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Best M42 SLR Body under 100€ or cheaper recommendation
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:46 pm    Post subject: Best M42 SLR Body under 100€ or cheaper recommendation Reply with quote

Hey guys,

I need some experts on this. I want to get serious with film photography and use it to capture memories.
I already have glass for m42 mout and do not plan to move away from it. But I need a body to use them on Smile

The SLR should have:

Good build quality while being relatively compact since the best camera is the one that you bother to take with you Razz So good portability is key
Good metering & viewfinder
nice workflow / layout (subjective, I know)
reliable shutter mechanics
Available batteries

and other important things I forgot to mention ...
Hit me up with recommendations, it shouldn't cost more than 80€.

Thanks for your help.
Best regards,

Jan


PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Too old cameras, you should insted choose a body with a mount that can use m42 lenses with an adapter without loosing infinity: so, excluding nikon and olympus, you may acquire a system that be more modern and with entire set of original and third party optics to pick up if convenient as well.

This way you would increase your possibility.

Recently I got locally a pentax P30 with a 50mm f2 and a 24mm vivitar for euro 20 plus postal expenses ...


A good adapter (ask if you choose pentax, cheap chinese ones do not keep infinity, adapers for pentax, and contax, must sink within the female mount) will not cost much.

Older m42 camera never have motor drives and they are usually bulky and heavy (even if much more beautiful but that is good only from a collector pov).


I usually have contax yashica (expensive but not much) with some M42 plus originall zeiss contax and tamron lenses, or also canon ae1 with motor (bulky, got it literally for ten euros but that's a local pickup s well from estate sales).


In the contax family, best is 167 if you still mind price, if not RTS. yashica fx3 for very low price (30 euros locally here) but dark viewfinder. Ae1's finder is pretty good, also P30's one.

I would first choose a camera minding viewfinder brightness (and lack of clutter or semaphore style leds), in order to help concentration and composition. Then a silent and firm, not shaking shutter.

Just got a mamyia zm for not much (but lacking battery holder, shhh...) with a nice 50 1.7.

All these system are good and compatible with M42.

Older M42 cameras are very beautiful but heavy, as I said, ground glass is not too bright and exposure system are backward, so you sometimes have to check your dials and then shot etc.

More modern exposure algorithms are also more precise and you can choose either manual or program for speed etc.

I would say that eighties cameras are a good balance between old school robustness and manuality and the nineties too automatized ones (avoid DX coded cameras for example, manual ISO settings are a must).


Last edited by bghomofaber on Fri Feb 03, 2017 9:33 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My recommendation would be a Fujica ST801. It should meet your criteria and what is very important: It uses a 6V battery which is easily available and has one of the brightest viewfinders. However, there is no real "pocketable" SLR for M42 lenses available.
Description can be seen here: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Fujica_ST801


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alright, thank you for your time and advice so far.
I would still like to receive some more suggestions. So I can look and like best.
Best regards


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Being a Minolta guy I would recommend an XD7/XD11 and an M42 adapter. I use it and it's very nice, though I haven't used many M42 lenses on it to be honest as I have plenty of native ones. The the combination works very well. Smile


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I recommend Minolta too, either a X-500 or Dynax 505si Super with M42 adapter. The latter can be found regularly on eBay in as new condition for approx £30 UK.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For more modern cameras a choice would be cameras than can take the M42 adapters:-
My choice would be the cheap Canon T70..ugly but one of my favourites for M42 and Canon lenses and the body can be bought for as little as £10... even Ken Rockwell likes it Smile too ugly? then I quite like the Minolta XD-11, Konica FS-1 (beware, buy from a trusted buyer as electronics are hit and miss), and Contax 139.
Worth considering is the very heavy Chinon CE memotron with only M42 mount probably as advanced as you can get for M42 as top speed is 1/2000 and you can select auto.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fujica AZ-1 would be the latest M42 Fujica which offers in comparison to the ST801 also aperture priority automatic mode. However, the fastest time is only 1/1000 compared to 1/2000 of the ST801.

Bear in mind that if you use adapted lenses or non genuine ones on any camera you can only use stop down metering like on modern digital cameras. That may be a little bit cumbersome and/or problematic for focusing when stopped down.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A Pentax MZ-M with M42 adapter would also be a good choice; small, light and within your budget.



IMO, the best modern camera for M42 is the Voigtlander Bessaflex TM but I doubt you could buy one in the price range you have stated. When I bought mine new a number of years ago, it cost £149 UK.



PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DigiChromeEd wrote:
IMO, the best modern camera for M42 is the Voigtlander Bessaflex TM but I doubt you could buy one in the price range you have stated. When I bought mine new a number of years ago, it cost 149 UK.


+1 ! That was really a bargain. Impossible to get one for an acceptable price nowadays. I would love to have one.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The world is your oyster.

A Pentax P30n (but not the later, more cheaply built P30T) would be a good choice.

