Automatic Film Camera for a Dabbler...?

Harlequin565

Harlequin565

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So my daughter is looking to get a film camera for her friend and asked my advice. I started asking what level of competence her friend was at and got a "lol" in response...

Sooo... What would you recommend to someone starting out photography (iPhone experience only) and wanting to jump straight into film, with as little outlay as possible and with no knowledge. "Don't do it" isn't an option for the headstrong ladies in our house. They live miles away too and I don't want to do tech support by text :shudder:

My daughter has been looking at the Nikon EM which (according to wikipedia) is a girl's camera for ladies who don't need to understand the technical stuff (very 70s) and this seems to be exactly what she might want in order to have a play around and see if it's for her. I noticed though that it has its own lens mount, so finding body+lens might get expensive. I've used an EOS650 in the past which I loved and got great results from with my EF lenses. However, the camera is cheap and EF lens aren't (unless I can get hold of a kit 18-55?). I've also got my Oly Trip 35 which is pretty much idiot proof, and there's things like the Mju which are highly regarded and fully automatic.

The budget is about £50 or thereabouts for body + lens (or combo).

Any thoughts?
 
I'm pretty sure the EM takes normal Nikon lenses but she may be better off with its successor the FG which can be used in auto mode but unlike the EM it can be used in full manual mode when she gains a little experience.
It's also tiny and when paired with the 50mm pancake lens is very portable indeed.
 
The FG was my first SLR and I thought it was a brilliant camera. Manual focus of course but it can shoot in auto or aperture priority as well as full manual. I bought one a few years ago for t'missus to try and get her into film shooting but she's decided that it's not for her. :(

Don't think the FG-20 is an improved version though, it loses the full auto mode and from the accounts I've read suffers in comparison.
 
Strappy said:
The FG was my first SLR and I thought it was a brilliant camera. Manual focus of course but it can shoot in auto or aperture priority as well as full manual. I bought one a few years ago for t'missus to try and get her into film shooting but she's decided that it's not for her. :(

Don't think the FG-20 is an improved version though, it loses the full auto mode and from the accounts I've read suffers in comparison.
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Agreed, the FG-20 is to be avoided.
 
Would your daughter like a Nikon F70 (Body only) ?

I have one that hasn't been used for a long time but AFAIK it works just fine.*

I'm not sure if I have batteries for it, however if you want it, I'm happy to offer it as a freebie if you are happy to cover postage from France ( about the equivalent of £10)

There might even be an instruction booklet although iirc it's in French, perhaps handy for your daughter if she is studying a language?!! lol
 
Asha said:
Would your daughter like a Nikon F70 (Body only) ?

I have one that hasn't been used for a long time but AFAIK it works just fine.*

I'm not sure if I have batteries for it, however if you want it, I'm happy to offer it as a freebie if you are happy to cover postage from France ( about the equivalent of £10)

There might even be an instruction booklet although iirc it's in French, perhaps handy for your daughter if she is studying a language?!! lol
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So kind of you to offer. Some TP folks are lovely. I'll have a think about it. Thanks for the other replies too.
 
Great camera (the F70) but not entirely intuitive in use (I had one back in late 90s).

What about a Pentax P30? I would normally suggest a Canon AE1 but they appear to be going for a lot more than £50.

In any case I would suggest you look for something which can be fully automatic (programme mode) but also can be AP or TV and fully manual.
 
Harlequin565 said:
So kind of you to offer. Some TP folks are lovely. I'll have a think about it. Thanks for the other replies too.
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Please don't feel obliged .....If something else is preferable then I won't be offended if my offer is turned down.

There's no point in taking something on board, even if it's free; if it's not what is really wanted or suitable;)

A few pics:

Interns are clean, externally it's used!

The rear door is showing distinct signs of the classic 70's plastic stickiness syndrome, for want of a better way of explaining it......No amount of polishing, scrubbing etc will put it to its original state, however that's all cosmetic,!
The manual is in French and has definitely seen better days, nonetheless it's there!

