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plorrBuy from keh.com. Even stuff in BGN condition on there is usually really good.
As for what camera, pretty much any 70s-80s manual focus SLR with a fast 50 is a good choice. The Olympus OM series are my personal favorite MF SLRs, but they're a little on the pricier side. A Minolta SRT 101 is also a great choice. They're cheap, absolutely bomb proof, and all the lenses are great. You pretty much just want to find any manual focus SLR with a working meter and a 50mm lens though. Just stay away from old third party zoom lenses. They all suck.
omnidataSE adds a microprism spot focusing aid, that's all.
Also the K1000 is overrated and therefore overpriced.
Anything that's essentially a box with a shutter will work.
plorrThere is a big difference between Ebay and Keh.
People are chumps on ebay. Its likely that a camera/lens your average ebay seller rates as "mint", keh would rate as BGN. They are extremely picky with grading. You will definitely be happy with the condition of anything you buy from keh even if its BGN.
EX, EX+, or LN, you'll probably need an electron microscope to spot the imperfections.
And yeah, all the 70s/80s SLRs are pretty much the same. They're all built sturdy and especially all the 50mm lenses were good. Any of them are capable of taking great pictures as long as you can properly expose and focus.
I personally prefer the OMs for their compact size and huge viewfinder. Their lenses are great too, but then again, so are the Pentax lenses of that era.
Just pull the trigger on something and start shooting.
NJurkiewiczAs far as 50mm lenses go is their any difference between f/1.4, f/1.7, f/1.8, and f/2?
omnidataIf you are just starting out it really doesn't matter, there's always a better camera, stop chasing it, get a real cheap and cheerful slr with shutter speed dial, aperture on the lens, 50mm and go out and shoot.
Don't become a gearslut.
Any 50 can easily cut it for most photographic work.
NJurkiewiczDone, and done thank you all so much for the advice. I tend to over think things and I get it. Just ordered a Canon AE1 with the Canon 50mm f/1.4.
NJurkiewiczJK I second guessed myself but whatever I ACTUALLY placed an order on a Pentax K1000 with a 50mm f/1.7. I'm excited to start shooting!
DingoSeanIf you don't win it(they usually go for over 100$ for some strange reason - don't buy it for over 50) there are plenty of other great options.
Check out less-known cameras like the Minolta SRT (101,201, whatever, they're all mostly the same). They're cheap as hell, built like tanks, and you can build a solid lens system for something like 50$ or less.
Really, any old Minolta SLR is going to be cheaper, and in many cases better than it's contemporary from many other japanese SLR brands. The K1000 is overrated like crazy because everyone talks about them (you can get virtually the same camera if you buy a Pentax Spotmatic - only real difference is it uses the older screw-in lenses) and it will cost half as much.
NJurkiewiczThe bid didn't work out, you were right. I decided to go with KEH.com this time and ended up with a Minolta SRT 201 and 50mm f/1.7. Got it all for $80 with shipping. I'm super excited to start shooting now!
NJurkiewiczThe bid didn't work out, you were right. I decided to go with KEH.com this time and ended up with a Minolta SRT 201 and 50mm f/1.7. Got it all for $80 with shipping. I'm super excited to start shooting now!
DingoSeanI have that exact same camera and lens combo. Foolproof.
NJurkiewiczThank you guys so much for the help! Can you recommend a filter for the lens and a place to get lens caps since those aren't shipped with?
NJurkiewiczThank you guys so much for the help! Can you recommend a filter for the lens and a place to get lens caps since those aren't shipped with?
NJurkiewiczThank you guys so much for the help! Can you recommend a filter for the lens and a place to get lens caps since those aren't shipped with?
plorrDon't bother with filters. Spend the money on film instead.
DingoSeanReally, this is the best answer. A set of filters could buy you 100+ shots of pro quality film.
NJurkiewiczCool I'll just get a UV filter and a lens cap for cheap then. What is recommended film for B&W then color?
DingoSeanI'd only get a red or orange filter for Black and white and not even use one for colour, personally.. UV shouldn't honestly effect your film enough to the point of actually needing a filter...
NJurkiewiczThanks for the advice! What film would you recommend buying?
