Speaking of photography

Since we got talking about photography in Tommy's drive to school thread it reminded me of my next school term. I think it is going to be a fun term, I will be taking two photography courses. The first is "Beginning Photography" basically because I've not taken it yet even though I've taken the advanced courses. We got a new photography prof that won't let people take the advanced courses until they have done Beginning, even though some of us have been in advanced already. The second course is a Photojournalism class (taught by a different teacher), that should be quit a bit of fun.

The comment made by someone about his daughter wanting to get into photography got me thinking about this actually. Because to this day beginning photography courses are taught with fully manual film cameras. Basically during the entire time you use black and white film and develop and print your own images.

Heck even in my advanced "digital" class we used film cameras at one point to scan negatives in to make digital copies. I will tell you this my old teacher actually would test me to make sure I had the basics down before allowing me into the advanced classes. The things he would ask are most easily learned when shooting film.

Anyway I can't wait for the term to start it should be fun and fairly easy A's to boot.

B&W film rocks. I still use it, develop it myself but tend to scan rather than print it. I've been wanting to convert the downstairs bathroom into a darkroom since I moved into this place almost five years ago but someone I never got around to it...

The convenience of digital is nice but a well exposed, well developed B&W photo is just something else.

You'll still learn a lot with B&W film. For one, you can't quickly burn through 30 shots to get that one good image. I do miss the darkroom. I don't miss the smell, however.

Ah yes, the smell. One of the reasons I only develop a few films a year (the other one being that I didn't get around to taking that many photos in the past couple of years).

It has got a bit better as some of the odo(u)rless chemicals actually work as intended but there is still no mistaking where you've been.

I find I'm a lot less trigger happy with a film camera, plus given their fairly simple nature (all my film stuff is fairly high quality but manual) they're intuitive to use. For me at least. I think my wife is getting a little sick of me muttering "this thing has too many buttons" every time I pick up my D200.

I keep saying this, but one day I need to run some film through my really old cameras. My dad gave me a bunch of his folding cameras--most are approaching 100 years old. I think I can find/modify film. Talk about basic. We have way too many cameras in the house.

I've always wanted to get a good manual 35mm slr and play around with it. I had a photography class in HS and was able to use my father's old Nikon (I have no recollection of the model). It had an auto mode, but of course, for the class we typically used manual settings. What I really liked abou it was the light meter that was built in.

So my reason for posting...if I was looking for a basic 35mm slr to do some hobby photography...what should I be looking for? Used is almost always my primary source...but I assume that shouldn't be a problem what with the prevelance of ebay and craigslist.

Any recommendations?

Thanks! Clem

The racing photos in R&T, C&D, SCG and CP&A inspired my interest in photography; I believed that I could take pics as good as those in the mags! Well, you could but it required hundreds/thousands of frames to cull-out the good ones.

With a very limited budget, the first camera was a Chinon SLR (re-badged as a GAF, of all things) and used ancient screw-mount lenses. As I had already had a collection of fixed and zoom telephoto's, upgrades were limited to a Fujica ST801 and a Pentax ME Super. All were great fun to learn with, but the cost of film was getting out of hand.

The bodies and lenses are tucked away somewhere, along with virtually every negative and slide taken from the last 30-40 years.

Digitals and memory cards are great tools and take up a lot less space.

David S. Wallens wrote: I keep saying this, but one day I need to run some film through my really old cameras. My dad gave me a bunch of his folding cameras--most are approaching 100 years old. I think I can find/modify film. Talk about basic.

Plate cameras, right? I think a lot of them can be modified to take sheet film holders instead of the plate holders. Fortunately sheet film in popular sizes like 5x4 etc is still available.

David S. Wallens wrote: We have way too many cameras in the house.

Yes, don't I know that problem. I'm actually getting rid of some as I can't bring all of them with me but the ones I like best (a Leica M2 with a couple of lenses and a couple of Contax/Yashica SLRs with Zeiss lenses) are here to stay. I'd still love a small-ish view camera, but that will have to wait.

