35 mm suggestions

[Mack V]

I am looking into buying a 35mm SLR camera. Nothing expensive (under 100.00)Looking for some suggestions for models/brands. I think it's more of a excuse to buy more camera equipment. :lol: We have plenty of pawn shops in my area so I will wait for the right moment.

[Bob_A]

For under $100 I'd look for a good condition Elan II. You'd have some change to be able to buy some film :)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800688328-USE/Canon_C128283211_EOS_Elan_IIe_35mm.html

[slitherjef]

Elan 7 is good

[DStanic]

Any of the ELANs will work and have decent build quality. I still like my old Minolta X9 cause it's fully manual (has a light meter though) it's lots of fun to use.

[SkipD]

You cannot beat the Nikon F if it's been taken care of. My two are in pretty fine shape to this day.

[HappySnapper90]

I am looking into buying a 35mm SLR camera. Nothing expensive (under 100.00)Looking for some suggestions for models/brands. I think it's more of a excuse to buy more camera equipment. :lol: We have plenty of pawn shops in my area so I will wait for the right moment.

I assume you're referring to film SLRs, right? Since there are a few 35mm digital SLRs out there: 5D, 5D2, 1Ds, 1Ds2, 1Ds3, d3, d3s, d3x, a850, a900, and an old kodak one.

And do you want it to have auto focus or only accept manual focus lenses? Manual focus SLRs will typically have larger, brighter viewfinders, though you may have issues if you cannot get diopters for them if you have bad eyesight.

[robscomputer]

Check out eBay or www.keh.com lots of good deals on older cameras.

Just stick with a system either Canon EOS or Nikon, so you can transition over to the digital world easier.

[Bob_A]

Do you have any EF-mount lenses or are you talking about less than $100 for a camera with lens?

[yogestee]

I still have a soft spot for my Nikon FE2/MD-12..

[440roadrunner]

I am looking into buying a 35mm SLR camera. Nothing expensive (under 100.00).

So here's the thing---we need more info. There's a couple of ways you can go.

First, what equipment do you have NOW? If you have an EF system Canon DSLR, I'd do as suggested, by an Elan7/ II/ IIe which you should be able to get in NICE condition for WELL under a hundred bucks, or maybe spend a little more (I got an EOS3 for just over a hundred.)

Second, If you are at all interested in shooting old, manual lenses on your DSLR as well as film, you could ALSO consider a camera/ lens sytem WHICH YOU CAN ADAPT to your (I'm assuming) Canon DSLR.

These systems include, amoung others, Pentax M42 (screw mount), Pentax K (Newer Pentax bayonet mount), Olympus, Nikon, or contax/ Yashica.

I guess there's some others, but the price will probably go up

the old systems you can NOT adapt with good effecto to your Canon EF mount is Minolta, Konica, or the old Canon FL/ FD All these can be used for macro type work or can be crowbar'd to focus to infinity using an adapter with a lens element in the adapter--which pretty much destroys the reason for using the thing.

I've found TONS of old systems on Craigslist, much more than I can ever afford or use.

[Mack V]

I would prefer it have auto focus as my eyes are not always the best. I do have a DSLR now. Rebel Xt w/ two EF-S Lens. I used to shoot alot of car shows w/ 35 mm film but never had what I call a great camera. I think it would be cool to shoot some film every now and then w/out breaking the bank. Thanks for the input so far. You all have been a great help.

Michael

[rishu_pepper]

I have a Nikon F6006 (aka 601) and a Canon EOS 500N I'm wanting to let go. Both are in excellent working condition. PM me if you are interested.

[Mack V]

Yard sale season is coming up soon so I will have this info. when needed.

[Mack V]

I picked up a Elan II w/ lens, and flash for 50.00 shipped. Thanks for everyone's help.

[Mack V]

What is the difference between the Elan II and the Elan 7 camera? Also how much more is the Elan 7 worth over the Elan II? Thanks for everyone's help so far.

[airfrogusmc]

How 'bout an old Canon FTb? They are TANKS, all manual and very reliable.

[Mack V]

How 'bout an old Canon FTb? They are TANKS, all manual and very reliable.


I am not that skilled. :D I think a more automatic camera would produce better results with my skill or lack of.

[argyle]

I would prefer it have auto focus as my eyes are not always the best. I do have a DSLR now. Rebel Xt w/ two EF-S Lens. I used to shoot alot of car shows w/ 35 mm film but never had what I call a great camera. I think it would be cool to shoot some film every now and then w/out breaking the bank. Thanks for the input so far. You all have been a great help.

