Recommendations for cheap SLR + 35mm lens

[nsurit]

OM 1 or 1n can have a CLA and conversion to use currently available batteries for about $110. See Zuiko.com. I have about 17 or 18 that I use in a basic photographyu class. They are wonderful for learning the basics. Bill Barber

[BradS]

I'll buck the trend and STRONGLY recommend AGAINST buying 35mm gear, especially bodies, from KEH. Their rating system is based entirely upon cosmetics and they do not do even the most basic mechanical checks. I have had it with their policy of endless exchanges...letting me, their customer, do the work they should be doing to test the cameras they sell. I've had nothing but bad luck buying 35mm gear from them.

I'd wait for an APUG member to list a good used Nikon body at a reasonable price. There are some here who perpetually list stuff at outrageous prices and there are others who always seem to list things at very fair prices and with very honest descriptions...

[BobbyR]

Originally Posted by briandaly

Good idea. Any recommendations?

This site http://www.mflenses.com/ has user using lens you normally don't read about often and it seems the 35mm f2.4 Flektogon is quite highly rated.
Prakticas were fairly decent cameras especially the later ones.

[waynecrider]

I'll put in my rec for a Canon FTB or FTbn. Mirror lockup, great lenses, reviewed as able to survive the Sahara or the Arctic. Really reasonable price wise.

[r-brian]

There's a Nikon FM with a 50mm f2 Nikkor listed on the classifieds. I'd jump on that deal with both feet if I didn't already have a FM and a F3. Go for it and don't look back.

And I have no connection what so ever with the seller.

[mwdake]

How about the Canon A series such as A1 or AE1 etc.
I think the FD lenses will not work on the new digital stuff so the lenses are very inexpensive.

[Nicholas Lindan]

Originally Posted by briandaly

I'm looking for a cheap small manual focus SLR

For drop-dead cheap you may want to look at Ricoh. I am not a Ricoh user, my only knowledge is noticing the prices on ebay are in the $5 to $30 range.The new ones are K-mount. The old SM models are probably best avoided.

There are web sites and APUG members who can help with the ins and outs of the various models. Threads on Ricoh cameras are just about always favorable.

[keithwms]

SLR schmessLR Get an original olympus XA. There are a number of other manual rangefinders that would make you very happy at ~35mm.

Really, there are many very affordable and excellent little fixed lens cameras. SLRs too.

[rwyoung]

Somebody mentioned that the Pentax ME and ME Super had electronic shutters. That is true BUT they will still fire at the flash sync speed (1/60 or 1/125 vicinity) if the battery is dead. Been a while since I looked at my old ME but I think you also have to switch the mode to manual or some such. Bought it on a lark for about $30. Turns out it was retired out of a high school yearbook group or some such thing. Pretty beat up and a healthy dent on top that screwed up the exposure counter.

And I went to check on the model number of the Ricoh I keep as a backup (bangaround) body for my Pentax lenses. It is the KR-5 Super. Mechanical shutter 1/1000 down to 1/8 and then B (sometimes a problem that the greater than 1/8 speeds aren't present) and match needle metering like the K-1000. No DOF preview but does have self timer. Hotshoe flash but no PC terminal. Somewhere I have the little widget that you can slip into the hotshoe to get a PC terminal for off camera flash. I think I paid about $20 for this camera and it was in near new condition when I got it. I've since beat it up pretty bad hiking (banging it on stuff) along with a spare f2 50mm lens and and #8 filter. The f2 50mm is less expensive of the Pentax 50mm lenses and other than being a bit slow is a fine lens.

So there you go, get yourself a used Ricoh or even a new one (or Chinon, or whatever the heck the name they put on them now). Used Ricoh KR5 or KR10 should run you less than $50. Spend the rest on the f1.4 50mm lens or maybe a nice Vivitar Series 1 35-80 zoom and a brick of Tri-X or HP5+

[Jedidiah Smith]

For light, cheap and compact, don't throw out the Minolta X-700 or X-570(X-500 in some markets).
For possible the best feeling manual focus camera, consider a Minolta XD-11(XD or XD-7 in some markets). It's older and heavier, but what a lovely shutter and feel to the body. The MD lenses are wonderful and CHEAP these days!
The only reason I don't use a pair of XD-11 cameras any more is because I use the Minolta Maxxum 9...and well, it's a Maxxum 9. Hard to beat.

Jed