Good ol' 35mm Cameras...

If you had to choose to buy a used film camera for the purpose of ultimate ruggedness and reliability, where there is no access to power for weeks at a time, and there seems no way to keep a Digital Camera clean or juiced enough...

.. What would you choose?

Sure, there are Pentax K1000s out there, as well as Elan models, Canon AE, or even Nikon F series. Hassie models, as well as other very expensive options also abound, however: I am looking at answers that also meet the common sense of pricing, whereas investing on a film camera should not exceed the price of the current Digital Cameras out there.

Sound off !!!

(PS: Please respect other people's opinions, either build on them, or disregard them if you would rather do different. Can vs Nik is strictly prohibited, or else !!)

Obvious choice would be a Canon model so I could use my EF lenses with it.

Wait...

Damn it, my EF-S 17-55mm won't mount on a film camera.

hbdragon88 wrote in post #7758983
Obvious choice would be a Canon model so I could use my EF lenses with it.

Wait...

Damn it, my EF-S 17-55mm won't mount on a film camera.

Which model specifically you thinking about? I'd be game with Canon as well, though since I used the other brand before going digital, I do not know the pro line of Canon film cameras. Hence the thread.

PhotoJourno wrote in post #7759001
Which model specifically you thinking about? I'd be game with Canon as well, though since I used the other brand before going digital, I do not know the pro line of Canon film cameras. Hence the thread.

I've always thought the 1V with PB was awesome becuase it shot ten frames a second, but seems like overkill because I wouldn't shoot sports with it - I'd spray shots with digital. Plus all my film would be gone within 3 seconds.

In another topic I read that the Elan series was good enough for most photographers.

I still have my old AV-1 ... lol

I still have my old AL-1. It was bought new in 1982. My son still uses it from time to time in school. It's a FD mount though.

Jon.

Pentax K1000 is super reliable. It hasn't let me down since I started using it.

1V with the booster is awesome. Feels just like a 1D, but uses film. It's at least as nice as my Mk2, if not better.

PhotoJourno wrote in post #7758968
If you had to choose to buy a used film camera for the purpose of ultimate ruggedness and reliability, where there is no access to power for weeks at a time, and there seems no way to keep a Digital Camera clean or juiced enough...

.. What would you choose?

Sure, there are Pentax K1000s out there, as well as Elan models, Canon AE, or even Nikon F series. Hassie models, as well as other very expensive options also abound, however: I am looking at answers that also meet the common sense of pricing, whereas investing on a film camera should not exceed the price of the current Digital Cameras out there.

Sound off !!!

(PS: Please respect other people's opinions, either build on them, or disregard them if you would rather do different. Can vs Nik is strictly prohibited, or else !!)

I have a whole bunch of ebay'ed film rigs that I occasionally shoot, good stuff film still has its place. I use an Elan7NE as well for compatibility with my current EF glass. Agreed with the rest that you should choose based on your current system to maximize your investment, whether that is a Nikon or Canon system or otherwise.

There is probably going to be the temptation to say something like the legendary FM2, because it is all mechanical, etc.etc. I have its cousin, the FE2 (because I like aperture priority). There are lots of 'bombproof' old school cameras.

However I'm going to deviate a little and recommend something a bit more current. Here's my rationale.

You are probably going on what could be an awesome shoot. Some of the best photos come from the toughest conditions. It's gonna be hard to get there (sounds remote to me if you say no juice), it's probably going to cost you money. So you want a rig that gives you an advantage, even if that advantage comes from using modern technology. Personally, the last thing I would want to be doing is crying in my cornflakes that my shot-of-a-lifetime got blown because I decided to 'sunny 16' it and judged wrongly. So you might want to carry some tech toys, but not too many. You would be able to carry batteries, but only a few and they must last long.

I recommend staying away from NiMH packs such as the NP-E2. They self-discharge, they are heavy, and there is nowhere to charge them. I recommend you go with lithium primary (non-rechargeable) cells which are very light, capable of withstanding a larger temperature range, and last a long time.

