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halfsizegirl

halfsizegirl

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22
Name
Jess
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Yes
So I am a beginner in thr wonderful art of photography, I only shoot film and have a Nikon N65 & a Holga 120 TLR.

I think I am ready for a new camera, but want to steer away from big maybe brand names because I want to expand my knowledge and skills on cameras mostly unheard of to the general population (non-photographers).

While searching web I stumbled across a brand called Rollei. I understand they were based in Germany and can go back to the 1920's. I was interested in the Rollei 35mm.
shopping
They run about $175 USD.

I know very little, if anything, about this brand or model.

Im wondering what makes them different from.other 35mm- what makes them special?- Or if they even are.

Is it a suitable camera for someone who is learing the ropes?(quite fast I must say (; )

I just want to gather as much info, opinions, and in site ob this beaut!!

& if you have a suggestion of a different camera, relatively inexpensive (im on a college student budget) that would be great for a new emerging photographer who is anxious to dive into the world of film photography!!!!

*I like to shoot mainly landscape/animals but I do also shoot people in case this factors in the suitability of.the camera
 
If you like that camera have a look at THIS LINK or THIS ONE
For a cheap (ish) camera, have a look at the Olympus Trip 35 for a first one, lots of people have one (or more) of those and it is truly a great little camera.
If you want more control over the settings, then there are several other Olympus RangeFinders that will fit the bill, 35RC, 35EC 35ECR, 35ECD plus others.
I have all of those myself and love the retro style and they are built like tanks.
 
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Jess a big welcome to the group you will find many film photographers in this group, it is a great place with lots of people who all love shooting film in a great range of cameras.

I own and shoot with a number of Rollei 35mm and 120 cameras including the Rollei 35 you picture above. There are a lot of models in this range. Rollei were an iconic camera maker, sadly now all but gone. Many of their cameras are highly prized by collectors and as a result can be over priced.

As much as I love Rollei's, I would not necessarily recommend the 35 as a main camera. There are two versions of this model, one made in Germany ( which collectors love and therefore they can be over priced) and one made in Singapore. Although they look the same the shutter and the lenses are slightly different in the two versions. Both have a Zeiss designed Tessar lenses which are of good quality. However the camera is idiosyncratic and was designed as the smallest 35mm pocket camera, great for candid and street work. You have to 'zone focus' i.e. estimate the distance to the subject and set the taking lens. Also the light meter uses the now hard to come by PX625 battery.

All of that said the camera can take great images and I love mine, I take it to all sorts of places and have made some nice pictures with it.

I am sure others will have a view but hope this helps

The links below might help a little further too!

http://www.rolleiclub.com/cameras/35classic/info/index.shtml

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/rollei/rollei_35/rollie_35/rollie_35-true-htm_page1.htm

https://www.flickr.com/groups/rollei35/
 
Hi Jess are you sure you want use old unusual, or non common, or unheard of, cameras as the chances are they won't be in perfect working condition and repairs can be expensive, and if it's so unusual the chances are that no one here owns one if you have any mechanical problems.
 
I never thought of that aspect, but when I said general population I meant the majority of people who don't know anything about cameras out photography.
Example: before I really got into it and obsessed like I am, I never heard of a Holga, but any photographer knows (-or I would think) what they are and why theyre different
 
halfsizegirl said:
I only shoot film and have a Nikon N65 & a Holga 120 TLR.
Click to expand...

A Nikon N65, or F65 as it is known outside North America, is a pretty capable camera. What do you want to do with a new 35mm camera that your current camera doesn't already allow you to do?
 
halfsizegirl said:
I never thought of that aspect, but when I said general population I meant the majority of people who don't know anything about cameras out photography.
Example: before I really got into it and obsessed like I am, I never heard of a Holga, but any photographer knows (-or I would think) what they are and why theyre different
Click to expand...

For what it's worth:- I've read that the Rollei 35mm is not very reliable.
 
Rollei 35's - not seen any broken ones yet so assuming they are relatively reliable - there's different models like the 35S and 35B and 35 LED, and some are much more expensive than others, the LED and B versions are far cheaper - around £30-40 whilst the S and other expensive versions are at least £100 usually. the price also depends on the location of manufacture - singapore is cheaper than germany. I wouldn't go for them personally, as they are scale focus only, making them a bit tricky to focus with.

Get something from this list perhaps
http://www.cameraquest.com/com35s.htm
 
skysh4rk said:
A Nikon N65, or F65 as it is known outside North America, is a pretty capable camera. What do you want to do with a new 35mm camera that your current camera doesn't already allow you to do?
Click to expand...

