Camera design peak ?

[jsrockit]

Surely, it's the Konica TC-X!

 

[das]

The peak design for 35mm cameras was probably the Nikon F6. The F6 combines every single essential film camera feature in one package -- every metering and exposure mode, interchangeable focusing screens, integrated fast motor drive, super fast autofocus, ability to use all of Nikon's F lenses with pretty much full functionality, 1/8000 second top speed, 100% VF coverage, relatively small package. One could say the F5 checks most of these boxes as well. Every great camera that came before the F6 was missing one or more of these things.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The peak design for 35mm cameras was probably the Nikon F6. The F6 combines every single essential film camera feature in one package -- every metering and exposure mode, interchangeable focusing screens, integrated fast motor drive, super fast autofocus, ability to use all of Nikon's F lenses with pretty much full functionality, 1/8000 second top speed, 100% VF coverage, relatively small package. One could say the F5 checks most of these boxes as well. Every great camera that came before the F6 was missing one or more of these things.

The F2 is missing the necessary batteries... 😉

Phil Forrest

 

[Malcolm M]

Pretty much any fully mechanical SLR with TTL metering. Pick your own favourite make and model. Everything you need, and nothing you don’t. All the controls a normal photographer would ever want, in plain sight and where they should be. Compare the Nikon D300. Covered in buttons and dials and screens with menus, sub-menus and sub-sub-menus. I’m still not sure which dial to twiddle to change the aperture. The e-version of the instruction manual (presumably there’s not enough wood pulp in the world to provide paper copies) is… wait for it… 448 pages long.

 

[splitimageview]

The peak design for 35mm cameras was probably the Nikon F6. The F6 combines every single essential film camera feature in one package -- every metering and exposure mode, interchangeable focusing screens, integrated fast motor drive, super fast autofocus, ability to use all of Nikon's F lenses with pretty much full functionality, 1/8000 second top speed, 100% VF coverage, relatively small package. One could say the F5 checks most of these boxes as well. Every great camera that came before the F6 was missing one or more of these things.

For 'peak design' AF, the F6 would certainly be a finalist along with the F5. 100% viewfinder coverage results in a lower magnification of 0.74x and 18mm eyepoint, which are typical of AF cameras. Many MF cameras have higher mag or greater eyepoint, and the Aria has both (0.82x and 25mm with 95% coverage.) The F5 has 0.75x, 20.5mm eyepoint, 100% coverage (using the standard finder.)

 

[Bill Clark]

I still use the Nikkormat I bought in 1972. It has traveled with me to many places. The only thing I had to replace is the small rubber bumper the mirror hits when firing the shutter. Gent named Goodman had them.

Thought the TTL meter was a good idea along with the Nikkor lenses available. Kinda of a nice thing, many of the Nikkor lenses has a 52mm diameter for attaching various filters. I do own a 20 wide angle lens that takes a large filter.

Heavy weight, camera and lenses with no plastic used in construction.

In a hurry to get on board of the ship I was on, I once dropped my 135 tele f2.8 on the gangway. Nothing happen to it!

 

[zuiko85]

Personal preference is showing here, not completely objective but who cares. If we all liked the same camera what a fine mess that would be. My personal choice would be a like new OM-1n with a 2 series matte focusing screen.
But I also really like the original Leicaflex, the one with he meter window on the prism hump.
That focusing screen is amazing.

 

[markjwyatt]

Restricting the question domain to 35mm SLR cameras as the OP did, once we get into the era of reliability (nominally, beginning with the Nikon F in 1960), most of the better cameras were "good enough" for most things I did. ...

I think the Exakta, by the "V" model probably hit the reliability mark. Now at the time the reliability at cost marker we probably the Nikon F, but today the cost aspect is less of an issue.

 

[David Hughes]

Not one mention of the Contax RTS; odd isn't it?


Regards, David

 

[santino]

David is so right. And I throw in the RTSIII with all its gimmicks.

 

[davethesnapper]

I think one or 2 folk are missing my point. I admit the last offerings from Nikon, Canon and contax are with out doubt the pinnacle of what you can stuff into a 35mm camera my point was when did the spec exceed the need. No Doubt any AF multimode will technically out perform a Olympus OM2 or Pentax LX etc the point is if you bought a used Nikon F5 would you use it like an F3 with an MD4 with autofocus ?

I have an F3 outfit with a selection of prime lenses. I recently bought an F100 to pack into the backpack with the D800 outfit because the modern lenses don't have aperture rings so to save me carrying 2 sets of lenses to shoot film. I had an F5 but the weight made it unattractive to carry about regularly. But Either camera is used in aperture priority or manual so other than AF the rest is superfluous to me. If I could use the F3 I would.

So where does your utilisation of the cameras facilities end ? in Nikon terms is it F, F2, F3, F4, F5, even F6

Dave

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I think one or 2 folk are missing my point. I admit the last offerings from Nikon, Canon and contax are with out doubt the pinnacle of what you can stuff into a 35mm camera my point was when did the spec exceed the need. No Doubt any AF multimode will technically out perform a Olympus OM2 or Pentax LX etc the point is if you bought a used Nikon F5 would you use it like an F3 with an MD4 with autofocus ?

I have an F3 outfit with a selection of prime lenses. I recently bought an F100 to pack into the backpack with the D800 outfit because the modern lenses don't have aperture rings so to save me carrying 2 sets of lenses to shoot film. I had an F5 but the weight made it unattractive to carry about regularly. But Either camera is used in aperture priority or manual so other than AF the rest is superfluous to me. If I could use the F3 I would.

So where does your utilisation of the cameras facilities end ? in Nikon terms is it F, F2, F3, F4, F5, even F6

Dave

I wouldn't go past the F4, personally. On the Canon side, the EOS 1NRS was perfect for me at that time. Both of those are battery dependent, big, heavy, but fantastic. The F3 is really an amazing sweet spot of pro camera. If I could carry my LunaPro around my neck though, then I have to say my F2 is all I personally need. It can shoot one of my favorite lenses, the 2.1cm O-Nikkor, as well as most of the other Nikkors I own. We all have our preferences and the end-all, beat-all is the F2, in my opinion.

Phil Forrest

 

[davethesnapper]

Thanks Phil. I think that was the kind of rationale I was think of.

Dave

 

[splitimageview]

“The features exceeding the need” really depends on the individual need.

Some needed motor drives for example, others didn’t really, although they didn’t turn down the offer.

Newspaper photogs used to get the job done with slow-handling Speed Graphics so clearly the definition of ‘need’ changed over time.

 

[narsuitus]

The peak is yet to come !