Suitable camera for a student?

Many of our members still have film cameras. And some even use them! This is for film junkies

Moderators: Greg B, Nnnnsic, Geoff, Glen, gstark, Moderators

Forum rules
Please ensure that you have a meaningful location included in your profile. Please refer to the FAQ for details of what "meaningful" is. Please also check the portal page for more information on this.

Suitable camera for a student?

Postby johndec on Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:48 pm

Much to my suprise, my 15yo daughter announced tonight that she was considering studying photography as one of her HSC subjects next year.

For non NSW members, HSC is the Higher School Certificate, also known as VCE in Victoria or Senior High in the USA, you get the drift, it's the last 2 years of High School... gee, I wish I had choices like that when I was at school. Physics or Photography, hmm, I know which way I would have jumped :lol:

Anyway, my first thought was this was a perfect excuse to give her my D70 and upgrade to (hopefully available by early next year) a D200... However reading through the syllabus it appears that the course is film not digital based :?

I've got a couple of 20yo MF film SLR's (Ricoh and Minolta) but I doubt they would be suitable. I'm thinking if she goes through with this maybe a F80 off ebay may be suitable? Plus, I wouldn't mind having something like that as a back up camera. Opinions?
If I'm alone in a forest and my wife is not around to hear what I say, am I still wrong ??
User avatar
johndec
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1327
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:24 pm
Location: Sans Souci, Sydney...D200....

Postby birddog114 on Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:53 pm

NO, can't do that Dad!!!!!!! :lol:
A D2x for me and you keep your D70 :lol:

Apart from it, I say film camera is better for HS, They'll use or taken photos with B&W and they'll play with dark room, that what they have to learn at school.
Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
User avatar
birddog114
Senior Member
 
Posts: 15881
Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2004 8:18 pm
Location: Belmore,Sydney

Postby phillipb on Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:57 pm

Actually John, I think your old minolta would be better suited.
My daughter did a similar thing for her HSC. She ended up borrowing the school's Pentax K1000 because they preferred a completely manual camera to learn on.
__________
Phillip


**Nikon D7000**
User avatar
phillipb
Senior Member
 
Posts: 2599
Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:56 am
Location: Milperra (Sydney) **Nikon D7000**

Postby Jamie on Tue Jul 26, 2005 10:14 pm

A friend of mine just finished VCE last year and they lent the students camera's to learn with, they were also fully manual.

It might be worth finding out her exact needs before paying out money on something she may not be able to use.

Jamie
Jamie
Member
 
Posts: 313
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 12:40 pm
Location: Hoppers Crossing, Melbourne <D70>

Postby Nnnnsic on Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:03 pm

I'd look at something like an F65 or an FE series. The F80 might be a bit too pro for a new-ish photographer... I used Dad's old Nikkormat FTN during Photography in my Year 11 (dropped out in Year 12 because it was all the same in Year 12 and I wanted to do Anthroplogy and Film Editing instead) and, like the FE series, worked a charm.

The fact that it lacks auto-focus makes it a better option because it means the photographer really has to work to get the image they want and not just rely on the camera's in-built functionality, which is what most students seemed to do.
Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
User avatar
Nnnnsic
I'm a jazz singer... so I know what I'm doing
 
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:29 am
Location: Cubicle No. 42... somewhere in Bondi, NSW

Postby MCWB on Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:15 pm

John: If you'd like a Nikon F50 with Nikkor 35-80 f/4-5.6 lens (I think?) I'd be willing to part with mine cheaply, as it's not getting any use these days! :(
User avatar
MCWB
Senior Member
 
Posts: 2121
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:55 pm
Location: Epping/CBD, Sydney-D200, D70

Postby johndec on Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:43 pm

Thanks for all the replies guys, but as Jamie mentioned, it may be better waiting until she starts the course as they may have restrictions on what cameras are allowed to be used. BTW, they are giving away film SLRs on ebay, this F80 just went off a few minutes ago:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... eName=WDVW

Nearly bought it just for the hell of it :shock:
If I'm alone in a forest and my wife is not around to hear what I say, am I still wrong ??
User avatar
johndec
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1327
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:24 pm
Location: Sans Souci, Sydney...D200....

