Wanted Looking to buy an older 70s to 80s 35mm SLR camera. Minolta, Nikon, Olympus or Canon

[DougMen]

Not sure if these will work to deliver exact voltage and stable output, although I hope they will work for you.

Whose got the Power? - A Guide to Classic Film Camera Batteries

For lovers of old 35mm film cameras, one of the biggest headaches is finding batteries for powering the electronics.

high5cameras.com

I was just reading that article you linked to about batteries, and also a thread at photo.net that pretty much agreed with that, stating that cameras like the SRT series that were made for mercury cells need the mr9 adapter and 386 silver cells. It also says that 1.5v alkaline cells are not reliable in cameras like the X700 and other newer cameras designed to use 1.5v MS76 silver oxide cells, as the discharge curve is poor, and the alkaline cells mess with meter accuracy. However, they state that S76 and SR44 silver oxide cells are reliable alternatives to the MS76, as is the double thickness 3v lithium CR1/3N, which can replace the dual stacked MS76 types.

 

[DougMen]

The N2000 had an 'image' problem in the market because its light and very high quality body had a plastic exterior on a metal frame. That broke with Nikon tradition and people stayed away. I bought an N2000 and 55mm Nikkor for my son and I believe he still has it.

That place High 5 Cameras has a lot of Minolta cameras for sale at reasonable prices, all in mint condition, and with original 50mm lenses. They all are tested and are fully operational with samples photos. They even have a Mint F301/N2000. They also have an in depth article on replacing the caps, but there's 2 on the 700, one easily accessible by removing the bottom plate, but the other one require dismantling the whole film wind, shutter dial, and rewind dial to get the top plate off to get to the other capacitor. The 300 (370) and 500 (570) only have the one under the bottom plate, because it's for shutter operation, and they only have manual and aperture priority modes, while the 2nd cap is for setting the aperture while in the program mode. But, the article on cap replacement is unclear if the camera will still work fine in manual and aperture priority mode without replacing the aperture cap.

https://www.high5cameras.com/all-articles/repair/minolta-x-700-capacitor-replacement/

 

[Angry Possum]

@Angry Possum
Not sure if you've found what you're looking for yet as I only scanned the thread. I have a mid-80s Canon A1 with several lenses. It's just been sitting for years. Let me know if you have any interest. It'll run full auto to full manual. Non-AF.

Yes I'm interested. Can you inbox me.

 

[DougMen]

I did a search last night of other online sellers of used gear. I found three, called UsedPhotoPro, Beau Photo, and CatLABS. UsedPhotoPro has the most lenses, but still not that many, Beau Photo has a lot of old rangefinder cameras from Canon, Contax, Kodak, and Leica of course, and a brand I've never heard of before, called Robot, which must have been a premium brand, because they all have Schneider lenses and cost a lot. CatLABS' specialties are large format cameras and photo processing machines, but they also have a large selection of 35mm SLRs, all with lenses, and all appear to be in great shape, and are specified as in perfect working condition, with accurate meters, and they've all had their back seals/foam and mirror bumpers replaced. They have a lot of FE2s, several Nikkormats, Canons, and Pentaxes, which are all priced nicer than the Nikons. All the FE2s are around $400, but they all look in almost mint condition. They have a Nikkormat EL2, which was made for only one year, and is essentially the same camera as an FE, with identical controls and functions. Ken Rockwell likes them both more than the FE2, because the FE2 sucked batteries faster because of the 1/4000 speed shutter. And, they only want $149 for the EL2.