I can see someone wanting something different to a F65. I have one & yes it takes a good picture, but it is very plasticy & I never found mine any fun to use. I couldn't even give it away when I offered it for free here a while back. I find myself looking at old Yashica Electro rangefinders on ebay & getting itchy. It's not a case of what they can do compared to any of my other cameras, it is more of how they do it that appeals.
 
What lenses do you have for the N65? Might be possible to complement that with an older manual Nikon body to go with it, if you want something more engaging to use (if your lens is an AF or D type you will be able to use them with most manual bodies, not if it's a G type however). A manual Nikon body could be as cheap or expensive as you want also.

And welcome Jess!
 
If you want a nice rangefinder have a look at the Voigtlander Vito range, B, C, CL etc. Get the Color Skopar lens versions and you will have a really nice, sharp, pocketable camera at a really good price. All fully manual though so you will need to hone your skills a bit. :D

Andy
 
An Oly Trip is a 'nice' camera but the basic one, while cheap with a great lens, won't really teach you much as it's zone-focused and doesn't give you any indication of the aperture or shutter speed it selected.

I'll echo the recommendation for a Yashica Electro, under-rated and many models offer aperture-priority. If you want to stretch your budget, the CC and GX versions have lovely fast lenses and are plenty sharp enough (I have a GX as I'm not so keen on the out-of-focus highlights that the CC gives). Another option is a Minolta Hi-matic 7s - bigger than the Yashica but nicely styled and again, great lenses. The downside is that both use old batteries that aren't available any more, though I've found a hearing aid battery works fine in the Minolta and I managed to source some 1.5v PX625s on ebay which don't appear to have affected the meter on the Yashica.

What I normally do when I'm thinking about a camera is to search for images taken on it on flickr. See if there's anything you particularly like or dislike in shots similar to those you're hoping to take. :)
 
DNH said:
I can see someone wanting something different to a F65. I have one & yes it takes a good picture, but it is very plasticy & I never found mine any fun to use. I couldn't even give it away when I offered it for free here a while back. I find myself looking at old Yashica Electro rangefinders on ebay & getting itchy. It's not a case of what they can do compared to any of my other cameras, it is more of how they do it that appeals.
Click to expand...

I certainly don't deny that there are much nicer cameras out there; I'm just hesitant to recommend a camera before knowing what someone is looking for, especially as there is nothing technically wrong or deficient about the camera with regard to taking pictures.
 
skysh4rk said:
A Nikon N65, or F65 as it is known outside North America, is a pretty capable camera. What do you want to do with a new 35mm camera that your current camera doesn't already allow you to do?
Click to expand...


Okay, well let's see... I'm not looking for any new features. What I am looking for is the experience of testing out different cameras to see what I like & to be able to have the knowledge of all kinds of cameras instead of being stuck in a "Rut" with the same ol' brands and companies.

Though I am new to photography, it has taken over my life, well let's not say it has "taken over", because I chose for it to be one of the most important things in my life; that is because it makes me happier than just about anything. Therefore, I want to know EVERYTHING, every aspect, every detail of the art.

All 35mm have the same basic functions, but why do people perfer Nikon over Canon or vise versa? PREFERNCE
The way the camera is physically structured, where the buttons are place, the material it's made out of, the way the negatives turn out, and so on.

I'm not looking for something that will enhance my photos, but that will enchance my knowledge and skills.

skysh4rk said:
I certainly don't deny that there are much nicer cameras out there; I'm just hesitant to recommend a camera before knowing what someone is looking for, especially as there is nothing technically wrong or deficient about the camera with regard to taking pictures.
Click to expand...

So you are willing to with hold your knowledge of something that (I assume) is really important to you to one of your own kind?
I don't know about you, but none of my non-photographer friends (which is ALL of them) don't understand my obsession, much less are interested in what I have to say about the subject. So when I do find someone to talk to who DOES know a little or is interested we try to share our knowledge, be it just a little or a lot, because we both are aware that the rest of the world doesn't see it the way we do.

We know the beauty and art that goes into the prints AS WELL AS the mechanics in a camera.

I though everyone on this forum would think this way & be eager to share everything they know, instead of be hesitant because you don't know their intentions.

I guess you should call me an enthusiast photographer or camera enthusiast.
 
DNH said:
I can see someone wanting something different to a F65. I have one & yes it takes a good picture, but it is very plasticy & I never found mine any fun to use. I couldn't even give it away when I offered it for free here a while back. I find myself looking at old Yashica Electro rangefinders on ebay & getting itchy. It's not a case of what they can do compared to any of my other cameras, it is more of how they do it that appeals.
Click to expand...