Michael

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that EF-S lenses will mount on an EF body such as the Elan camera without some type of modification. If so, your present lenses won't work if you go to a Canon EF film body.

If I'm correct about the EF-S lenses not working on an Elan body, then I'd recommend you spend the cash on an older Olympus OM body and a few OM lenses (24mm, 50mm) if you really want to shoot film. These are all plentiful and inexpensive, and with a cheap Fotodiox OM/EOS adapter you'd be able to use the Olympus lenses on your Canon Rebel as well.

[Bob_A]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that EF-S lenses will mount on an EF body such as the Elan camera without some type of modification. If so, your present lenses won't work if you go to a Canon EF film body.

If I'm correct about the EF-S lenses not working on an Elan body, then I'd recommend you spend the cash on an older Olympus OM body and a few OM lenses (24mm, 50mm) if you really want to shoot film. These are all plentiful and inexpensive, and with a cheap Fotodiox OM/EOS adapter you'd be able to use the Olympus lenses on your Canon Rebel as well.

EF-S lenses will not work on a film EOS body such as the Elan II. However the EF mount lens he got with the Elan II will work on his Canon Rebel XT.

[Mack V]

I didn't think that my EF-S lens would work on the Elan II but I didn't know that the EF lens would work on my Rebel.I was thinking that it was only for full frame digital cameras. I will have to find the article I read a while back or search some about the interchangeability. All great ideas. Thank you.

[440roadrunner]

I didn't think that my EF-S lens would work on the Elan II but I didn't know that the EF lens would work on my Rebel.I was thinking that it was only for full frame digital cameras. I will have to find the article I read a while back or search some about the interchangeability. All great ideas. Thank you.

ANY EF mount lens will work on any EF mount body, film or digital, EXCEPT for a few OLDER third party lenses like Sigma---which don't have properly updated electronics to function on DSLR bodies. Some of these have be "re chipped" I've heard Sig no longer does this.

One further "gotcha" is that years ago, Canon made a manual camera (FD mount) known as an "EF" model. This was long before the current EF lens mount came along, often incorrectly called "EOS"

EF-S glass will mount ONLY on certain crop sensor DSLR bodies. One particular flaw is the XXD series---the 10D will not mount EF-S glass, while the 20-30-40-etc will

Some EF-S glass can be "hacked" (literally) to mount on 35mm or full-frame DSLR bodies, but some lenses and some cameras will give you mirror interferance, NOT a good thing, at least some glass will be very soft in the corners. Wide angle zooms will actually shadow in the corners because the projected picture does not cover the sensor corners. In my opinion, a waste of time, although I (blush) did hack up one of my 18-55 kit lenses.

[JurekB]

A friend of mine is getting rid of his old EOS 1000F along with a Sigma 70-210 and 35-80mm lens. Is this worth a punt or should I spend a bit more on something like the Elan that was mentioned earlier?

[nuffi]

what you have to understand about film cameras is that they are essentially little more than film transfer mechanisms inside a light box.

With digital cameras the body is all important when it comes to things like ISO performance, image resolution, etc. With a film body, all that is dependent on the type of film you use, and then how you process and print it.

There are bells and whistles that might make a difference, but not many in a $100 budget.

In other words, go for it. It sounds like a cool rig to pick up. You get your body, and you get 2 zooms with an FL range that is good for nearly anything you might want to take pics of.

[440roadrunner]

what you have to understand about film cameras is that they are essentially little more than film transfer mechanisms inside a light box.

With digital cameras the body is all important when it comes to things like ISO performance, image resolution, etc. With a film body, all that is dependent on the type of film you use, and then how you process and print it.

There are bells and whistles that might make a difference, but not many in a $100 budget.

In other words, go for it. It sounds like a cool rig to pick up. You get your body, and you get 2 zooms with an FL range that is good for nearly anything you might want to take pics of.


I'm afraid I can't agree. Even the "lowly" elanII series is not a bad camera, and contains some fairly sophistocated circuitry. In fact some of it is at least FUNCTIONALLY similar to a DSLR,

auto ISO setup based on the film can

AF, which is no slouch

"eye controlled" focus on some models

exposure bracketing, and many other program shooting features found on DSLRs

auto/ motor film advance

and many other features, but it's hardly "just a box."

Even the ElanII, and certainly the Elan7, and EOS3 were a LOT of money in their day, so they are hardly yer old Kodak box camera

Just read this review of the Elan 7 and you'll see:

http://steves-digicams.com/2001_reviews/elan7.html

and when this was posted in 2001 the Elan7 was 740. US bucks