I've put batteries in it ( which I'll leave in) and all appears fine, the shutter fires at all speeds in M mode and i see no reason why all the other functions aren't fully operational.

If you want it, it's yours; if not then it's on offer to anyone else who has a youngster potentially interested in starting out with film.

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Eloise said:
I would normally suggest a Canon AE1 but they appear to be going for a lot more than £50.
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I could never see the attraction of the Canon AE1, many years ago I bought a second hand one (at the right money) to use while my Canon A1 was sent away to have its 'kennel cough' cured, and I just couldn't get on with it. I found that I all too regularly accidentally caught the shutter speed dial, inadvertently changing it by a stop or two without realising, only finding out when it was time to press the shutter! I stopped using it as soon as I got my A1 back and was really glad to sell it on!
 
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Mr Badger said:
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I could never see the attraction of the Canon AE1, many years ago I bought a second hand one (at the right money) to use while my Canon A1 was sent away to have its 'kennel cough' cured, and I just couldn't get on with it. I found that I all too regularly accidentally caught the shutter speed dial, inadvertently changing it by a stop or two without realising, only finding out when it was time to press the shutter! I stopped using it as soon as I got my A1 back and was really glad to sell it on!
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You may be right... I guess I have a soft spot being as it was my first "proper" camera.
 
Asha said:
Please don't feel obliged .....If something else is preferable then I won't be offended if my offer is turned down.

There's no point in taking something on board, even if it's free; if it's not what is really wanted or suitable;)

A few pics:

Interns are clean, externally it's used!

The rear door is showing distinct signs of the classic 70's plastic stickiness syndrome, for want of a better way of explaining it......No amount of polishing, scrubbing etc will put it to its original state, however that's all cosmetic,!
The manual is in French and has definitely seen better days, nonetheless it's there!

I've put batteries in it ( which I'll leave in) and all appears fine, the shutter fires at all speeds in M mode and i see no reason why all the other functions aren't fully operational.

If you want it, it's yours; if not then it's on offer to anyone else who has a youngster potentially interested in starting out with film.

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If you don't get any takers, I might be interested. I don't have an SLR with auto features, plus it should work with my Sigma 105mm macro lens (the only full frame lens I have for my crop Nikon DSLR).
 
FishyFish said:
If you don't get any takers, I might be interested. I don't have an SLR with auto features, plus it should work with my Sigma 105mm macro lens (the only full frame lens I have for my crop Nikon DSLR).
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AFAIK, the F70 will work with G series lenses in Programme and Shutter Priority mode, but not Aperture Priority or Manual.
 
I think a Olympus trip type camera is best. The charity shops are full of them.
 
I like my Trip. Got usable results straight away so it's clearly easy to use and quite idiot proof :)
 
RaglanSurf said:
I'm pretty sure the EM takes normal Nikon lenses but she may be better off with its successor the FG which can be used in auto mode but unlike the EM it can be used in full manual mode when she gains a little experience.
It's also tiny and when paired with the 50mm pancake lens is very portable indeed.
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yes the EM will take "normal Nikon "lenses"
The body itself is however very limited in settings, being very auto orientated.
 
rjbell said:
Not fill of trips but fixed focal length automatic cameras.
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Point and shoots??

With a budget of 50 quid the OP could probably pick up a couple of dozen:D

To be fair, if the young lady wishing to start out with film photography ends up with dissapointing results from the start then dropping the idea of taking it up as a regular passtime is likely to be high on the cards.

Don't get me wrong, obtaining a half decent result doesn't stem 100% from kit, far from it, however an SLR body offering a few controls to overide the auto settings along with a reasonable lens ( more important than the body imo), will possibly give more of a feel of shooting a "proper" camera along with fairly good results as a plus;)
 
Well you'all probably know what camera I'd recommend o_O for a newbie it's ideal with safety shift enabled to correct a cockup for exposure.....but thinking no one has mentioned the OM20 for semi auto and manual, not my favourite but others like the OM system.
 
