So, I'm Looking For a Film Camera

So, it's been a while since I've had a decent camera, and I wanna get back into photography. I had a really good eye for it as a kid, but most of my camera's were stolen some years back while I was still in high school.
So, pity party aside, I used to have an old point and shoot film camera (can't remember the model) and I always found to be much more satisfying than digital. The USSR one that @Logan bought sounds like a good start, but for the life of me I can't remember in which video he talks about it.

TL;DR What film cameras and lenses would you recommend for a novice just getting back to into photography? Not looking for really expensive stuff. Maybe under $250?

If you want old USSR tech, go with Zenith E series. Their selenium light meters are, for most part, still good, they are built like tanks and they have M42 mount which has some truly great but not dirt cheap lenses (well not anymore. (Jupiter 9, Tair 11a (smaller Serial No is better as those are military recoinesence lenses before they hit the public market etc)

Otherwise to with last Minolta AF cameras since they are really good and lenses still work with SONY alpha series DSLRs

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something like this?

Something like that, but first go around the net and check lenses reviews. They all have some quirks like star shaped bokeh, sharpness dropoff, radiactive colors (i'm not kidding, there was a time when they used very slightly radioactive coating on lenses, harmless and colors are awesome but still not modern ones) etc.

Still great lenses and I love using them but some are quirky. Still to this day Jupiter 9 gives most flattering portraits there ever was :)

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Great to know! I don't mind quirky. I'll keep my eye out for some decent lenses as well

But beware, even tho many still have their selenium light meters good, many are depleted and will throw your photos off. Be sure to either get good one of go for full manual ones. You will set up most thing manually anyway.

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I own a Canon A-1 which is pretty iconic, and therefore pretty expensive since people saw that they were hipster magnets. But still, you'll most likely find one pretty cheap if you dig enough. This model uses the old FD lenses, pros are that they are pretty cheap, and there are a lot of non-canon brands that will fit, cons; they're bulky and heavy, and you won't always find them in very good shape, although most of the time they work fine since it's all mechanical. I also have a Canon EOS 1v which is the very last film camera made by Canon. The great thing is that it is still very very capable (EOS 1 being the professional range from Canon) and you can fit the EF lenses, which grants you a lot of choice, this is the one I shoot the more often with, very rugged, it'll last you a lifetime.

Finally, I have a Mamyia RB67, which is going to set you back a bit more, but you might find one very cheap, since Mamyia isn't as hype as Canon or Hasselblad, so people tend to sell them at a reasonable price. Lenses are a bit more difficult to get your hands on, but usually they're somewhat cheap.

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In my opinion if you're going to shoot film, shoot Medium Format. You talk about Film being more satisfying than Digital. You will get the same thing with Medium Format vs 35mm.

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Thanks for the suggestions guys @na_antho @p3t3or @carnex
I've definitely got some research to do when it comes to this stuff. I'm thinking I'll go ultra cheap this time around, and if I really like it, I'll go for some better equipment.

I'd go with a Pentax MX, personally. They're about $80-$120. They're built like tanks, all mechanical, and the lenses for them are ridiculously easy to find. They use K mount, so you can also use the old lenses with Pentax's new DSLR's (if you decide to go with a DSLR eventually). Some of the new K lenses are not compatible, but as far as I'm aware all of the old ones are. Most of my lenses for my Pentax K-S2 are the old Pentax M lenses. Still completely usable today, and only 1/10 of the price of a new lens. Granted, you won't have auto-focus, but meh.

You can find lenses all over ebay and etsy. I got a 50mm f1.4 for like $65, a 35mm f2 for about $80, a 100mm f4 macro for $110, and a 30-70mm f2.8-3.5 for $130.

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Anyone here ever buy refurbished stuff? For example, I found this


Worth it?

no clue on that one but as I own 3 canon FD cameras 2 A1 and 1 AE1 I can say they last for forever and can take a beating.

another quick question... Anyone know if the Helios 44m lenses fit on the Canon A-1?

Did some quick research for you

http://top35mm.com/Helios-44-2-2-58mm-Russian-lens-for-Canon-FD

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EDIT: The chap above was faster!

Buying a refurbished one might be a good idea, unlike a refurbished recent camera, they don't have a bunch of electronic, so you have less chances of failure. But be weary, these cameras are really a marvel of engineering, and Canon used very rugged gears/moving parts, so it depends who refurbished it. If it's a passionate photographer chances are that the internals will be just as good as in a new one, otherwise, like I said these cameras gained a lot in popularity so cheap repairs/replacement are common!

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Much appreciated guys @na_antho @Thanatopsis
I think I'm gonna go with the refurbished Canon A-1 that I linked earlier. I'm glad it fits the lens that I wanted from the Zenit E camera that I was looking at. The swirly bokeh effect of the Helios 44-2 looks awesome for nature shots.

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Pick up a Portra 160 from Kodak while you're at it, absolutely perfect for landscapes.
Have fun!

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I might try to pick up a Pentax MX, wondering if you had any shots from it that you could share on here?

None that I've taken with an MX, unfortunately.