35mm SLR for newbie

"Chris Loffredo" wrote in message
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Matt Clara wrote:
"Chris Loffredo" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Hi all,

Thanks for your responses guys, that really helps. I do have another
question, aren't there "auto-manual" cameras? I've used a Nikon a few
years ago for a few shots and you could manually focus it but it also
had an "auto" mode or something where it focused itself.

Any thoughts on those?
Autofocus cameras *can* be focused manually, but because of the type of
focusing screens they use (as well as their entire mirror box design
concept), they do a pretty poor job of it, at least compared to the
better manual focus cameras.


Prosumer and pro Nikon cameras tend to maintain bright view screens. The
F4, F5, F6, 8008s and N90 did, I can't say for the N80.


*Bright* doesn't always mean good focusing. Some of the brightest screens
that exist don't allow focusing at all (apart from any additional focusing
aids).

A first-rate focusing *system* (because it's not only the screen that
counts) is both bright *and* snaps into focus well.
The really good ones are few and far between.

The 8008s and now my F100 both excel in this regard.

--
Regards,
Matt Clara
www.mattclara.com