I am an 18 year old high school student. I am looking to buy a camera for the first time. I am looking for a 35mm SLR but don't know which manufacture will be the best for me. I like to shoot nature and still life shots and price is not a factor since I am planning on majoring in photography in college so I might as well pay the money now why I have it.

-- Adam Rondeau (Elzizo@yahoo.com), May 20, 1999

Answers

This is too open-ended a question for anyone to give a definitive answer, but it all boils down to one thing anyway: buy the camera you feel comfortable with. Go to a store that sells professional gear, and have a salesman show you the features of the different models. Get them in your hands and use them. You'll be using this thing daily for a long time, so you want something you find intuitive. When the action is fast and furious you don't have time to stop and look at the dials to change settings.

I had the same question in 1985. I found an excellent store in San Antonio, and the choice came down to a Nikon F3 or Canon F1. I went with the Canon because I found it much easier to remove the lenses. A couple of my friends bought into the Nikon system, and a couple others bought Canon systems around the same time. We all used our cameras productively for 10 years or more, and we all got excellent results. None of us had problems with our sytems. We even traded gear a few times, just for grins, and still got excellent photos.

Canon, with the USM lenses, seems to have a bit of an edge over Nikon. Nikon's viewfinders are better. You can't lose with either system. What do I own, you ask? None of the above. I use an assortment of old medium format TLRs for landscape work. Yesterday I bought a used Minolta Maxxum 700 with 50mm macro lens for my son to use this summer as he travels the country with his grandparents.

Stick with one of the major brands (Canon, Minolta, Nikon, Pentax) and you'll get a good system. Canon and Nikon have the best lens selections, which is a major consideration for someone as serious as you. However, if Minolta and Pentax make all the lenses you want, and you like the bodies more than Canon or Nikon, go for it.

You might also want to think about getting a used medium format TLR in addition to your 35mm gear. They are wonderful within their limitations. They don't have interchangeable lenses (except for the Mamiya C series), and you aren't going to shoot sports or macros with them. However, they are great for landscape work. Light, reliable, and the extra negative size makes a world of difference.

-- Darron Spohn (dspohn@clicknet.com), May 20, 1999.

Lots of good advice above. I would add to keep in mind that lenses take pictures, not cameras. If you have to compromise between features in a camera body and the quality of the lens, spend for the lens every time!

Also, if price is not really an object, don't forget to look at Leica and Contax.

PS. I use Hasselblad and Nikons.

-- James D. Steele (jdsteele@erols.com), May 21, 1999.

I would urge you to look into a second hand fully manual camera first with a simple 50mm prime lens. This is a cheap option that will teach you a great deal about the art of photography. Then, when you begin to develop a personal style of photography, you will find that a particular camera system to be more suitable than another. (To give you an example, I am a stage performance photographer and I favour the Canon system for the speed and quietness of its USM lenses.) More likily than not, you will find your first manual camera to last a long time, capable of taking rolls after rolls of great pictures. If you've got the money now, spend it on lots of film rather than gears--the film is your best teacher. Get the gears only when you are certain about what your style demands. Best of luck to your photographic adventure.

David

P.S. I use the Canon EOS system in general. Occasionally, I still shoot with a manual Nikon F2 with 50mm prime. I focus on performing arts and fine arts photography.

-- David (dna2367@hotmail.com), May 24, 1999.

Adam, A Nikon FM2n with a 50 f1.4 or 35 f2 are hard to beat, especially if you really want to learn photography. One of my first SLRs was an FM2 with a 55 f2.8 micro lens and the speed of the lens is the only reason it isn't my first choice. Plus with Nikon, you can buy autofocus lenses with the manual focus body and when you move to an autofocus body, everything will be compatable and the FM2n will be an excellent back-up. Remember, shoot LOTS of film, it's a cheap investment. Good luck!

-- Bob Tipton (bitp487@msn.com), May 25, 1999.

I started out in 1972 with a Minolta SRT 101 with a standard 50mm lens. I have since purchased a Minolta Maxximum 3000si which was fully automatic. However, I've gone back to my original SRT 101 manual camera. I agree with a previous answer that a fully manual camera gives you some good experience with settings, lighting and doing your own "special effects". My original SRT 101 was stolen a few years back, but I've now purchased 3 of them on eBay for $100 or less - all in great working condition!

-- Pat Schneider (pms0627@inficad.com), May 31, 1999.