The oddest/quirkiest/most unusual camera you have ever used...

[ChrisPlatt]

I tried the Rollei 35SE on two occasions but never really came to terms with it, whereas I had no real problems with the Minox 35.

What good is a sharp lens if the camera is an ergonomic nightmare?
The Rollei 35 nearly left my fingers tied in knots. I quickly sold mine.

I still own and use a pair of Minox 35ML cameras.

Chris

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

And as for those things called analogue; isn't that name extra quirky? They are film cameras and have been for decades...


Regards, David

Even analog is bad enough. Why use a word with more letters that is less accurate for the simple term, film. I mean, does anybody say I'm just putting a roll of analogue in my camera?

 

[krötenblender]

Even analog is bad enough. Why use a word with more letters that is less accurate for the simple term, film. I mean, does anybody say I'm just putting a roll of analogue in my camera?

„We“ could rename Fujilm to Fujidigital now and keep one part as Fujianalogue for the Instax-brand. 😀

 

[besk]

Just read the thread. And sure enough the Rollei's were mentioned twice. I was going to say the Rollei 35 also.

 

[rolfe]

The Exakta Varex takes the cake for me. I got this one from a friend whose father had owned it. Every time I use it, I have to consult the manual to remember how it works. A highlight has to be the little razor blade thing to cut a roll midway.


Exakta Varex by Rolfe Tessem, on Flickr

 

[raydm6]

The Exakta Varex takes the cake for me. I got this one from a friend whose father had owned it. Every time I use it, I have to consult the manual to remember how it works. A highlight has to be the little razor blade thing to cut a roll midway.
Exakta Varex by Rolfe Tessem, on Flickr

Yes 🙂 .....

 

[Nokton48]

360 Symmar Norma Auto Iris Pair by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the Sinar Norma 360mm f5.6 chrome barrel Auto Iris Symmar Plasmat Matched Pair. This is setup at portrait distance, notice how the lenses go further apart for similar views. Awesome on the ground glass, I'm going to enjoy using this one. I use a Norma Compendium Hood with four adjustable blinders to reduce internal flare, this lens covers a humungeous amount. What a view 🙂

 

[markjwyatt]

...And as for those things called analogue; isn't that name extra quirky? They are film cameras and have been for decades...


Regards, David

Haha. Back when "digital" started being a thing, a friend of mine was telling me he got his son a toy digital phone, and some digital games and digital this and that, and I stopped him and said- does he have any analog toys? Like a ball?

 

[markjwyatt]

David, for me digital cameras are always more quirky than analoge ones. Maybe because I have an aversion to digital devices and probably because I can't remember how to operate them.


Erik.

This is actually true. I usually spend more time fooling them into doing what I want then if I just took an exposure reading and set it. My Fujifilm XT-2 is advanced enough that I can use it without having to fool it much.

 

[Ronald M]

Waltz Envoy with 50 2.0 Nippon Kogaku. Used it from 1958 to 1966. Film transport slowly failed over last few years.

Weston Master 3 light meter

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Kodak Graphic No.0

Had to make my own spools and everything.

 

[krötenblender]

That thing on the right side is for manual flash, right…?

 

[Pál_K]

There are two main variants of Exas.

http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/exakta/exa-serial.html


The Exa II and its last incarnation, the Exakta 500, are very pleasant to use. They fit the hand well, have a single dial of shutter speeds from B, 1/2 to 1/500, a cloth focal plane shutter, instant return mirror, and a not-cocked indicator in the viewfinder. They take all the Exakta mount lenses. It’s also beautiful to look at.

The only quirky thing about it is that there’s a shutter lock on the back. No doubt some people thought the camera was broken simply because they didn’t realize it was locked.

 

[Pál_K]

„We“ could rename Fujilm to Fujidigital now and keep one part as Fujianalogue for the Instax-brand. 😀

I like Kostya’s “Fuji Nofilm” 😀

 

[Retro-Grouch]

That thing on the right of Mr. Flibble's Kodak Graphic is a "10 cap blasting machine", according to the label. If you grew up on Road Runner cartoons, you'll recognize it as one of Wiley Coyote's favorite implements of destruction.

 

[krötenblender]

"10 cap blasting machine" … Wiley Coyote's favorite implements of destruction.

As I wrote: manual flash… 🙄

 

[markjwyatt]

Ah yes, the Exa...

Now the Exa- that might be fair to call East Germany's revenge. The first one was introduced after the war (1951). I am not sure if it was in development before the war though.

 

[Robert.M]

KW Patent Etui 6x9 with a Rollex back and fitted with a Plaubel Supracomar 3.8/100

 

[JohnBeeching]

In the late 1960s I was lent a Cornfield Periflex by a friend. A bizarre Leica-derived camera in which you lowered a periscope into the camera to focus! You can see it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corfield_Periflex

 

[David Hughes]

Hmmm, been thinking...

Based on what I see, a smart phone is normal and that makes ordinary digital cameras quirky.

Based on that then auto film cameras are very quirky and manual cameras like (say) the Leica RF are weirdly quirky and off the scale; I mean, like, they don't even have somewhere to put the battery and you have to think about what you re doing.

The problem for me is that manual cameras are normal and something like the Olympus OM or Pentax ME is hi-tech...

I shall now go and sit down in a dark room for a while to recover from the culture shock.

Regards, David

PS John, as I remember the Periflex periscope was almost impossible to align within a few minutes with what you were photographing. Luckily the thing had an accessory shoe for a RF and the sprocketless drive meant slides had to be cut by hand from the processed roll. When I sold my second one from the collection there was a lot of interest in the instruction manual and so I scanned it.