She ended up going for a Mju-ii. Gonna send her a roll of HP5 to get her started.

I think that's probably for the best. It's automatic which will allow (hopefully) decent results without too much faffing. I forgot how much I had to learn about focal length, shutter speed, and aperture until I thought about how to try and explain it all over text. The Mju will deliver decent results that may prompt further exploration of the hobby. I think a proper DSLR would have likely delivered poor results (highly likely to be OOF) and as @Asha mentioned above (in the opposite context!) would have been put off. If her friend is anything like my daughter, it's all about instant gratification - and my experience is that film is kinda the opposite of that.

Anyway - they know best. Now where's my grumpy old man hat?

Thanks again for all the replies.
 
FishyFish said:
If you don't get any takers, I might be interested. I don't have an SLR with auto features, plus it should work with my Sigma 105mm macro lens (the only full frame lens I have for my crop Nikon DSLR).
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Hi Nige,

If you're still interested, the F70 is yours for the cost of postage.

Let me know please as if not I have someone in mind who could possibly make use of it
 
Asha said:
Hi Nige,

If you're still interested, the F70 is yours for the cost of postage.

Let me know please as if not I have someone in mind who could possibly make use of it
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Thanks. I'l happily give it a go.I like my manual cameras, but sometimes it would be nice to get that film 'look' but without as much faff. :)

If you IM me the cost of postage and details, I can pay by PayPal.

Thanks again. :)
 
Harlequin565 said:
She ended up going for a Mju-ii. Gonna send her a roll of HP5 to get her started.
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Does HP5 have DX marks on the film canister? The mju doesn't allow for setting a film speed and if it can't read them off the canister, it'll default to 100 ISO.
 
Strappy said:
Does HP5 have DX marks on the film canister? The mju doesn't allow for setting a film speed and if it can't read them off the canister, it'll default to 100 ISO.
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I have no knowledge of the mju so I can't answer that Dean, however, presumably there will be an exposure compensation feature that can be adjusted to allow for the two stops difference if needs be??
 
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Asha said:
I have no knowledge of the mju so I can't answer that Dean, however, presumably there will be an exposure compensation feature that can be adjusted to allow for the two stops difference if needs be??
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I can't find one on mine and there's nothing in the copies of the manual I can find on line that says it can.
 
Strappy said:
Does HP5 have DX marks on the film canister? The mju doesn't allow for setting a film speed and if it can't read them off the canister, it'll default to 100 ISO.
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:facepalm:

Thanks for the heads up. I have no idea.

Edit to add: Yep. It is DX coded.
 
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donut said:
yes they do ,,,,,,,, and how the devil are you ?,,,,,,,,,,long time no hear .
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Very well, thank you. :)

I go, I come back, I'm here, I'm there, I'm the breeze whispering in the trees about what happened to those hitch-hikers all those years ago. Always the whispers. Gannasdfhaahsdflkhnnnn ... I feel the need to extend the patio ... :wacky:



How are you? Planning any trips? Need a lift? No reason. :)
 
Strappy said:
Does HP5 have DX marks on the film canister? The mju doesn't allow for setting a film speed and if it can't read them off the canister, it'll default to 100 ISO.
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I don't have any HP5 (obviously!) but a roll of FP4 has the DX encoding...

EDIT: don't reply until you've read to the end of the thread, Chris!

BTW nice to have you back, Dean, we've missed you. Not that you've posted anything about actually taking film photographs, AFAICS!
 
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ChrisR said:
BTW nice to have you back, Dean, we've missed you. Not that you've posted anything about actually taking film photographs, AFAICS!
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Thanks, Chris. :)

I've posted on a couple of threads in a more serious manner but as far as taking film photographs, I haven't done any of that for ages. Or any other photos. Because reasons. But I'm back on the forum for more than selling off a bunch of stuff, though I will be clearing out more than film so stay tuned if you're in an acquisitive mood. ;)

I have a backlog of both scanning and developing to get through so I will be posting up some photos in due course and I'm sure they'll be down to my usual standard!
 
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