Favorite 35mm Body?

[Marko]

Except for tracking a moving subject as in shooting runway or sports action, there's no AF system yet made that can really focus quicker and more accurately than I can. With Canon's eye-control it's a little bit better, but it's also a pain in it's own way. Focusing isn't that difficult anyway, and takes up almost zero of my conscious attention, just keep a hand on the lens barrel (where it should be anyway) and turn it... As it is, in AF mode often end up manually correcting focus anyway.

[JamesTu]

I only have used two camera bodies, Elan7e and the AE1. I went with Canon because lenses and accessories are a little bit cheaper.

[Andy_Pearlman]

There's a lot of momentum toward Canon these days because of their digital stuff, but I'm still an old-time Nikon guy, and my first digital SLR will probably be a Fuji S2 or I may wait for the S3. If you are interested in learning, you should work in manual exposure mode as often as possible - I never use automatic anything (except auto-focus), unless I'm taking snapshots at a party or something. Get a handleld light meter. Shoot slide film. It's the least forgiving and will teach you good discipline on exposure and color correction.

For that, as already said, almost any good SLR will do, but you should probably try and stay with a major brand like Nikon or Canon so you can more easily rent and borrow equipment. Go to a camera store and see which cameras feel better in your hands. I use a Nikon F100, and have used it exclusively for about three years. Best purchase I ever made. I have an old F4 sitting in the case for backup, but have never needed it. I don't shoot anything that requires all the toys of the F5, and the F100 is fairly lightweight. BTW, after years of nothing but Nikon glass, I bought Tamron zooms (35-105mm, & 70-210mm, both at solid f2.8) a couple years ago, and never look at my Nikon lenses now. I won't buy a lens with a shifting f-stop. Its fine for auto-exposure, but for manual you need to know your f-stop (although that might not be so critical when I go digital, we'll see).

Most important, learn to shoot in manual so you can make pictures, not just take pictures.

Regards,
Andy Pearlman
Andy Pearlman Studio

First, I can shoot two shots while the auto focus is trying to work.

Second, auto focus is unreliable in certain situations, and in fact, won't work at all, in some situations.

Frankly, focusing is such an "automatic" physical function for me (after about 30 yrs.), that I can beat auto focus without any effort at all.

Auto focus is fine for low light situations, when you really can't see well enough to manual focus, or for fast action, where the focus is constantly moving. Otherwise it is at best, a non essential feature.

For someone who is starting out in photography, I recommend you use manual focus, even if your camera has auto focus capability, because you may need to know how to do that at a point in time, to get the image properly.

Almost everyone I have encountered, who thought photography was all about auto-everything cameras, has failed to become a photographer. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I agree 100%, and seldom use AF unless absolutely necessary. On the other hand, when you need it, e.g., when it's dark, subject is fast-moving or your middle-aged eyes are tired, the so-so systems on non-pro-level cameras often don't cut it. (I'm thinking of my N80 and D100.) Maybe a justification for spending the extra $$ for pro cameras?

In my photo heaven, they still make affordable lenses with engraved DOF scales for hyperfocal focusing -- or should that be "hyperfocusing"?

[Ratboy]

I'm glad someone mentioned a Contax. I've been looking at the NX for a while and thier fantabulous price for a body/lens kit. The only reason I have all but decided to not get it is there are currently no contax digital SLRs made. Anyone know if this is going to change? If they merely had a press release on production plans for a N mount digital I would buy that NX like it was cool.

What little I know about Contax users is what I've read on the boards; people are like a cult the way they talk about their Contax.

[Ratboy]

The fact that Canon is ahead in the Digital market is of little concern right now. By the time I have cash for a digital body Nikon will have evolved thier D100 and D1X, I'm so sure. Even if Canon stays on top the quality of Nikon thus far has not been horrible to say the least. Even still there is Kodak and Fugi. So the current camera bodies available for digital is less of a consideration as far as I am concerned when choosing a lens system between Canon and Nikon for 35mm.

[gmfoto]

You can find some great deals on used pro-level film cameras. Lots of pros are dumping the film cameras for digital cameras and that has made the price of used stuff drop. You need to commit to a system Nikon, Canon or other and you can look forward to it changing in two months. I commited to Nikon 4 years ago,
for two reasons 1) good glass f/2.8 lens at a reasonable price, 2) it looked like the most promising for the change to digital. I bought F-100, N-90 because I wanted the 1/250 flash/sync and the PC outlet I think that these are two very important items (now I shoot with D-100's I miss both of those items alot). I also have an N-80, if I had to make the choice I would pay the $600 more for the F-100 for the reasons stated above. My daughter shoots small film based weddings, she is using my old N-90 (she will never get her old dad to give up the F-100) and she bought another one for back-up for $295 on EBAY.

Your next problem is that right now canon has given nikon a bloody nose and sent them home crying in the digital world (that is what I think). You just might want to consider canon. If they stay ahead of nikon in the digi. field.

Now consider lens. DON'T BUY SLOW LENS!! BUY F/2.8'S OR FASTER!! Go get a job flipping burgers an Micky D's or Burger King for a few weeks if you need to have more money for fast lens. Spend a little more time flipping burgers and get VR lens.

Don't listen to the sales people at most camera store's (sorry I don't mean to hurt any ones feelings) . Alot of these guys will be steering you to the item that has the biggest profit margin for them. After you decide what you want and "make a list" come back to the forum and ask about that equipment. Or go to a site that reviews equipment and find out what other people that use that stuff are saying about it.

Wow did I ever drone on. I hope that it helps.

[Ronnie]

My first camera was a Pentax ME and after a year I bought a Pentax K1000 and that was the camera I used & loved. That was about 24 years ago and I still own it today. It even came with a 50mm f/1.7 lens ...and all for $100.

Ron

[Austin]

It's true. Nothing will teach you more about photography than a Nikon FM3 or a Canon AE-1, with a roll of Provia 100. No auto stuff to get in your way, and there is a simple grace to carrying one around. I think we here can all agree that either one of those would be a respectable choice, and absolutely the best to learn with. (although a Canon user, I would suggest the Nikon because if Im not mistaken, you can mount old Nikon glass on even their newest cameras).