Best 35mm SLR?

[dee]

It will ever be a Minolta SRv or SR7v [ compact SRT with no meter or separate , now non working , built in meter ] for my many Rokkors .
I love the SRT , but like to set exposure with the Weston , and forget about chasing the needle which dee,stracts me LOL .
Don't know the eqivalent Canon .
It also supports the amazing 85 f1.7 MC Rokkor which I bought cheap and non working on a lovely black SRT .
The only lens I ever got fixed !

[normclarke]

Nikon F2 closely followed by the F and Canon F1, nothing else comes close in my estimation.

Best,

normclarke.

[TimeShot]

I have noticed some mention of the Pentax LX (only pro-camera Pentax made), should also consider the small frame pro-caliber Pentax MX. I’ve just finished cleaning a Pentax MG so that will be my ‘Best Cameras’ for a couple months or until I find another camera to play with.

[Soeren]

Originally Posted by al1966

Im looking at my OM1 now and pondering this; its small with a great viewfinder and mechanical shutter. It has mirror lock up and feels silky smooth in the downside it won't work with 1.55v batteries but I can use her with hearing aid batts and a ring of wire. Don't think I have used such a nice SLR....Turns head and looks at the OM2 well maybe the OM2 lose the mirror lock up but gain aperture priority and a properly useable manual. Hard call for me the OM2 slightly edges it, but in fairness to Keith Ill call it a heat

I've had both the OM1 and OM2n with 28mm, 50mm, 135mm and 300mm lenses. I sold it all when I bought my F90X in 1998 and never looked back.
Id say its strong point is the very compact size but on other aspects I find the FE and FM series better. They also have the possibility to use both classic and modern lenses as the Zeiss ZF, Nikor AFD etc. so though the OM series are great cameras I wont consider them the best.
Best regards

[Soeren]

As for best SLR? I have not experience with a lot but in AF my candidate would be the F100 and in mf I would say FM2n, maybe F3 could be close.
Best regards

[Bobbo]

Am I the only person who noticed the OP (MORE THAN A YEAR AGO) asked about cameras for their Canon lenses?

So:
Quit posting about Olympus cameras.
Quit posting about Nikon cameras.
Quit posting about Pentax cameras.
Quit posting about Minolta cameras.
Quit posting about Canon FD-mount cameras.
Quit posting about Contax cameras.

When you have an investment in expensive lenses, you don't go dumping all of your gear just to switch to something else. You WILL take a heavy loss and be left eating Ramen Noodles until you skimp by enough to pay your rent/mortgage two months late. Nobody needs to go broke for a hobby.

So, start posting about Canon EOS cameras.

The 1/3 series are the obvious choices, but the OP doesn't like heavy cameras. That leaves us with the Elan series, the EOS 5 and Rebels.

Assuming the OP owns any E-TTL flashes, that eliminates the EOS 5/A2, which can't use them.

As I've found using a 200mm/2.8 L on a Rebel looks rather silly, I'd go with the Canon Elan series (they have a better viewfinder, anyway).

The Elan II/IIe is older (1995 debut to 2000 or 2004), only has three AF points, generally only comes in silver (which is annoying), and has plus there were other upgrades to the 7/7e and 7n/7e. Go with one of the latter two.

Now, the Elan 7/7e and the 7n/7ne are what are left.

I personally like the finish of the 7n/7ne more than the 7/7e (which I've owned for quite some time... bought it in high school by working in the kitchen at a McDonald's for far too long), and the LCD illuminator alone is a major improvement between the two. The 7n/ne is also newer (2004 debut compared to 2000)

That leaves us with the Elan 7n/7ne.

Eye Control Focus never worked for me, well, ever. If you wear glasses, avoid it. If you don't, it's really just a big gimmick anyway (hence why NO Canon DSLR ever had it).

That leaves us with the Elan 7n.

There you go, Merry Christmas... don't say I didn't get you nothing .

[digitalintrigue]

The question the OP posted was:

"What is your ultimate SLR and why? What SLR might you want to buy?"

So it's not just Canon EOS the way I read it.

[redisburning]

Bobbo, I believe that you misread the original post.

[Coldkennels]

Originally Posted by TimeShot

I have noticed some mention of the Pentax LX (only pro-camera Pentax made), should also consider the small frame pro-caliber Pentax MX. I’ve just finished cleaning a Pentax MG so that will be my ‘Best Cameras’ for a couple months or until I find another camera to play with.

I'm personally amazed no one else has mentioned the MX previously. I just won one in a massive auction lot of cameras locally, and it's actually blown me away. I don't really like SLRs generally (in part due to the size and weight), but the MX is such a beautiful thing. So tiny it almost rivals a Barnack.

