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February, 2025

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Whats the best 35mm film camera for under $100?

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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
Im wanting to start getting into film and am wanting to know what slr I should get. I want an all manual of course, and want a built in light meter. So what 35mm slr do you guys prefer? And should i get a rangefinder or a slr. open to any advice, thanks!
11 years ago
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
i got a pentax k1000 for like 40 bucks from zbphoto or whatever his user name is now. but you can find them for good prices and pentax lenses are great. got a whole set up for about 60 bucks
11 years ago
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Forcillo
Posts: 3801 - Karma: 3,580
Can't go wring with a K1000. I have a Pentax P30 and I like it as well, it has a bigger grip but it's all preference. The best thing about shooting 35mm is that the body doesn't really matter, so you can get them for crazy cheap.
11 years ago
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Did you buy mine? Pretty sure i sold it to someone locally. Anyways i'd say get a k1000 or a Canon ae-1 with a 50mm lens, you can find both very easily. Garage sales, thrift shops, those camers are tanks they are usually in fine working condition even now. A 35mm slr is still way to learn photography IMO.
11 years ago
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
pretty sure i got it from you. either that or a 50mm
11 years ago
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Idkk? Haha!
11 years ago
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bigbromskier
Posts: 1175 - Karma: 330
definitely check out craigslist photo + video. literally found an ae-1 just now. see what's posted locally n go from there.
11 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
For 100$, you can pick up a Minolta SRT series camera and then buy a whole system of primes to go with it. a 28, a 50, a 135, and a 200 would, along with the body be around 100 in total.
11 years ago
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RawrRawrRob
Posts: 1841 - Karma: 685
I got my Minolta SRT-200 with a 50mm F/1.7 for $150. All in great working condition.
11 years ago
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,311
1. Go to a random thrift shop right now. 2. Buy any random 5 dollar SLR with 50mm. 3. Buy a roll of Tri-X. 4. ?????????? 5. Pulitzers.
11 years ago
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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
I found an ad on ksl (its like craigslist) of a guy selling an ae-1 and an a-1. I did some research and from what ive found the a-1 is the way to go. It has av tv and p mode which i wouldnt use all that often but still it might be nice to have. They both come with a 50mm 1.8 and 70-200 along with a flash and some other stuff. Have any of you guys used the a-1?
11 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
Mega overpayment you could get 4 or 5 of them for that much.
11 years ago
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
^You will come to realize, besides build quality, from brand to brand the model doesnt really matter with these types of cameras. Basic film SLR's do little more than expose the film, its all in the lenses you choose....
11 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
I've used the entire A series. I still like the AE-1 the best.
11 years ago
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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
What do you like about it that makes you prefer it over the others?
11 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
It just fucking works. The A1 feels too chunky, and I've seen too many that don't work for some reason or another - or who have program modes that have gone all out of whack. I rarely find an AE-1 that doesn't work.
11 years ago
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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
Alright thanks man +K. I gues im gonna go with the ae-1 then.
Thanks guys!
11 years ago
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stoned_sorcerer
Posts: 659 - Karma: 73
I wouldn't be so worried about the light meter tho, they tend to be inaccurate as fuck on old cameras plus you get the feeling and start to judge better with your eye pretty quickly. If you really-really need one, to get the feeling down and the camera you're looking at doesn't have one i'd go find a cheap separate meter.
11 years ago
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,311
Not true.
11 years ago
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stoned_sorcerer
Posts: 659 - Karma: 73
If the cameras are used (if we're talking about older and used analogs), and still have the original light meter, then yes, they tend to be inaccurate since the older meters wear down pretty quickly, especially if exposed to light for extended periods (they've been inaccurate on nearly every analog camera i've held/used, some less than others but still..)
They can be replaced of course, but it's really not worth hassling with old light meters imo.
11 years ago
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,311
I've had well over a hundred slr's from all era's and with all kinds of usage in my possessions and checked them all against a pretty high end Sekonic, nearly all where within one stop accurate which with the latitude of film is plenty good enough, of course there were a few off but in general they work fine.

Of course this is anecdotal evidence, but to me it seems that they are accurate enough.
And otherwise just get an old Weimar Lux, they can be found for next to nothing and most seem to work fine.

Click for larger image
11 years ago
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stoned_sorcerer
Posts: 659 - Karma: 73
Okay, touche.
Also possible that the meters on the cameras i've seen (mostly soviet ones, could explain something...) have been more exposed to light/ have happened to be in a generally shittier state.
11 years ago
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Balto
Posts: 25987 - Karma: 4,455
If you don't plan on shooting tele, get a rangefinder! They are definitely different to shoot with, but once you get use to it its hard to go back. The cannonet ql17III should cost $50-80 on ebay, had a leaf shutter lens (0 vibrations in the camera, can hand hold at 1/4 of a second), and is super sharp. Best bang for the buck RF under a $100 for sure.
11 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
Well that's your problem right there.. Soviet light meters were never really that great. Mechanically the cameras were pretty sound, but the meters in most of the old zenits and feds were pretty bad to begin with. Same with east german stuff like practika.
11 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,003
Well that's your problem right there.. Soviet light meters were never really that great. Mechanically the cameras were pretty sound, but the meters in most of the old zenits and feds were pretty bad to begin with. Same with east german stuff like practika.
11 years ago
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