$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[former member]

Cost- I just paid to have our Driveway paved. Getting to old to shovel snow off a 300ft gravel driveway, I want a snow blower.

About the same cost as replacing my M9 and M Monochrom with an M10R and M10M.

At least it will be easier for me to get out of the house in the Winter to use my cameras.

 

[Cascadilla]

I'm happy enough with the Pentax DSLRs that I use for commercial work and the Contax RFs and lenses that I shoot for fun. I've always bought equipment that was right for the jobs that I needed or wanted to do, not for prestige. And I've spent at least as much for studio lighting equipment over the years as I have on cameras and lenses. Going to a camera club meeting so that other photographers could drool over my equipment is my idea of torture.

 

[danielsterno]

The camera that handles quickly on the street without attracting attention for me is the only digital I have ever owned: The original X100 and now X100F (w Teleconverter used occasionally), the fun and images it has given me is immeasurable....... that with my M5/M6 for film I am fulfilled. I rented the Q2 for a week, while I enjoyed it the 28mm and overall User Interaction lead to to continue w the X100....... Stay safe all!

 

[Gregm61]

I would definitely prefer spending $6,000 on a Q2 Monochrome than the new Zeiss fixed lens camera just introduced, and could probably send a good bit of M equipment I'm currently not using because I enjoy the digital CL so much to Leica Store Miami and get significantly close to not having to pay much extra cash to get a Q2 Monochrome, but I'm going to hold off for a good while, assuming at some point I'm going to get to spend my next significant outlay on what I really want, an updated CL2 to shoot alongside the CL and full TL lens lineup I already own.

No doubt, Leica will sell every Q2 Monochrome they choose to build, and that's nothing but a good thing.

 

[aizan]

Why stop at just a camera? Why not start a company that can make the perfect camera? 😀

All of my dream cameras are imaginary anyway. It’s always out of reach.

 

[farlymac]

My dream camera hasn't been made yet, and might never. Until then I'd settle for a Hasselblad 500C/M and the CFV II 50C.


PF

 

[Spavinaw]

Doug- You say pretty ladies do not flock around you. You ask what you are doing wrong. Simple. You're carrying a camera when you should be carrying a cute little puppy dog in your arms. Try it. It worked for me!

 

[narsuitus]

Perhaps a less petulant question would be if you could have any camera, regardless of price, what would it be?

Gold-plated Leica Luxus II with lizard skin case

 

[Eric T]

Fujifilm GFX 100.

 

[RichC]

Been thinking about this... I have a second-hand Sony A7R II I bought 3 years ago, slightly battered, for £1000.

I'm mainly a studio photographer and although I'm not a pro, I do exhibit across the world, and even this year with the virus I was asked to do three shows in galleries - all of them paying me! So, I'm pretty serious about my photography and gear...

Perhaps a top-end Phase One? A Hasselblad?

No. I'd like a Sony A7R IV - used and slightly battered.

Cameras are just tools. My Sony does all I need - it's the best and most versatile camera I've ever used, and I include the Phase One I once borrowed. The Sony Mark IV is more refined - but just a tad, so I have no plans to upgrade.

Second-hand and battered is a must. My previous camera was a Nikon D800E that I bought brand new. I treated it with kid gloves, so when I sold it a few years later it was immaculate. Honestly, that was a pain, stressing about scratching it! The battered Sony was a revelation - I don't worry about it at all, so it gets treated as what it is: a tool. It's now slightly more battered, and I don't care!

 

[Harry Lime]

Hmmm, tough call.

I'm pretty content with my M10. The new Mono looks pretty nice. Maybe a new medium res M with dual gain readout on the sensor for insane dynamic range and butter smooth highlight roll off (I'm looking at you my beloved Arri Alexa). But I'd settle for 5 more of those $200 batteries at this point.


I love the square format. I wish there was a digital back that was a true 6x6 cm. Wouldn't even have to be a billion mega pixels, just something reasonable. I'd trade resolution for expanded dynamic range. I guess I'd go for one of those new Hassy 907x or whatever will fit on my 503 and is as close as I can get to 6x4.5 these days

A good DSLR with an interchangeable focusing screen for manual lenses. But since that doesn't exists I'll take a Nikon D750/780/850 for the moment

But quite frankly what I really want is an assistant who scans my film on a top of the line scanner. I guess being independently wealthy would also work. Then I could just keep shooting my M4 and Nikon F and keep the digital stuff for available darkness.