 

[DougMen]

UsedPhotoPro: The Gear You Want, The Prices You Need

Check out our hundreds of new used products listed every day.

usedphotopro.com

CatLABS

Large format cameras, lenses, film holders, darkroom equipment, Jobo sales and service. We carry large format cameras and lenses, Jobo machines,...

www.catlabs.info

Beau Photo Supplies Inc. – Professional Photographic Supplies & Rentals

www.beauphoto.com

 

[archetype]

UsedPhotoPro: The Gear You Want, The Prices You Need

Check out our hundreds of new used products listed every day.

usedphotopro.com

CatLABS

Large format cameras, lenses, film holders, darkroom equipment, Jobo sales and service. We carry large format cameras and lenses, Jobo machines,...

www.catlabs.info

Beau Photo Supplies Inc. – Professional Photographic Supplies & Rentals

www.beauphoto.com

UsedPhotoPro is another domain that's Roberts Camera, underneath it. They have different domains to separate used and new gear. Roberts is in Indianapolis, IN and when I lived there I dealt with them several times in the 90s, always with good transactions. I can't speak for the way they operate now, over two decades later. They were always knowledgable, real 'camera people.'

 

[Angry Possum]

So here is where I stand now. 😁😄😁
The Minolta SRT303 will be mine, as my girlfriend said it was way too heavy, bulky, and mechanical for her. For me I'm loving this old 57 Chevy camera... No doubt, it's built like a Sherman tank.

So I just recently purchased a Nikon N2020 SLR 35mm camera without a lens, now im currently looking for a lens for it, this will be hers. The lenses are not cheap... Anyways, I would definitely barter for a Nikon standard F mount lens, for some guitar gear, pickups etc. PS , Yes Don and to all you guys, I'm enjoying this thread as well.

FWIW I have some DiMarzio pickups, and some Seymour Duncan's on hand. If someone comes up with an F lens for a Nikon, I'd surely barter with you.

Thanks again everyone. Lmk what you guys have. I'm all ears...

 

[DougMen]

So here is where I stand now. 😁😄😁
The Minolta SRT303 will be mine, as my girlfriend said it was way too heavy, bulky, and mechanical for her. For me I'm loving this old 57 Chevy camera... No doubt, it's built like a Sherman tank.

So I just recently purchased a Nikon N2020 SLR 35mm camera without a lens, now im currently looking for a lens for it, this will be hers. The lenses are not cheap... Anyways, I would definitely barter for a Nikon standard F mount lens, for some guitar gear, pickups etc. PS , Yes Don and to all you guys, I'm enjoying this thread as well.

FWIW I have some DiMarzio pickups, and some Seymour Duncan's on hand. If someone comes up with an F lens for a Nikon, I'd surely barter with you.

Thanks again everyone. Lmk what you guys have. I'm all ears...

Isn't the 2020 the same thing as the N2000? If you/she like to shoot wide angle landscapes and other wide views, Adorama has the Tamron branded version of the 19-35 zoom for $99. It's the autofocus version, but it has an aperture ring and manual focus ring, so should work fine with manual focus bodies made for AI lenses as well. And, Ebay has the Tokina 17mm in Minolta mount, but it's $150. If I was still able to go out and shoot, I'd snap that up in a NY minute. 19mm is the widest lens I've ever owned, the last being the Vivitar 19mm that I used with my FE after I moved here. There was an awesome shop just a few blocks from here that specialized in used gear, and had a huge assortment of used bodies and lenses. That's where I got my FE, in mint condition, and I'm sure I got some lenses there too, but I think I got the 19mm new from B&H. They were only $100 new. That shop still owes me some money for some things I had on consignment there when they shut down. Ebay also has some Minolta 28-70 and 28-80 zooms for around $40-50, and the Minolta 200mm F4, which is the best tele lens I ever had. They also have a lot of Tokinas, which are often just as good as the Minolta lenses, but all the 70-210 and 80-200 zooms, even those from Minolta, are F4 at the low end, but slow down to F5.6 wide open at 200mm. Anyway, Ebay has tons of lenses in the Minolta MD mount that'll work with your SRT, and they have lots of lenses in the Nikon AI mount for the 2020 too. Ebay has much more glass available than the online used stores have. Some of the listings on Ebay aren't from individuals, but are from used dealers, so you can click on "see more items from this seller" to see everything they've got.

 

[DougMen]

So here is where I stand now. 😁😄😁
The Minolta SRT303 will be mine, as my girlfriend said it was way too heavy, bulky, and mechanical for her. For me I'm loving this old 57 Chevy camera... No doubt, it's built like a Sherman tank.

