Newcomer...

[alternatve]

Haiz, back to the drawing board... Bahibo just sold his RF. Hmm, maybe I'm too demanding. I want something portable and usable, not a GTN sized RF just yet, but something smaller, like a canonet or a FED 2 / Zorki 1. I guess I have to go on to ebay now.. I'm sorry for being so demanding when so many people are trying to be helpful to me. =\

 

[The_Cheat]

Haiz, back to the drawing board... Bahibo just sold his RF. Hmm, maybe I'm too demanding. I want something portable and usable, not a GTN sized RF just yet, but something smaller, like a canonet or a FED 2 / Zorki 1. I guess I have to go on to ebay now.. I'm sorry for being so demanding when so many people are trying to be helpful to me. =\

Err... given your situation, you should really not risk going to ebay. Reason being, there are a lot of hidden cost and risk involved in going ebay. What will happen if your few hundred dollars investment go down the drain, because of mishaps or sellers not honouring? How are you supposed to know that the item you received is really what was stated? Do you know how to handle a camera without actually trying it out, or someone explaining to you about the howabouts of a mechanical camera?

You are really better off in CS for now...

 

[alternatve]

Yes indeed. I would very much want to obtain my cameras (esp russian cameras) from singapore. However if this is not an option, I'll go to reputable websites to obtain them. And I'll ask for advice from the seniors in this forum to improve my form. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[jinn]

Yes, its the yashican electro 35 gtn. the camera is working fine. had it serviced last sept at cam x. the inbuilt meter is working, no fungus n the light seals have been replaced. i'm still considering whether to sell or keep. so tempt me with a price

If not because I have the GSN, I'll definitely get your GTN. I prefer the GTN is a bit less common than the GSN. ;p

I also sent my GSN to Cam-X for CLA. Friendly guy, Nick is.

 

[alternatve]

Are there any places in singapore where you can buy classic cameras and walk away without a hole in your pocket? Thanks.

 

[The_Cheat]

Are there any places in singapore where you can buy classic cameras and walk away without a hole in your pocket? Thanks.

Let me know too if there's such a place too...

 

[alternatve]

Haha, I guess no then.

 

[tan131]

If not because I have the GSN, I'll definitely get your GTN. I prefer the GTN is a bit less common than the GSN. ;p

I also sent my GSN to Cam-X for CLA. Friendly guy, Nick is.

Yeah, the GTN is more difficult to find n all. I'm using an olympus XA n ricoh GRD now and the GTN have not seen much action. Will eventually settle for a M6

Wanna get the GTN for collection?

 

[juggler]

Are there any places in singapore where you can buy classic cameras and walk away without a hole in your pocket? Thanks.

Can try Sungei Rd flea market. There's one chap there who sells classic cameras. But will most likely need CLA.

 

[alternatve]

I see. I was thinking of hitting Sungei Rd myself. Thanks for the hint.

 

[alternatve]

I couldn't sleep properly this few days because I was thinking of this whole issue. RF or SLR... I like the looks and portability of an RF, but the price of a new RF is too high for me now and a classic one is too unreliable till I have enough experience in this few. I have much to learn still even though I have learnt a lot from my various teachers. After running around here and there, I have finally decided that a good manual SLR with a working meter is the way to go now, till I can guess the right aperture and shutter speed settings. I'm sorry for making all of you run around in circles with me. :embrass: I am now looking for a used, but working Nikon FM/FM2 or a FE/FE2, preferably black. (It just looks better to me.) To those have one lying around, taking up space in your dry cabinet, but still working, you know who to look for. ^^

Thanks again. I'm probably going to close this thread soon.

 

[CZJena]

I couldn't sleep properly this few days because I was thinking of this whole issue. RF or SLR... I like the looks and portability of an RF, but the price of a new RF is too high for me now and a classic one is too unreliable till I have enough experience in this few. I have much to learn still even though I have learnt a lot from my various teachers. After running around here and there, I have finally decided that a good manual SLR with a working meter is the way to go now, till I can guess the right aperture and shutter speed settings. I'm sorry for making all of you run around in circles with me. :embrass: I am now looking for a used, but working Nikon FM/FM2 or a FE/FE2, preferably black. (It just looks better to me.) To those have one lying around, taking up space in your dry cabinet, but still working, you know who to look for. ^^

Thanks again. I'm probably going to close this thread soon.

Bravesoul, FM2 is a good choice but also consider Pentax Spotmatic-F (or MX), because FM2 can only use Nikon lens and not others in future, whereas pentax-K with adaptor can use huge varieties of lenses. Furthermore, black IS NOT a good choice for shooter, more for collectors, reason is obvious -- black paint, and black fm2 in good condition is priced way sky.