Ricoh KR10.

A Vivitar would be OK, and might even be cheaper than a roll of film. But the P30n is a better, stronger camera.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The world is your oyster.

A Pentax P30n (but not the later, more cheaply built P30T) would be a good choice.

Ricoh KR10.

A Vivitar would be OK, and might even be cheaper than a roll of film. But the P30n is a better, stronger camera.

Really, anything would be OK. It's just finding one that works.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 1:33 am    Post subject: Re: Best M42 SLR Body under 100€ or cheaper recommendation Reply with quote

R3jected wrote:
Hey guys,

I need some experts on this. I want to get serious with film photography and use it to capture memories.
I already have glass for m42 mout and do not plan to move away from it. But I need a body to use them on Smile

The SLR should have:

Good build quality while being relatively compact since the best camera is the one that you bother to take with you Razz So good portability is key
Good metering & viewfinder
nice workflow / layout (subjective, I know)
reliable shutter mechanics
Available batteries

and other important things I forgot to mention ...
Hit me up with recommendations, it shouldn't cost more than 80€.

Thanks for your help.
Best regards,

Jan


Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 7 ,

Minolta mount but cheap adapters available. Ah use Fotodiox M42-AF, cost around $7/8. Ye can get them for $2-5 dollars from China/Hong Kong...free postage.Ah paid £40 for a mint, unmarked 7. On ebay around £50/60 but a bit more expensive in Germany for some reason (they recognise the quality), IMO the best film camera of that final generation. Huge number of options on it Like 1 small



#1


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tb_a wrote:
My recommendation would be a Fujica ST801. It should meet your criteria and what is very important: It uses a 6V battery which is easily available and has one of the brightest viewfinders. However, there is no real "pocketable" SLR for M42 lenses available.
Description can be seen here: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Fujica_ST801


its my my all time favorite m42 camera. it's cheap and well design. Like Dog


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any of the Pentax Spotmatics will be excellent.
You won't need to worry about the battery if you have a light meter - also cheap.
This is a rugged and reliable mechanical camera that is often sold in working condition and not as often sold as "for parts or not working" - as many other brands that you will come across.
T


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Raxar wrote:
tb_a wrote:
My recommendation would be a Fujica ST801. It should meet your criteria and what is very important: It uses a 6V battery which is easily available and has one of the brightest viewfinders. However, there is no real "pocketable" SLR for M42 lenses available.
Description can be seen here: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Fujica_ST801


its my my all time favorite m42 camera. it's cheap and well design. Like Dog


I've forgotten to mention that this camera will operate without battery as well. Battery is only for metering purposes. All shutter speeds are fully mechanical from 1/2000 to 1/1 sec (and B).


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1 for the BestFlex TM - it's awesome but probably beyond your price limitations (stated).
If you can find one, then I'd got for the Fujica ST801 recommendation.
Or a Spotmatic with a handheld meter - it worked for me for ages until I pulled the trigger and went for the Bessaflex

All of that is said for film photography.

I agree with the others who've mentioned the digital option with adapters. I love my A7r for that reason: opens up many lens families, more than funding allows....


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 4:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're considering the camera+adapter route, then I recommend Canon FD. One of the mechanical ones, such as the FTb or old F-1 would be my choice. You'll have to meter using stopped down mode, though.

My second choice would be a Pentax, such as the KX, using an M42 to K adapter. But I'm not familiar with how K-mount cameras meter with manual aperture lenses.

For native M42, I prefer the Pentax Spotmatic F. It's the last of the Spotmatics and it allows for full aperture metering.


PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This one, Fuji ST 801 small, fast shutter 1/2000, led lightmetering 6 Volts battery, shutterspeed visible in viewfinder. Regards Cliff

Fujica ST801 by Cliff van der Geugten, on Flickr


PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another vote for Fujica 801. Very nice camera with bright viewfinder. Lightmeter is Si photocell.

Very cheap possibility is a Praktica but that doesn't work so smooth and use CdS photocell.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Chinon Memotron CE3 that I find to be a very sturdy and functional M42 camera. It has aperture priority with shutter speed in the viewfinder.

It can be found relatively cheap, but it is not the lightest camera..



PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Agree with OldHand, any of the Pentax (or Honeywell branded) Spotmatic cameras. I have Spotmatic ESII, two Spotmatic F, Spotmatic SPII, and Spotmatic SP. Probably easiest to find SPII or F.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In my opinion, a good 42x1 SLR is the Praktica MTL-5B.

The shutter is relatively noisy, but it's a reliable camera, with a fine, focusing screen.

E.L.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OP. What glass do you currently have?


PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have to side with the suggestions on the Fujica ST801, but there is also the ST705W which is actually my favorite Fujica, you can add a winder to this camera. I would also recommend a Chinon CE4s, you can land one cheap. They can use a winder and have PK mounts which you can easily add a M42 adapter.