Vote for the 'coolest' currently available camera! (yes ... frivilous I know!)

[Keith]

I don’t understand why the selection was limited to the six cameras which are an odd mixture of rangefinder, SLR, digital, film, and compact cameras. Also, why were medium format and large format cameras omitted?

None of the six cameras listed matched my idea of “cool.” The digital Hasselblad, on the other hand, would have easily met my match.

My selection criteria was based on cameras that have generated discussion in threads recently and seemed to have captured attention generally. I agree there are a lot of cameras that could have been mentioned but I was trying to keep it forum specific and although we do cater for medium and large format cameras they are not exactly headliners.

I think one of the coolest cameras I have ever seen is the Razzle ... might not have got a lot of votes though! 😛

I have to say I'm a little stunned at the way the Ikon cleaned up ... I thought the M8 with it's love it hate reputation would have done a lot better. 🙂

 

[shadowfox]

I voted for the ZI, wait... I thought it stands for Zorki I 😛 😛 😛

 

[biomed]

Among that bunch the only camera I'd like to buy is a Bessa R4 (to pair with a 21, 28 and 35) ... so there it goes my vote.

That's my wide angle kit. I voted for the R4A - I use the R4M.

 

[dof]

What, No Holga on the List?

What, No Holga on the List?

Of those listed, I have only shot with the M8. I think quite highly of it too.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Oops.. Yes.. Matthew... I think you're correct. Now I'll have to add some cost to my dream camera... little internal color filter wheel. 🙂

 

[Berliner]

The ZI, no question. That crackling finder is genius--siimply amazing...

 

[oftheherd]

Having used both the R4A and R3A, I think I'd have to vote for the R3A due to its beautiful 1:1 viewfinder and ease of focusing ANY of the CV lenses. But let me digress...

I just read Mike Johnson's article in the latest issue of "Black & White Photography" about the idea of a B&W-only digital camera. What a GREAT idea! Basically he speculates that there will soon be one or more B&W-only cameras on the market and he thinks they will likely be capable of producing amazing images. The idea is that since the sensor will only have to deal with the luminance (darkness or lightness) of things, the camera will be freed up to capture an extremely wide range of light... possibly wider than film! 🙂 Now THAT would be "coooool".

Hey! I want one of those. Wait, what's a jewell like that going to cost? I guess I will stick with my Fuji folders for cool. 😀 😀

 

[thomasw_]

Where is the MP which is the coolest currently availible camera? 😉

Agreed, Erik.

 

[MacDaddy]

Hmm! Digital cool would be to add the new-ish Nikon D700—D3 sensor in a D300-type body. Now THAT is cool! What about the MF cameras like Alpa? I lust after a 12 XY with Schneider lenses and interchangeable backs; preferably, a film back and one of the new Phase One 50Mp backs. But then, my ship didn't come in, it sank in the harbor! *o)

 

[micromontenegro]

IMHO, Minox makes the coolest, most "in your face" camera available:

http://www.minox.com/index.php?id=82&L=1

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I don't think anybody can accuse me of bias when I say this:

The Contax IIIa. Or Leica M3.

A nicely-kept, clean Contax III or Leica M3 will spew "cool"ness for a several meters radius. Specially with a 50mm Sonnar or a 50mm Summarit (the real, original f/1.5 Summarit)

 

[summilux]

R4: innovative viewfinder on a stupid body (base length too short, everything cramped together), zeiss should have bought the viewfinder and put it on their superwide SW body instead.

zeiss ikon: great viewfinder, especially so for a glass wearer, but the other mechanics feel exactly like a Bessa, which is thin and coarse.

Nikon D3/D300/D700: boy, can't praise them too much until Canon has unleased theirs, soon I guess.

 

[summilux]

I don't think anybody can accuse me of bias when I say this:

The Contax IIIa. Or Leica M3.

A nicely-kept, clean Contax III or Leica M3 will spew "cool"ness for a several meters radius. Specially with a 50mm Sonnar or a 50mm Summarit (the real, original f/1.5 Summarit)

you know, I would have really liked the VK21 to be issued. a dream...
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1090/1327672954_24f36cc6d0_b.jpg


M3: they got it so right, that everybody else was driven out of the rangefinder market. 🙂

 

[kshapero]

Right now the coolest rig is the Ricoh GX200. Wow, the controls are just awesome. But I know I will always return to the ZI for sheik coolness.

 

[Teus]

D3 & Leica MP

 

[kshapero]

IMHO, Minox makes the coolest, most "in your face" camera available:

http://www.minox.com/index.php?id=82&L=1

Man, I had a ball looking at this site.

 

[kshapero]

Disagree. I have owned several Bessa's and the Zeiss Ikon is not coarse at all. It has much smoother operation all around. And the body is more ergonomic and sleek. IMHO.

 

[Tuolumne]

I was out with a Rolleiflex on a tripod on Sunday at the New York Botanical Garden. Even the pros oohed and ahhed over that. Doesn't that make a tripod-mounted Rolleiflex the coolest cam in the Big Apple? 😎

/T

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Nikon D80 with a Holga lens mounted! More control over my fuzzy pictures. 😀 Had to sell the body to finance some RF equipment, but I held onto the Holga lens. 😛

 

[Ronald_H]

If only Cosina came out with a camera that looked a bit better. Sure, cameras are mere tools, but after a few months here I'm not so sure anymore.

For example, what about a gold M3?

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/Leica/Leica-M3/M3-Gold/index.htm

Or is that too kitschy? Price is a bit steep too.