Photography - Recommendations

[Rogar]

I am not totally familiar with the AE-1, but most of the SLRs are capable of shooting in manual only and manual focus with the correct setting. At one time I had a Nikon FM that Steve mentioned and it is indeed fully manual. It takes one or two small battery cells for the light meter, but otherwise no batteries. The Pentax K1000 is similar. If you are bottom fishing there are a bunch of older cameras that might fit you bill.

I'm speaking from experience from a few years ago, but when you get into manual focus (not auto focus) and "prime" (not zoom) lenses there are some high quality lenses in the bottom fishing price range. If you go back a little further into SLR development you might get into screw mount lenses (as opposed to modern bayonet mounts) that are probably even cheaper. Then, there was the era where rangefinders with fixed lenses were common and lenses could not be interchanged. There's a little artistic niche I've been into where not only are you shooting totally manual, but is only one choice for the lens focal length. The further back you get, you get into cameras with fixed lenses and also fairly crude methods of focus and exposure. I have had used cameras from the 30's and 40's where you have to gestimate the distance to the subject or use a separate range finder, as well as handheld light meters. It all depends on how far back into analog days you want to go. ...and then there are pinhole cameras that don't even have a lens or shutter

[bae]

Leica.

[frugal-one]

It's been 37 years, I figure, since I took a Photogrpahy 101 class in college so I remember very little about it. What I do recall is that I liked working in black and white and I enjoyed the challenge of creating an interesting photo which illicited a response.

Yesterday, I was bumming around in a few antique stores and ran across a Canon AE1. I recalled that this was the camera that I used back in the day. I want a manual 35 mm camera. There are others of that vintage out there ....any suggestions?

Asked DH who is a camera expert. He said the AE1 is a good camera and also thought you might like the Pentax 1000. He stated they are both good and have many accessories and lenses. He said $80 was too much for the AE1 and to look on e-Bay to get a better price.

[pinkytoe]

DH mentioned Nikon F1,2 or 3. He said there is a camera forum called APUG.com that might be helpful.

[Williamsmith]

Asked DH who is a camera expert. He said the AE1 is a good camera and also thought you might like the Pentax 1000. He stated they are both good and have many accessories and lenses. He said $80 was too much for the AE1 and to look on e-Bay to get a better price.

Thank You.

[Williamsmith]

DH mentioned Nikon F1,2 or 3. He said there is a camera forum called APUG.com that might be helpful.

Thank You as well.

[Williamsmith]

Leica.

A great camera.....with an equally insurmountable price.

[bae]

A great camera.....with an equally insurmountable price.

Are the 35mm M-series ones expensive still? I have a whole system and spares, and I loved the simplicity and ease of use for the sort of casual photography I did, but I have to confess that once small digital cameras got "good enough", and once our on-island film processing place perished, I've used either my iPhone or a small Panasonic Lumix for everything.

I miss the super-nice lenses.

[ToomuchStuff]

Years ago, I had an Olympus OM1. I gave it to a friend of mine that was a newspaper man, when I upgraded to a Minolta (x370 if I remember correctly), because I could get a motor drive/power winder for it.
The Pentax K1000 was a/the school model, and while many would go for it or Minolta or Olympus, the Nikon and Cannon were the high end that pro's and those with serious interest used in 35mm.
When I bought my home, I used the money that I had saved up, to buy a Nikon F4S.
Since that time, and for as little as I do I also use a couple Panasonic Lumix's.
I wonder if your getting into the developing side of things, or do you have someplace local to do that.

[razz]

What about access to the film itself and the processing of the film?