ClemSparks wrote: I've always wanted to get a good manual 35mm slr and play around with it. I had a photography class in HS and was able to use my father's old Nikon (I have no recollection of the model). It had an auto mode, but of course, for the class we typically used manual settings. What I really liked abou it was the light meter that was built in. So my reason for posting...if I was looking for a basic 35mm slr to do some hobby photography...what should I be looking for? Used is almost always my primary source...but I assume that shouldn't be a problem what with the prevelance of ebay and craigslist.

The main thing to look for is the availability of high-quality lenses. Most of the Japanese mainstream cameras are pretty robust (there are certain exceptions, though) and should represent a decent buy. Popular choices would of course be Nikon or Canon, both good with plenty of used gear available. I'm not that well versed in the manual cameras made by these manufacturers (I'd probably just go look for a Nikon FM or FM2, both very good bodies) so I'll let others chime in on that one.

Personally, I quite like Minolta - my favourites are the SRT303b body (which I still have, fully mechanical, needs a battery only for the light meter) and the XD7 body (more automation but can be used fully manual as well). Both can be found quite cheap and regular Minolta lenses don't break the bank either. The ones I'd recommend are the 85mm/1.7 (a very, very good portrait lens and yes, I've got one), the 35/1.8 is pretty good as well and the 24 & 28mm are rather decent, too. All of the above with the potential exception of the 35mm & 85mm can be had cheap - especially the 85mm is still a bit sought after but it's not a massively expensive lens.

My personal favourite for 35mm SLRs are Contax, the ones made by Yashica in the 70s and 80s after Yashica struck a licensing deal with Carl Zeiss (who own/owned the Contax brand). They are a little quirky, but they do work very well. Lenses for them - well, the Contax lenses are all designed by Carl Zeiss (the then West German one, not the East German one), some of them were built there and some of them are made in Japan. All of them are either very good or utterly superb. Unfortunately that's still reflected in the prices somewhat (one of my most loved lenses, the Zeiss 85/1.4 was about GBP1600 new and still trades around GBP300), but compared the results with a lens from another manufacturer and you can still see the difference. Am I a good enough photographer to do them justice? No. But my attitude has changed a little over the years and I simply do not want to have to get mad at my gear - I buy good or very good quality, used, and know that the problem is going to be behind the camera.

If I were on a budget, as mentioned I'd look at Minoltas because they are noticeably cheaper than the equivalent Nikons or Canons, there are a ton of lenses out there for them and if you buy the right model they shouldn't go wrong either. And if they do, they're cheap enough to be looked upon as disposable.

Clem Its hard to beat an old Nikon. If you want fully manual with no auto exposure mode I would recommend either a FM or FM2. Both are rock solid cameras and are my choice for a field camera. If you would like to have an auto exposure mode there are quite a few more options. You could stay in the same family as the FM and get the FE or FE2, basically the same body but with different guts and an auto exposure mode.

Another (though more expensive) line to go with is the Nikon F series, these are the pro body cameras starting with the old F then F2 and F3 (F4, F5 and F6 are all autofocus cameras). These cameras are built like tanks for the most part and are great rigs to have though are getting into that collector appeal.

A great site for getting info (specs and the like) on some of these old cameras to find out what will fit you is http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/ .

One of the biggest reasons I am wanting to go take beginning photo is to learn to develop my own film that is one aspect I have never done before. More than likely a room in my new shop will be a dark room.

One thing about the F2 & F3 is that a lot of them saw pro use and while they might still work, they're often badly beaten up. Find a good one and you'll have an appreciating collectible that you can still use - much like a nice collector car.

I love developing my own B&W films. I do have the kit to do E6 but not the chemicals and I doubt I'd have the patience as they're much more critical and sensitive to temperature, times etc than standard B&W.

