Can anybody recommend a good 35 mm camera (not digital)

[democrat in Tallahassee]

I need one for a trip, so the smaller the better (and the cheaper the better, too). There are oodles on ebay, but I don't know enough to even look at them.

[NV Whino]

1. If you are looking on eBay,

see if there is a Nikon N70 or N80. I have the N70 (as well as the D100) and I love Nikon.

[pnorman]

2. Instead of 35 mm, consider an APS camera.

They're small, mostly affordable, and have some neat features that make photography less of a hassle. Although almost all are rangefinder, they generally come with a zoom lens.

The film (24 mm) is high quality and high resolution. When it's developed, it's rolled back into the original cannister, and is returned with a sheet of thumbnail images.That makes for much simpler negative storage and filing. You can also order a CD-Rom disk that could hold 6~7 rols worth of pics.

pnorman

[Redstone]

6. Sorry, gotta disagree...

APS is dying, as any other bad idea should. There are, I think, only two kinds of film avalable in APS format, and I don't believe that anyone is making APS cameras anymore.

Within two years, APS film will be generally unavailable.

Someone recommeded a Pentax which is a good camera; there's also a model of the Canon EOS Rebel available for about $200 with a zoom lens--it's not bad for an inexpensive outfit. Check www.bhphotovideo.com

Redstone

[pnorman]

11. I disagree also.

The film widely available is ISO 100, ISO 200 & ISO 400 (all color). At selected stores, one can also find ISO 800 (color), There's also a B&W film available. I forgot the ISO number, but it's almost certainly dichroic film; a very nice film. From what I can gather from my local camera store, digital is rapidly displacing ALL film-based cameras. Now THAT is a bad idea.

In any event, APS will be around for a while; perhaps longer than expected. And it all depends on what the original poster wanted with a "cheap" and light camera". My guess is that he wanted it for something he would ALWAYS have with him; even for a walk around the block. I don't think he was looking for a heirloom to pass on to the next generation.

pnorman

[MnFats]

3. There is the Pentax K-1000. Inexpensive, takes a pounding.

absolutely nothing is auto, so you need to practice setting exposure and shutter speed before you get to the good photo sites.
I think you can get the whole setup, including a (tiny) flash for around $150. maybe less.
not a great camera but a reasonably good one.
great for beginners.

[Ratty]

21. Wow, I second that

You definitely want the Pentax K-1000. Very cheap, takes great pictures, reliable ... I bought mine 15 or 20 years ago and I still use it without problems. I've never wanted to get anything "nicer." My pictures have always been phenomenol: clear, crisp and sharp.

As for the size, it's not particularly small, it's a basic 35 mm camera. I don't know if they make them smaller than that.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. Don't go to eBay! Buy new...

because it won't cost you much more and you get a new one-- not taking a chance on someone's beat up old piece of crap. You can get a decent new camera from $100-200. Autofocus, auto exposure, and zoom lens included. Some are less than $100. (Lots, lots more if you want to spend the bucks.)

I have a collection of Nikons that have gotten a lot of use, and some of the new ones are dirt cheap compared to what I had paid. Nikon, Canon, and Pentax are probably the best of the commonly available ones, and you can't go wrong buying any of them.

I've done business with B&H and can vouch for their reliability, but some of this stuff may be available locally at pretty good discounts. Best Buy, Kmart, Costco... all carry cameras.

Here's two good buys--

Canon EOS Rebel:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=CsvTJ3svLD!-1631402178?O=Recommend&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=371190&is=USA

Nikon N55:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=247088&is=USA

For cheaper Point&Shoot cameras, here's a few pages to give you an idea what to expect:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=search&Q=&ci=376

[LeftyMom]

5. I got my mother an Olympus

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_8/601-0037188-7546535?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0000D8GGS

She really likes it. It takes great pictures for an inexpensive camera and is easy to use. It's weather resistant and small, so it should travel well, too.

[Redstone]

8. I forgot about Olympus!

The Olympus 35mm point-and-shoot cameras with the sliding-cover design are terrific little cameras, and some of them are pretty weatherproof as well.

Well worth looking into.

Redstone

[Deja Q]

7. Minolta Maxxum 7.

Street price ~$450 these days.

http://www.photo.net/equipment/minolta/maxxum7

http://www.epinions.com/content_56759914116

[HEyHEY]

9. Anything in the Nikon f-series

[democrat in Tallahassee]

10. Thanks everybody!

[CornField]

12. One more word of advice

Get thyself down to your local camera/photography store.

1) You'll probably find the prices comparable to eBay (especially if they do any consignment stuff)

2) You'll at least be able to hold and feel the cameras you're looking at on eBay.

Good luck!

[democrat in Tallahassee]

13. maybe I can find some photos of Jeb on an old camera? nudge, nudge.

If you know what I mean.

[Bamboo]

14. Everyone drives a used car.

Nikon L35 uses cheap AA batteries and has a great lens.It was produced in the '80s and was first of point and shoot cameras and is overbuilt.Some cameras only go up to 400ASA so ask if camera goes to 1000ASA.Set to 1000ASA when using 800ASA film.http://search.ebay.com/nikon-L35

[Pert_UK]

15. Why not post your question in the DU Photography Group?

Lots of people in there who seem to know a lot about cameras.

P.

[Goathead]

16. Go with Lieca

They are German. German=best.:-)

[Kellanved]

17. better be quick about it

Leica is bankrupt. :-(

[Goathead]

20. Shit. Their binoculars are great.

[Schema Thing]

18. Geez, what part of "smaller the better" do you people not understand?

Nikon F? yikes! :P

Can I ask why on earth you don't want digital for a small lightweight trip camera? I mean, just for your own stress factor, if nothing else.

You want to be dealing with airport security for film???, you want to carry film around, keeping track of it, when you could carry a couple of postage stamp sized memory cards instead? Something doesn't make sense here to me.

[funkybutt]

19. Canon Elan IIe

I really love mine. I have a Tamron 28-200 lens which has worked really well for me.

[JanMichael]

22. Olympus XA

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