 

[YOL925]

I couldn't sleep properly this few days because I was thinking of this whole issue. RF or SLR... I like the looks and portability of an RF, but the price of a new RF is too high for me now and a classic one is too unreliable till I have enough experience in this few. I have much to learn still even though I have learnt a lot from my various teachers. After running around here and there, I have finally decided that a good manual SLR with a working meter is the way to go now, till I can guess the right aperture and shutter speed settings. I'm sorry for making all of you run around in circles with me. :embrass: I am now looking for a used, but working Nikon FM/FM2 or a FE/FE2, preferably black. (It just looks better to me.) To those have one lying around, taking up space in your dry cabinet, but still working, you know who to look for. ^^

Thanks again. I'm probably going to close this thread soon.

Hello alternative,

Don't lose sleep over a camera :angel:

With a budget of around S$100, it is indeed a little tight for a good camera system, but not totally impossible.

1. RF : great for street shooting; needs imagination, may not be suitable for all. The cheapest ones are of course the FSU stuff.
See, this one is close, but too bad sold already!

IMHO, there is no harm getting FSU stuff from eBay. I have done at least 50 purchases from eBay (highest amount S$2200, a Leica M4 from the UK), all fine except 1 case has problem... but the buyer refunded me. Just need to do homework and it should be OK.

RFF is another place where you can find good bargain. Two ads (may or may not be available still):

Green FED2 w Industar 61

Kiev 4

2. SLR - WYSIWYG. S$100 is tough, esp. Nikon. most basic set up would be body+std lens rite? FG? FM/FE + 50 f2 or f1.8?? hard to get below S$250. Maybe can check with Fotografix and see if they still have those East German SLR kits. Wonderful value.

Either case, remember photography is supposed to be fun and creative. Why not start with something simple and cheap, say a good working Canonet (there are currently 89 canonets on the Bay) for a start and see if you really like RF. For your reading pleasure

YOL

 

[alternatve]

I am of course going to raise my budget to accommodate a SLR. Around $250 for the body and $100 for the lens. I was thinking Nikon since they have a huge variety of lenses and their cameras (FE/FM) are newer (meters....) instead of the M42 lens mount SLRs which are older (higher chance of spoilt/malfunctioning meters). It is a good choice as well, so I'm keeping my options open. Black is a personal choice. If they have it at no extra cost or just a bit, why not. If it's a few hundred difference, heck no.

Or not. CZJena just enlightened me. Some closet SLR gurus must be laughing at this now. Ah well, one learns from one's mistakes. Researching now...

 

[vortex]

hmm $250 budget........go for FM10 still got chance

 

[alternatve]

hmm $250 budget........go for FM10 still got chance

FM10? Do you mean the olympus OM10? Ah, those were good cameras... I have one myself, suffering from a stuck mirror and what not... Too troublesome to fix, plus the lens are all foggy...

 

[chiif]

It's Nikon FM10. The body is not 100% metal, made sometime between end 80s to early 90s. Hence it is newer. Body OEM from Cosina.

If you have a OM10 with stuck mirror, GET IT FIXED! Even if you buy a second hand FM2, FE2, FM10, F3, F4 or even F5... you will get mirror stuck problem. I suggest that you bring the OM10 and the foggy lens to camera hospital to get a quote. If it cost you about 100 to fix it up for both items, it's much more worth than getting a new toy. Afterall, you might end up spending 150 fixing your new toy after paying $400 owning it.

FM10? Do you mean the olympus OM10? Ah, those were good cameras... I have one myself, suffering from a stuck mirror and what not... Too troublesome to fix, plus the lens are all foggy...

 

[alternatve]

oh, paiseh, it's my friend's one that has a stuck mirror. This works well, just a bit foggy. The lens is in a sad state... And I cannot find the shutter speed. Weird. Is it controlled by the external meter thingy? If so, that's bad. That little thing has been lost before I was born. -_- Probably going to send the thing to see whether it can be repaired, and how much.

 

[alternatve]

It's Nikon FM10. The body is not 100% metal, made sometime between end 80s to early 90s. Hence it is newer. Body OEM from Cosina.

If you have a OM10 with stuck mirror, GET IT FIXED! Even if you buy a second hand FM2, FE2, FM10, F3, F4 or even F5... you will get mirror stuck problem. I suggest that you bring the OM10 and the foggy lens to camera hospital to get a quote. If it cost you about 100 to fix it up for both items, it's much more worth than getting a new toy. Afterall, you might end up spending 150 fixing your new toy after paying $400 owning it.

The reason I'm reluctant to fix it is because this camera has been in and out of "hospital", so I don't think it can be fixed. But I'll give it a try anyway.

 

[chiif]

Try this one:
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=250632

Seriously, 280 for a f1.4 lens with a body... If I am looking for a camera to start with, I grab it straight away.... The lens alone cost more than 280.

I was very tempted by this.... but I have too may bodies. I just bought a excellent condition M42 mount Pentax H1a from a very nice fellow CS'er today. It's a real beauty and without meter! Shuttle curtain is clean and shuttle speed is accurate.