You might be weight-limited as well, such expeditions usually are. So you cannot carry every prime lens that you want to, or all the hardware you wish you could. You probably want a state-of-the-art zoom and some smaller primes. Weather sealing would be an advantage.

I use my Elan7NE in relatively mild conditions, but I would suggest a EOS-1V in such situations. Good meter, most of the tech toys on digital, tough, weather sealed, 'pro' build. I would skip the power booster (less weight), so as to be able to carry 2 systems or more gear. Besides, if I was taking a film rig on the shoot of a lifetime I would be packing Fuji Provia and Velvia and it would be a sin to motor-drive all of that!! I wouldn't spray and pray premium slide film especially when out in the field for an extended period of time. Can't carry as much film as we can digital.

The EOS-1V will then use a 2CR5 lithium primary batt, so carry a few. I can't find how many rolls it will shoot, but it should be a reasonable number. You need to double check this.

Then of course carry full system redundancy and if all else fails, a FM2 with a prime lens just as a mechanical backup of very last resort

I use a Nikon FM2 (New), and it is certainly worth considering. Very simple and sturdy design; the shutter and advance are mechanical so only the meter uses batteries. Sunny 16 rule, and who cares about the meter! Top shutter speed is 1/4,000.

Lightstream wrote in post #7759270
...You are probably going on what could be an awesome shoot. Some of the best photos come from the toughest conditions. It's gonna be hard to get there (sounds remote to me if you say no juice), it's probably going to cost you money. So you want a rig that gives you an advantage, even if that advantage comes from using modern technology. Personally, the last thing I would want to be doing is crying in my cornflakes that my shot-of-a-lifetime got blown because I decided to 'sunny 16' it and judged wrongly. So you might want to carry some tech toys, but not too many. You would be able to carry batteries, but only a few and they must last long...

Your points are strong. However, the FM2 has a meter, and if we assume that it's lost due to dead batteries, then we have to assume the same occurs to the EOS-1V.

hbdragon88 wrote in post #7758983
Obvious choice would be a Canon model so I could use my EF lenses with it.

Wait...

Damn it, my EF-S 17-55mm won't mount on a film camera.

I wouldnt, because as he said about batteries and that, the EF-mount cameras all need batteries because the EOS system is so electronic.....

Personally, Nikon F3HP along with a 24mm f/2, 50mm f/1.2, 135 f/2.8 and 400 f/3.5

Ok broke my rule..but personally i still need a meter...i never was good at sunny/16, the good news is the F3HP is very power efficient...and it DOES have an emergency mechanical backup 1/60 setting..

All of it, including lens hoods, $2483 at KEH

I put way too much thought into this, but thats really not a bad deal..

EOS 1. You can get weeks of use out of a film camera battery. LCDs and CMOS sensors are the biggest power drains, not AF.

Or you could just get a Spotmatic or similar if you don't mind the slow old school process. The little battery in the Spotmatic controls the meter only, nothing else. You could get a Spotmatic and a 50mm for like 80 bucks or less. Depends what you want to shoot and how you want to shoot it though. Choosing a film camera is no different than choosing a digital camera.

Thanks for the great comments.

Let's create a ficticious situation that somewhat recreates some of the hardships I might be encountering. Pretend each of you must face this assignment (Challenge if you will), and maybe share how you would deal with it FROM A PURELY TECHNICAL POINT OF VIEW.

Ready? Here we go...

Regardless of what's led up to this point, you are about to embark on a trip. The objective, is to jump on a train, any freight train, and survive 14 days, trying to get as far away from Point A as possible, and in the meantime capturing the entire adventure on still images and documenting the stories, etc.

The clothes on your back, and maybe a couple spare undies and socks inside a regular school backpack. Maybe a hidden pouch with a Drivers License and a Press credential.

You will not only meet some hardships of your own, but also encounter some interesting and others not so kind folk. What would you do to be as well equipped for this trip as possible, without risking thousands of dollars of gear (thus making yourself a target for a brick in the head) and still accomplish your goals? You'll have a collegiate writing pad in the backpack with a few spare pens.

14 Days. No laptops, no cell phones, blending with the environment, and its characters.

Now it's your turn