Which SLR should i buy?

[Mad Dave]

Right, ive been taking pictures for some time, and currently use a Minolta X700 SLR. The thing is, the manual focussing is starting to really annoy me - im always missing shots because i cant focus quickly enough. So what i want, is an SLR that can be manually exposed etc but with auto focus (that can be overridden). Other functions i need are:

Aperture priority with exposure lock
full manually programmable
built in flash preferrably for fill in flash, but with a hotshoe for external flashgun

Im tempted by one of those new Minolta Dynax 40s for £130 but it feels a bit cheap and plasticcy. Also tempted by a second hand Canon EOS.

The main annoyance with this is that ive got quite a few lenses for my X700 that will obviously not get used much as they wont fit the new body. Are there any Minolta AF SLR's that take MD lenses? Obviously the AF wouldnt work with them but if they could be used and focussed manually that would be good enough for the limited occasions when i wanted a longer lense or whatever.

Any advice?

[simpo two]

I may have a Nikon F70 body for sale if you can hang on for a bit.

[Mad Dave]

Hi mate - how much? Are you selling it body only?

Theres no rush at all mate - by October (mates wedding) i need to either:

a)buy a backup body

b)buy a digital SLR


A is more likely as im v skint!!!!

[JohnL]

No Minolta AF SLRs will take MD lenses. There's a company - name'll come back to me, clever bunch, make all sorts of adaptors - who make an adaptor though, although it isn't cheap.

I use a Pentax MZ-5n (may have been replaced since, I got it about 3 years ago) which fits eaxctly your spec - which was basically my spec as well. The control layout is very conventional in a manual-SLR way - a shutter speed dial up by the shutter release, uses the aperture ring on the lens, etc. It's also backwarsd compatible with older Pentax K lenses, up to the functionality of the lens.

Edit:
Something else I did with an old MF Ricoh is have the focussing screen cleaned - suddenly the image was miles brighter and I could focus in about half the time it had been taking me. Look thro' the viewfinder with the lens off, if there appear to be odd dark marks in the hazy blur then the screen could probably do with a clean, or even replacement if that's economically sensible. Don't try it at home tho', the screen is delicate and easily scratched and then you're stuffed.

Also, if you use glasses it would be worth getting a focussing adaptor - can be had for most cameras - so that you can look through the viewfinder without your glasses on and still get the picture correctly focussed. Or use contact lenses!

>> Edited by JohnL on Friday 14th May 13:32

[Mad Dave]

Thanks John, much appreciated. I do wear glasses but my eyes are good enough without them on. Ill look into those adaptors you mention.

Many thanks

David

[RichB]

Mercedes?

[Mad Dave]

*badoom tish*




(If only I had the cash...)

[simpo two]

JohnL said:

No Minolta AF SLRs will take MD lenses. There's a company - name'll come back to me, clever bunch, make all sorts of adaptors - who make an adaptor though, although it isn't cheap.

You might mean www.srbfilm.co.uk?

[toppstuff]

Well I used a Nikon D70 last weekend at a mates wedding.

Bloody fantastic camera. Brilliant results.

Fantastic value. Stretch the credit card and take the plunge, you won't regret it.