I started out with the Nikon F of 1963, a superb camera for its time that I still have and the F2 and F3 were also superb tools. I never got my hands on the F5. I never cared for any other brands although I know Ernst Leitz and Carl Zeiss have made excellent cameras and optics. The Olympus OM-1 and Pentax Spotmatic were superb also.
With medium format, I always used a Rollei with 75 mm f 3.5 Zeiss Tessar lens.
William Rodriguez
Miami, Florida.
I'll have to chime in for Contax SLR's: the RTSII is very nice, the RTSIII the most confidence boosting and with superb build quality but the Contax RX tops out as my favourit camera of all times.
In SLR country I did enjoy the Leica R7 as well.
For RF: a love/hate relationship with the Contax G2, and a passion for the Leica M7.
pascal03 wrote:
I am a little suprised to see a Contax P&S being held up as one of the best 35mm camera's ever in one of the posts.
The term "best" is a little vague. For underwater, no camera mentioned so far can best a Nikonos. Nikon and Canon lead the way as system cameras. Leica has the best track record for factory support (new shutter curtains for your 1954 M3). I agree with others that like the Contax RTS III (and even own three of them), but it's a heavy beast. I always prefer the Aria for a film SLR: much less hassle when covering Thanksgiving dinner. Finally, for me, the "best" camera is the one I use most, which means the T3. If your rig is too heavy, you won't carry it, right?
I too, feel very old when I remember the 'tank like' construction of the Canon F1n. Took it with me to Europe fin '88 for a couple of months, along with the trusty Pentax 6x7. I dropped the Canon about 3 meters on to paving stones in Skopje and although the lens was shot, I strapped on another lens and away I went. Some of the shots on low ASA Kodachrome ended up on friend's walls in 20x30 pictures. Always found the metering to be bang-on, but mostly I stayed fully manual. Still have the old tank. It has over 75000 exposures. I know it isn't considered an alternative system, but by Golly, it could be trusted to deliver the vision I wanted.
rico wrote:
The term "best" is a little vague. For underwater, no camera mentioned so far can best a Nikonos. Nikon and Canon lead the way as system cameras. Leica has the best track record for factory support (new shutter curtains for your 1954 M3). I agree with others that like the Contax RTS III (and even own three of them), but it's a heavy beast. I always prefer the Aria for a film SLR: much less hassle when covering Thanksgiving dinner. Finally, for me, the "best" camera is the one I use most, which means the T3. If your rig is too heavy, you won't carry it, right?...Show more →
No doubt there. I full agree with actually having a camera to take a picture rather than having the most expensive gear sitting on a shelf and not being used.
I myself still have my T2. Recently sold my T last month and have a bad case of regret already. Have been thinking hard if $450 for a TVS III might make up for my T
Nikon F2A, with the Photomic head. I had two when I shot dance and theatre in the late 70s. Bulletproof, excellent lenses (the 85 ƒ2, although cheap, was razor sharp wide open). Was a FAR better lens than than the Contax 84 ƒ1.4—despite being a Zeiss lens. Of course, the Contax may have been a poor copy.
The Nikon F2As had excellent metering, a good heft feel, and everything in the right place, AND 100% finder view. The pentax Spotmatic is under-rated too, IMHO.
OM-2, and second the OM-10, totally underdog cameras bu todays' means, but isn't that a trait with film photography? Defying limitiations to achieve a common goal... a perfect photo?
The OM-10 was my very first camera, after that the OM-2 brought me closer to understanding photogrpahy as a whole.
Marco wrote:
Nikon F5.
Built like a tank, "idiot proof" metering and great viewfinder.
Or maybe it's only because I took with it some of my very best images...
Another vote for the F5. I also got some of my best shots ever
with this beast. Lightning fast response allowed me to capture the precise moment that I was trying to get and the meter was spot on in even the trickiest lighting situations.
I dunno- My Nikon F + Nikkor S 50/1.4 loaded with Tri-X processed in Rodenal was an idiot proof solution and I really miss the simplicity. Never missed a shot. Am I going back to film? Not on your life!
BTW, that is the only film camera I still have, so maybe some day I will have to eat my words
Leicaflex SL :super reliable, rugged, excellent mechanics, easy to use.
Has been a mainstay of mine for 25 years.
Second choice is easily the R8. I've owned almost every other Leica R camera and they fall short of the R8 in ease of use, ergonomics, features, etc. [the R9 would surely be as good or better, but have not owned one.
Nikon and Canon lead the way as system cameras. Leica has the best track record for factory support (new shutter curtains for your 1954 M3). I agree with others that like the Contax RTS III (and even own three of them), but it's a heavy beast. I always prefer the Aria for a film SLR: much less hassle when covering Thanksgiving dinner. Finally, for me, the "best" camera is the one I use most, which means the T3. If your rig is too heavy, you won't carry it, right?