Thomas78
Well-known
Hello,
even though I am a RF guy, in some cases a SLR would come in handy, e.g. working with telephoto lenses or close distance.
It has to have:
- using 35 mm film
- lever wind
- M42 flange, focusing at open aperture
- pentaprism
- good build quality
- (obvious) focal plane shutter, 1 - 1/1000 s, min sync speed 1/50 s
- (working) TTL metering would be nice, but is optional
- I would like to pay up to 200 - 300 €
Best Regards,
Thomas
Am I right that I can get non retrofucus normal lenses with 58 mm (or even 55 mm) and that I can use M39 RF lenses with an adaptor
even though I am a RF guy, in some cases a SLR would come in handy, e.g. working with telephoto lenses or close distance.
It has to have:
- using 35 mm film
- lever wind
- M42 flange, focusing at open aperture
- pentaprism
- good build quality
- (obvious) focal plane shutter, 1 - 1/1000 s, min sync speed 1/50 s
- (working) TTL metering would be nice, but is optional
- I would like to pay up to 200 - 300 €
Best Regards,
Thomas
Am I right that I can get non retrofucus normal lenses with 58 mm (or even 55 mm) and that I can use M39 RF lenses with an adaptor
kmallick
Well-known
My votes for Voigtlander Bessaflex or Pentax Spotmatic F. I have a stash of M42 glasses as well which don't get used much often these days. But I do enjoy when I get to play with them.
I have considered going digital with M42 glasses on a Canon 5D Mark II with an adapter, but I think thats going backwards.
I have considered going digital with M42 glasses on a Canon 5D Mark II with an adapter, but I think thats going backwards.
DanOnRoute66
I now live in Des Moines
The Voigtlander Bessaflex has a great viewfinder, but they're rare and expensive these days. My second choice, likewise, would be a Pentax Spotmatic F. There are plenty of them around, so get a clean one in good operating condition.
thegman
Mentor
I had a Bessaflex, they are cool looking and work quite nicely, although a little pricey for what they are. They are unusual and I found it tricky to lay my hands on one.
kmallick
Well-known
Agreed. I considered myself lucky to find one on eBay.
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
The original poster said "trigger wind" was a necessity. Assuming that means "lever wind" (i.e. not knob wind), then I agree, the Spotmatic F is a good choice. I am also a fan of the ES and ES II, which some people have said are less reilable, but mine have been great.
Thanimal
Established
+1 for the Spotmatic. My grandfather gave me his recently, and I have been enjoying using it quite a bit. It also looks like they're pretty inexpensive on FleaBay.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Chinon Memotron CE II.
For a while I was considering selling mine. I must have been mad...
Usually can be had for under EUR 100. Heavy brass with black paint, the only SLR that has true Leica-like paint and a brass body underneath.
- Stepless aperture priority shutter, max 1/2000th, electronic.
- TTL metering.
- Takes ALL M42 lenses, including those Fujinons with the Fujica-specific aperture coupling and the Mamiya lenses. Provides wide open focusing with all automatic and automatically stops down when taking the shot.
- Double exposure capable (yessir, that's right).
- Fully manual but still a working meter.
- Exposure compensation.
- Viewfinder blind for self timer shots with automated exposure.
For a while I was considering selling mine. I must have been mad...
Usually can be had for under EUR 100. Heavy brass with black paint, the only SLR that has true Leica-like paint and a brass body underneath.
JayM
Well-known
Spotmatic seems good. Someone gave me a Honeywell H2 which is really slick mechanically compared to something like a K1000. Not sure how it compares to a spotmatic.
Hmm, considering how rarely I used a 50mm maybe I should just use the H2 with the Takumar rather than M glass....
Hmm, considering how rarely I used a 50mm maybe I should just use the H2 with the Takumar rather than M glass....
ruby.monkey
Mentor
Yes.
Only for close-up work.
The Pentax SV has a certain Victorian charm; the Spotmatic F is a great choice; and the SL is very nice if you decide that in-body metering is just too infra dig. The Fujica ST705 is an excellent camera with a top shutter speed of 1/1600s and TTL metering.
NeeZee
Well-known
Hi Thomas, since you are in Germany you can get various Revueflex, Porst Reflex or Praktica M42 bodies very, very cheap (10-20€ INCLUDING 1 or 2 lenses) on either ebay or flea markets. Later models of both brands have all the features you desire. It's not even a risk to buy 2 or 3 and keep the one you like the most (or the one that works best). Even the Pentax Spotmatics go for only about 30-40€ including 2 lenses on German ebay. So I doubt you have to pay 200-300€...
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
Spotmatic comes to mind first then the Bessaflex but those are expensive and somewhat rare...
I hear/read that the Konicas had great viewfinders...bright...pretty sure it was them...
Cosina made many different bodies in the M42 mount...The Vivitar 200/220 & 400/440 series all have what you're looking for...
It was the Fujica not Konica...
I hear/read that the Konicas had great viewfinders...bright...pretty sure it was them...
Cosina made many different bodies in the M42 mount...The Vivitar 200/220 & 400/440 series all have what you're looking for...
It was the Fujica not Konica...
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NeeZee
Well-known
As far as adapting M39 lenses is concerned. There are adapters but as far as I know you won't be able to focus to infinity.
Joosep
Well-known
M42 is my land.
Bessaflex is the best. The best viewfinder on a 35mm slr Ive ever used. Feels sturdy but not heavy, very well balanced with fast lenses.
Spotmatic is close tho, I loved the first Spotmatic more than the rest of them, personal preference I guess.
