| Brand: | Vivitar | ||
| Average Rating |
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For anyone taking a class in fundamentals of photography, the Vivitar V3800N is the perfect camera to bring along. This simple, manual 35mm SLR camera employs the time-tested, reliable vertical traveling metal focal plane shutter. 10 second self timer Hot shoe for optional flash Depth of field preview Dimensions – 3.5H x 5.4W x 2.3D Weighs 13 ounces Warranty – Camera – One Year; Lens – Five Years Includes lens hood, case, strap Filter Size – 52mm more info
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Excellent for what it is…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was looking for a camera that would allow me full manual control and the ability to shoot without batteries (except for the meter) as a reliable back-up camera. My wife has an old Vivitar v2000 and it is a tank, takes beautiful pictures if you know what you are doing, and best of all has that “nearly universal” K-mount that opens up the possibility of so many high-quality, relatively inexpensive lens.
My 3800 is equally impressive in its simplicity and basic but strong features. My only nits are an overly tight aperature ring at the 3.5 f-stop position, like it wants to slip out of position (but it hasn’t) and a very slightly crooked hot shoe.
This camera doesn’t compare to my main units in terms of total creative control and overall “coolness”, but that is perfectly fine because that is not why I bought it. Knowing what you need and want is usually the key to a happy purchase, and I am very happy!
For those of us who love the essentials…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love, love, love this manual camera. Personally, I feel that a lot of the bad reviews stem from the fact that some reviewers have skewed expectations for the V3800–it would probably be best to pack your cute digital point-and-shoot for Aunt Edith’s party, for instance.
Don’t get me wrong–it’s the photographer, not the camera that produces a great picture–but this is definetely a device for those of us who are trying for “art”, not the family scrapbook, and prefer not to be encumbered by extraneous settings.
I’m not saying I’ll never come back to my cute little Rebel EOS(there’s something to be said for not having to manually wind your film!) but it’s wonderful to be able to set your exposure with a few little dials. Much faster than having to sort through the all the digital silliness. And who really uses that “Night Portrait Mode” anyway? Not I.
Of course, there are some flaws. The flash sync only goes up to 125 and the body is on the heavy side compared to the featherlight cameras produced these days. But even these “flaws” are easy to ignore; I can live without a fast flash sync, as I’m not one for sports photography and prefer ambient light; I also find that my camera shake is greatly reduced now that I’ve got something to grab on to.
Buy it!! Makes you feel like Brenda Starr or Mickey Spillane, depending
From the Jungles to the Desert, Great Camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Greetings, Hope this finds everyone to be in good health and happiness. I traded my minolta slr w/2 lenses and flash for the 3800N back in 2002 and have enjoyed it ever since. This camera is used primarily for B/W as well as continued learning of the fundamentals of photography and creative ideas. I have taken it through five different jungles in SE Asia, in the desert, and across fifteen states with no problems. If you have an idea of a grunts life, it isn’t easy or clean. This camera takes the abuse and still performs they way it should. Maintain proper care and protection from the environment with all the accessories available and you ‘ve got a great artistic kit at little cost. Have fun with this camera and be artistic.
Vivitar Camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Product delivered as promised and my daughter is
thrilled! You saved the day and her grade from her
college professor! THANK YOU
Camera
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The camera case broke the day that it was opened. The metal ring broke in half. This case is now useless. It was a Christmas gift. I was embarrassed.
Great camera, poor lens
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I purchased this camera as my first SLR to start learning photography.
The Good: The camera body is excellent. It has all the features one needs for manual photography including metering, depth of field preview, and multiple exposure.
The Bad: The lens is slow (f3.4). Unless the scene is very well lit, you’ll find yourself shooting at f3.4 with a slow shutter speed almost all the time at ISO 100, even with a tripod. Also, I have never been able to achieve a sharp photograph with this lens, even at mid-range apertures (f8 and f11). At first, I attributed this to inexperience and poor technique. But as soon as I started shooting with a used Sigma lens, the difference was astonishing. I finally know what a sharp photograph looks like.
