Does this camera exist?

gingerjon

gingerjon

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Jon
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Okay, I'm a bit of a ignoramus (no, really) when it comes to cameras so I don't even know if what I'm looking for even exists ... so I thought I would throw the question out to the forum.

What I'm looking for is a reasonably cheap camera that takes autofocus lenses but has the option of winding a film on manually. All I seem to be able to find are AF cameras with auto wind-on only.

Any suggestions? (System not important right now.)
 
Just interested, what's the reason for the manual wind requirement.:thinking:
 
I really can't think of any off the top of my head, as auto wind came before auto focus in most camera systems, so the auto winder tends to always come with the auto focus cameras.

There are cameras which can be rewound manually (Nikon F5 for instance) but I'm not sure of one the other way.
 
I think you might struggle. Plenty of cameras have the option to rewind the film automatically but leave the leader out or wind it completely into the canister if that's what you're thinking about, although I suspect not?
 
The only ones I can think of is the Pentax ME-F, which was basically very similar to the ME-Super. However, to the best of my knowledge, Pentax only made one special lens for it (35-70mm zoom) which would auto-focus with this camera. Other than that, it accepted standard P/K fitting manual lenses. They were only in production for a couple of years or so in the early 80s, and my understanding was that they didn't sell particularly well.

There was also the Minolta 9000, introduced in the mid-80s which offered auto-focus and the film was advanced manually. There were winders available separately if you wanted to buy them. This was a far better camera than the Pentax and Minolta were producing a good range of AF lenses. At the time of its release, I think it was the top of the range model.

Other than that, it's as Pepper says. Generally speaking, SLR's were already available in the mid-1980s with built-in winders even though they were manual focus. Examples being the Canon T50, T70 & T90, the Nikon F-301, and the Pentax A3.

The Nikon F-501 was introduced with auto-focus as was the Minolta 5000, 7000, and the Olympus OM-707.
 
Thanks for all the responses. Very helpful!

ah5168 said:
Just interested, what's the reason for the manual wind requirement.:thinking:
Click to expand...

It's because I like having the option to auto focus but also I like to be discrete when taking photies and currently the two cameras I have that auto focus (the D90 and F65) both sound like a hammer striking an anvil (comparatively) when I press the shutter - whereas my Canonet which doesn't automatically advance doesn't.
 
gingerjon said:
Thanks for all the responses. Very helpful!



It's because I like having the option to auto focus but also I like to be discrete when taking photies and currently the two cameras I have that auto focus (the D90 and F65) both sound like a hammer striking an anvil (comparatively) when I press the shutter - whereas my Canonet which doesn't automatically advance doesn't.
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Seeing as you say that your D90 is the same, it wont be the film advance strictly but mirror slap as well. Your canonet, being a rangefinder, does not have a mirror to slap.
 
gingerjon said:
Ah. Now that's interesting.

I remember my first SLR from way back - a Praktica of some kind - being much quieter so I'd assumed it was the wind on.
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A manual wound camera is certainly quieter than one with a built-in winder, so I can understand why you'd be looking for this feature when wanting to be discrete, but in the case of an SLR once you press the shutter release, it's the movement of the mirror that make it noisier than a rangefinder or a compact camera (as per Sam G's post).

If you're happy with a compact, I can recommend the Olympus XA2 or XA3. It has zone focus instead of auto, but is manually wound on, is nice and small, very quiet and a pin sharp lens.
 
gingerjon said:
Ah. Now that's interesting.

I remember my first SLR from way back - a Praktica of some kind - being much quieter so I'd assumed it was the wind on.
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Your Praktica may have a cloth shutter curtain which would probably be slightly quieter than the modern Nikon's which Have a metal shutter. Although most of the noise of an SLR is from the mirror. Listen to the shutter noise if you have a mirror lock up feature on the f90.
 
Carl V said:
If you're happy with a compact, I can recommend the Olympus XA2 or XA3. It has zone focus instead of auto, but is manually wound on, is nice and small, very quiet and a pin sharp lens.
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Thanks for this - I'll have a look at these as they look interesting!

