a phone )

[yud]

I'd have to agree, plus film is getting rear stores (here at least)

granted a DSLR is quite a bit of money

[Zack]

Buying a DSLR second hand is almost as much as buying a new film camera.  I am seeing very good condition D70's for about 250.00.  Factor in a decent zoom lens and you can have a very capable package for around 350.00.  Granted that is still a lot of money, but you will save on film, processing, and not to mention learn a lot faster.

[ryan1835]

Is this in dollars or pounds? I think if I do go for a film ill get an auto focus one either way im going to have a long think thanks for all the advice guys

[Mr. Whippy]

Once upon a time I used to shoot film.... once upon a time you also had to hand crank cars to get them started...  All so charming

I really can't see the point in shooting film any more unless you're into large format.  I know a wander around your local car boot sale can get you a camera for next to nothing but unless you are only taking a few snaps the cost of developing quickly makes film uneconomic.

<cynical hat off>

An exception for 35mm is perhaps shooting slide film as developing it yourself is significantly easier than prints.

 

Actually, no I still wouldn't bother.  This is 2010 for goodness sake its not like we're dealing with 2MP sensors with crap glass in front of them (unless its on a phone )

All this ^

Unless you have a specific artsy project you have in mind that can't really be captured with photoshop, DSLR is the way to go.  You'll get good faster because you can instantly see what you did.  Plus, it's cheap to import and delete jpgs, so you'll shoot WAY more shots in WAY more settings than you would with film.

[Chako]

OMG...film?

I have quite a few film cameras’s myself. I haven't used a single one in 12 years since I went digital. I even did the wet chemistry dark room thing back in the day.

Seriously...why would you use film? Get yourself a digital, and you will have the freedom of taking thousands of photographs cheaply, and that is the way to learn photography. With film, you’re stuck with 20 something exposures and the hidden cost of either sending the roll off to a photofinisher, or developing it yourself.

Now as far as the Pentax goes...that is a great film camera. Pentax makes excellent lenses. In fact, you can buy any pentax lens with the notion of using it on a Pentax DSLR down the road. Heck, you can even use screw mounts with the proper adapter...all will work excellent. Pentax has the best backward compatibility of any camera manufacturer out there. Consequently, older Pentax glass is getting harder to get, and a bit expensive all things considered.
.

[NutSAK]

I'm with most of the others on this one.  I don't think it would be a very worthwhile investment.  That is especially true when you consider what you can get in a new DSLR for about $500 these days.

[ryan1835]

Well I'm borrowing a pentax and having a go with it, I think ill get a dslr then maybe further down the road get a film one.

[yud]

Good plan

[ryan1835]

im borrowing the film now, a pentax km got a few different lens s with it so going to have a play

[Zack]

If you need anyhelp on using it give me a shout.

[ryan1835]

Cheers zack will do

[NutSAK]

Good plan

indeed. 

[ryan1835]

depends on my money situation :L

any ideas for a first dslr guys? 

[NutSAK]

I linked to a nice setup above.  You'll have many tell you that you should buy a Nikon, and I won't argue with that, but that Olympus kit setup is huge bang for the buck.  The Oly kit lenses are very good quality for the price, and it'll be plenty of camera for a few years while you "learn the ropes".  In fact, you may decide that it's all you need depending on how serious you want to get.

[ryan1835]

yeah it does look nice, shame its about £150 cheaper in the US. ive had people go on about nikons and cannons. ill be sure to check out as many brands as i can try though, any reason in particular you recommend the olympus?

[Zack]

On board image stabilization, anti dust sensor, 10 megapixels are all very redeeming features for this camera, but it didn't fit my hand well so I chose a nikon instead.  I'm not super crazy for the 4/3 mount lenses, mainly because they cost more around where I live.

Heres a very good price on a kit.

http://www.keh.com/camera/Olympus-Digital-Camera-Outfits/1/sku-DO019991018410?r=FE

[yud]

Me and my Mom have Sony Alpha DSLRs (mine's a 230, her's a 300) both are great.  The 200-300 and 230-330 are basicly the same only the "300s" have live view and tilting screen, and from what I read when I was buying mine the 00s and the 30s pertty much the same eccept the 30s are smaller.


But Canon and Nikon have the the best lens families (But unless you go of the deep end and start buying $5,000 lenses the lens family dosn't really matter).

[Chako]

If you are just starting, any low end DLSR camera will do you...possibly for ever if you don't need the latest greatest thing. I know a few Pros who use low end digitals. They take just as good a photo as the top end gear minus the weight, bells, and whistles...which honestly, doesn't make the photographer. With that said, everyone has different needs and that is why there is so much gear out there.

Just be careful. You may end up like me with a similar gear list. 

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=3583080&postcount=720

[yud]

Personly I want one of these

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/551435-REG/Sigma_597101_200_500mm_f_2_8_EX_DG.html#reviews 

Chako is right, for example your cliff shots will be the same just a larger file size.

but a DSLR dose give more options, better image quality at lower light levels, and I find you get more control.