Overall, I would not recommend this camera package. The camera body is excellent, and is worth buying separately. However, the poor quality lens is not worth it. You will be much better off purchasing a used lens. The lens that comes with this camera can be very discouraging for beginning photographers.
Want quality? Better keep looking.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I recently bought a Vivitar v3800N camera from a local, specialty camera store. After having the camera for less than 2 months and having shot only about 4 rolls of film the camera BROKE! I have taken extreme care with this camera and have not found a reason for it to malfunction. I will not recommend this camera to anyone.
I am not trying to be harsh or unfair toward Vivitar. I would just write this problem off as a fluke, but I have had two of these cameras and this exact same thing has happened….twice! If you are curious about the problem, the shutter is jammed, for some unknown reason, which I might add is quite expensive to repair. I will not buy another Vivitar camera.
Vivitar Camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this camera I was shocked to read all of those awful things about it I am going to be a photographer and I think that this is a great camera expecially for starting out photographers!
Good luck with your new camera!
A very underated camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was concerned when I read so many negative reviews, but I was amazed at the quality When I received the camera. The complaints about the lens are unfounded, since all zoom lens’ require a bit more light. But the new high speed films out there compensate. I was able to shoot in heavy overcast with 400 film no sweat. Works indoors with at flash at 125 speed, much better than the 60 speed slrs out there. The frame is made of high quality high impact polymer resin,but with a metal ring to change lens’s and the camera has a very nice heft to it. I had no problems with the tripod screw stripping. The light meter only tells you if you are over, under, or at the right exposure, allowing you to make the artistic decision to adjust the aperature or speed. The lens is clear and bright. It comes with a nice collapsable lens hood, and eye hood. The shutter is crisp with a max 2000, and the film max is 3200. The shoulder strap is durable and strong, the case is excellent, both strong and attractive. Most importantly, using asa400 both indoors and out, close and far, the photo quality is superb. Have no doubt that this is a professional camera, with total control for the artist, and bright easy to read numbers on both the camera and lens. I own 8 cameras. Now I carry 2. This is one of them. Best regards, Jon Charles
Best first camera EVER!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My V3800N was my very first camera purchased so that I could have a fully manual camera for my Photo 1 class. Although I haven’t used it in a while, I still love my little Vivitar and have plans to take it back out again. It’s solidly made with a great hand-feel. It’s an excellent beginner’s film camera. At at tasty price point, it’s well worth the gamble because I promise it will pay off!
Jewel in the dust! The real professional camera!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was looking for a replacement for my trusted but worn out
manual Pentax K-1000 SLR.
Its spare parts and repair costs became very prohibitive.
I didn’t want to buy used and old camera for the reasons given above.
I’ve tested at least fifteen different modern professional SLR’s.
I stopped experimenting only when I came across this Vivitar V3800n camera.
I was amazed by the quality of the pictures and reliability of its mechanics.
This camera has all features needed in professional photography.
Depth of the field preview, wide range of the film speeds B-1/2000,
split image focusing, multiple exposure button, flash socket and direct Xcontact.
I completed two photographic seasons with this camera and purchased the second
one of the same model to keep it as a spare.
All my pictures selected and sold for publishing in the magazines and journals
I’m contracting with, were performed using this professional camera.
I can use all set of lenses left from my old Pentax with Vivitar 3800n camera
’cause they have the same K-type mount.
…
This is a truly professional grade camera …!
buyer beware
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
This is just a plastic box. I sent it back the day after I got it! It is not as advertised.
Unfortunate thing
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
This is a camera made by Cosina, I believe it matches Cosina 1s.
The shutter mechanism is kind of OK, but the construction quality is dreadful. It is made of a cheapest possible soft plastic. Even the screw that holds the camera in case is made of soft plastic that desintegrates after a couple film changes. Moreover, the tripod screw mount is made of soft plastic as well, so it desintegrates quickly too.
dont waste your money
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The camera itself is ok. The lens that it comes with is worthless, a maximum apeture of 3.5 is not very big at all. Pictures will be crap unless you are in a lot of light, especially if you like to use slow speed film. If you really like the camera, I would recommend buying the body and lens seprately.