 

[charjohncarter]

In the words of Roberto Duran; No Mas. I'm fine like Godfrey with what I have. But whose to say maybe Pentax will come out with an film camera that has a flash synch to 1/500 or 1/1000.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Don't really get the Q2 Monochrom, it's just like any other Leica Monochrom, but you can't change lenses. Seems like a drawback, not a selling point.

Don't really have a "dream camera". Lot's of old, quirky cameras from the 1930's, 40's + 50's get my attention, luckily none of those are in the $50,000 range.

Best,
-Tim

 

[DougK]

I love the square format. I wish there was a digital back that was a true 6x6 cm. Wouldn't even have to be a billion mega pixels, just something reasonable. I'd trade resolution for expanded dynamic range. I guess I'd go for one of those new Hassy 907x or whatever will fit on my 503 and is as close as I can get to 6x4.5 these days

Me too. In my case, I'd love a digital TLR with a full 6x6 sensor, 75-80mm lens, and a nice electronic shooting information overlay on the optical viewfinder. Failing that, put it in the Hassy 500 form and I'd still be good. I won't even ask for interchangeable lenses.

Back in reality, I'll see what I can do with what I have. Somehow I'm sure I'll survive.

 

[fireblade]

Photography has a factor to it, generally, broadly speaking.
Growing up being educated by the Goons, Monty Python and the such, my thought/thinking patterns are disturbed.
Now, Cameras and the worth that comes with them.
We have all been found guilty.



Wank Factor
This is a completely subjective, yet somehow measurable scale of how precious, wanky, artsy-fartsy, self-indulgent, too-kewl-for-skewl, deliberately obscure, contrived, psuedo-intellectual…you get my drift…basically anything pretentious…is. If it seems to fit any of the aforementioned descriptions, then it is often claimed to have a "High Wank Factor".

But this scale is not merely restricted to putting the mockers on the clever-dick types, oh, no! Also plebians who partake in the pursuit of pop culture aren't spared from being rated on the wank factor: the ones who get a high score amongst the various sub-cultures of mainstream society include the right-wing commentariat, all who are involved in reality TV, lifestyle shows, boy bands, advertising, etc., wiggaz pooncing about in Wu-Tang or FUBU, rice burner Lancers or Civics that have still have drainpipe mufflers with the base carby engine…list goes on…basically, any jumped-up pleb thinking they're more sophisticated than the rest of the common herd.


Cheers. 😀

 

[Sierra Club]

With unlimited money I'd probably just build a time machine, go back to 1970s and make the next 15 or so years repeat in a loop ad infinitum...

 

[ellisson]

I'd like the iPhone 1485 pro.

It combines APC, full frame 35mm, medium format, and large formats up to 8x10 in an expandable, pocketable package weighing a mere 485 grams. Great pop-up viewfinder or use the screen.

It has one adjustable lens (f 0.5 to f 60) that covers wide angle to long telephoto (15 - 2000 mm). No distortion. Great colors or flip in the monochrome sensor. Optional vintage or modern look optics that you just voice call or tap in on the easy menu. Weather sealed and good underwater to 100 meters.

Also loads film if you'll still be doing that. Develops it too. You can buy the optional printer or scanner.

Arrival date: TBD.

Cost: Very deep pockets required.

Oh, and Red Dot is optional (Apple will be joining the Red Dot Consortium).

 

[willie_901]

... if you could have any camera, regardless of price, what would it be?
...

If the funds were not mine I would go for a M10 and a M10M.

I would also need f 2.8 M-mount 28, 35, 50 and 75 mm lenses. Sweeny would have to choose these as apparently he is the only person on the planet who knows anything about lenses.

While could afford the above cameras and lenses, I would not spend my money on them. I am very pleased with what I use now.

 

[Darthfeeble]

Mine would have zone auto exposure, intuitive auto focus, auto composition, all in a medium format, pocketable package. You said money was no object. Oh yeah, and an 15-1000 f1.8 lens.

 

[hap]

My dream camera hasn't been made yet, and might never. Until then I'd settle for a Hasselblad 500C/M and the CFV II 50C.


PF

I got part I covered. Part II will be a stretch.