filmfan
Well-known
I have to chime in here and say that you would probably* have this same opinion about, say, a Minolta if that were the camera that you happened to select 37 years ago...
John Bragg
Well-known
Nikon FM2n. Light in weight but solidly built. Mechanical shutter to 1/4000 second and synch up to 1/250. Great viewfinder and huge range of lenses. Awesome even now.
PaleBlueDotCitizen
Member
My late grandfather who was a wedding photographer had two SRT 101's (as well as a bevy of MF TLR's).
Your comment brought back fond memories of him teaching me photography with them 30-odd years ago.
sparrow6224
Well-known
Red -- yes, I have the pre-Ai Nikon 55/3.5 and it is outstanding. I used to use it on the D40 too -- some of the lower end Nikon DSLRs took non-Ai lenses, believe it or not -- and the color results digitally anyway were quite rich and beautiful. I don't know that I've used it with color film. Now that I hear your b/w only warning I'll pay more attention.
And, to further agree with your statement, I'm in the market for the OM f.3.5 macro now. The f/2 is a world-beater apparently but cost more loot than I got.
And, to further agree with your statement, I'm in the market for the OM f.3.5 macro now. The f/2 is a world-beater apparently but cost more loot than I got.
sparrow6224
Well-known
PS At one point I became idly but persistently interested in the reputation of 135 format 50mm lenses, RF and SLR, and did quite a bit of reading, and the OM 50mm f/2 macro was named by half a dozen very experienced and knowledgeable photographers-turned-commentators as the best slr 50 they'd ever used. So I should have put that into my dis of the OM / Nikkor 50s.
steveyork
Well-known
Yes, that is a good lens, but their catalog is very spotty. Some are good, some are not. Maybe that's why most prefer Nikkors; at least. that's my impression (I'm not a Nikon guy). But I certainly prefer Leica R over the results of any OM lens I've seen.
steveyork
Well-known
And a terrible viewfinder for those who wear glasses. Otherwise a nice camera.
redisburning
Well-known
how about you share some specific lenses so we know which to avoid.
Corto
Well-known
I love My Minolta's, Great simple cameras with outstanding glass that can be had for not that much. SRT's and X series.
Pretty bulletproof stuff,
That said.....
The Nikon FE i just got a week ago has a "Feel" that strikes with me in the best way possible, I am very impressed by it.
And my Nikon N70 is THE SLR that I go to first when I just run out of the house not knowing where I'm going to end up. Fantastic camera.
Pretty bulletproof stuff,
That said.....
The Nikon FE i just got a week ago has a "Feel" that strikes with me in the best way possible, I am very impressed by it.
And my Nikon N70 is THE SLR that I go to first when I just run out of the house not knowing where I'm going to end up. Fantastic camera.
leicapixie
Well-known
Thanks to Digital, i've been able to easily acquire many SLR, that were once pride and joy! The one thing i have noted, that there are no bad SLR's. OK one or two could have been better made..
My original Nikon-F was almost perfect.
My Pentax Spotmatic and later, worse made, but still a pro working camera the K1000 and the lenses. Reliable, the meter a really great feature. The only fault was the setting of the viewing for more normal to far sighted people. The meter, data not on same length as ground-glass, causing me headaches.
The Nikon-F relieved this problem, the Nikkors were mostly better lenses.
I've been given or for pennies bought the Canon Ae-1P, Av-1(stunning), Minoltas, Fuji screw mount, Practika,Pentaxes,ME-Super,MG,MX,KM,and finally a Nikon F3. The last camera probably one of the finest smoothest cameras ever. The only fault is that the film advance so smooth, impossible to "feel" if film actually advancing. Ya gotta watch the rewind knob!
Which is best? I don't know!.
Maybe the Nikon F but i seldom use it due to the weight.
It's me not the camera, age and a hurt heart..
My original Nikon-F was almost perfect.
My Pentax Spotmatic and later, worse made, but still a pro working camera the K1000 and the lenses. Reliable, the meter a really great feature. The only fault was the setting of the viewing for more normal to far sighted people. The meter, data not on same length as ground-glass, causing me headaches.
The Nikon-F relieved this problem, the Nikkors were mostly better lenses.
I've been given or for pennies bought the Canon Ae-1P, Av-1(stunning), Minoltas, Fuji screw mount, Practika,Pentaxes,ME-Super,MG,MX,KM,and finally a Nikon F3. The last camera probably one of the finest smoothest cameras ever. The only fault is that the film advance so smooth, impossible to "feel" if film actually advancing. Ya gotta watch the rewind knob!
Which is best? I don't know!.
