When is “good enough” good enough?

A clean, working Spotmatic SP is a great SLR, even at 60 years old

I got to thinking about this recently, after I received a Ricoh KR-10 Super via eBay.  I paid less than $30 before shipping, so it was definitely a bargain.  I last used a Ricoh K-mount body about a decade ago, and had sort of forgotten how good it was.  Now, if you’ve been following Random Camera Blog for a while, you’ll know that I use Nikon gear for about 75% of my photography.  But that doesn’t mean other SLR systems are not as good as Nikon’s nor does it mean that you need a Nikon or a Canon system to take great photographs.  In the realm of 35mm film SLRs there are a lot of choices out there.  Some of them are peculiar and do not have a big “ecosystem” of accessories and lenses.  For example, Topcon and Miranda featured well-built bodies and enough lenses to satisfy the needs of most photographers. Yet today, they certainly are niche cameras and are rarely seen.  Why is that?  They were certainly “good enough.”  However, in the mid-1970s, as branding became increasingly popular, it was the Pentax Spotmatics, Minolta SRTs, Canon, and Nikons that attracted the most interest.  The cool kids had Spotmatics, the pros had Nikons, and all the rest were there for the remaining market share.  By the mid-1980s, Olympus, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Minolta were the predominant SLR brands, with a smattering of other runner-ups.  The K-mount of Pentax was where one could find new, less-expensive cameras - not made by Pentax.  So, enter Cosina, Ricoh, and Chinon - three Japanese companies that were also OEM suppliers to some other brands.  Even today, when looking for either M42 mount or K-mount SLRs on the used market, these three companies are less-expensive options to the Pentax SLRs.  That really can’t be said of Nikon, Canon, Olympus or Minolta.  

Now, as a long-time Nikon user, I know my Nikon SLRs, and the strengths of any particular body compared to others.  The last non-AF Nikon bodies were the FM3A, the FM10 and FE10.  The FM3A is an outstanding camera body that continued in the Nikon heritage of the FE and FM2N, and can operate without batteries, if necessary.  Good used FM3A examples still go for nearly $800.  However, the FE10 and FM10, made by Cosina for Nikon, are plastic-bodied SLRs that are not too different from the Vivitar V3000, made by Cosina.  But, having used them, they are certainly good enough for everyday use.  They sell for a fraction of the FM3A, and less than a good used FE model.  Some photographers have derided them as being “too plasticky.”  Well, the same could be said for the auto-focus Nikon N55, 60, 65, and 75, and those were made by Nikon.  Today, if Nikon offered a new FE-10 type of SLR, I guarantee that it would sell.  Sure it’s not going to be as robust as a FM2, but it will be good enough for most.  Again, spend money on lenses!

The Miranda Sensorex is a classic, but never popular

My point here is that a camera is often only as good as the lenses available for it. Topcon and Miranda bodies are well-made, but there are very few options for lenses.  The Pentax and other  M42  and K mount bodies have a plethora of available lenses, made by many manufacturers.  Canon’s FD-mount SLRs likewise had a lot of third-party options, and so did Minolta, Olympus, and to a lesser extent, Konica’s AR-mount.  Oh yes, and so does Nikon.  What that means for the new users today is that you should not discount the other brands, which you can often purchase at lower prices than the “name brands.” Going back to the beginning, the Ricoh KR-10 Super has a lot more features than the Pentax K1000.  I know the K1000 gets all the attention because it’s a “beginner’s SLR.” It certainly is, but it lacks even a self-timer! Yet they sell for well over $200 used.  For that price you could easily buy a Spotmatic with a 50mm lens, and have money left over for more film.  I don’t see how a Spotmatic F is not a good “beginner” camera, as it is pretty much identical to the K1000, but it has a M42 screw mount lens rather than the bayonet K-mount.  It also includes a self-timer, stop-down depth of field viewing, and can accept many lenses for the M42 mount. A bargain, and is certainly more than “good enough.”  

The KR-5 is a bargain

The Ricoh KR-10 and the Sears KSX (made by Ricoh) are two very good K-mount SLRs made in the 1980s.  While they don’t have PENTAX on the front of the prism, they are better cameras than the 40-year old Pentax ME, which suffers from electronic problems. Some sleuthing online will provide you with some bargains, once you know what to look for. Again, by saving money, you can purchase additional lenses, since most of these cameras come with a 50mm f/2 normal lens.  Buy a 28mm wide-angle, or maybe a 28-70mm zoom lens and see what a difference it makes in how and what you photograph.  There are plenty of K-mount options out there.  My first K-mount SLR was a Pentax MG, which I purchased at Service Merchandise in 1983. It came with a 50mm f/2 SMC Pentax  and a 135mm f/2.8 SMC Pentax lens and a 2x teleconverter.  I don’t recall what I paid for it, but I used that camera until 2000.  I remember buying a used Pentax SMC 28-80 zoom for it that had close-up capabilities, and was amazed at what a difference it made in my photography.