I love this camera
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought this camera for a beginners B&W photography class, and although it’s basically the bottom of the line, it’s a great little camera. All of my pictures came out clear, unless by my beginners error, of course. It’s light weight and very easy to use. I’d reccomend this camera to anyone who wants a good SLR, beginner or non.
Why does this come up under “digital slr” search?
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I rate this with ONE star because it is not adigital. What is with this?? I come here to Amazon and type in DIGITAL SLR and after browsing through several I come to this one! Does someone at Amazon want me to accidently assume this is a digital and buy one?? WHAT IS WITH THIS! Can’t hardly be an accident someone somewhere plays games so things will come up whether it fits search perameters or not … this is so wrong I think
It has all the bells and whistles
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am really like this camera it has all the bells and whistles. The photos come out great. I got this as gift and I just wanted to let peopl know it is good choice
Ace Photo Digital
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Ace Photo Digital had no intentions of selling me this camera as described. After blowing me off for a few weeks I finally called Ace. They said that they were sorry for the delay and they’d ship it to me tomorrow. Called the next day, spoke to another person. Said they had no intentions of selling me my camera with the tripod, flash, and zoom lens promised, and I should either cancel my order (already the order was late) or just accept the camera. Asked to speak to a manager, one never called. Canceled my order without my authorization. Amazon should have gotten rid of this company, but decided to delete my review instead. DO NOT BUY FROM ACE PHOTO DIGITAL!
Suitable for the die hards
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This camera is at best a basic unit. It has all that is necessary for the enthusiast that wants to test their true artistic ability. For those that are thinking that the camera is what makes a picture then perhaps they are better buying something that does everything for them like auto focus, speed and aperture.
This camera is completely manual. It requires thought in the composition of the subject, setting speed and aperture to suit the desired result. In the end it is the eyes capacity to take in the factors that make a picture and compensate for them using the cameras features as a tool.
The art of photography is not how smart the camera is but more how thoughtful the photographer is in preparing to take the shot. I bought this camera because I had become too complacent with auto everything and found that the quality of my pictures had degraded from when I took photos with a fully manual camera. Sure there is the option with many automatic cameras to set it to manual but then one is inclined to forget this option and take the easy way out.
Some aspects of the camera appear crude in its construction. It is a little small for my hands, but I am content with it all the same. The weight is slightly unbalanced, feeling heavy and the shutter feels like it is too physical in that if I were to take a photo in poor light the shutter action might jar the camera and cause unwanted blurring. I have not yet found this to be the case but then I have not put it to the test either.
For the price it is adequate and will function even if the batteries go flat. This is its biggest appeal to me as I’m sure that with four days of hiking in the mountains my digital camera’s battery will undoubtedly be flat by the end. There is something romantic about film. You don’t get the instant gratification that the digital provides but then you become more focused on making sure the shot is right.
While I read that film will never die I am finding that acquiring high resolution ISO is becoming harder to purchase. This is a bit disconcerting. It does seem that most film vendors favour poor resolution film to guarantee the purchaser that all shots will produce something due to the capacity for the 200/400 ISO films coping with poor lighting conditions. The sacrifice is the grainy low resolution images it produces. That’s fine if you want arty photo’s using grain as a special affect. I want 100 ISO B&W for its fine grain and yet in my town it seems it has long gone. The camera however is a good robust apparatus and great for travelling in rough terrain due to its rugged steel body construction.
Vivitar
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I have “done” photography for a few years,and Vivitar,while not
Nikon,does a Good job with the production of their product.Now I
saw a review ’bout the lens’f-stop,and the rated f-stop of the lens,is the Speed that it allows in light.An f-stop of f.3-f.x IS
a heckuva lot faster than say,another Brand w/an f-stop of f.4.