So I just recently purchased a Nikon N2020 SLR 35mm camera without a lens, now im currently looking for a lens for it, this will be hers. The lenses are not cheap... Anyways, I would definitely barter for a Nikon standard F mount lens, for some guitar gear, pickups etc. PS , Yes Don and to all you guys, I'm enjoying this thread as well.

FWIW I have some DiMarzio pickups, and some Seymour Duncan's on hand. If someone comes up with an F lens for a Nikon, I'd surely barter with you.

Thanks again everyone. Lmk what you guys have. I'm all ears...

I found a nice surprise. Inside the box for the Vivitar 28-80 was the Minolta 50mm 1.7 that came with one of the bodies, probably the X370, 'cause I think the X700 when new came with a 1.4, and I know my X700 didn't come with a lens. All the lenses I have look brand new. I think I bought the 19-35mm and Vivitar 28-80 new from B&H when I got the bodies, 'cause I have boxes for them I don't have boxes for the Kalimar 28-70 and the Tokina 80-200, so I may have gotten them used, but they syre look new too, as does the Minolta 50mm. It has the lock that all Minolta lenses had during the X700 era, to lock the lens at F22 for using with the X700 in program mode, or with the XD11 in program or shutter priority modes.

 

[duceditor]

Again, this thread has got me lookin' and thinkin' about my old cameras. Looking, too, at current availability of these -- once just so taken for granted.

The most amazing thing to me -- and this is a change from just a couple of years ago when I last took a peek at what these cameras were selling for -- is how few seem available now!

Where's they all go?

I may yet sell mine. But if I do I expect it'll be as a package -- not piece by piece. Well, unless I got some crazy good offer from a wealthy, crazed, collector.

The downside to my gear being mostly all "pro" quality is that it is simply worth too much money to sell here among friends. Minoltas (and the like) are fine cameras and are far, FAR, more reasonably priced.

This is quite similar to our guitars. Yes, yes, American-made Fenders are lovely. But do they really offer most of us such an advantage that they are worth the much higher price to us? Typically not. And so it is with Nikon F3s and actual, pro-grade, Nikkor lenses.

Unless, of course, film cameras were to become, not a mild passing interest, but a true lifetime passion. Then having a carefully selected "few" that exactly match our needs might be justified -- and worth the sacrifice.

In any case this thread is a fun and fascinating read. For me a window into a subject worth the time and attention.

Thanks for that, guys!

-don

 

[DougMen]

Again, this thread has got me lookin' and thinkin' about my old cameras. Looking, too, at current availability of these -- once just so taken for granted.

The most amazing thing to me -- and this is a change from just a couple of years ago when I last took a peek at what these cameras were selling for -- is how few seem available now!

Where's they all go?

I may yet sell mine. But if I do I expect it'll be as a package -- not piece by piece. Well, unless I got some crazy good offer from a wealthy, crazed, collector.

The downside to my gear being mostly all "pro" quality is that it is simply worth too much money to sell here among friends. Minoltas (and the like) are fine cameras and are far, FAR, more reasonably priced.

This is quite similar to our guitars. Yes, yes, American-made Fenders are lovely. But do they really offer most of us such an advantage that they are worth the much higher price to us? Typically not. And so it is with Nikon F3s and actual, pro-grade, Nikkor lenses.

Unless, of course, film cameras were to become, not a mild passing interest, but a true lifetime passion. Then having a carefully selected "few" that exactly match our needs might be justified -- and worth the sacrifice.

In any case this thread is a fun and fascinating read. For me a window into a subject worth the time and attention.

Thanks for that, guys!

