Hall of underrated cameras

[p.giannakis]

I was wondering whether it will be a good idea to start a thread in which we post pictures of underrated cameras which deserve a place in our "Highly recommended" list.

I kick start first. Fujicas can be bought for peanuts.

Show yours.

 

[Teuthida]

Pentax k1000.

A year ago I was in LA for a day with 10 rolls of TriX and no camera - long story.

Went to Samys to buy cheap camera. Came back with K1000. Fell in love. The essence of a no frills mechanical camera.

 

[tunalegs]

Basically anything that isn't a Leica has been seriously underrated. 😉


exa by berangberang, on Flickr

I personally like the Exa. Beautiful, good fit and finish, small, quiet, simple and robust. True it lacks an instant return mirror and only has four shutter speeds, but if you're using a slow or medium film that's ok. The oversized WLF (which is interchangeable with an eye level prism), and quiet shutter, when coupled with a wide angle lens can make it quite the camera for street shooting.

 

[Pablito]

I'd have to disagree about the Penax K-1000. I'd say it is highly overrated. Or it's good in theory but not in practice. They incur all sorts of problems; shutter, transport, meter, etc. My students over the years have been better served by the Olympus line, Nikons, Minoltas, other Pentax models, Fujicas, Chinon, Ricoh, Konica etc.

My candidates for this list would be the Minolta X370n and X700.

 

[raid]

There is a difference between inexpensive cameras and underrated cameras. The K1000 has always been highly rated, but it is inexpensive.

 

[raid]

I view the Minox 35mm cameras as being underrated. The lens is very sharp, and the camera is very small.

 

[paulfish4570]

bessa r2,3,4 ...

 

[raid]

These Bessa models are not cheap, but are they underrated, Paul?

 

[Ezzie]

Kowa 6 / Super 66 series. Yes the leaf shuttered lenses do have realiabilty issues (first hand experience), and the film advance and shutter cocking gears evidently strip themselves of their teeth (no problems here), but the glass is fantastic, the auto darkslide a god given, and the finder is brighter than bright.

 

[p.giannakis]

Hm, maybe we need to define "underrated". What i had in mind was cameras that people tend to overlook on auctions/e*ay/car boots etc...
Happy to go with any other suggestions though...

 

[Brian Legge]

The Retina IIa gets attention here but the IIIa is a great camera too. At prices like this I'd call them undervalued (not my ad, don't know the seller, etc)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kodak-Retina-111c-/160893258144?pt=US_Vintage_Cameras&hash=item2575fc49a0

 

[Bingley]

I agree about the Minolta X700 being underrated; the XD series is only slightly less so. Around here, it seems that the Olympus OM and Nikon SLRs get most of the attention (and adoration), but the Minoltas were/are great cameras, just as compact, and the glass is excellent. They're pretty cheap these days.

 

[RichW]

I agree about the Minolta X700 being underrated

I have a Minolta X700 here (body only) with a light leak (in need of new seals) and a shutter counter that doesn't reset but otherwise functioning fine that I will send to anyone here for the cost of postage, let me know if anyone wants it -

EDIT: Now Taken!


Cheers, Richard

 

[paulfish4570]

the bessa Rs are seen as stepping stones to real rangefinder cameras, the leica m series ...

 

[Peter_wrote:]

Canon AT-1.
the whole canon A-series is a bit underrated, and especially the "budget" version AT-1.
full manual, very reliable, light-weighted slr with a big, bright viewfinder. and u can use the cheap but fantastic canon fd-mount lenses.

and maybe also the Canon T90.
it got some bad reputation because of its eee-error. but it is one of the most advanced slrs for manual focus lenses with features like multi-spot metering.

and in general i think cameras with a fixed "slow" (2.8 or 3.5) lens are way underrated in comparison to equivalents with a one stop faster lens.

 

[Brian Legge]

Oh, and Canon Barnacks. The P gets a lot of love but the earlier Canons are great too. They tend to be peiced just slightly higher than FSU bodies but are much better built.

 

[Bingley]

Oh, and Canon Barnaks. The P gets a lot of love but the earlier Canons are great too. They tend to be peiced just slightly higher than FSU bodies but are much better built.

+1 on this post. My Canon IVSB2 is just as well built as any Barnack, and in some ways has a better vf than a IIIc.

 

[paulfish4570]

pentax me/mx. wonderful lenses.

 

[MIkhail]

I agree about the Minolta X700 being underrated; the XD series is only slightly less so. Around here, it seems that the Olympus OM and Nikon SLRs get most of the attention (and adoration), but the Minoltas were/are great cameras, just as compact, and the glass is excellent. They're pretty cheap these days.

Could not agree more. Glass is excellent and un expensive.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

I don't know if Konica AR glass is underrated; I don't know anyone who uses it that would rate it at less than "excellent." The 57/1.2 is a particular favorite of mine. Based on what Konica AR lenses cost, in general, I'd say it is underrated. Perhaps "best bang for the buck," would have to be a tie between Pentax screw-mount glass and Konica AR glass. It can be hard to find a really excellent film body to go with the Konica lenses though.

In medium format, I'd say that the Yashicamat is underrated, when you look at what they cost compared to a Rollei.