A good SLR film camera?

I already use a Nikon D3000, a Polaroid 250 Land Camera, a Polaroid Big Shot, a self-made pinhole camera that uses 35mm, and I'm beginning to use my mom's old Samsung Evoca 170se.

I was looking into getting an SLR film camera and I was wondering if there was a good model that I could start with. I'm leaning towards Canon.

If you're wanting a Canon, then you might as well get one of the ones that uses the old FD style lenses. If you got a Nikon, you could share lenses between that and your D3000, but you probably already knew that (actually, you can't use DX format lenses on a film camera; only FX).

Anyway, the nice thing about FD-mount Canon film cameras is that they're dirt cheap. Check out the AE-1 or AE-1 Program. Great cameras, and they're all over the place. You can find them with a 50mm f/1.8 lens for less than $50, easy. And if you want more lenses down the road, FD-mount lenses are dirt cheap. I saw a 135mm f/2 FD lens on eBay the other day for $20.

Pentax K1000 series. Fully manual, fully mechanical, built like a tank.

The internal light meter probably won't work. The light seals might be worn (they are 40 years old), seal with black nasty tape or even actually replace the seals.

A lot of people are quite unsure on how to go about selecting a film camera of their choice, and to be honest. It's more about the film than the camera!

Canon is a great choice, all their lenses work on new digital cameras/old film cameras. I highly suggest sticking with Canon products from now on!

I currently own three 35mm SLR cameras that work amazing and get the job done with style. I use two Canon Rebel 2000's and a Canon Rebel XS. They are fairly cheap on eBay and in pawn shops.

Also, remember to buy professional quality film! Kodak Portra VC/NC 35mm is simply stunning, and I highly recommend that also! Good luck with your choice and view some of my own work with these films and cameras below.

jmartistry.photoshop.com

I've got a canon eos 500 film slr, and its very easy to use, and is a good film camera too, it can only take 35mm films but these are quite easy to get in supermarkets like tesco for about £4, and you
can get about 5 or 6 (probably more) in boots for a cheap price, if you are looking for a good film
slr, i definitely recommend this camera

Another vote for the Pentax K1000, the longest production run of any 35mm camera (1976 to 1997). Hundreds of available lenses all of which will work on a Pentax DSLR. This is from the era when Pentax was King, for some of us it still is.

Top of the heap, a Nikon F3-HP

Here is a list of my favourites. Read about them online and choose what you think would be most fun! There are way too many cameras to choose from to go off of only what you've mentioned.

Canon FTb
Canon A1

Pentax K1000
Pentax K1000 SE
Pentax ME Super
Pentax LX

Nikon FM
Nikon FM2n
Nikon FE
Nikon FE2
Nikkormat FTn
Nikkormat FT2
Nikon F2
Nikon F3

Olympus OM-1
Olympus OM-1n

If you choose a Nikon film camera then you can use lenses from it on your D3000. You can't use the Nikon DX lenses from your D3000 on the 35mm film camera though.

Other than that consideration any 35mm film camera from Minolta, Pentax or Canon will be fine. One of my favorite cameras is my Minolta XE-7 although my Minolta X-700 is a very close second.

Since you already have a nikon digital SLR, it would stand to reason that you should get a nikon film SLR. Depending on what lenses you have, you would be able to swap lenses between the two (and would save money in the long run). Not to mention that you would already be use to the layout of the buttons/controls.

There are plenty of good film SLRs from nikon, canon, olympus, pentax, minolta, konica, contax, vivitar, chinon, fuji, praktica, etc.

I myself own an old canon. But if I were you I would just get a nikon, since you already have a nikon.