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Camera Suggestions
Hey! I've been a pilot for a few months now and I think it would be great to bring a cheap but nice camera along with me to remember my trips. I don't want anything too fancy but something that will serve me well when I take pictures of both aviation related and non aviation related things. I'm looking in the under $200 range. I figure you guys are the true hobbists and experts, so thanks.
RE: Camera Suggestions
Try a store like Wal Mart or Circut city. They will have SLR cameras for cheap and some that are a little over the $200.00 range.
RE: Camera Suggestions
For an SLR, you could do worse in your price range than getting a Minolta X370. Not an AF camera, but very well built. I have had one for 20 years now (back then they were called X300, only difference is the colour of the camera which was changed from bare metal to black) and it never let me down.
B&H has it for just under $200 (plus shipping): http://www02.bhphotovideo.com/default.sph/FrameWork.class?FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist_html___188380___MIX370S3570___GREY___CatID=269___SID=EE5738800D0
A good telephoto lens to go with it is the Tokina 70-210: http://www02.bhphotovideo.com/default.sph/FrameWork.class?FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist_html___132096___TO702104M___REG___CatID=274___SID=EE5738800D0 at just over $100. I've used this lens for about 15 years now (having replaced it once after it got sandblasted in a sandstorm), and it's excellent.
B&H has it for just under $200 (plus shipping): http://www02.bhphotovideo.com/default.sph/FrameWork.class?FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist_html___188380___MIX370S3570___GREY___CatID=269___SID=EE5738800D0
A good telephoto lens to go with it is the Tokina 70-210: http://www02.bhphotovideo.com/default.sph/FrameWork.class?FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist_html___132096___TO702104M___REG___CatID=274___SID=EE5738800D0 at just over $100. I've used this lens for about 15 years now (having replaced it once after it got sandblasted in a sandstorm), and it's excellent.
RE: Camera Suggestions
I agree. A manual focus SLR might be a good choice, because through the often scratched Plexiglas windows of rental aircraft, your autofocus on a lower-end SLR might "hunt" (as well as a lot of the professional-end ones). If you don't want the hassle of focus and composition and all that, I would recommend the Olympus zoom cameras; they are really nice.
I use a middle-of-the-line Nikon N80 SLR, which does pretty well. You can get them pretty cheap at B&H!
Good luck!!
I use a middle-of-the-line Nikon N80 SLR, which does pretty well. You can get them pretty cheap at B&H!
Good luck!!
RE: Camera Suggestions
Thanks for the replies. Yeah I knew I'd get the whole 'got to Wall Mart' spheel but I wanted to get some specifics so thanks.
RE: Camera Suggestions
If you haven't made your selection yet, I suggest that you check out the Pentax K-1000. It is a basic 35 MM SLR, manual focus and light meter. You have to adjust the aperture and shutter speed by centering the needle in the view finder (ala the turn bank indicator). I've had one for a number of years and love. It is tough and there are a lot of them for sale on ebay. You can pick one up with lenses for between $125.00 and $200.00
Good Luck
Bob Grandolfo
Good Luck
Bob Grandolfo
RE: Camera Suggestions
Personally, I would never buy a camera (and especially an SLR, a disposable (if you call that a camera) would be no problem) at a place like Wallmart.
Buy it at a good specialty store, not only do you get some sound advise there (I did say GOOD specialty store) but you're also supporting the smaller stores which are quickly disappearing (and the high quality equipment Wallmart will never sell with them, you'll want that in a while).
I have a personal policy to always check the photography stores here before buying elsewhere (mainly online for me) and compare prices. If the price isn't too much higher (20% or so) I buy from them.
Buy it at a good specialty store, not only do you get some sound advise there (I did say GOOD specialty store) but you're also supporting the smaller stores which are quickly disappearing (and the high quality equipment Wallmart will never sell with them, you'll want that in a while).
I have a personal policy to always check the photography stores here before buying elsewhere (mainly online for me) and compare prices. If the price isn't too much higher (20% or so) I buy from them.
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