Best aquisition of the year?

My Ricoh GRD II. It's fun to use. I found I experiment more with composition. It's great for candids, easy to use one-handed, and there's no excuse for not having a camera with you. And, although I never thought it would happen: I like composing on the screen.
 
It's a toss up for me as far as camera aquisitions go.

I picked up an old Burke & James 5x7 commercial view... I find the proportions much more pleasing than 4x5 or 8x10, and it's not much more work to lug around than my 4x5 gear. I find myself much more comfortable with this size for large format...and have been shooting more because of it. I've been looking to move into this size for quite a while. Beautiful contact prints too!

The other choice would be my first Leica, an unplanned purchase at an antiques fair a couple months back for an almost embarrasingly low price. An early M3 w/ 50mm collapsible summicron and some accessories. I pretty much always have it with me, and it's definitely cut into how much I use my contax G2/G1.

Really though, I'm not going to know what was the best for me until I look back at my work a few years from now and see what I managed to do with the equipment.
 
Well, the year isn't over yet! I'm hoping to find a film development tank and reels, dark bag, and related paraphernalia under the tree on Christmas morning. 🙂

But up to this point, without a doubt it's the M2 I got for a great price over the summer and have used w/ joy ever since. 😀 I'm now one of those happy M2niks that Dave Wilkinson mentions above.
 
I picked up some very cool equipment this year:>

1. a Leica MDa body --> I plan to use this as a dedicated wide angle body -- by wide I mean anything wider than 28mm. Unfortunately I have to acquire the 21mm lens I want; so if anyone has a SA 21/3,4 they want to sell, send me a note 😉

2. a Summilux 75/1,4 lens --> Awesome lens.

3. a Focomat 1c --> I got this for free. Yes, no charge.

4. a Summicron 35/2 --> This is my favourite carry around lens.

Now as for which is the 'best acquisition' I am hard pressed to say. But as nothing can beat a good thing that is free, I am tempted by this premise to conclude that the enlarger was my finest acquisition in 2008.
 
I would have to say my 35 UC Hexanon. The one I bought to replace the one I sold, which was my best acquisition of 2007 (sad, I know).
 
...more exotic.... picked up a very nice V I (Leitz Visoflex I) and during these holidays can experiment with it by putting it on my R-D1s (hi Dave, did you ever receive back the adapter ring which you made for the Summitar and which I sent you short before your trip to Malta?)
 
My best find this year was my travel backpack, the Lowepro Primus AW. I went to Europe several times this year and not having to worry much at all about the safety of my cameras was a great advantage. I is a very well made bag with enough room for my rangefinder and evil slr gear.
 
This year was a very productive year in photography for me. I got my hands on a few new cameras including an awesome deal on an M3 and rigid Summicron which has become my main camera now. Though I ordered 50 sheets of Efke 25 8x10 film to use with my Deardorff, so that might give the M3 a run for its money.
 
Well...I'd have to say (firstly) a Hexar RF + ZM50/2 Planar.

Also this year, a VC 35 1.2 Nokton and my Pen FV was overhauled at Camtech. (Thanks John!)

~Hibbs
 
This has been a good year:
1) 1942 50/2 collapsible T Sonnar
2) 1941 85/2 Sonnar
3) 1937 50/2.8 collapsible Tessar
4) Canon "chrome nose" 35/2 FD lens
5) Nearly (bleep)ing mint Canon FTbN (edit - real mint, not ebay mint!!!)

Sold a heck of a lot too, but those more than made up for it.

William
 
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I have also had a very good year...

I have also had a very good year...

especially with darkroom kit and particularly a new friend that was more than generous helping me fit it out, Thank You Cliff 🙂, but if I had to pick a single acquisition, it might just be the 10 Leica screw-mount film canisters with aluminum cans I just bought at a very reasonable price.

I like to reload and though my IIIc is without a brother, Leica glass, a case or any real Leica accessories, beyond a MR-4 meter for hand-held use, these cassettes make a very personal camera 'outfit' that much more personal.

These make it easy to keep just the right film ready to go, just for this camera. Dropping a few of these into my pockets with the camera, a lens or two and a meter, I'm good to go, 24-7. 😀

Eli
 
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