Suggestions on a good 35mm SLR?

i've been looking for an older 35mm SLR because one,i'd like to have my own SLR,and two,i'd like to get away from digital.a friend of mine has a nikon n2020 (or F501 depending where you live) and i've worked with that and liked it,but want something differnt,maybe from the same era.i've looked at minolta x-700's,maxxum 7000's and 9000's,and i liked the x-700 (i prefer the metal body by far,i hated the maxxus plastic body and buttons...i like dials...).i've considered olympus' OM system,which i also thought were nice.i've also looked at the leicaflex.i'd like something that as i develop and find the need to do more,the camera can do it.autofocus would be a nice feature,as long as it's a setting i can change and still focus manually.but it's not a necessity.oh,and the n2020/F501 has this thing i liked that i'm not sure what it was called,you looked through the viewfinder,and as you focused arrows told you which way to focus for what was centered and when it was focused it turned green.

oh,and very adaptable to natural lighting.that's an important one.

As a long time Minolta user I agree with your selection of the X-700. However, You might look at the XE-7.

X-700 features:

TTL off-film flash metering which allows the camera to control flash duration with the 280PX, 360PX and Auto-Macro 80PX flash units. "Program Mode" so you can turn it into a "point & shoot" manual focus camera. Accepts the Minolta Motor Drive 1.

XE-7 features:

Tank-like construction. Vertical travel metal shutter developed by Leitz and Copal. Very smooth film advance and quiet shutter. Switch for perfect in-register multiple exposures. Sold by Leica as their R-3.

Either camera outfitted with the MC or MD ROKKOR-X 50mm f1.4 and the MD 35-70mm f3.5 and MD 70-210mm f4 constant aperture zooms will give you a lot of coverage for most any photography projects. Leica sold the two zooms as their Vario-Elmar series.

Visit AIRC-Adorama Imaging Resource Center and click on SFX Photography for how to do multiplr exposures.

IMO you should own them both. :)

I have used a Nikon FE for over 30 years and I love Nikon so much that I am going to buy a Nikon digital D80 so I will have the best of both worlds and can use all my lenses and filters on both.

adaptable to lighting? i will ignore that, thats up to the fotog and the lens, body has nothing to do with it

i have used X700/300/370's alot and love em.......the F1,7 50mm is a cool lens

basically you have done the ground work,,,,,nikon "f" series or minolta "X ------- find some lenses first maybe then get a body - or look for someone switching to digi and pick up their old "kit"

the newer minolta maxims and dynax are ok but to electronic, the 80's "manual" cams will last alot longer funny as it sounds

i own X700 and a X300 and dynax and maxims etc.........however the nikons like F2 and F4 are slightly better particually the flash sync speeds - if that matters to you

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A used Nikon N90s body can be found used at many reputable online stores and on ebay for under $100 a lot of the time.

It will do full manual and full auto and anything in between. It is compatible with most older and newer lenses and accessories.

It depends on how much money you want to spend, but if you can find a good deal (~$350 or maybe less)... pick up a Nikon F100. It's a great camera, and it has 3 different metering options. Also, it's relatively new (made in the late 90s just as the digital market was exploding) so you can find like new models laying around at camera shops for cheap!

Everytime I pick up my F100 (it doesn't happen often because I'm all digital) I end up wishing that my dSLRs felt more like the F100 in my hand. Seriously, it's a fantastic 35mm camera.

Also, now that Nikon has decided to produce a "full-frame" dSLR, would you ever decide to go digital, you'd have an easy transition.

Try a Nikon N90. Outstanding.