If you are just getting into using a 35mm SLR, and want that “analog feel,” you probably don’t already have an established preference.  There are a lot of good used SLRs out there that won’t cost you much. Popularity drives up the price, but if you stick with the same lens-mount ecosystem, you can find cheaper alternatives that are “good enough.”   Here is a list of mounts  and cheaper alternatives:

The Spotmatic F was the last M42 mount from Pentax

M42 mount cameras 

The M42 screw mount was introduced in the 1950s by Praktica, and the Pentax Spotmatic is the king of M42 mount SLRs. Some of these are now rising in price, but generally, you should be able to pay less than $60 for a Spotmatic SP.  The Spotmatic SP II  is a lot like a K1000, and costs less. However, if not having a TTL meter is okay, I highly recommend the Pentax S3 or H3 bodies. Don’t ignore the Mamiya 500DTL or 1000DTL models. Fujica’s ST701 and ST 801 models are usually good purchases, too. Also, look for good examples of the Ricoh Singlex, Vivitar 250/SL, or Chinon CS-4.  The Yashica TL Electro X SLR is an excellent camera body, too.  For European-manufactured cameras, the Zenit 12XP and Praktica Super TL are good choices.

The Mamiya 1000DTL 

The Chinon CS - basic, but rugged.

The Praktica MTL3 is a solid, no-frills SLR.

K-Mount cameras

Pentax’s K-mount was also adopted by Chinon, Cosina, and Ricoh. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the K-mount!  Instead of paying over $200 for a K1000, you should look for a Ricoh KR-10 Super or Sears KSX.  Even cheaper would be a Vivitar V3800.  The Chinon CM-4 is also a bargain.  Later Pentax models with lots of plastic, such as the ZX-M are also going to be relatively inexpensive. Of course, if you have M42 lenses, the K-mount adapter allows you to use them in stop-down mode on the K-mount bodies.

While the K1000 gets a lot of love, it's not the best choice.

The Sears KS 500 is a Ricoh. Not a bad starter SLR.

The Ricoh XR-P has all the features!

Nikon F-mount

If you want the heavy metal experience without a hefty price, I recommend the Nikkormats.  The best choice would be the Nikkormat FT-3, but the FT2 and EL are also good choices, if you don’t mind doing the “Nikon twist” with Non-AI lenses.  Otherwise, the Nikon FG, FA, and FE sell at fairly low prices.  Stay away from the Nikon EM. They are prone to failure, and have very little to offer in the way of control. For autofocus bodies, the N8008, N90, N2002, N80, and N75 are inexpensive choices.  You don’t need a F100 or an F5 to take great photos!  If you are already using a Nikon DSLR, it's easy to use a Nikon AF film body.

The Nikon FE remains a popular entry in the Nikon world

 The FM10 works well.

The Nikon FG is remarkably small and full-featured

                    

The FM2N is a lifetime camera. It ought to last.

The Nikkormat FTN is a heavy metal classic.

Canon 

I’ve shot a lot of Canon manual SLRs in my past, and the FTb QL was a favorite, because it was so reliable. They’ll be cheaper than the much-championed AE-1.  The Cosina-made Canon T60 is also a good choice.   It’s of modern design, has nice ergonomics, and is also quite similar to the Nikon FE-10 in operation. For EOS bodies, the Elan II, and many of the Rebel models will do the trick. If you already have a Canon EOS digital body, using the Rebel-series film bodies will be an easy switch. 

The Canon TL QL is a basic, but quite usable SLR

The Canon T60 is a joy to use.

Minolta (SR/MC/MD mount)

The classic mechanical Minolta SRT series offer good value, and the lenses are still relatively inexpensive.  A working SRT 101, 202, etc.,  are great cameras, and are quite plentiful. Going a bit later, the Minolta X-7A (also known as the X-370) is a good choice for an inexpensive aperture-priority SLR.  While the Minolta X-700 was a wonderful multi-mode SLR, it is prone to bad capacitors over time, so you never know when one might suffer from that malady.  However, the X7A was produced in the late 1980s, and as electronic Minolta SLRs go, it’s capable of great images with the range of Minolta glass that is available.  

 

The Minolta X-700 is a great SLR, so long as the capacitors last.

The SRT series are robust, with a great lens selection.

Ultimately, your choice of what is good enough may change the longer that you engage in photography.  One photographer’s choice of what is good enough might be a Holga, and another’s might be a Leica M6.  However you evaluate your needs,  you don’t need the top camera model to become a proficient photographer. But if you are just beginning film photography, there are a lot of choices of SLRs, and with some research and diligence, you ought to be able to get a reliable camera for less than $60. It might not be a Canon AE-1, a Pentax K1000, or a Nikon F3, but it will be more than good enough for learning photography. With a couple of lenses and a lot of film, you’ll be starting a great adventure.