Pentax 35mm

I'm taking a photography class and the class recommends a Pentax K1000 35mm SLR or equivalent. What are some equivalent models, particularly any that I could possibly get for less than $100 (a bit of a long shot it seems)? Also listed were Ricoh KR5-3 and Yashica FX3 Super 2000. Also, do anyone know of some places to buy quality used cameras for a good price?

Buy either a Nikon or Canon camera, such as a Nikon F-80 or N-80 (autofocus), Nikon FM-10 (manual focus), Canon EOS Elan 7N (autofocus), or one of the Canon Rebel cameras.

My reasons for suggesting Nikon or Canon is so that you can have the widest possibile selection of high quality lenses available to you. Once you have really gotten into photography, you will have a few lenses and then you can keep your top quality lenses and upgrade to a more expensive camera in the same line. Pentax is another fine camera with a huge line of lenses and I always owned Pentax film cameras, but I think you have even more to choose from in Nikon and Canon, so these are the brands I have recommended to my own children.

Get one "general purpose lens" of a wide-to-tele zoom of the same brand as your camera in the 35-70 or 35-105 range.

The Nikon FM10 35mm SLR Manual Focus Camera Kit with Nikon 35-70mm f3.5-4.8 AIS Lens is a good student kit which is available for about $250.

The Nikon F80 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Kit with Nikon 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6 G-AF Lens is an autofocus camera and lens which is available for about $370.

The Pentax K1000 is certainly a proven student camera that would serve you well, but you'll have to shop used, as it is not a current model. It has been replaced by the ZX-M, which looks like a good student camera. It is a manual focus only camera with four exposure modes: Program AE, Aperture priority, Shutter priority and full manual. The camera body sells for about $160. A Pentax lens worth owning is the Pentax Zoom Wide Angle SMCP-FA 28-105mm f/3.2-4.5 AL IF Autofocus Lens which sells for about $210. This makes the Pentax "kit" cost about $370. You might also consider a "normal" Pentax 50 mm f/1.4 lens instead of the zoom, but that costs slightly more money. Personally, I prefer the 50 mm lens for a student, but that's just my vintage taste.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

Canon EOS Elan 7N 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Kit with Canon 28-105mm f/4-5.6 EF Lens

Nikon N80 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body with Nikon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF Zoom Nikkor 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D IF Autofocus Lens

See kehkohjones's answer http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index; _ylt=AhTCVUQ3G2q8KUh2Ixuq6APsy6IX?qid=20 061126151644AA2H1VE

B&H Photo has a used camera section and they are available on-line. You can also do well at eBay if you read the seller's feedback score and remarks.

2007-02-10 11:45:04 by sprtgrl

PENTAX K-5 + PENTAX 35mm F2.8 Limited AF Speed Test

It's a Pentax ZX-M and the lens is a Tamron 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6. I don't know how to set the aperture. I'm trying to do shallow DOF and great DOF, but when I set the aperture and move the zoom, the aperture changes.
what else do you guys need to know?

If it is a newer Tamron lens designed for newer electronically controlled cameras, then you can't set it. More than likely, the Pentax camera will require an older lens with a manually adjustable aperture ring on the lens itself.

As the other answer said, you not giving any SPECIFICS on the lens and camera make it almost impossible to answer your question factually.

steve

EDIT: Ok, I see you have added more details, thank you for that. Your question then is actually how do you MAINTAIN the aperture you have set. The answer is you can't. Look at the specs on your lens. When an aperture is stated as 3.5 - 5.6, that means it is not a constant aperture lens. Those specs mean the minimum aperture will change to those values as you zoom the lens. At it's widest angle, the aperture can be set to 3.5, but if you zoom it out, it WILL by design change to 5.6. You can, however, set an aperture of any number higher than 5.6, and it will maintain it throughout the zoom range.

A zoom lens that does NOT change aperture is known as a CONSTANT APERTURE lens. It would state an aperture spec of for instance 2.8, and if you set it there, it will maintain it throughout the range. These lenses are MUCH larger, MUCH heavier, and MUCH more expensive.

There is nothing wrong with your camera, lens, or you, it is simply the normal design of the lens.

2009-12-31 18:41:45 by alicia b

Price: $699.95

Developed specifically for PENTAX digital SLRs
Quick-shift Focus System for instant switching from auto focus to manual focus
PENTAX SP coating protects the exposed lens elements

I have a 1985 P3 Pentax camera with detachable flash and additional lenses, including a zoom lens. I was interested in selling it but don't know how much to price it. I paid $147 for the whole set.

Film SLRs don't sell for very much these days. The body alone is probably worth $40 to 60; the flash is probably another $20.

Generally, a body, lens, and flash set is worth around $100. If you have additional lenses, you can add a little more value.

Check completed listings on eBay if you want to see what the P3 has recently sold for. Like most things, your camera is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

2009-03-23 08:08:14 by Rebekah B

Price: $189.99 $134.99

Please read each seller's comments as they might offer different accessories, lens, etc.
Pentax Asahi 35mm Film SLR Camera with standard lens
Will work without battery but for light metering use it requires one one A76 or S76 or LR44 or SR44

Is it supposed to show the correct aperture when you go to check the light meter?
I have a ZX-M model

Neither of the three cameras I have show me what the aperture is supposed to be, but it does show when the correct amount of light is entering the camera by the light meter. On my K1000, the needle will balance right in the middle in the viewfinder, indicating that there is enough light for the picture. It does not give me an exact value though. As you change the shutter speed, the aperture also changes. If you have the K1000, look for the position of the needle and that will tell you to open or close your aperture. For the other models, look in the manual to find out how the light meter works.

2009-12-31 18:08:08 by alicia b

I want to make big (16x20 or 30x40) prints

Currently I use 200 speed Fuji

I will break from the pack on this one. Properly done, a 10 to 12 megapixel camera is capable of making prints certainly at the 16 x 20 size and even 30" x 40". It's all about the software interpolation of the digital file. Thus, your answer has two parts: 1) the megapixels available and 2) the skill of the printer operator, and quality of his equipment/software.

Even 200 speed film has grain in it, which can detract form the overall image. By comparison, digital cameras when shoot at low to moderate ISOs do not exhibit this grain pattern, as long as the images are properly exposed. Digital cameras show image noise at high ISOs and typically if underexposed.

I was playing around this week with my scanner and my Fujifilm Provia slides, both in 35mm and 120 format. The 120 format is just remarkable when used with ISO 100 slide film, and when scanned I get the quivalent of about 25 megapixels. The thing is, at 100%, I can see that the image is soft and not as detailed compared to a digital SLR with a lower megapixel rating.

I suggest approaching the local facility where you will be making these prints to determine their quality and image requirements. They can probably tell you a minimum # of megagpixels you need to have in your SLR.

2007-09-15 12:28:36 by jimdotedu