Still photography - 35mm SLR cameras

[ulrichsd]

I know some of the people on this board are into still photography, and I couldn't seem to find the old thread.

Anyway, I'm going to 7 countries in Europe this November, and wanted to do some still photography while I'm there for fun.

I'm looking for a camera in the top of the line amateur range (~$300-600). I was looking at the Nikon N80, the Minolta x-tsi, and the Canon Elan 7. If anyone has used these cameras or others or has any info or suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking for a camera that has automatic and manual focus and exposure, panoramic feature, built-in flash, and takes high quality pictures. I'm planning sometime in the future to setup my own darkroom and learn how to develop and process film.

Thanks in advance,
Scott

------------------

[rollemfilm]

i like the Nikon FM2. i have own many cameras and this is the best, in my humble opinion. make sure you take a look at the kodak web page for their recent warrnings on travel and the new X-ray machines at the airports. you may want to buy film & process in local destinations.

------------------

[Matt Pacini]

I also use a Nikon FM2, but it should be pointed out, that it is not automatic, nor does it do panoramic pictures.

FM stands for "fully manual" and that's what it means!
But it's an amazing camera, is pretty inexpensive, and even if the battery dies, you can still take pictures!
I love it, and won't use anything else!
Just make sure you decide what features are really important to you though, because this is a bare bones camera. You need to know photography to take pictures with this camera, I mean, f-stops etc., It's not a snapshot camera.

Matt Pacini

------------------

[ulrichsd]

Thanks Rollem and Matt,


I do like that FM2, but the new FM2N model that is out has a list price of about $745 (Popular Photography Dec 2000). That seems like a lot when you consider it is about the same price as Canon's Elan 7 and Nikon's N80, both of which have autofocus and metering. I plan to do mostly manual exposure and metering, but the idea of being able to take quick snapshots when you need to is appealing, and the FM2 doesn't have a built in flash either, which means carrying around shoe mount; not very convenient when on vacation.


Maybe I just don't see the advantage of getting the FM2 over the N80 when they are about the same price... Except that using the FM2 forces you not to be lazy and use autoexposure.


Scott


------------------


[This message has been edited by ulrichsd (edited September 24, 2001).]

[rollemfilm]

i've never seen an FM2N at that price. that's way high. new they run about $400.00 for the body. depending on what lens you get, you can spend anywhere from $60-$1,200 for a lens. i bought both of my FM2N bodys for under $300 each, used. look around as much as you can before buying any camera.

------------------

[ulrichsd]

Yeah, retail does run somewhere around $200-300 below list, and that was from December, so I would expect prices to be lower, but I was just using this for comparison, that the list price for the FM2N is about the same as, actually more than, the N80. But I still don't see any advantages for the FM2N.

The N80 is $430 at b&h http://www03.bhphotovideo.com/defaul...ID=E95E848B190

I'm not saying that the N80 is the better camera, I'm just trying to find out the advantages of each camera.


Thanks,
Scott


------------------


[This message has been edited by ulrichsd (edited September 24, 2001).]

[fandini]

The N-80 looks like it has a good amount of features but I would make sure you truly have control over them. The reason I say this is because I know that the N-80 has three types of metering systems (matrix, center-weighted and spot) but if it is like the N-60, it will not let you choose which one of these systems you want to use in manual mode. The N-60 has other good features that the user unfortunately has no control over like continuous shooting and follow-focus which only work in the sports setting. I would think a user would like to turn these features on in combination with any of the metering modes. It also lacks a cable-release socket. I believe that the N-80 fixes most of these problems but I would check.

On the other hand I think a fully manual camera could be a good choice as well. The automatic features are good for a time but if you like to learn how to do things on your own (like set up your own darkroom) you will probably grow out of them pretty quickly.


------------------
Dan