Comments on: Hands-on: Vivitar V3800N 35mm manual film SLR [Update]

By: wick5449

wick5449 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:42:24 +0000

True there are many film slr’s on the web at great prices. But many are a gamble, and others need a renew. They can be a great deal for collectors or those wanting yesteryear (like me)
But these are reasonably priced and accept PK lenses which I have many, so for a fun kick around this does a good job. The mirror slap is annoying more than problematic. For the price of taking the family out to dinner and a movie, the gamble is minimal here.
I should make it clear that I do not own one yet, but checked them out, and have had Vivitars before that worked well. Don’t know the longevity, but that can be said for nay budget camera as well as those commanding top price at times.

By: Gene Aker

Gene Aker — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:12:05 +0000

AS a photo teacher, I’ve watched the supply of student slr’s dry up in recent years. Everyone fondly remembers the canons, nikons, and olympus of yore; but the oils are drying, the parts are scarce, and they are costly to repair.
As an alternative, I ordered the Vivtar and am trying it out for my classes—It feels fairly solid, the viewfinder is bright, and it takes the good old Pentax K lenses.
What’s not to like? Who knows? It may “replace” the K1000!

By: Charles

Charles — Sat, 23 May 2009 20:02:03 +0000

Gotta agree with the other commenters.
The number of amazingly good film cameras available used is astounding.
Check craigslist and you’ll see some incredible deals.
I recently saw a Nikon F5 on craigslist for not much more than what this piece of garbage is selling for.
Vivitar has never made a good camera. Period.

By: Pentax releases four official K-7 sample images - Vipin Lalla

Pentax releases four official K-7 sample images - Vipin Lalla — Sat, 23 May 2009 07:30:22 +0000

[...] my new found love for manual film SLRs, I can’t help but lust over the new Pentax K-7 that was announced earlier this week. Our good [...]

By: Pentax releases four official K-7 sample images

Pentax releases four official K-7 sample images — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:20:42 +0000

[...] my new found love for manual film SLRs, I can’t help but lust over the new Pentax K-7 that was announced earlier this week. Our good [...]

By: David

David — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:53:41 +0000

Buy a used Olympus OM2S on ebaY. You’ll be better off.

By: MC

MC — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:28:54 +0000

or you can buy really cheap (or get for free from a photographer in the family) one of the millions of the Nikons, Canons, Pentax, Minolta, and Yashica 35 MM SLR cameras siting in closets all over the planet. Picture quality will be superb even on a 1960s body with a 50mm manual lens.
The all manual Nikon FM series is great but, beware some honeycomb shutters on some model FM2. Those shutters eventually die and Nikon can no longer repair as the replacement shutter is no longer made.
As I learned a few years ago, after shooting $80 in film and processing and getting mostly really dark or black frames.

By: Digitalisieren

Digitalisieren — Tue, 19 May 2009 08:53:13 +0000

that’s for real man – analog and offline and mechanic :-)

and, $170 is quite cheap

By: Peter Ha

Peter Ha — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:19:11 +0000

Sorry, Ivan, part of my hands-on wasn’t published. Most of the body is made of plastic.

By: Iván Santiesteban

Mon, 18 May 2009 16:46:16 +0000

Looks like plastic. ¿Is it?

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:36:01 +0000

You want a REAL fun film camera? Pick up a Leica M7 with a 35mm 1.4 Aspheric lens, and you will be in analog photography nirvana.

And the poor house. ☺