Hey DSLR guys, what can you do with $200?

[Ace2cool]

I can buy 5 SLR cameras, 2 carrying cases, 8 lenses, 7 filters, 2 hoods, a shoemount flash, a pair of teleconverters, and lens and body caps for everything. What can you buy for your DSLR?

Let me start by saying, Craigslist is the place to be. That is where I bought all the cameras, and most of the accessories. Extra lenses were bought on eBay, and caps were bought on Amazon.

Here's where it started: I found a Minolta SRT-101 (Circa 1970-1971 for the stuff mine has) for sale on Cragslist for $25. I bought it, and was hooked. It came with a 58mm f=1.4 lens.

Running Total=$25

Then I bought a 37mm-105mm 1:3.5 lens for $39.99 (free shipping) on eBay. Thing is sweet. Takes awesome pictures too.

Running Total=$64.99

After that, I decided I needed more zoom, so I bought a 80mm-205mm 1:4.5/4.8 lens (also eBay) for $20 +shipping.

Running Total=$95.94

Misc lens caps, ect. from Amazon: $14.66
Running Total=$110.60

I bought a bunch of new cameras off Craigslist last night. First up, a Minolta X-700 (actually for Otto; I will be shipping it to him after I verify it shoots well.) $35. Came with a box of other crap that I'm most likely gonna donate to the thrift store down the street.

Thing was actually in great condition, with good batteries, and everything relatively clean. All it needed was a little dust removal, and thing looks almost brand new. Came with a baller leather body case and the stock 50mm f=1.4 lens. The lens alone is worth the price. This was a great find in itself.
Running Total:$145.60

After that, I headed to check out these "3 Minolta cameras" that the lady "didn't know anything about." I showed up, and she came outside with 2 camera bags full of gear. I knew I was gonna leave there with something, just didn't know what yet. She had an X-700, an XD-11, and a Maxxum 7000. I asked nonchalantly if it was $40 apiece, or $40 for the set, and she said $40 for everything. It was hard to hide my excitement, as I would have paid that much alone for the Maxxum. I got home and promptly started taking things out and cleaning them to get them up to standards:

Running Total=$185.60
(And yes, I do have racing seats in my living room. What else would you expect from me?)

Here's a good pic of what $40 gets you:


Ordered some extra body and lens caps for the ones that didn't come with them. They should be here next week. $13.24
Running Total=$198.84

So here's what $200 gets you in the world of old 35mm cameras(camera bags and lens caps on order not pictured). DSLR guys, you can buy a mediocre lens.

Sadly, I am gonna have to play with the big boys if I want new lenses for the Maxxum, as it uses the same lenses as the Sony Alpha DSLR series, which are still being produced. Good thing all my other lenses are interchangeable between all my manual focus cameras!

[Dittoz7]

I hate you...

>.>

[dre1507]

you know, whenever i see camera threads. i think, "BORING!!!".....until i see a sweet car and wish i had more than just a cellphone. saw a WICKED CLEAN z31 when i was in Anniston, Alabama about three weeks ago. pics are on my phone, but the quality doesn't do the car justice, so i decided to keep it to myself.

[skydragoness]

Film cameras are incredibly cheap, yes!!
In the long run you're paying for development costs though. I'm too impatient to send off rolls in the mail and wait. There's places I could drop off but they're not like actual camera shops that can do medium format/special film types, etc.

I have a 35mm Holga (the "toy" camera that takes crazy old style photos), a flash for it and a shutter cable for long exposures. For the purity of it having a 35mm film SLR is awesome, there are just some weird things that happen with film that you can't get in DSLR (unless you fake it in PS).

I own a Pentax DSLR but the cool thing about Pentax is that I can use *any* lens they've ever made on my DSLR (obviously autofocus won't work but metering and focus confirmation does). I own several 30yr old lenses that were probably worth hundreds of dollars in their day.

Minolta was a great camera with some great glass. I had their 7D slr before they got bought out by Sony
Have you been on http://www.keh.com yet?

[Razi]

I thought about buying those Holgas, but bought a Rolleicord and AE-1 Program instead.
That's one hell of a deal you found, Aaron!

[skydragoness]

Rolleicords/twin reflexes are awesome.

Any samples?

[Razi]

No pictures from the Rollei yet.
I haven't gotten around to getting the roll developed haha.

[skydragoness]

No pictures from the Rollei yet.
I haven't gotten around to getting the roll developed haha.

My point exactly
I have a unfinished roll of film in my Holga. I try to remember to bring it places so I can finish it and one day...get it developed.

[Razi]

Yeah, I rarely bring my Rollei with me.
Taking the AE-1 is more convenient and getting it's film developed is less of a hassle.

[Ace2cool]

Film cameras are incredibly cheap, yes!!
In the long run you're paying for development costs though. I'm too impatient to send off rolls in the mail and wait. There's places I could drop off but they're not like actual camera shops that can do medium format/special film types, etc.

I'm waiting on a roll I dropped off I think Monday. This is the first roll I'm actually sending off to the Fujifilm processing center. I'm kinda excited to see how they turn out!

I own a Pentax DSLR but the cool thing about Pentax is that I can use *any* lens they've ever made on my DSLR (obviously autofocus won't work but metering and focus confirmation does). I own several 30yr old lenses that were probably worth hundreds of dollars in their day.

My Maxxum works the same way as your Pentax when in manual mode. It's actually pretty cool, as it tells you which way to turn the focus ring, and has a beep and green LED to tell you when it's focused (though my eyes work fine, lol).

Minolta was a great camera with some great glass. I had their 7D slr before they got bought out by Sony
Have you been on http://www.keh.com yet?

I love all my Minoltas. These cameras are extremely well built, and take fantastic photos. I'm kinda sad that Minolta got out of the camera business. And yeah, Otto showed me KEH. Awesome site. Haven't ordered anything yet, but looks pretty legit. I wanna pick up a few more lenses, and that may be the place I'll be getting them.