Backpacker considering Nikon N75 camera for small size

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DL - 11 Nov 2004 22:27 GMT

I backpack pretty frequently and want to purchase a lighter Nikon SLR body
to go with several lenses just for these camping trips. My primary usage of
the camera will be for landscapes, infrequent wildlife that I just stumble
upon, and occasional night-time, star trail shots. I recognize that it's
not the most feature-laden camera but are there any features that any of
you think makes the camera unsuitable for this situation? The only thing
that jumped out at me was that the shutter speed maxes out at 1/2000 but
I'm using slow film and slow zooms so that won't be a problem, and the
flash appears to only pop up during auto modes.

Thanks.

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DHatheway - 12 Nov 2004 05:39 GMT

If you've already don't already have Nikon-mount lenses, you might consider
the Pentax K1000.

Another Nikon you might consider would be an old FM-2, although I'm not sure
which lens series will still work with that mount (AI-S Nikkors worked fine
and I think the auto-focus lenses will work but I'm not sure). Shutter
speeds to 1/4000th, I think.

The only thing the battery runs in the FM-2 is the light meter. All shutter
speeds are still available if the battery dies.

> I backpack pretty frequently and want to purchase a lighter Nikon SLR body
> to go with several lenses just for these camping trips. My primary usage of
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Thanks.

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Mike Tamada - 23 Nov 2004 08:46 GMT

> If you've already don't already have Nikon-mount lenses, you might consider
> the Pentax K1000.

A classic camera, and one which can be used without batteries, and
with a reputation for ruggedness -- but much of that ruggedness comes
from a big heavy steel body: 21.6 oz, according to
http://homepage.mac.com/mattdenton/photo/cameras/pentax_k1000.html.

I own and like a Pentax ME Super. If the batteries die, you're stuck
with 1/125 shutter speed, but you can still take pictures. And the
body weight is only 15.7 oz.
http://www.camerareview.com/templates/camera_details.cfm?camera_id=344

Nowadays Pentax and other manufacturers makes cameras which are even
lighter, with plastic bodies, autofocus, and all sorts of other
doodads, but I don't know how well they rate for ruggedness or how
well they work without batteries.

--MKT

> Another Nikon you might consider would be an old FM-2, although I'm not sure
> which lens series will still work with that mount (AI-S Nikkors worked fine
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> >
> > Thanks.

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rick++ - 12 Nov 2004 16:08 GMT

Look for a camera with the smallest batteries.
They run out quickly.

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Brian Wasson - 19 Nov 2004 21:41 GMT

I use an old Nikon EM that I got at a garage sale for $10 when I'm
backpacking. Super light and compact, nearly indestructible, and cheap
enough that if something does happen to it I'm not too upset.

I used to take my N90s, but it's too heavy. And I'd worry about my D70
too much.

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Len McDougall, Outdoor Writer - 20 Nov 2004 16:01 GMT

> I backpack pretty frequently and want to purchase a lighter Nikon SLR body
> to go with several lenses just for these camping trips. My primary usage of
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Thanks.

I've been getting paid for published photos for better than 20 years,
during which I used (mostly) a Ricoh KR5 Super, and a Pentax K1000,
which ended up mounted onto a rifle stock. A year ago, I bought my
first digital camera, a point-n-shoot Kodak CX4200, and now my film
cameras are collecting dust on a shelf. Currently, I use a Hewlett
Packard Photosmart 945 (8x optical) and a Kodak DX7590 (10x optical),
both 5.0 Megapixel hi-res units, with onboard memory equal to 24
exposures, and memory cards that can exceed a dozen rolls of film.
We had a photography club visit our wolves a couple of weeks back, and
even though all of the members went on about the virtues of film
versus digital, every one of them was using a digital. Personally, I
wouldn't spend money on a 35mm body, and if I had existing lenses, I'd
look toward a compatible digital SLR, like Pentax's ist-D.

Len McDougall, author of the books: The Encyclopedia of Tracks and
Scats * The Log Cabin: An Adventure * Practical Outdoor Projects * The
Field & Stream
Wilderness Survival Handbook * The Snowshoe Handbook * The Outdoors
Almanac *
The Complete Tracker * Practical Outdoor Survival

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