Vivitar 3800N

vedwards

Looking to purchase a 35mm film starter camera. I see that Vivitar have a model V3800N / with 28-80mm zoom lens and comes with a free camera case for €200.
Is there anything better out there for around the same price range?

Thanking you in advance.
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jpb1974

Maybe the Nikon F100... especially if you're already a Nikon user with a stash of Nikon lenses.

If you're a Canon user then you could look at the EOS-1, EOS-3 or EOS-5.

DaireQuinlan

vedwards wrote: »

Looking to purchase a 35mm film starter camera. I see that Vivitar have a model V3800N / with 28-80mm zoom lens and comes with a free camera case for €200.
Is there anything better out there for around the same price range?

Buy second hand. There are millions of astonishingly good 2nd hand film cameras on the market, from €20 on up to whatever you want to spend. I wouldn't be bothered spending €200 on a new Vivitar/Cosina/Phenix or whatever.

If you're based in dublin, I've bought a few 2nd hand film cameras in Conns cameras, they normally have a good range, and they offer a 6 month warranty on bodies for peace of mind. They're probably a little more expensive than you'd pay on EBay or something. They have an F90x there at the moment for €150 which is good value if it's in good nick.

vedwards

Thanks guys! Much appreciated. Conns cameras has a website with online shopping also.:cool:

melekalikimaka

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

Buy second hand. There are millions of astonishingly good 2nd hand film cameras on the market, from €20 on up to whatever you want to spend. I wouldn't be bothered spending €200 on a new Vivitar/Cosina/Phenix or whatever.

If you're based in dublin, I've bought a few 2nd hand film cameras in Conns cameras, they normally have a good range, and they offer a 6 month warranty on bodies for peace of mind. They're probably a little more expensive than you'd pay on EBay or something. They have an F90x there at the moment for €150 which is good value if it's in good nick.

got myself a f90 there. just a warning tho, since college just started up, theres a serious demand from photo course students for 35mm, so stock dwindles and prices go up for next 2 months

thefizz

Gunns have the Vivitar you mentioned but I don't know what price. They also occasionally have second-hand SLR's.

vedwards

thefizz wrote: »

Gunns have the Vivitar you mentioned but I don't know what price. They also occasionally have second-hand SLR's.

Checked out their website...not great...Vivitar is mentioned but no stock listed . Looks like footwork needed...handy though just near Stephens Green / Wexford Str - Lower Camden St.

JayEnnis

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

Buy second hand. There are millions of astonishingly good 2nd hand film cameras on the market, from €20 on up to whatever you want to spend. I wouldn't be bothered spending €200 on a new Vivitar/Cosina/Phenix or whatever.

If you're based in dublin, I've bought a few 2nd hand film cameras in Conns cameras, they normally have a good range, and they offer a 6 month warranty on bodies for peace of mind. They're probably a little more expensive than you'd pay on EBay or something. They have an F90x there at the moment for €150 which is good value if it's in good nick.

I got my F90x off ebay for 30 euro!

Edit: You're from wexford yeah? I've a Zenith 12xp you can borrow for a week or two if you want, Just to try it out. The meter needs a battery though

vedwards

JayEnnis wrote: »

...You're from wexford yeah? I've a Zenith 12xp you can borrow for a week or two if you want, Just to try it out. The meter needs a battery though

Yes Jay, I'm living in County Wexford and thank you for your kind offer but I really need to purchase my own. It's for my course so I'll need it all year round on & off. I think the reason for the course suggesting the Vivitar was for its manual features. I'm not sure if the F90x or Canon EOS have the manual capabilities required for the course

JayEnnis

vedwards wrote: »

Yes Jay, I'm living in County Wexford and thank you for your kind offer but I really need to purchase my own. It's for my course so I'll need it all year round on & off. I think the reason for the course suggesting the Vivitar was for its manual features. I'm not sure if the F90x or Canon EOS have the manual capabilities required for the course

The F90 is fully manual but the lenses have to be older than the G series. So they have to have aperture rings basically. You can pick up a 50mm f/1.8 E series (Designed by Nikon to be cheap for their "Housewife cameras" years ago) that actually has great optics and can be gotten for as little as 25 on ebay as well.

Edit: Link-http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/50f18E.htm

Arciphel

I picked up an immaculate Nikon F80 on eBay for €45 including postage from UK. It can use all the new G lenses where the aperture is controlled only from the camera body. Well worth the money I think, if you are familiar with any of their digital SLRs you will instinctively know where everything is...

thefizz

vedwards wrote: »

Yes Jay, I'm living in County Wexford and thank you for your kind offer but I really need to purchase my own. It's for my course so I'll need it all year round on & off. I think the reason for the course suggesting the Vivitar was for its manual features. I'm not sure if the F90x or Canon EOS have the manual capabilities required for the course

The Vivitar is completely manual. I know Gunns sell a lot of them to the colleges for this reason.

vedwards

Thanks everyone, I'm getting a clearer picture of what's out there (pardon the pun) and what I require. I would like to buy locally if at all possible.

JayEnnis

vedwards wrote: »

Thanks everyone, I'm getting a clearer picture of what's out there (pardon the pun) and what I require. I would like to buy locally if at all possible.

You won't find much in Wexford anyway, Dublin is your best bet!