Is this Vivitar V3800 SLR any good. It's cheap, but is it Value for money?

[@myhometown7981]

I've been using a Vivitar V3800n for about 20 years when I'm in the mood to shoot fully manually. I was looking for a used Pentax K1000 to replace my stolen camera, when I walked into my friend's camera store. He didn't have any, but convinced me that the V3800n was a well-made, solid, fully manual camera, like the K1000, but had a shutter capable of 1/2000 sec., twice as fast as the k1000. Best of all, it shared Pentax' lens. mount. I was not misled. The V3800n is a tank, a workhorse, and it turns out beautiful photos.

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

I totally agree, thanks for sharing. Everything a manual SLR should be.

[@swamis1330]

I purchased V3800N yesterday. Happy to come back to film photography

[@jesusramirez8453]

Thank you so much! I got this camera as a hand me down and it’s my first film experience. This video helped me feel more comfortable to play around with it

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

Glad it helped!

[@geminielemental9064]

Thanks for posting this video i started slr photograpy in the 90s with a Vivitar v4000 and then got the v3800, both are great cameras but to me the v3800 was the better biuld quality..i still have mine and took it out after seeing your video, cheers!

[@petercollingwood522]

I had one from about 2003 for ten years. Don't remember what happened to it but I got some great pictures with it and I want to get another one now that I'm getting back into film photoraphy. I have a Pentax K1000, which I like but it's got a problem with an intermittantly sticky shutter and I have a Minolta X700. But I liked the Vivitar so much for all those years that I'm going pick up another one again.

[@rosemaryekjuarez592]

I just found one of these as a set on the curb just today trying to learn more about it

[@photog12345]

I bought one of these brand new after reading an article in Popular Photography about the cheapest new SLRs available (circa 2003). He featured. V3800 and a Phoenix P-2000. I bought the Vivitar and still use it to this day. I bought the P-2000 a few years later. The Vivitar still works. The P-2000 not so much.

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

Thank you and I'm sure you have encouraged a few to give this undervalued camera a try. VFM.

[@andrewcomerford9411]

This is a Cosina "Whoever paid for this week's labels. " Many manufacturers farmed out budget models (you'd be surprised just who) in 2 main variants Manual, or Aperture Priority/Manual. Only name-plates and lens mount were changed. Cosina made K-mount cameras under their own name for years, the last being the C-1, of which this is a direct copy.

[@paviradhu007]

Great video and an amazing teacher

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

Thank you! 😃

[@mjdegrey4843]

Had mine arrive today. Bought it from Ebay for a tenner. It was listed as for parts or not working as it was untested. All working fine.

[@FGOjeda-wl3pu]

This cameras were all made by Cosina based in the CT1 and the descendants of the CT1, I have a Casio RF-1, same PK mount, it lacks the DOF preview and the multi exposure but still all mechanical, simple design, very accurate meter, very nice ground glass and it never fails to shot. Some times fails to close the mirror but I found it on the street, literally above some garbage, totally jammed and very dirty so I can't complain...

[@RodneyHenderson-hp1zl]

How do you? Put battery in the Viet in 3800 camera.How did you put batteries in it or does it take

[@drtnrao57]

Nice video and detailed description ,I brought it today used for 29usa dollars.

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

Great 👍

[@lexlayabout5757]

So how does the meter work? Needle in the viewfinder? LED's? Can you see shutter speed and aperture in the viewfinder? How much did it cost? I'm sure a lot less than an over-hyped K1000 these days. Vivitar are a marketing company who place contracts with various Far Eastern manufacturers. Their quality varies - some kit, esp lenses, is very good; some is meh. Some Vivitar kit is shared with other budget brands, like Centon and Sirius.

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

Price is what you can find it for second hand. It's very manual, yet I have found this model to be extremely good. Glass is of high quality and for a budget SLR you have everything you need. I agree that youtube has over hyped so many "Meh" Slr's. Just wanted to let people know for a budget camera you can't so much better.

[@VitorLima-b3r]

Amazing video, thanks a lot!

[@tony-in7gm]

Same as Phenix DC303N, it's based on the Yashica FX3 Super 2000

[@williamstroud5449]

Yashica uses 'Contax' mount lenses

[@mjdegrey4843]

It's a decent camera. The trick is to pair it with goods quality lenses.

[@iwillnever4getu]

great video any experience with a vivitar xc-4? got handed down one and loaded some black & white 400 iso into it.. new to film and trying to learn. thank you for any advice

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

I am afraid I don't know the camera, but the idea is to have fun and not beat yourself up. Just go for it. :)

[@iwillnever4getu]

@@TheProfessorofFilm very alright alright of you brother lol thanks

[@FatimaBatool-j3i]

I love film csmeras a real fun ❤❤❤❤

[@andy816896]

3:48 that hollow twangy sound.

[@JvGuzman-b6l]

Hello sir can i ask how to use i have vivitar V3800 SLR

[@RascalKyng]

Metal components and gears inside, or are they plastic gears? ... it's okay that body is plastic, reduces weight.

[@JvGuzman-b6l]

Hello sir can i ask how to use i have vivitar V3800 SLR