Advice sort re 35 mm camera

[Angry Puppy]

OM10 not recommended as a school camera unless it has a manual adaptor fitted to give full manual control. While you can achieve exactly the same results without it, its a bit harder to teach with. OM1, OM2 OM4 all good.

I thought the OM10 was the fully manual one! I stand corrected!

[pete376403]

[QUOTE=Big Dog]
Avoid curtain shutters as these rip easily or develop kinks that scratch the film.QUOTE]
You'd suggest leaf shutters? Such as Hasselblad, Mamiya, etc use in the medium format cameras? Would have thought that a bit out of school budget.

[Big Dog]

[QUOTE=pete376403]

Avoid curtain shutters as these rip easily or develop kinks that scratch the film.QUOTE]
You'd suggest leaf shutters? Such as Hasselblad, Mamiya, etc use in the medium format cameras? Would have thought that a bit out of school budget.

I was referring to fabric shutters used widely in 80's slrs. My 1986 Ricoh had a leaf shutter.
Difference being in a 35mm the leafs are horizontal not diagonal. Unless a lot has changed in the last few years the hasselblads etc use a dual leaf, one set from the top one set from the bottom to give a more even exposure.

Brand new prices were lower, but there should only be a $50 difference second hand. There is good reason no reputable manufacturer makes them any more. They are unreliable and not very hardy.

[Big Dog]

A freind got a seagull recently with leaf shutter for $350 (including some extras.)

[Firefight]

Thanks to everyone for your helpful advice, have now got the camera.

F/F

[pete376403]

Curtain / leaf shutters. Maybe things have changed but when I was interested in photog (Miranda F, Miranda AutoSensorex EE and Canon FtB), 35 mm cameras had rubberised fabric curtain shutters going from side to side EXCEPT the Nikons whose curtains went top to bottom. This is why Nikons had a flash sync shutter speed of 1/125 when all other 35mms were 1/60 (Sync speed was the highest speed possible when the leadig curtain was fully open before the trailing curtain had started to close)
OTOH large format camers, Hasselblad, Mamiya, Rollie,etc had leaf shutters which were in the lens itself, had multiple leaves overlapping just like the apeture iris. These could flash sync at any speed. Thats how I remember it, anyway.

[riffer]

Damn. I just sold a couple of cameras on trademe last week too.

For a photography class the most important things for a learner to be able to do is adjust shutter speed and aperture independently of each other.

What you are looking at is essentially a 35 mm SLR (single-lens reflex) camera.

What makes these different from most others is that you can see through the lens as you set up the shot, allowing you to see which bits are in focus.

The ability to change shutter speed and aperture allows the pupil to learn how you can use shutter speed to capture movement at different speeds, to creatively control blur/movement etc. Aperture controls how much of the photograph is in focus at any one point. You learn how to use this to great creative effect, particularly in portaiture (ie to 'knock' the background out of focus).

My advice for a learner starting out in photography. Buy a totally MANUAL camera. Some good deals can be found on trademe at times, particularly with the Olympus OM-10 cameras. Be careful when you buy one of these. They have an optional manual adapter, without which the camera is aperture-preferred automatic only, and basically useless for a photography class.

Personally my personal preference for what you want would be an Olympus OM-2N, with a Zuiko 50mm lens, a 28mm lens, and a 90mm lens. Of course I'm biased, since this is my favourite setup, although I have many other cameras. You could pick up an excellent setup for around $600. You could also grab some zoom lenses, but to be honest, for learning good skills zooms just don't cut it. You need to learn to work with the focal range you have before you go to zooms. Kind of like learning the basics first.

[jimbo600]

Okay this is me , I know nothing about cameras and shit like that, Mrs F/F has told me I have to take high school daughter into town and buy her a 35 mm camera for high school photograpy class, any advice on where to go, what to look for, budget is up to 1K. :confused2

Firefight

OK here's my 2cents and I'm a photographer so I know what I'm talking about. First off buy either Nikon or Canon. Nikon would be my choice however as they do plenty of entry level stuff and the after sales is awesome. Plus there is an abundant supply of secondhand nikon lenses and accessories available. Go for a FM2 or FE. Good sturdy stuff that is student proof. They are also mainly manual which is a must for photography training and they also have an auto function. A great place for new or second hand gear is progear in Auckland. www.progear.co.nz their second hand stuff comes with a guarantee. Also I can recommend joining the RNZAF for a career as they employ photographers and provide training. You will also need a wide angle lens (about 28mm) a standard lens 50mm, and a small telephoto for portraits etc (about 135mm). If budget allows get a flash and maybe a 70-200mm zoom. I use Canon for my digital work and a Nikon FA for my film stuff. Any probs give me an PM. Hope this helps.

[Drew]

What a nice cunt! You really are a great bloke, Jimbo.

Gonna get your arse kicked on Monday?

[Firefight]

Hey Jimbo750 & Celtic06, thanks heaps for your replies, I have now got my daughter the camera, but will most likely call you if I need more info, thanks
guys.

F/F

[jimbo600]

What a nice cunt! You really are a great bloke, Jimbo.

Gonna get your arse kicked on Monday?

Better a nice cunt than a reamed hoop like you boyo.

And yep, I'm gonna kick your sorry arse on Monday. I take it you have got the fizzer back on the road.

Going to show us some more stunts on Monday?