I mean i LOVE my Nikon N65 (or F65 as it is in the U.K.), BUT it's the only & first35MM camera I've had so I don't know any different so I'm just boppin' around looking for something I've never heard of to resesarch & possibly purchase, to gain the knowledge of rather than just the same ol' same ol'.
 
Andysnap said:
If you want a nice rangefinder have a look at the Voigtlander Vito range, B, C, CL etc. Get the Color Skopar lens versions and you will have a really nice, sharp, pocketable camera at a really good price. All fully manual though so you will need to hone your skills a bit. :D

Andy
Click to expand...
Yes, I try my HARDEST to ALWAYS shoot everything as maunally as I can. & I do that with every aspect of my life, maunal cars, dirt bikes, etc. I mean anyone can take a gorgeous picture in auto mode, but it to take a gorgeous picture using all maunal settings; it takes real skill & knowledge. I mean I'm not saying I have all those skills & knowledge, but I am striving for it and trying to gain them by going all maunal. Which usually means, older cameras and that's what I am looking for anyways!

I'll check out your suggestion! Thanks!!
 
TheGreatSoprendo said:
What lenses do you have for the N65? Might be possible to complement that with an older manual Nikon body to go with it, if you want something more engaging to use (if your lens is an AF or D type you will be able to use them with most manual bodies, not if it's a G type however). A manual Nikon body could be as cheap or expensive as you want also.

And welcome Jess!
Click to expand...


I only have the stock 28-80mm lens for right now, working on saving up for a telephoto & macro... then I really want a fisheye, but I figure I should wait for the fun effect lenses & get some that can help with my close ups/ far distances. (I shoot alot of landscape, moutains, flowers, bugs, etc.)

I have an AF!
 
srichards said:
I'd have said the olympus trip would be a good bet.

Some info about Russian brands, including a Leica clone: http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/a-guide-to-russian-soviet-former-soviet-cameras--photo-3880 if you fancy something more exotic.
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Thank you! Ive been looking into Olympus' in addition to something more uncommon! just not sure on a model.

Strappy said:
An Oly Trip is a 'nice' camera but the basic one, while cheap with a great lens, won't really teach you much as it's zone-focused and doesn't give you any indication of the aperture or shutter speed it selected.

I'll echo the recommendation for a Yashica Electro, under-rated and many models offer aperture-priority. If you want to stretch your budget, the CC and GX versions have lovely fast lenses and are plenty sharp enough (I have a GX as I'm not so keen on the out-of-focus highlights that the CC gives). Another option is a Minolta Hi-matic 7s - bigger than the Yashica but nicely styled and again, great lenses. The downside is that both use old batteries that aren't available any more, though I've found a hearing aid battery works fine in the Minolta and I managed to source some 1.5v PX625s on ebay which don't appear to have affected the meter on the Yashica.

What I normally do when I'm thinking about a camera is to search for images taken on it on flickr. See if there's anything you particularly like or dislike in shots similar to those you're hoping to take. :)
Click to expand...


So even though I am just starting out I shouldn't necessarily buy a "basic" camera?

well... I guess that makes sense, because then I'll believe that I am improving skills, when in reality it's all my camera since it's not telling me WHY they came out well (" doesn't give you any indication of the aperture or shutter speed it selected.") and it's more of the camera's work than my own... correct me if I'm wrong!

I don't have a Flickr! or know how to use Flickr.... or what it REALLY is used for... LOL
 
halfsizegirl said:
EVERYTHING, every aspect, every detail of the art.



So you are willing to with hold your knowledge of something that (I assume) is really important to you to one of your own kind?
I don't know about you, but none of my non-photographer friends (which is ALL of them) don't understand my obsession, much less are interested in what I have to say about the subject. So when I do find someone to talk to who DOES know a little or is interested we try to share our knowledge, be it just a little or a lot, because we both are aware that the rest of the world doesn't see it the way we do.

.
Click to expand...

i think you may have mis -interpreted what Rj meant ,he didnt say he would not help you ,,,he just didnt want to give you some wrong advice ,,,,,
 
halfsizegirl said:
Thank you! Ive been looking into Olympus' in addition to something more uncommon! just not sure on a model.




So even though I am just starting out I shouldn't necessarily buy a "basic" camera?

well... I guess that makes sense, because then I'll believe that I am improving skills, when in reality it's all my camera since it's not telling me WHY they came out well (" doesn't give you any indication of the aperture or shutter speed it selected.") and it's more of the camera's work than my own... correct me if I'm wrong!

I don't have a Flickr! or know how to use Flickr.... or what it REALLY is used for... LOL
Click to expand...