-don

I just get a lot more excited about the old film gear than I can about even the best digital stuff. And, if you are a pro and working all the time, and traveling with your gear, and shooting for magazine layouts, etc., the ruggedness and reliability of the F3, and the quality of the Nikkor glass are well worth the added cost. (Of course pros don't shoot film anymore, they all shoot digital. It's the hobbyists/enthusiasts that still shoot film). But, if you're just shooting to make at most 8x10 prints, or to digitize your slides or negatives, the quality of the more amateur Minoltas, Pentaxes, Canons, and even Nikons, and the better quality third party lenses are good enough.
Actually, these days, the top third party lens makers are making glass for digital cameras that are every bit as good, and as costly, as those from the camera makers, except for maybe Leica and Hasselblad glass, because those will always cost more than any others, as well as large format Scheider lenses. But, Sony has many of their lenses made buy Zeiss, and they are arguably as good as any Leica glass, and cost nearly as much too!

 

[Angry Possum]

Isn't the 2020 the same thing as the N2000? If you/she like to shoot wide angle landscapes and other wide views, Adorama has the Tamron branded version of the 19-35 zoom for $99. It's the autofocus version, but it has an aperture ring and manual focus ring, so should work fine with manual focus bodies made for AI lenses as well. And, Ebay has the Tokina 17mm in Minolta mount, but it's $150. If I was still able to go out and shoot, I'd snap that up in a NY minute. 19mm is the widest lens I've ever owned, the last being the Vivitar 19mm that I used with my FE after I moved here. There was an awesome shop just a few blocks from here that specialized in used gear, and had a huge assortment of used bodies and lenses. That's where I got my FE, in mint condition, and I'm sure I got some lenses there too, but I think I got the 19mm new from B&H. They were only $100 new. That shop still owes me some money for some things I had on consignment there when they shut down. Ebay also has some Minolta 28-70 and 28-80 zooms for around $40-50, and the Minolta 200mm F4, which is the best tele lens I ever had. They also have a lot of Tokinas, which are often just as good as the Minolta lenses, but all the 70-210 and 80-200 zooms, even those from Minolta, are F4 at the low end, but slow down to F5.6 wide open at 200mm. Anyway, Ebay has tons of lenses in the Minolta MD mount that'll work with your SRT, and they have lots of lenses in the Nikon AI mount for the 2020 too. Ebay has much more glass available than the online used stores have. Some of the listings on Ebay aren't from individuals, but are from used dealers, so you can click on "see more items from this seller" to see everything they've got.

Thanks I'm gonna check that Tamron out.

 

[Angry Possum]

Isn't the 2020 the same thing as the N2000? If you/she like to shoot wide angle landscapes and other wide views, Adorama has the Tamron branded version of the 19-35 zoom for $99. It's the autofocus version, but it has an aperture ring and manual focus ring, so should work fine with manual focus bodies made for AI lenses as well. And, Ebay has the Tokina 17mm in Minolta mount, but it's $150. If I was still able to go out and shoot, I'd snap that up in a NY minute. 19mm is the widest lens I've ever owned, the last being the Vivitar 19mm that I used with my FE after I moved here. There was an awesome shop just a few blocks from here that specialized in used gear, and had a huge assortment of used bodies and lenses. That's where I got my FE, in mint condition, and I'm sure I got some lenses there too, but I think I got the 19mm new from B&H. They were only $100 new. That shop still owes me some money for some things I had on consignment there when they shut down. Ebay also has some Minolta 28-70 and 28-80 zooms for around $40-50, and the Minolta 200mm F4, which is the best tele lens I ever had. They also have a lot of Tokinas, which are often just as good as the Minolta lenses, but all the 70-210 and 80-200 zooms, even those from Minolta, are F4 at the low end, but slow down to F5.6 wide open at 200mm. Anyway, Ebay has tons of lenses in the Minolta MD mount that'll work with your SRT, and they have lots of lenses in the Nikon AI mount for the 2020 too. Ebay has much more glass available than the online used stores have. Some of the listings on Ebay aren't from individuals, but are from used dealers, so you can click on "see more items from this seller" to see everything they've got.

I believe so...

Nikon F-501 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Angry Possum]

Again, this thread has got me lookin' and thinkin' about my old cameras. Looking, too, at current availability of these -- once just so taken for granted.

The most amazing thing to me -- and this is a change from just a couple of years ago when I last took a peek at what these cameras were selling for -- is how few seem available now!

Where's they all go?

