Best built mechanical SLR?

[wakarimasen]

VERY nice indeed! 🙂

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Many years ago, a french magazine conducted a large scale survey of the number of repairs their readers had had per camera, cost of repairs, etc. Two cameras came well in front of all others: the Nikon F and the Pentax KX. Both at 0,69 (F) and 0,70 (KX) repair per 100,000 actuations if I remeber well. KX was the pinnacle of the development of the Spotmatic, with K mount + SPD cell + mirror lock-up.

I agree, the Pentax KX is a terrific camera. It is my most often used 35mm SLR.
I like this model so much I now own three of them, all serviced by Eric Hendrickson.
FWIW I also use a Nikon F2, though not nearly as often as any one of my KX bodies.

Chris

 

[Fraser]

I would love to get my hands on some old L glass for my F1s, its funny I've never really got into Fd lenses in a big way not like Nikkors. The only Fd lens that I have and like is the 50mm 1.4 nfd, plenty of Fd bodies though!
I had actually packed my F1s away in the attic and only recently got them out again don't get me wrong I love Nikons but the quality of the New F1 is on another level.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Thanks guys and I have the 55 1.2 Aspherical which is an amazing lens. The 24L is whats on the new F-1 and I had an 85 1.2 Aspherical which was amazing. I would recommend the chrome mount Asphericals over the Ls.

The new F-1 has only been in the shop 1 time and that was about 10 years ago. It had a problem with the meter. Not bad for a camera I bought new in 1982 IIRC and have shot well over 100,000 frames.

 

[Pentode]

No one could deny the prowess of the early Nikons and Canons, but since the OP suggested going off the beaten path, I'll throw out a little Minolta love:

The XK was a marketing failure, but one helluva camera. A beautiful, nice to shoot, armored truck of a camera.

While dainty by comparison, the entire SRT family was also fantastic. Really well designed and built and super-reliable.

I'll give an honorable mention to the XD-11 for being a wonderful camera to shoot, but I have had issues with dirty electrical contacts on them more than once, so I can't fairly call it better built than the other two, as much as I'd like to.

 

[xayraa33]

I sometimes think that the Praktica L series SLR was the best. it was light, plentyful, not too costly, and they never let me down.