centon df-300

[supershep]

i have been interested in film photography for a while now but untill recently have done nothing about it. A friend has given me a centon df-300 in very good condition, in fact it looks brand new, i think im starting to understand why, everywhere i look i generally read all bad reviews about them. can somebody tell me AM I WASTING MY TIME!! or will this camera be ok as i was given it. i just dont want to spend good money on a zoom lens for it if the pictures are going to be of the same quality as my dinky digital camera. please help. thanks

[Roger_Provins]

It's a licensed copy of the Minolta X300 It was made in China and sold in the UK by Jessops. It uses Minolta manual focussing lenses (there are many listed on eBay and they are quite cheap). It is a nice basic camera and is capable of giving excellent quality photos.

[swanseadave]

Welcome to the forum
Manual in PDF here

[Manofolympus]

It's an excellent camera. Note that the mount is the Minolta MD which means any lenses in that mount will fit, not just Centon ones

[FujiSigmaNolta]

I had the K400 and it was of dire quality, I had it replaced about 3 times within 6 months if I recall well. But the DF-300 was more popular I have to say and lots of people used other lenses than the Centon ones, so that says something about it.

[supershep]

Many thanks to you all, i started looking on ebay for a zoom lens, and have bid on one, looks like i may have got it for 99p. cant believe my luck. only thing is im getting a bit over enthusiastic!!! thinking about setting up a dark room, only god knoes where i will end up. thanks again.

[Guitarist]

Many thanks to you all, i started looking on ebay for a zoom lens, and have bid on one, looks like i may have got it for 99p. cant believe my luck. only thing is im getting a bit over enthusiastic!!! thinking about setting up a dark room, only god knoes where i will end up. thanks again.

Excellent! don't worry about getting over enthusiastic - go for it! A film camera will give you a good grounding in photography, and as you have found out, good film gear is now as cheap as chips

[gray1720]

The Minolta that the DF-300 is a license-built version of was sold under at least two different Minolta designations itself in the US and Europe, and at least two licensed versions, so I don't think it would have been made in the numbers that make that sort of thing necessary if it didn't have SOME redeeming features.

I don't have one myself, but I've used my mother-out-law's with her Tamron 90mm SP Macro lens, and the results are outstanding. In short, I'm reiterating what has already been said - so long as you find it pleasurable to use, the lens (and your ability) will be the limiting factor. And any Minolta-mount lens will fit, so you should have lots of choice. Some will be better than others, but it if it works as it was intended the body will do very nicely for a start!

Adrian

[RonM]

Many thanks to you all, i started looking on ebay for a zoom lens, and have bid on one, looks like i may have got it for 99p. cant believe my luck. only thing is im getting a bit over enthusiastic!!! thinking about setting up a dark room, only god knoes where i will end up. thanks again.

As regards lenses where possible get Minolta lenses (not just Minolta fit MD mount) the quality is better, although I believe that MD mount Vivitar lenses weren't too bad. As for the Centon 300, a lot of beginners have started with that or the Minolta original, I have the big brother to the Minolta X300 the X700 and it is a great camera