I use a manual focus, manual exposure camera. I like it, but it is, of course, limiting in many situations. BUT . . . I hate modern bodies; I hate LCD screens.

What I want is a body that can do both auto exposure modes with AF, but looks and operates exactly like an old body, ie the FE where aperture priority is just another mark on the shutter speed dial. I want knobs without loosing a good modern AF. Is there such a body?

-- Stephen Christopher Grady (eightx10@yahoo.com), March 13, 2000

Answers

The EOS Elan II/IIE/50/50E has knobs that are easy to figure out. I put off the switch to AF for 10 years, mostly due to lack of funds, but the first time I picked up an Elan IIE, I knew I would own one. It kind of sucks for manual focus since there are no focus aids, and the screen can't be changed, but there are very few other limitations. Of course it isn't a pro level body, but unless you need a fast motor drive or some other feature that can only be found on a pro model, it should be fine.

-- Brad Hutcheson (bhutcheson@iname.com), March 14, 2000.

The AF isn't about three generations behing current and the body isn't as rugged as the FE, FE2, etc, but the Nikon N2020 seems to be about what you described.

The Nikon F4 (one generation newer than the N2020 but not exactly "current") and the Contax AX are "pro" cameras that are close to what you described.

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@nauticom.net), March 13, 2000.

You might want to look at Canon's Elan II. A fairly technical camera with mostly plain vanila opperation. Also Pentax has a back to basics model. Sort of a retro opperational style.

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), March 13, 2000.

a Pentax Z5n camera fits the bill.

-- (sangdkim@msn.com), March 13, 2000.

The pro-spec autofocus Minolta Maxxum 9 is retro-styled, with the big knobs that indicate exactly what they do, just like the old steel manual bodies used to have. The same old controls are in the same old place and are obviously and well indicated, just like in the old days. Unlike other modern AF cameras, you can operate the camera without even looking at the manual. It operates much like my old Nikon FE2s used to. Do yourself a favor and check one out. You'll love it. I use a big manual medium format Pentax 67 for much of my work and love the Maxxum 9 because it is a super high quality 35mm AF camera with controls that operate much like my Pentax. Minolta also makes some outstanding optics that are equal in performance to their Leica counterparts at a fraction of the price. But you have to do a little research to know which ones they are. Some of their low end consumer zooms are not all that great.

-- George Rhodes (betsy@colormewell.com), March 14, 2000.

As it's been pointed out, the Pentax ZX-5n is exactly what you're looking for. But, if you take a likin' to that new fangled stuff (like I did) you'll find the Pentax very limiting. The Pentax will speed up the type of shots you've taken before, but more current cameras can get shots you couldn't before (or with the Pentax). The new control layouts are also faster to work with also. I still like MF cameras, so I combine a F100 with either a FE2 or FA and have the best of both.

-- Bruce Rubenstein (brubenstein@lucent.com), March 14, 2000.

I agree with George, the Minolta is the only company I know that makes new AF bodies with nice big knobs. Both the Maxxum 9 and the 600si have the nice big knobs. I used to have a 600si which I loved, especially in cold weather because it was easy to operate with gloves on. But alas, I moved over to Canon because at that time Minolta had told me they were no longer going to support the professional market, obviously with the introuduction of the Maxxum 9 they did not tell me the truth, but that is okay since I like the lens offerings from Canon better, not that they are better than Minolta's top grade, but that they have more to offer. And USM and IS is unbeatable, Nikon is just now coming out with their version of USM and has just introduced their version of IS called VR (Vibration Reduction). It is nice to see companies competing with each other to bring us, the consumer, the best possible choices... good luck!

-- Bill Meyer (william_meyer@stortek.com), March 14, 2000.

I'd have to put in another plug for the Elan II. I switched to this after using a manual Minolta MD-11, and found the transition quite easy. When using it in manual mode, which I do most of the time, the biggest difference is having the aperture setting on the big dial on the back of the body, rather than a ring on the lens. Using CF4, (thanks to photo.net for pointing this out) allows me to pre-focus on a scene, and then fire the shutter when I want, without any chance of the camera trying to re-focus. There are buttons, but they are for the less-used functions, such as changing ISO, multiple exposures, and auto-bracketing. At times, I still go back to using the Minolta. I have one particular lens (a 135/2.8) that I don't have in the EOS system, and the switch back has never been a problem, as long as I remember to wind the camera between shots.

-- Geoff Doane (geoff_doane@cbc.ca), March 15, 2000.

I have been impressed with what I have seen of the Elan IIe; the eye- focussing option intrigues me, and the body seems to be a good value for $. Thanks to everyone for their input!

-- Stephen Grady (eightx10@yahoo.com), March 15, 2000.

if you want a camera that doesn't have an LCD and is easy to use but has some of the modern slr gadgets (i.e. built in motor drive, AF, program modes, etc.), You have two chouces in the Nikon family: N2020 if you want something cheap, or the F4 if you want a professional grade camera. I have both of them because i too don't like LCDs. Both together these cameras make the perfect system for me. Plus another advantage to N2020 and F4 is that they were both designed to still handle the older manual focus lenses with regards to program exposure modes and matrix metering.....this is not compatible with the newer Nikon slr's. I have a few nice old manual focus lenses so thats important to me.

-- asad shah (plexiform@aol.com), January 28, 2001.