Cameras with personality ?

I have a Minolta P&S called "The Talker AF" (or something like that) - when you half depress the shutter button it says things like "Too Dark - Use Flash" in a female voice.

The voice was apparently derived from that of the daughter of the Minolta CEO at the time.

That's about as close as any of my cameras come to personality.
 
I have a Minolta P&S called "The Talker AF" (or something like that) - when you half depress the shutter button it says things like "Too Dark - Use Flash" in a female voice.
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I had one of those, too. For years after I parted company with it, my wife and I would chorus "too dark, use flash", whenever we entered a dark space.

:D
 
I love my Fed-2 and its collapsible Industar-10 lens. I love all you have to do to take a photo, from estimating the exposure (and compensate for any flaring and softness for the lens), to pulling out the lens, focussing and taking the picture.
I also love the red led readout of my Canon A-1's viewfinder (but nothing other than that).
 
"Soul" is infectious. Cameras catch it from their owner(s). Same with motorcycles, musical instruments, Land Rovers...

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
"Soul" is infectious. Cameras catch it from their owner(s). Same with motorcycles, musical instruments, Land Rovers...

Cheers,

R.
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Interesting. I once owned a Ducati Supermono, which I raced. Now there was a bike with soul, and I can assure you it wasn't my doing!
 
Funnily enough I'd agree with your two choices - my FM2 and M6 are the only cameras of the many I've owned that have stood out for me. Other SLRs just haven't done it in the same way, neither have other rangefinders. The Canon 5D (the first one) is the closest a digital camera has come to this same feeling for me.
 
peter_n said:
Exakta & Rolleiflex.
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The Exakta is a mad aunt; the Rollei, an elderly uncle. What would a Koni Omega be? A very large idiot savant?

All right, these are personalities, not souls. But they're still quite fun to think of. Leicas tend to be wives or mistresses; Nikon Fs, older brothers. Alpa reflexes are mysterious Central Europeans; Robots, hyperactive toddlers.

Cheers,

R.
 
Hasselblad 1000f : the great grandfather, almost forgotten
Hasselblad 500 : a tough and experienced professional

prewar Contax : the old mad uncle, who saw everything first with the old Exakta aunt (those Zeiss lenses!).
 
Kodak Ektra, because of its left-handed orientation. I'm very right-handed, but enjoy switching things around now & then.
 
Probably my old 35mm Canon Pellix. That stationary see-through mirror just gives this camera tons of character.

Jim B.
 
charjohncarter said:
I'm not sure my Mamiya Super 23 does it for me, but it certainly has a unique personality. I would say the Mamiya is like German WWII tank.
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I've had one for some 36 years. I agree it has personality. I'm not sure I would say it has soul. Maybe in another 36 years, whoever has it then. Maybe it is like a Tiger Tank? So big most fear it, so big it isn't likely to go everywhere, but delivering where ever it does go.

I have never bonded to my Rolleiflex. I did bond to my Yashica MAT 124G that I had many years ago. Maybe it did have soul. It seemed to always be with me when I wanted it, and do everything I wanted it to do. I have always wanted another. It just felt right to have and use.

I love my Fujica ST 901, but like charjohncarter said about the Super Press 23, I think it was more personality than soul, even now.

My Welta Welti did seem to have something of a soul. Small, light, good lens, unassuming in its performance, always delivering good photos - negative or slide. I still enjoy having one around and using it sometimes.
 
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