The one thing that bothers me is the LED metering readout; it can be a bit hard to make out in daylight. But other than that it's a great, solid and compact SLR, and it's certainly the only SLR I've ever seen or owned that I would genuinely consider as a take-everywhere camera.

Now if only I could get that lovely, compact SMC 40/2 to go with it...

[CorreCaminos]

F2 or R9, depending on mood.

[Ronny]

Yes, Pentax MX is also a really good choise.
MX+40mm+100mm=Very good equipment.

Originally Posted by Coldkennels

I'm personally amazed no one else has mentioned the MX previously. I just won one in a massive auction lot of cameras locally, and it's actually blown me away. I don't really like SLRs generally (in part due to the size and weight), but the MX is such a beautiful thing. So tiny it almost rivals a Barnack.

The one thing that bothers me is the LED metering readout; it can be a bit hard to make out in daylight. But other than that it's a great, solid and compact SLR, and it's certainly the only SLR I've ever seen or owned that I would genuinely consider as a take-everywhere camera.

Now if only I could get that lovely, compact SMC 40/2 to go with it...

[1750Shooter]

When I need a battleship - Nikon F4S. The rest of the time - Leica R3 with 35mm f2.8 Elmirat. That's my take-everywhere/do-everything camera - it's always with me.

[PMCC]

The later optical version of the 35/2.8 Elmarit-R is a great little lens. My battleship of choice for it is the SL2. Almost makes me miss SLRs.

[Keith]

Having used my F6 a little now it's hard to imagine a better SLR ... not that I like it more than my OM-1 because I don't by a long shot!

I'm just in awe of how capable it is. Metering, AF performance, great viewfinder, it actually feels great in the hands for a big beastie due to wonderful ergonomics ... this camera really has it all!

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Originally Posted by redisburning

Bobbo, I believe that you misread the original post.

I believe you're right.
Regards,
Brett

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

On that note, I'm very fond of all my Contaflice, and they seem to get the nod more than any of my other SLRs. The interchangeable film magazines have worked flawlessly for me so I can wander off with one body and three mags and shoot neg, tranny or B&W at will without dropping a frame. The full flash sync is nice. Compur shutters are my favourites, so that's good. After a clean they work like new. The finish and build are wonderful, too, and the Pro Tessars are better than you'd expect. Maybe they are my best 35mm SLR, but few others would concur--that's fine.
Regards,
Brett

[David R Munson]

So many nice film bodies out there, but I'd like to take the opportunity to put in a vote for the Canon EOS 3. If the eye-controlled focus works for you, it's the best thing ever put on an AF camera. For something lighter/smaller/quieter that retains the ECF, there's also the Elan 7e, A2e, and maybe another I can't remember. Overall, the EOS 3 is about as close to perfect a camera as ever I have used. If they were to make a digital version of it I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[Dirk]

I like small, quiet SLRs with great viewfinders. May not be "best" in all respects, but Nikon N80 gives me the best results, and has great handling. For manual focus, Pentax ME Super and MX, plus Contax RX do it for me.

[steveyork]

So many good ones. And they all take great pictures. I prefer the Leicaflex over the manual Nikons and Minoltas I've used. I haven't used an Olympus or Canon yet.

[Steve M.]

My ultimate SLR would have the small size, light weight, and quiet shutter of a Nikon N80, the viewfinder of a Leicaflex SL, the metering of a Nikon N8008s (spot, center, and matrix), use AA batteries, and take Leica R, Nikon, and Canon glass.

It's sort of like looking for Unicorns.

[Lauffray]

The best one I've used was the F100, but I would really want to try an F6 or an R9

[Vics]

I use SLRs for long lenses and for macro and for precise framing. Nikon F fills the bill for me.

[Greyscale]

Call me crazy, but this is the camera that I keep coming back to:


Chrome Yashica TL Electro X ITS by Greyscale3, on Flickr
(this one is a hybrid, the ITS version didn't come in chrome)

Yashica TL Electro X ITS with Yashinon DX 50mm/1.7 lens by Greyscale3, on Flickr

Fully manual, with a stepless electronically controlled shutter, wonderful, accurate metering if you get a good one, mirror lock-up, metal Copal square shutter, big and heavy and solid. Perhaps Yashica's only real "professional" body. I love the Nikon FM2N, and I have a Nikomat FTN that is growing on me. The Nikomat makes a better weapon, and has a better viewfinder, but nothing fits my hands better than this old Yashica.

[Teuthida]

Nikon f5. The last, and best, pro film camera made by Nikon. 150k rated titanium shutter. Built like a brick sh#thouse.

The F6 is a fondler's camera in comparison.

[kshapero]

Each seems that each major brand has its favorites, but as a Nikon bigot, my love are just about any Nikon manual focus camera.