Maybe the Nikon F but i seldom use it due to the weight.
It's me not the camera, age and a hurt heart..
Sid836
Well-known
My Canon F-1N is my favourite. The classic F-1 follows along with Nikon F3HP.
Clint Troy
Well-known
Leica R6 & R6.2 are pretty much the closest thing to an M. So close, in fact, that when i bring up my R6.2 to my eye, I always mistake it for a rangefinder. And the mechanical feeling is there.
Nokton48
Veteran
Yes! I have rediscovered the SRT's (after going through just about everything else) and it's a perfect fit for me at this point in time.
Dwig
Well-known
...... but then of the 3 Fs I've owned none has every failed and all 3 were press or heavy pro retirees. On the other hand, of the 10 or so hammers I've owned I've had to repair several and one finally was replaced because I couldn't keep it repaired (head wouldn't stay on the handle and being a Craftsman hand tool Sears replaced it free after some 20 years of use).
As to the best SLR, that's tough. My vote wavers between the Nikon F3 and F2 with the poorer handling but supremely reliable F circling and kicking at their shins. I also rank the Pentax LX extremely high on the list; small, reliable, durable, full featured, and comfortable to use.
I have a rather extreme hatred for the OM-1. It suffers from form-over-function failure just the way the original iPod did. Both went through redesigns that addressed my issues proving me correct. They are both painful to use due to excessively sharp corners and edges (mirror lock on the OM-1 and outer edge of the front face on the iPod in particular). If you really want one to use then only consider the OM-1n or OM-2n where the edges are softened. This is also a little bit of an issue with the Nikon F (bottom two corners of the mirror box protrusion), an issue "fixed" in the F2.
btgc
Veteran
Ricoh XR-P - probably not the best ever, but very good and capable. Runs on current batteries, and don't suffer from current draw like some more hyped models
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
bastian a.
Well-known
My favourite SLRs are: Leicaflex SL2, Leica R6.2, R7 and R8 (R9).
The ergonomics and built quality of these Leicas are best for me. And of course there are great Leica R lenses, too.
I tried a lot of different manually focussing SLR systems (Pentax, Contax, Nikon, Olympus) but all in all it's the Leica system which I prefer. The only negative aspect is the price
The ergonomics and built quality of these Leicas are best for me. And of course there are great Leica R lenses, too.
I tried a lot of different manually focussing SLR systems (Pentax, Contax, Nikon, Olympus) but all in all it's the Leica system which I prefer. The only negative aspect is the price
Michael Markey
Veteran
I`ve just noticed that in the UK the Leica R6.2 seems to be commanding a high price .... £700.
oftheherd
Veteran
That's what I did shortly after I got my Contax 139Q. Good thing as the electronics eventually died.
Call me crazy, but this is the camera that I keep coming back to:
Chrome Yashica TL Electro X ITS by Greyscale3, on Flickr
(this one is a hybrid, the ITS version didn't come in chrome)
Yashica TL Electro X ITS with Yashinon DX 50mm/1.7 lens by Greyscale3, on Flickr
Fully manual, with a stepless electronically controlled shutter, wonderful, accurate metering if you get a good one, mirror lock-up, metal Copal square shutter, big and heavy and solid. Perhaps Yashica's only real "professional" body. I love the Nikon FM2N, and I have a Nikomat FTN that is growing on me. The Nikomat makes a better weapon, and has a better viewfinder, but nothing fits my hands better than this old Yashica.
I have been a fan of Yashica for a long time. I bought one of their movie cameras while on Okinawa in the early 60s. That along with price helped me pick a TL Super while in Vietnam about 1971 or 72. Since then I have acquired about 3 TL Electros. They are indeed nice, but I really don't use them much any more. The Yashinon lenses are quite good, and especially for the price.
As I reread this thread, I was interested to note all the Contax cameras that people have had trouble with. I already mentioned my Contax 139Q had died on me, but in truth, that may have been due to surviving a house fire (acids in smoke).
But it does seem that a lot of people have had trouble with the electronics. I don't hear that about the Yashica brands that I always considered just Contax cameras with Yashica branding.
Certainly Kyocera had problems with the coverings of the Contax and contemporary Yashicas. Has anyone heard anything about the Contax or Yashica cameras having a higher than normal problem with the electronics? I still think the Contax T* lenses are some of the best available, and the otf flash metering was really accurate.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
How about the X-700 ?
I don't know if they are "the best" but they are very reliable and dirty cheap at the moment as they are very underrated. Value for money is excellent.
I don't know if they are "the best" but they are very reliable and dirty cheap at the moment as they are very underrated. Value for money is excellent.