Oh great. I seem to have levelled up. I must be spending too much time on here

BoxheadTim wrote: I've been wanting to convert the downstairs bathroom into a darkroom since I moved into this place almost five years ago but someone I never got around to it...

We've got one that came with the "new" house. Fixing it up to be usable again is very much on my list of things to do.

Very true about the F2 and F3 some of those cameras have seen VERY heavy use at the hands of pros. This could range from heavy studio use to cameras that have traveled to places some of us have never heard of.

However if you can get a good example they are an outstanding camera.

The olympus OM-1 is agood camera and pretty compact. Nikons are excellent. I bought an old Pentax that is OK (don't remember the model) , but I'm not impressed with the resolution. It is only manual.

An oldie but goodie are the Minolta SRT models. Pretty big though.

When I bought the Pentax, it was between that and a Yashica MAT124. Pricewas the same $135. Wish I had gone with the Yashica.

sho what does any one like to shoot on here anyway? i have done lots of cars shows this year, a few concerts, some x-mas light the ohter day, a few model things and family stuff...would like to trey some ohter werid things like nudes meybe.....

ckosacranoid wrote: sho what does any one like to shoot on here anyway? i have done lots of cars shows this year, a few concerts, some x-mas light the ohter day, a few model things and family stuff...would like to trey some ohter werid things like nudes meybe.....

I shoot mostly wildlife and landscape shots. However I also do some event photography, I've shot some of the artistic nudes, cityscapes and the like can be interesting, basically anything and everything. I have also used a camera to document field research and to record specimens in my lab.

Oh also a very good starting out fully manual film SLR setup is a first gen Nikon FM with a 50mm 1.8 E lens. This is a very compact setup and can cost you under $100, when I bought the same setup I think I paid $70.

What is a good, digital 35mm, quality brand, camera for a guy with a little knowledge but less skill, that can take video and be user friendly.

Apologies for the jack

ckosacranoid wrote: sho what does any one like to shoot on here anyway? i have done lots of cars shows this year, a few concerts, some x-mas light the ohter day, a few model things and family stuff...would like to trey some ohter werid things like nudes meybe.....

This is the type of stuff I was shooting before I gave it up.

aussiesmg wrote: What is a good, digital 35mm, quality brand, camera for a guy with a little knowledge but less skill, that can take video and be user friendly. Apologies for the jack

I've come across some package deals on Canon Rebels for $6-700 that include the body, 50mm and telephoto zoom lenses and a few other bits.

Canon lenses originally designed for film cameras will work on the digitals. Even better, that's true for most other digital SLR manufacturers.

I got a Nikon FM10 for the photography course back in high school. Really basic; no auto anything, which is neat. Unfortunately I would have to re-learn how to develop film.

The best part about film photography is that you get a print out of it. Nowadays the "everyday" pictures are only viewed on computer monitors. This is unfortunate, as they are will likely be the most memorable decades down the line.

Forgot about the Olympus OM series, these are seriously good cameras, very compact and the Zuiko lenses are high quality as well. I'd buy one of the single-digit models (OM-1 etc) rather than the double-digit consumer models.

As to digital SLRs, I'd skip the video requirement in exchange for a better deal. I've started out with a Nikon D60 and have now upgraded to a D200 as the D60 was lacking one feature that is important to me (DOF preview) and getting a used D200 was only a little more expensive than getting a used D80.

Canon bodies for me. But that has more to do with family members using them. Thus giving me a supply of hand-me-down and loaner lenses and such.

Marty! Less filling, Tastes great! wrote:

ckosacranoid wrote: sho what does any one like to shoot on here anyway? i have done lots of cars shows this year, a few concerts, some x-mas light the ohter day, a few model things and family stuff...would like to trey some ohter werid things like nudes meybe.....

This is the type of stuff I was shooting before I gave it up.

that is a cool shot, looks you had some fun with that one.