I may yet sell mine. But if I do I expect it'll be as a package -- not piece by piece. Well, unless I got some crazy good offer from a wealthy, crazed, collector.

The downside to my gear being mostly all "pro" quality is that it is simply worth too much money to sell here among friends. Minoltas (and the like) are fine cameras and are far, FAR, more reasonably priced.

This is quite similar to our guitars. Yes, yes, American-made Fenders are lovely. But do they really offer most of us such an advantage that they are worth the much higher price to us? Typically not. And so it is with Nikon F3s and actual, pro-grade, Nikkor lenses.

Unless, of course, film cameras were to become, not a mild passing interest, but a true lifetime passion. Then having a carefully selected "few" that exactly match our needs might be justified -- and worth the sacrifice.

In any case this thread is a fun and fascinating read. For me a window into a subject worth the time and attention.

Thanks for that, guys!

-don

Awesome Don, I'm glad this thread excited you. The lenses are a rarity now, and aren't cheap to buy. Seems all these hackers/sellers on ebay etc, simply remove the lenses from the body's, and sell the lenses at a high price.

 

[Angry Possum]

I've been extensively searching for a Nikon F Mount Standard 50mm Lens, either F1.4 or F1.8 etc, if possible. But they are so expensive, even used.

 

[duceditor]

I've been extensively searching for a Nikon F Mount Standard 50mm Lens, either F1.4 or F1.8 etc, if possible. But they are so expensive, even used.

Apart from basic market forces, and price "gaming", there is a good reason for that: How true "Nikkor" (as apart from "Nikon" branded) lenses are made.

They are machined. Aluminum, brass, hard alloys. Mated to one another the old-fashioned way with amazing precision. Precision and metal types that together assure constancy in how they operate, both over time, and under changing and 'harsh' conditions.

Most lenses today -- even many pretty good ones -- use molder polycarbonate for their glass supporting parts.

Now for "average" use there is nothing wrong with polycarbonate. But for pro use, and for long term use, it is nowhere near as good as that older, far more costly, way of lens construction.

And like most things there is the rule of diminishing returns. A "little" better costs a whole lot more.

Add to that they they were marketed to pros -- to people willing and able to pay that premium -- and there you have it.

-don

 

[Angry Possum]

Hey Don @duceditor , can you possibly verify if this lens will work with my Nikon N2020 or Nikon 501, it's the same camera. I just bought it. It's the bottom link from eBay. Appreciate your help.

Nikon F-501 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Nikon Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 Lens #071 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Nikon Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 Lens #071 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[porkpie]

I've been extensively searching for a Nikon F Mount Standard 50mm Lens, either F1.4 or F1.8 etc, if possible. But they are so expensive, even used. View attachment 258069

Don't know if this will help you or not but the price is right so far.

Nikon AF Nikkor Mount 28-80mm 1:3.3-5.6 Lens - shopgoodwill.com

Nikon AF Nikkor Mount 28-80mm 1:3.3-5.6 Lens Title: Nikon AF Nikkor Mount 28-80mm 1:3.3-5.6 Lens-Lens Is Missing Rear Cap-3.25" LongFocal Length: 28-80mmType: StandardBrand: NikonFocus Type: AutoMaximum Aperture: 3.3Mount: NikkorUPC: N/ATested: Untested Condition: For parts or not working...

shopgoodwill.com

 

[duceditor]

Truth be told my personal, hands on, experience with Nikon ended before auto focus became the norm. (I still have an early pro-level Nikon DSLR, but even there used it solely with manual focus macro lenses, bellows, etc.)

Still I think that I can say i will work just fine.

From Wikipedia...




That lens seems to meet every requirement. And although it is poly bodied lens with sub pro aspects (plastic filter threading and the like), it is said to have positively superb optics!
Happy for you that you are finding such nice gear at quite reasonable prices. Happy picture makin'!

-don

 

[Angry Possum]

I just found an adapter that I can use with less expensive Minolta lenses to Nikon Cameras w the F mount. eBay has them for $10. This opens up a whole new path for me.