Nikon film body for older lens use

MindofMel

MindofMel

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Mel
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Hi all, I am looking for some advice for a film COMPLETE noob. Looking to try a bit of film and also to get a body that will help me focus ith my older manual lenses that im starting to pick up... as apparently these older film bodies had better viewfinders?

Any ideas on potential bodies?

I have been looking at a cheap F-301 at a local store...
 
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Hi Mel,

Are your older lenses Non-Ai? Ai? Ais or what? The bunny ears, are they solid? Is a solid pyramid shape? Or are they hollow? All these things will be for getting some guidance.

Of course some pics of the lenses would be spot on
 
What's your budget, what sort of things do you like to shoot, are you looking for an entirely manual camera or one with some electronically controlled features?

The viewfinder will be brighter but the focal lengths will feel different because you are currently using all of the lenses (I'm assuming the ones in your signature) on a cropped frame sensor, whereas any film camera will be equivalent to a full frame sensor.

Although I'm assuming you'll only want to use the older lenses with it, just a point - at least the Tamron was designed for a cropped sensor, and won't fully cover the whole image range of a film camera.
 
I had an F301, excellent camera for the price.

This was taken on it using an old Sigma 70-210mm on Fujicolour C200.
4548313221_d62cb8fb30.jpg


Andy
 
Never mind cameras and lenses..I want that statue in my garden. ;)
 
Possibly an F401/601 then still good cameras but with more twiddly bits and obviously more cost, but not much more.

Andy
 
MindofMel said:
Some electronic features would be nice.. Really a noob here. But In the interests of money saving I can go entirely manual. This is more of an indulgence than a necessity

the 135 is the primary lens I want to use on it and a 50mm f1.8 afd

This is my 135mm kenrockwell.com/nikon/135f28.htm
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From what little I can gather (I'm new to this), for £25 you can get an F75 which is more or less a D80 but requires you to put film in.

For some reason the older manual models seem to be more expensive (e.g. £100+ for an FM2 which has a basic meter).

I have an F80 and FM2n and I would say the choice depends on what you want - if you want the features of a modern camera that works with all lenses but with the effect of film then get an F75 or F80.

If you want to have a manual camera which forces you to learn about manual settings then get something older (but the lenses will need to have aperture rings, so no 'G' designation lenses). Given your older lenses then I would be inclined to do this - the olde worlde focusing screens are brilliant for MF, something the newer AF bodies don't seem to have.

I enjoy playing with both :)
 
Nawty said:
From what little I can gather (I'm new to this), for £25 you can get an F75 which is more or less a D80 but requires you to put film in.

For some reason the older manual models seem to be more expensive (e.g. £100+ for an FM2 which has a basic meter).

I have an F80 and FM2n and I would say the choice depends on what you want - if you want the features of a modern camera that works with all lenses but with the effect of film then get an F75 or F80.

If you want to have a manual camera which forces you to learn about manual settings then get something older (but the lenses will need to have aperture rings, so no 'G' designation lenses). Given your older lenses then I would be inclined to do this - the olde worlde focusing screens are brilliant for MF, something the newer AF bodies don't seem to have.

I enjoy playing with both :)
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Hi Nawty,

Great advice - thanks. There is actually an F75 for sale on the forum for £25 but its silver. A pet peeve but ill wait it out for an all black one.

I am actually quite keen to go after one of the older bodies with the MF screens you mention. Which models would these be?
 
joxby said:
don't encourage him, the last thing we want is the thread getting blitzed with T90 baba and canon fd cack......again....
:D
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Ah! but Mel admits being a noob, but the only thing I have against Nikon SLR film cameras and lenses is:- the high prices and they can't use screw lenses with a M42 adapter......of course Canon can :razz:
 
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