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Post by greyowl on Jul 6, 2015 17:56:34 GMT -5
Hello all
I've just joined this interesting forum and, though I am not a collector as such ( even though I have a few old slr's and lenses ), I wondered what people rate now for shooting film ? What I mean is what camera bodies ? I guess the Nikon bodies are the most future proofed though I have no investment in Nikon manual or other glass.
I used a contax 139 for a few decades and took some nice shots with the planar 1.7 that came with it when I got it second hand. After the doldrums just using canon point and shoot power shots, I eventually had time to take photos again. By a roundabout process I ended up using an OMD-M5, some m.zuiko primes and a few adaptall2-sp's I got cheap on eBay - and a few cheaper ( relatively ) Zeiss C/Y ( the distagon 28/2.8, Planar 85/1.4 and a sonnar 135/2.8 ). I really enjoyed shooting with these on the OMD but then I realised that film wasn't quite dead, so, just for fun, I put a few rolls of cheap film through the contax and was amazed to find they came out pretty much as they used to. I then checked the shutter using the DSLR technique and it was pretty much bang on ( assuming the OMD was OK ). I had already checked the TTL on the contax and that seemed to be well with 1/2 stop.
I think I will continue to shoot with film - any maybe start processing it again - maybe its just a personal thing about the time and effort it takes to take photographs with a manual camera vs digital ( though I use both ).
So, I can stick with a contax ( maybe get an S2 if they get cheaper ) or move to a more mainline manual slr brand although this means switching lenses - which is the main investment after all. I don't have the budget for M series - the M3's seem to be really expensive and the lenses even more so. In any case I take a lot with tele's ( Tamron's ) which I don't want to replace so its cheap to move to another body mount and I need an SLR rather than a rangefinder for these in any case.
So my question is, for some degree of future proofing/ reliability of what are usually old mechanics, what old ( lens/body) system would you go for ? e.g. Nikon FM / Olympus OM / Pentax etc etc.
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mickeyobe
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Posts: 7,280
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Post by mickeyobe on Jul 6, 2015 19:12:36 GMT -5
Hello all So my question is, for some degree of future proofing/ reliability of what are usually old mechanics, what old ( lens/body) system would you go for ? e.g. Nikon FM / Olympus OM / Pentax etc etc. Canon T90. Mickey Addendum: "..reliability of what are usually old mechanics, what old ( lens/body) system would you go for ? " My 1953 Exakta VX IIa with its Carl Zeiss 58mm f2 Biotar and its accompanying Steinheil f3.5 135mm Auto-Tele- Quinar after 62 years seem to be indestructible. They are wonderfully versatile as well. And what a fast, simple and positive lens mount system. The lenses may be a few years younger. M.O. |
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Post by hannes on Jul 7, 2015 3:14:44 GMT -5
Since I'm Nikon addicted. The FM or Nikkormat FTN. If electronic controlled shutter is allowed, FE, FG, or Nikkormat EL. OM2 is a great camera too. OM1 if no electronic shutter.
And there are the Minolta SRTs.
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Post by belgiumreporter on Jul 7, 2015 4:06:12 GMT -5
All mechanical and bullitproof Nikon F2 Small package but with a great viewfinder (and K-mount) Pentax MX, it's smaller than an OM olympus and there's more glass available. Yashica FX-3 dirt cheap but can use Zeiss glass (even though yashica glass isn't that bad either) All vulnerable electronics (the dreaded EEEE message) but when it works a wonderfull camera : canon T90 When you want to go AF, Nikon F100, cheaper and lighter than the F5 with allmost the same features or if you're really on a budget try the f801s or F90s very underestimated camera's at rock bottom prices. M3 alternative : canonet G3/ QL 17, incredible little camera with auto or manual exposure, sadly no interchangeble lenses but the 1,7 really shines and at 1/20th of the price of an M3 you can't go wrong. Depending on your style of shooting any of these will fit your needs, in my 50 years as a photographer i've used and still use them all (and lots of others) to my satifaction.  |
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Post by Randy on Jul 7, 2015 14:10:01 GMT -5
Most of the cameras mentioned are not purely mechanical. If it takes batteries for a timing circuit, it's electronical. As for my use of a mechanical 35mm camera, it would have to be one utilizing a selenium meter like my Kodak Retina Reflex S.
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Post by Peltigera on Jul 7, 2015 15:40:08 GMT -5
I am currently using my Spotmatic SP1000 with a Helios 44 lens.
It has a battery but works fine without it.
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Post by greyowl on Jul 7, 2015 17:19:11 GMT -5
Hi
It looks like the Nikon F2/Fm looks a good bet then - but not too many around from a quick look at ebay sold listings. Whether the TTL metering works or not is not too important - but the camera needs to be functional without electronics since they won't last anything like as long as good mechanics. I note that prices for manual Nikons are not too cheap which suggests that build quality is well proven.
Likewise the pentax spotmatic - lots of glass around. This was the first camera I yearned for from adverts in Nat Geographical when I was using the cheapest Halina that was made.