The “other brand” with the f.4 lens Will be a S-L-O-W-E-R lens than the Vivitar w/an f-stop of f.3. Now rhe “older” cameras,ie,
Pentax K-1000 SLR has an lens-speed(how fast the lens gathers-in
light) of f.1.8! That was thee Fastest lens on the market,at that time.And w/ TTL(thru the lens(metering))it was a “killer”
camera!Amen. ‘nuf said.
Great
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
product works great and i love it there was a little bit of a shipping delay but he made sure i got it
It Compares with the Best of Them
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
For the past 30 years, I have been a devoted Nikon user, though I have a Pentax K1000 and assorted Pentax lenses that were given to me as a gift about 20 years ago. The K1000 was misplaced in a move a few years ago (I’m sure it will turn up one day when I finally get to clean out my attic), and I was longing to use a fully manual SLR. I took a chance with the Vivitar V3800N as the price was right and it came with a better warranty than a used K1000. It could also use all of my Pentax lenses which I had not misplaced. I have put this camera through the wringer and it has come through on every occasion. For those who complain that the Vivitar lens quality is lacking in quality and performance (which I find not to be the case), there is an ample supply of new and used Pentax lenses which produce results that rival my Nikons. I frequently use the Vivitar lens and am delighted by its performance. The camera is built solidly and performs solidly. Results are consistent and I never worry about damaging it as it is not costly to replace. So, if you ever have the feeling that you want to be a true photographer rather than the caretaker of a small computer that takes photographs for you, I highly recommend the V3800N. Indeed, Nikon thinks so highly of it that they sell it as the FM-10 and will continue to have it manufactured for them by Cosina as one of two 35mm SLR’s they will keep on the market in the digital age, the other being the Nikon-manufactured F6. The Vivitar is a well-made bargain that delivers!! Buy it and enjoy it.
Beginning photography student
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I wanted an old Canon AE-1, mostly for nostalgia and known quality but didn’t really want a used camera I may have to have fixed right away.
The class is black and white photography only, so for now, that’s all I can comment on. Most of the other students have new Canon Rebels or other Canons and I swear I’m getting better prints! We use only 400 speed film on 8×10 prints and develop our own film. I’ve been using only Kodak T-Max 36exp so far, but would like to try Ilford HP5 next for their nice grey mixing. Also, we are using only available light. The clarity and focus on my prints is phenomenal! The detail is very precise. The exposure meter calls it pretty good for the most part, but you have to learn when and when not to use the setting it’s suggesting. Mostly to adjust for extreme lights and darks, but that’s not a camera function, it’s something you just learn how to adjust for.
Luckily, for me, this is a completely idiot proof camera. You load the film, set the film speed, then let it tell you how to set your aperture and shutter. If you’re new to manual cameras, I highly suggest taking a course of some kind anyway. You learn the settings and depth of field stuff etc.
The lens gives you a wide range for a beginner. The 28mm almost ensures the entire shot will be in focus. If you go to the zoom distances, the depth of field range gives you a great effect. The split-field focus wasn’t as intimidating as I was told it would be. It works pretty slick, just line up the line, what’s so hard about that! All my photos have been in focus. No problem.
This is definitely not a waste of money for what you get!
great for beginners
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
i would recommend this camera kit for anyone who is learning b&w photography. it is all manual, which is perfect for learning and lets you have more control, and it is inexpensive, so if you decide photography isn’t your thing after all, at least you didn’t waste too much money on it. of course, it is inexpensive for a reason. the lens isn’t that great, and it’s a little hard to find another one that fits, and i had some minor problems with the film advance that wouldn’t normally occur in a new camera (nothing that affected my pictures, but it might if it gets worse). all in all, though, this is great for starting out photograhy, especially if you are taking a class. i would recommend the kit with the 50mm lens instead of the zoom lens, though, ’cause the zoom lens is f3.4, whereas the 50mm is f1.4, so you can take pictures in lower light without having to use flash.
Best Value
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This camera is great for beginners & intermediate users. Easy to use & it’s light. I owned it for many years and it did its job with no problems. I truly think it’s underrated. I own SLRs [manual & digital].