And agains thanks to everyone for your help!
 
gingerjon said:
It's because I like having the option to auto focus but also I like to be discrete when taking photies and currently the two cameras I have that auto focus (the D90 and F65) both sound like a hammer striking an anvil (comparatively) when I press the shutter - whereas my Canonet which doesn't automatically advance doesn't.
Click to expand...

What you want is a Panasonic GF1 mate.
whistling.gif
 
Jon...if you are looking at 70s RF - there are a host of choices.

Konica, Minolta, Rollei, Ricoh, Yashica, Petri, Olympus...all of them made wonderful cameras. Have a look at Stephen Gandy's website for review and comparison; his comments are pretty good and unbiased.

What I will say about XA is, if you have to get one, get the XA; rather than the other models. XA is a full functional RF, while the others are all compromises in terms of functionality.

I will say, you might want to do a bit of research before you make up your mind. Its a world unto its own

These are available from 30 - 150 £. With a budget of 60£; you can get a real good camera.

I will have to warn you though, its a slippery slope, and before you know, you might find your shelves filling up with more RF cameras than you can shake a stick at. Ask me!!!!
 
ujjwaldey8165 said:
What I will say about XA is, if you have to get one, get the XA; rather than the other models. XA is a full functional RF, while the others are all compromises in terms of functionality.
Click to expand...

I like the XA myself and have used one a number of times, although I've never actually owned one, and liked the fact you could set your aperture. I have the XA3 which is essentially an XA2 with DX-coding, film speed settings up to 1600 ISO, and exposure compensation; this offers a 3-zone focusing system. I only use this on the odd occasion I want to carry a camera but don't want to carry all my SLR equipment. Up to around 10x8 prints, the quality is very good.
 
AN SLR does exist with auto focus and manual winder! I'd forgotten all about it.

The answer is...

Olympus OM30 with the specific 35-70 f4 lens, this lens takes if I remember rightly 3 AA batteries and is autofocus.

Oh and I like the XA series too, great little cameras and with the wide angle lens its pretty easy even with the original XA to distance adjust the lens and off you go, a very quiet simple little camera.
 
pepper said:
Oh and I like the XA series too, great little cameras and with the wide angle lens its pretty easy even with the original XA to distance adjust the lens and off you go, a very quiet simple little camera.
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I just recently bought an XA3 from a member on here in lovely condition. I used to have one many years ago, however a girl I was going out with at the time borrowed it, and the camera came into sharp contact with solid concrete. Needless to say the ground won and the camera lost. :shake:

They are great little cameras to slip into the pocket, and I was never keen on compacts with built-in winders as, apart from the bulk, they were generally the first things to go wrong.
 
If your prepared to go with an autowind camera then look at either the Canon EOS5 or the ELAN 7E, two of the quietest cameras around.

I have an EOS5 and have used it a lot for bird photography, even close up it does not disturb the birds.


John :)
 
I dont hear the winder in my F5 . Auto focus lenses were available for manual wind cameras in the early 80s but I have not seen one for years
 
try thishttp://www.mir.SPAM/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/f3afbasic/index.htm
 
The only ones I can think of is the Pentax ME-F,............and my understanding was that they didn't sell particularly well.
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That was mostly because it was utterly useless. I had the ME-f but not the AF lens. I did get to try one once and it was the funniest thing I ever saw in a camera. The motor in the lens was huge and on top of that, it had to carry a couple of AA batteries too. There were two buttons on the lens that started the AF sequence, which took about as long as the countdown on a rocket launch.

Still, certainly started something eh.

Another camera I had long ago, that might be of some use here was the EOS 100. All the usual modern features but very very quiet shutter and film advance. Canon even launched it with the tag line of "the whispering revolution".
 
I got a darned EOS 100 lying in my cupboard. The lens is long gone. Must get a 50mm lens for the body and use it..
 
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