Well, there's "basic" as in a fully manual camera and there's "basic" as in a light-tight box that you press a button to use and there's "basic" as in a minimum set of modes but the camera does some of the work for you. Which would you prefer? Do you want a camera you can use while learning or a kooky retro camera that'll look cool?

To be brief, flickr is facebook for photos. Easier to check out what's there than to explain while typing on my phone, go to flickr.com and take a look.
 
halfsizegirl said:
Okay, well let's see... I'm not looking for any new features. What I am looking for is the experience of testing out different cameras to see what I like & to be able to have the knowledge of all kinds of cameras instead of being stuck in a "Rut" with the same ol' brands and companies.

Though I am new to photography, it has taken over my life, well let's not say it has "taken over", because I chose for it to be one of the most important things in my life; that is because it makes me happier than just about anything. Therefore, I want to know EVERYTHING, every aspect, every detail of the art.

All 35mm have the same basic functions, but why do people perfer Nikon over Canon or vise versa? PREFERNCE
The way the camera is physically structured, where the buttons are place, the material it's made out of, the way the negatives turn out, and so on.

I'm not looking for something that will enhance my photos, but that will enchance my knowledge and skills.



So you are willing to with hold your knowledge of something that (I assume) is really important to you to one of your own kind?
I don't know about you, but none of my non-photographer friends (which is ALL of them) don't understand my obsession, much less are interested in what I have to say about the subject. So when I do find someone to talk to who DOES know a little or is interested we try to share our knowledge, be it just a little or a lot, because we both are aware that the rest of the world doesn't see it the way we do.

We know the beauty and art that goes into the prints AS WELL AS the mechanics in a camera.

I though everyone on this forum would think this way & be eager to share everything they know, instead of be hesitant because you don't know their intentions.

I guess you should call me an enthusiast photographer or camera enthusiast.
Click to expand...

Hi Jess..I'm not quite with you as surely a camera is just a tool, a light tight box separating the lens from the photographer....If you have the "eye " it doesn't matter much what camera body you use, as it's still the lens and the photographer that makes the shot, although some guys are happy not to even have a lens but just a pin hole....................but just to add:- all the goodies on a modern SLR help you to get the shot you want easier and better if you like sharpness for example, say compared to a box brownie.
 
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halfsizegirl said:
I though everyone on this forum would think this way & be eager to share everything they know, instead of be hesitant because you don't know their intentions.
Click to expand...

Hi Jess, I think you might have misread RJ's intentions there; I suspect he meant that he couldn't make a useful suggestion without knowing more about what you want to do with it, which does make sense.

From my own point of view, I decided not to buy any more point and shoot 35mm cameras, after I got my Olympus mju II (Stylus Epic in the US). It's much too automatic, but small enough that I've always got a film camera in my pocket. I've still got my Oly Trip, but it never goes out with me, as someone said it's not very engaging. I've tried a couple of rangefinder-style compacts (the Olympus XA and the Canonet GL-17) but found the focusing a little tough (not just the rangefinder patch, but also focusing with a little lever under the lens). I'd like to try one of the upmarket rangefinders, but not enough to pay the prices.

On SLRs, I've always had Pentax, and have resisted the charms of Canikon. I have my original ME and a couple of MXs, one bought from the forum here (not really much use to you in California), and one from a charity shop. I've been building up a decent set of primes. The MXs are fully manual; I'd like to have an Aperture priority mode as well for those unexpected moments, but the next jump is expensive.

I've also bought a TLR as my first venture into Medium Format (a Minolta Autocord). The camera's nice but I'm not sure how I feel about TLRs. There's a Zeiss folder from my father's estate waiting for me at my sister's house. I keep wondering about the MF SLR styles (big) versus the rangefinder styles (expensive)...

Not sure if you have junk markets, boot sales, flea markets, charity shops etc near you, but you may be able to pick a selection of old stuff for a few $. And there's always the 'bay for something you're searching for...
 
Hello Jess,

There are some things about this thread that delight me,there are also some things that make me very apprehensive in what I am about to say.

The camera if you enjoy manual work is totally irrelevant,it is the dark box to allow light to your film,so what the crap,if you want to advance your photographic skills,buy some books on technic and process,learn about the skills from the great photographers and after you have done that it will be lenses you covert not camera,s.

One opportunity you have that most of us do not is that you live near to a wonderful International Airport,so a longer prime lens say 300mm would be great for you to start taking mega shot from your back yard.

The last thing is post some photographs,tell use how you took them,the film,circumstances etc and we may be able to assist more.

Good luck to you.

Richard.
 
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