The T90 is a great camera but I would look to manual film advance - again because of the issue with reliability/repair of anything electronic. BTW I also have a contax RX - great camera which I got dirt cheap but when it falls over, as it will sometime, its a brick.
Thanks again for your suggestions - I'm going to have to do more research.
In spite of what I said, since I have a reasonable digital OMD for tele work, I still have a pull towards the M3 rangefinders for portrait / street. Talking to a local camera / lens repairer, he said that, because of the high numbers still being used, and the build quality, these are pretty readily repaired. But there is the slight issue of the price.
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Post by greyowl on Jul 7, 2015 17:27:36 GMT -5
Forgot to mention the FX3. I know I could gat these at 20 GBP so keep the C/Y lenses with little extra spend. I also agree that the yeshica/cosina ML lenses are very underrated.
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Post by julio1fer on Jul 7, 2015 20:51:18 GMT -5
My favorites: Nikon F series, Pentax K-1000 and Spotmatics.
There are many excellent M42 in varied brands and models that go under the radar (for instance Fujicas, Chinon).
Many other excellent mechanical SLRs: Minolta SRT-101 and followers, Olympus OM series, and so many Canons. I have not the same volume of use for these, so harder to recommend.
In the older classics chapter I like the Exaktas (VX IIa and b).
So much to choose!
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Post by leafshooter on Jul 8, 2015 0:35:52 GMT -5
I suggest using all-mechanical cameras that only use a battery for the light meter. The problem with electronics is that after these 40-or-so years, electrolytic capacitors are drying out and malfunctioning. Good, popular, inexpensive all-mech cameras include:
Olympus OM-1
Minolta SRT models
Nikon FT/FTN/FT2 and FM
Pentax Spotmatic
Pentax K-1000
Konica Autoreflex T/T3
Canon FT/FTb
Watch out for deteriorating light-seal foam on all cameras. IMO, you should replace all light seals around the back before putting film in a classic camera.
Mark Overton
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Post by hannes on Jul 8, 2015 2:29:36 GMT -5
If you want a workhorse go for one of the late Praktica MTL models. I still have my MTL5b. Metal blade shutter m42 lenses.
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Post by Peltigera on Jul 8, 2015 11:25:36 GMT -5
Watch out for deteriorating light-seal foam on all cameras. IMO, you should replace all light seals around the back before putting film in a classic camera. Mark Overton My German and Russian Classic Cameras do not have any light-seal foam. |
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Post by lesdmess on Jul 8, 2015 15:02:40 GMT -5
It is a good idea to make sure the lenses and accessories you need are available for what you need now and in the future. I also prefer a battery independent camera but for a manual focus camera, I also prefer a bright viewfinder and large magnification. Well built, good size and weight are nice too. Pentax LX & MX are a good complimentary pair. The MX is battery independent except for meter and so compact - but with the largest viewfinder, that there is no reason never to take it with you.  The LX is the most compact interchangeable viewfinder camera that is practically the size of the other brands smaller fixed viewfinder bodies. It is best for more technical photography due to a wide selection of viewfinders and focusing screens. Of course having TTL flash, a one of a kind metering system, aperture priority with a wide range of shutter speeds available when batteries die comes in handy.  |
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Post by greyowl on Jul 14, 2015 17:25:51 GMT -5
I was looking at ebay again - Pentaxes esp K1000 and spotmatic ( I presume there is a workaround for the mercury batteries they used ) are going really cheaply. I haven't found a good Nikon yet in their price range.
The olympus OM1 was always a great camera but Olympus glass is still expensive compared to Nikon or Pentax.
I have acquired a contax s2 which is manual - with the intention of keeping one of the S2, 139 and RX and selling the rest. The S2 is a pimped up 139 as far as I can see - but with a purely mechanical shutter. Looks pretty - maybe too pretty to take out on the road - my beat up 139 is still going strong but again it is U/S if the electronics go down. The RX is sublime - heavy but thats good with the tele Zeiss glass - the shutter is brilliant and almost no shutter/lens slap - unfortunately its not manual of course and already 20 + years old. Nice Yeshica FX3's sometimes appear at reasonable prices but go quickly - good backup of you have some C/Y lenses. The yashica ML lenses are said to be underrated which might explain why they are now getting more expensive. I only have an ML tele zoom which I have only tried out on my OMD M5 and it is looking v good. Very cheap.
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Post by biggles3 on Jul 15, 2015 20:11:07 GMT -5
I love the Contax S2b - I prefer it's average metering to the S2's spot metering. I have two other mechanical cameras: the Yashica FX-3 and the Contax Preview though that only uses Fuji's Instant Film packs. If I'm taking the camera into rough country, I take the FX-3 as damaging the S2b would be very, very costly to correct. I bought an FX-3 today on Ebay with a ML 50 f2 for £5 plus postage so now I have a back-up camera in case the current Yashica gets clobbered.
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