Voigltänder VSL1 is a pretty cool cat too, the diagonal split screen is the best Ive used in M42 cameras. Feels like a real brick, the outer light meter reading is a awesome feature.
If you want the cheapest, then I would recommend the Petri MF-2. Its cheap (got mine for about 10€), its plasticky, but... the viewfinder is great, I mean really awesome, and that really makes you want to shoot more.
Also check the Fujicas, they are nice too, I like the circular styled viewfinder hole more than a rectangular one, personal preference I guess.
The money ? I would buy lenses, lenses, lenses and.. lenses. There are some great, whacky, lemons and so on lenses for M42, huge world, very easy to get hooked.
Ive owned and still own a myriad of M42 cameras and lenses. The cameras above are my favourites of the bunch (if we are talking shooting experience).
Bessaflex is the best. The best viewfinder on a 35mm slr Ive ever used. Feels sturdy but not heavy, very well balanced with fast lenses.
Spotmatic is close tho, I loved the first Spotmatic more than the rest of them, personal preference I guess.
Voigltänder VSL1 is a pretty cool cat too, the diagonal split screen is the best Ive used in M42 cameras. Feels like a real brick, the outer light meter reading is a awesome feature.
If you want the cheapest, then I would recommend the Petri MF-2. Its cheap (got mine for about 10€), its plasticky, but... the viewfinder is great, I mean really awesome, and that really makes you want to shoot more.
Also check the Fujicas, they are nice too, I like the circular styled viewfinder hole more than a rectangular one, personal preference I guess.
The money ? I would buy lenses, lenses, lenses and.. lenses. There are some great, whacky, lemons and so on lenses for M42, huge world, very easy to get hooked.
Ive owned and still own a myriad of M42 cameras and lenses. The cameras above are my favourites of the bunch (if we are talking shooting experience).
kutitta
Well-known
I second Pentax Spotmatic F!
Dwig
Well-known
Casting another vote for a Spotmatic. My preference would be the Spotmatic F. In the long years (~'74-'95) that I ran camera stores, old Pentaxes were one of the least seen broken. They just don't seem to die very often.
The one chronic issue was the battery (RM-400) and its close fitting compartment. It didn't take much leakage to make getting the cover off nearly impossible. Removing the baseplate didn't give access as it was a sealed compartment that was part of the baseplate. I would usually remove the baseplate and soak it well in vinegar or strong stop bath for 30 minutes or so and then use a special took I had made to fit the slot better than any of the US coins.
The Spotmatics had a new and significantly improved body desing compared to the earlier models. The earlier Pentaxes, H-series in the US when sold by Honeywell and S-series elsewhere, had the lens mount attached to a brass stamping rather than the more solid casting used in the Spotmatics.
There was one meterless "Spotmatic". It was rather shot lived and hence rare. It was the last of the S-1/H-1 series. I forget the exact designation but I think it was S-1s/H-1s. It ran as the last gasp of the meterless SLR market. It was replaced in the line with a striped down Spotmatic, the SP-500.
The one chronic issue was the battery (RM-400) and its close fitting compartment. It didn't take much leakage to make getting the cover off nearly impossible. Removing the baseplate didn't give access as it was a sealed compartment that was part of the baseplate. I would usually remove the baseplate and soak it well in vinegar or strong stop bath for 30 minutes or so and then use a special took I had made to fit the slot better than any of the US coins.
The Spotmatics had a new and significantly improved body desing compared to the earlier models. The earlier Pentaxes, H-series in the US when sold by Honeywell and S-series elsewhere, had the lens mount attached to a brass stamping rather than the more solid casting used in the Spotmatics.
There was one meterless "Spotmatic". It was rather shot lived and hence rare. It was the last of the S-1/H-1 series. I forget the exact designation but I think it was S-1s/H-1s. It ran as the last gasp of the meterless SLR market. It was replaced in the line with a striped down Spotmatic, the SP-500.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
The SP-500 in fact isn't stripped-down at all, it simply has a top plate engraved SP-500 and a shutter speed dial with 1/500th tops. BUT, it has a setting beyond 1//500th that actually is 1/1000th!
Pentax considered it less costly to simply change the top plate and shutter speed dial and sell the SP-1000 as an SP-500 than to adapt the production line to build a REAL 1/500th tops camera...
A fellow forum member told me this and only yesterday I picked an SP-500 up real cheap and indeed, 't is true...
But I still say you should get a Chinon Memotron CE II, Thomas
Pentax considered it less costly to simply change the top plate and shutter speed dial and sell the SP-1000 as an SP-500 than to adapt the production line to build a REAL 1/500th tops camera...
A fellow forum member told me this and only yesterday I picked an SP-500 up real cheap and indeed, 't is true...
But I still say you should get a Chinon Memotron CE II, Thomas
Vics
Mentor
Me too on the Spotmatic F. They are really common, the ergonomics are great!
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
The H2 doesn't have a meter, while the Spotmatics have a built in TTL meter. I have an old H2, which I love, but the shutter doesn't work right and the repairman told me it had a lot of internal wear and was not economically fixable
I have a spotmatic I bought for $25 on Ebay and it works great. The H2 is a little smaller and lighter.
Dwig
Well-known
I think is qualifies as "stripped down", though not by much. It's not cheapened in any way but there are two removed features; the 1/1000th is unmarked and uncalibrated and the selftimer is omitted.
While I feel the Spotmatic F is the best of the series, there is also the SPII which is probably second for many users. Like the F, the II has a hot shoe. The other Spotmatics have no accessory shoe at all though they accept a removable shoe that slips into slots on the eyepiece.