jimithing616
James B - MPLS, MN
For me it is my leica R4, no kiddin'. Out of all the SLR's I have at my disposal, or have used, including my F2, The Leica R4 (whether or not it's a 'real' Leica) it has this tight tolerance, thick, well made feel to it. A heft that, when I pull it up to my eye to flick off a shot, is reminiscent of turning a corner in a big ole boat of a Chevy! You know the feeling, it's like your pulling G's as your body and head bounce side to side like a 'Night at the Roxbury' 
.... I dunno, maybe its just my youthful inexperience talking
.... I dunno, maybe its just my youthful inexperience talking 
mfogiel
Veteran
It is your youthful inexperience in fact... haha... The R4 has a shutter lag so long, that you probably manage to take a coffee between pressing the button and hearing the shutter click. Nothing like the Leicaflex, now THIS is a camera with character and well built... try to fondle one when you see it.
mfogiel
Veteran
You have managed to find an F8 Keith ? Well done ! The only gripe I have with my F7, is to be careful with avoiding flare - not so easy on Cote d'Azur, where it is sunny 315 days a year...
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
A very lucky find: I was browsing eBay one night and spotted a near mint F8 with box, case and strap, handbook and the original filter set for around $500.00 AUD BIN. I couldn't click that button fast enough!
They are a bit flarey at times I agree ... and also do this weird thing when the shadow of the turret slit passes over the lens. All part of the charm for me.
clayne
shoot film or die
The R4 is basically an XD-11 with R mount. The XD-11 only has moderately higher lag than the XE-7 so I'd be surprised if it were as bad as you make it sound. You could always get an R3 instead.
TheFlyingCamera
Well-known
For the combination of personality and soul, I vote Rolleiflex. They're absolutely iconic cameras, and they have their own unique character that no other camera has. The handle differently, render images differently, and just look super-cool.
dubya
Established
The first time I handled an R4, I thought it had a problem because the lag was so long... much longer than an XD-11, IMO. I really couldn't use a camera like that and I'm not sure what they were thinking, if they were that slow when new... maybe it gets worse with age (?). I do like the ergonomics of it over the R3 though, which has it's own problem where the advance lever may not return on occassion.
Too many syllables in "click" with the R4...
"Cah-lick-ah"I vote Minox III for 'personality king'.
Wade
taxi38
Taxi Driver
Minox B,..mechanical marvel,takes practice to get to the quality that it surprises you with,just a treat.
philipaloft
Member
I'm still reluctant to admit that I'm seldom using film these days, so perhaps another way to frame the question would be to ask myself " if I was to give away a camera at well below market value to a young photographer that I really wished the best for, which of my old friends on the shelf would I choose ?"
It was an easy choice. Without even realizing it at the time, it's turned out that about 85% of my keepers that made it up to 16x20 prints came from a Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide. 6x10cm 47mmf8 SA
It has both personality and soul.
At risk of sounding cynical I expect a good deal of the soul is generated by the 1 stop falloff from the center to the outside of the frame - somehow it encourages the viewer to feel drawn into the image.
I had to learn a fair amount in order to exploit its best qualities, - - plus it made me get closer !
Philip B.
It was an easy choice. Without even realizing it at the time, it's turned out that about 85% of my keepers that made it up to 16x20 prints came from a Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide. 6x10cm 47mmf8 SA
It has both personality and soul.
At risk of sounding cynical I expect a good deal of the soul is generated by the 1 stop falloff from the center to the outside of the frame - somehow it encourages the viewer to feel drawn into the image.
I had to learn a fair amount in order to exploit its best qualities, - - plus it made me get closer !
Philip B.