Jeroen Wenting
(K=25317) - Comment Date 5/13/2003
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Not much to get for $200, especially new and especially if you want an SLR (which I'd certainly recommend if you're in any way serious).
You'd best check out the used cameras for a nice Minolta X300 or X370 with a decent lens.
Those cameras lack the latest goodies like autofocus, program modes and what not and thus are dirt cheap. They're also excellent cameras (I've been using one for 20 years now and don't plan to get rid of it).
The X370 is basically a re-release of the X300 after Minolta stopped making them for several years (they sold the production rights to Seagul who sold quite a few too).
Other quality manual cameras in the same class would include the Canon AE-1.
You'd get a camera you can rely on for years and years and which offers most of the important features of the more modern and more expensive cameras.
If you decide you want to spend more money you can keep it as a backup or pass it along for pretty much what you paid for it.
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Luke Luther
(K=14693) - Comment Date 5/13/2003
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Lido: i suggest you go to a camera store and handle the various makes of cameras. How does it feel in your hands? Do you like the viewfinder? Is it bright? What do you think of the interfacce between you and camera? Are you thinking of digital camera that you can upgrade or a camera that you can use for a backup when you have learned how to use what you have? Film or digital? Autofocus or manual focus? What format? 35mm or medium format or perhaps you want large format! Do you want interchangeable lenses? Lots of questions to ask yourself! What kinds of photos do you think you want to produce/create? Do a Google search on "selecting a camera" and see what comes up.
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heather martino
(K=3648) - Comment Date 5/13/2003
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Have you seen this?
http://www.usefilm.com/forums.php?forum=2&topic=2486
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Richard Milner
(K=1653) - Comment Date 5/15/2003
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I would recommend virtually any pre-auto-focus 35mm SLR from any maker, if it contains a coupled light meter and comes with a 50mm f1.8 standard lens. You can add another lens when your budget allows.
Canon, Nikon, Pentax and everyone, all produced good quality equipment that lasts well, and is available secondhand quite cheaply.
If you buy from a good dealer, they will have serviced the equipment and give a guarantee. Otherwise, look on e-bay for cheaper deals with a higher risk.
35mm SLR is the most flexible format for you to begin with. Experience with that camera may lead you to other avenues (rangefinder, medium format, auto-focus) in the future.
For any keen photographer, the running costs of film or digital processing will overtake the basic equipment cost in the long run.
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Mark Peterson
(K=3452) - Comment Date 5/16/2003
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For the amount you are willing to spend...try ebay.com. Of course buying from ebay the old saying of "let the buyer beware" holds true. You may get a great deal or you may get something terrible. (You get what you pay for)
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Lany Costa
(K=787) - Comment Date 5/28/2003
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Buy the Nikon FM, it's built like a tank, very reliable and with a lot of lenses in the second hand market.
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volker plaschke
(K=54) - Comment Date 6/3/2003
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hi lido,
i wouldn't worry too much about brand names - at least the "big four" have some offerings that fit your budget and initial needs. choose one you feel comfortable with... however, i would advise you not to get the standard 28-80 zoom that usually comes with starter-kits. just get the body and a 50mm prime lens. consider buying used on ebay.
buy lots of slide film and shoot it!
volker
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