Postby johndec on Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:56 pm

MCWB wrote:John: If you'd like a Nikon F50 with Nikkor 35-80 f/4-5.6 lens (I think?) I'd be willing to part with mine cheaply, as it's not getting any use these days! :(


Thanks Trent, I'll keep that in mind but you may want to hang onto it if this ebay auction is any guide as to it's worth :shock:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... eName=WDVW

Told you they were giving away film SLRs on ebay :lol:
If I'm alone in a forest and my wife is not around to hear what I say, am I still wrong ??
User avatar
johndec
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1327
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:24 pm
Location: Sans Souci, Sydney...D200....

Postby redline on Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:59 pm

i don't want to be rude in anyway, but i remember that there usually was an interview process plus portfolio submission for most or all photography courses.
thats probaby one of the reasons i didn't apply many years ago.
Life's pretty straight without drifting
http://www.puredrift.com
redline
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1370
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:36 pm
Location: Melbourne

Postby phillipb on Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:08 am

Redline, I think you'll find that John's daughter is only studying photography at school just like any other subject, eg english science etc.
__________
Phillip


**Nikon D7000**
User avatar
phillipb
Senior Member
 
Posts: 2599
Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:56 am
Location: Milperra (Sydney) **Nikon D7000**

Postby johndec on Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:29 am

phillipb wrote:Redline, I think you'll find that John's daughter is only studying photography at school just like any other subject, eg english science etc.


Correct.
If I'm alone in a forest and my wife is not around to hear what I say, am I still wrong ??
User avatar
johndec
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1327
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:24 pm
Location: Sans Souci, Sydney...D200....

Postby Nnnnsic on Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:16 am

Photography is a course you can take at high school if your high school runs it.

At Uni, Photography (usually associated with Fine Arts) requires an interview with a portfolio and occasionally some sort of arts test.
Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
User avatar
Nnnnsic
I'm a jazz singer... so I know what I'm doing
 
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:29 am
Location: Cubicle No. 42... somewhere in Bondi, NSW

Postby gstark on Wed Jul 27, 2005 6:52 am

John,

I'd be very surprised if either the Ricoh or Minolta were not suitable for this purpose.

Next up you'll be buying a bulk film loader. :)
g.
Gary Stark
Nikon, Canon, Bronica .... stuff
The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it - US Pres. Bartlet
User avatar
gstark
Site Admin
 
Posts: 22896
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:41 pm
Location: Bondi, NSW

Postby Antsl on Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:09 am

Hi John,

I think that guys have covered most of the topics however I would make one suggestion ... after determining whether your daughter gets onto the course and whether or not she needs a film camera, get her started on the Ricoh or the Minolta but then look at getting her a Nikon F801 if she starts proving her interest and the ability to look after good gear.

You can buy an 801 for a good price and yet it has many desirable specs that you dont get to see on the F50, F65 and F80 cameras including high eyepoint viewfinder, fast sync speed and straightforward control system. It is the type of camera that she can easily use in a advanced camera course without feeling too out of place... if cameras like the D100's replacement have some of the features of F801 I would actually be happy!

Cheers,
Antsl
User avatar
Antsl
Senior Member
 
Posts: 678
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2005 1:22 am
Location: North Melbourne, Victoria!

Postby shutterbug on Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:10 pm

Hi John,

I have a F80 + grip that I will be selling. Under 10 rolls has been through it. Brought new this year as a backup, but decided to go fully digital. Already sold one on Ebay early this year. PM me if you are interested.
User avatar
shutterbug
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1853
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 11:32 am
Location: A Pub in Sydney / Bankstown

Postby redline on Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:17 pm

whoops, i must of miss the first 2 lines of the post,
i guess it was pretty last for me.
Life's pretty straight without drifting
http://www.puredrift.com
redline
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1370
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:36 pm
Location: Melbourne


Return to Film and Non-Digital Imaging

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests

cron