newb needs some advice..
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in the last few months I've been out taking pictures, i don't know why, I just felt like taking some pictures.I used a HP digital camera I borrowed from my brother, and some of the pictures came out really nice.
Now , why i started this thread:
I think I'll have to buy a camera.Firstly because I can't borrow that digi cam all the time and secondly I don't like digital photography all that much.
What i'd really like to call my own is an old camera.
I've seen some nice ones at a friend's house,and just from their outward appearance and the feeling to them when you hold'em in your hand I liked them better than the new HP i used.
I've been watching ebay over the last few weeks and what's in my budget are mostly old "Voigtländer" and "Praktica".
Hopefully one of you can give me some advice on what to get.
It just needs to be old,reliable and not too complicated to use..
It doesn't have to be the best camera ever made...
Sorry if this is a total newbish thread, but I am a total newb...
In that age group your likely to get some automated metering and aperature and shutter timing, without a lot of computer in it. Then again, if you want auto focus, you'll want to look for something early eighties or younger.
That's my take, as it seems like your coming at this from the same direction I am on what you want in a camera. :)
The 50mm/f1.8 is a "normal" prime (non-zoom) lens and probably one of the sharpest lenses you can get for 35mm format.
I love nikon, so I think FM2 or FM3 are great cameras, also manual.
I have heard of Praktica, but have never seen one.
Of course the saying goes "it is not the camera, it is the photographer". That saying may not be 100% true. Keep in mind that this will be your new buddy. Make sure that you will enjoy the camera; as opposed to battling it to load film etc.
I like Nikon all the way!!!!!
Similar cameras from other manufacturers are available, such as the Nikon FE, Canon A-1, etc. etc.
I'd recommend owning a very old (reliable!) SLR for a bit, it'll certainly take a better picture than a sub $200 digital camera and shouldn't cost much.
I too am rather new here, and by no means would I refer to myself as an expert on camera selection. I think when you ask someone about a brand of style of camera, they are naturally going to recommend what they tend to use. I have never heard of the 2 that you listed but did a quick ebay search myself and found one of each. The Praktica looks very much like the Pentax ME Super that I use. I am not sure if you are going for old models due to the nostalgia factor, or financial or both. If it is for the price factor, you might want to check out the ME Super. My wife originally had one that I started using, and I ended up buying the new Pentax IST a month or so later b/c I prefer 35 mm over digital and also wanted autofocus and more modern features.
I recently purchased another ME Super off ebay though to have a camera that I could leave in the car for those shots that you see while driving and think, 'I wish I had a camera' but wouldn't kill me if it were stolen. I paid only $50 for it through ebay and you can find similar auctions with or without a lens for a few dollars more or less depending on your luck. They are built like a panzer tank and take excellent pics.
If you were going for the nostalgia factor, you might want to consider the lack of availability of accessories or repair if it is needed. I would think of it like having an antique rare auto. It's nice to have, but if you needed repair or accessories, it would be difficult to find items for those cameras probably. Also, if you decided that you really liked this and wanted to grow with it, you might want to look for something like older Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc. that are in better supply.
Anyway, hope that helps, just my .02
I have a Canon AE-1 Program, and I've found it to be a great beginners camera. The controls are all logically arranged and simple, but it gives you a fair amount of flexibility with your photographic technique.
Now of course, I am biased because this is my camera... as Johnboy said.. nobody can recommend something other than their own...
So don't consider my post as a suggestion of what to buy, but simply a praise for something I have found works well.
Oh, and I almost forgot, there are pretty extensive resources available (multiple websites) specifically about this camera, its use, and its maintenance.
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