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Amatuer Photographer Camera Suggestions?

Xander562

Xander562

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 2, 2006
1,625
0
Hey everyone,

My dad recently dusted off all of his old photography equipment and i really became interested in the old way of doing things, when you had to focus the lens yourself set the aperture etc. So i was playing around with it for a while and would really like to get into photography. The only problem is that it's Film, and i LIVE in the digital world. I've used many point and shoot cameras but i think i want something a little but more.. From what i understand i can still use my dad's old lenses so all i need to buy is a "body". Could anyone suggest a camera for me?
 
B

Bibulous

macrumors 6502a
Jan 19, 2005
716
0
What brand of equipment do you have?

Also many local shops can make very high res scans from film (8mp-12mp) for just a couple of bucks more. Place near me will develop, mount and scan a 36 exp roll for about $16. Good way to keep using old gear.
 
Xander562

Xander562

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 2, 2006
1,625
0
Bibulous said:
What brand of equipment do you have?

Also many local shops can make very high res scans from film (8mp-12mp) for just a couple of bucks more. Place near me will develop, mount and scan a 36 exp roll for about $16. Good way to keep using old gear.
Click to expand...
it's Canon.

Yes i've heard of this, but i'd really like to just buy a digital camera and be done with it. Not have to buy film, then either get it developed/scanned. I'd like to go digital basically for the same reasons everyone else has.
 
S

Silentwave

macrumors 68000
May 26, 2006
1,615
50
uh oh...this is manual focus and has aperture control on the lens?

If so and its a canon, give up. now.

canon abandoned their old lens mount when they went AF. You cant even get proper adapters for them that allow infinity focus- they just dropped it completely.
 
Xander562

Xander562

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 2, 2006
1,625
0
Silentwave said:
uh oh...this is manual focus and has aperture control on the lens?

If so and its a canon, give up. now.

canon abandoned their old lens mount when they went AF. You cant even get proper adapters for them that allow infinity focus- they just dropped it completely.
Click to expand...
Yes they have aperture and focus controll on the lenses. So it looks like i'd have to start from scratch then? :(
 
B

Bibulous

macrumors 6502a
Jan 19, 2005
716
0
Silentwave said:
If so and its a canon, give up. now.
Click to expand...

yep, best to ask Dad if you can sell it and put the money towards a DSLR.

There is no good/easy way to use old Canon FD/FL lenses with a digital body. There are third party adapters going for $40-$125, but they are very low quality and still require stop down metering to be used.

Do not buy this - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=89910&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation


Canon did make a high quality FD-EF adapter, it is rare and pricey $350, but was only intended to be used with high dollar telephoto lenses.
 
Xander562

Xander562

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 2, 2006
1,625
0
OK thanks guys, those were some pretty important pieces of information.
 
M

milozauckerman

macrumors 6502
Jun 25, 2005
477
0
The two intro dSLRs to look at are probably the Nikon D50 and the Canon Rebel (whatever its current name) - both retail in a kit (w/ consumer zoom lens) for about $600-700 these days.
 
C

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,584
1,699
Redondo Beach, California
Xander562 said:
Yes they have aperture and focus controll on the lenses. So it looks like i'd have to start from scratch then? :(
Click to expand...

Yes, Canon made MANY Canon owners very upset when they obsoleted their equipment. Only Nikon and Pentax allow you to use those old lenses with the new equipment.

Don't discount film. In terms of image quality it still wins. Digital has not caught up yet. Buying and processing film is a LOT cheaper then buying and extire new DSRL system. The new system will have a four digit price tag. Film bought in bulk cost about $3.00 per roll. A digital SRL system costs as much as 500 rolls of film - a ten year supply for most people.
 
sjl

sjl

macrumors 6502
Sep 15, 2004
441
0
Melbourne, Australia
ChrisA said:
Don't discount film. In terms of image quality it still wins. Digital has not caught up yet. Buying and processing film is a LOT cheaper then buying and extire new DSRL system. The new system will have a four digit price tag. Film bought in bulk cost about $3.00 per roll. A digital SRL system costs as much as 500 rolls of film - a ten year supply for most people.
Click to expand...
True enough, but don't discount the cost of processing. Then there's the play factor: a DSLR makes it easy to change the ISO on the fly, where a film camera needs you to change the film that's loaded; you have near-instant feedback of the shot; overall turnaround is a lot faster; you can see the exposure settings on a digital shot but not on a film shot; ...

A strict money and image quality comparison isn't the whole story. Not saying you're wrong, just that there are other reasons for going digital.
 
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