My wife is looking for a good/decent camera that she can actually put film into and not a memory card. The main feature is that she wanted to be able to zoom. Can someone recommend something? I have no camera clue LOL Thanks Chas
Her cheapest option in a 35mm film camera is going to be a Nikon with a 35-70mm zoom lens - not very powerful at all as zooms go. For that you will spend $529 at one of the big photo online stores. Lots of new cameras are able to accept lenses from older lines - just be careful to check that metering and auto focus will work. Above that Nikon you will pay $1000-$6000 just for the BODY of a great 35mm rangefinder camera and you will pay small fortunes for lenses. Other than that every camera store in the country is loaded with old film SLR cameras from Nikon, Canon, Minolta, et al or KEH online have tons of the stuff. Be aware that although film is making a small comeback there are not as many choices as there used to be and processing, of course, is no longer as easy to find as it was.
Ebay is littered with quality used cameras at bargain basement prices. the bigger problem will be finding the right film, locally. Canon and Nikon both have lots of excellent used stuff out there. Why the fixation on film? Does she like to develop it herself? Does she like the relative warmth of film vs. digital? Nikon N65 SLR Film Camera Tamron Aspherical 28- 200mm 1: 3.8- 5.6 Eitar 72 Hood | eBay Perfect example. D
B&H Photo in New York also has a lot of quality used equipment, with the advantage of buying from a very reputable, large dealer. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/35mm-Cameras/ci/3017/N/3607616145 Did business with them for years. Tough businessmen, but incredibly scrupulous and honest in all of their dealings with me. D
Thanks Dave yes enjoys the warmth and old school process. Ill check out the link you sent me. Been checking out the bay also. I remember I had a Leica years ago....good camera.
Really excellent camera with outstanding lens quality. Leica was, for the longest time, the gold standard for 35MM especially so in rangefinders. Hasselblad for large format, Leica for rangefinder 35MM and Nikon for SLR 35MM would be, in my opinion, the best of the bunch. I would note that Mamiya for large format, and Canon for SLR would not be shabby choices either, and there are several others than do a laudable job as well. D
