Cameras you bond with, or that have "soul"

[mike rosenlof]

I have too many cameras, and like to use all of them, but if I'm doing something that I care about getting nice photos and getting right, there are a few that I turn to.

Bonded:

Yashica TL Electro-X first "real" camera I bought.
Mamiya C330f/C220f first medium format, 9 years after the Yashica
Arca Swiss F-line classic fantastic large format system 4x5 and 8x10
Hasselblad 501CM fantastic MF system fairly recent

Maybe

Leica R6.2 it's got a good chance
Canham 5x7 I'm really liking the 5x7 for contact prints


It's a fling, fun occasionally, not bonded, not selling either:

LTM rangefinders heresy here! They're fun to use. Not going to be primary for me
Olympus OM-1 I have a couple of really nice lenses for this, so it comes out occasionally
Nikon F2 Nikkormat I have a couple of really nice lenses for these, so they come out at times
Pentax Spotmatic I have a couple of really nice lenses for this, so it comes out at times

notice a pattern 🙂

The Yashica is gone, it just broke down. The rest are still around.

 

[jsrockit]

In general, I just want a camera that gets out of my way, or can be set up to get out of my way, when I'm taking photos.

I think this is a bond of sorts...

 

[KM-25]

I am pretty sure I am putting in a very custom order for one of these, I bet I bond with it nicely...

 

[farlymac]

A long love affair with Nikon cameras has seen a few models come and go for various reasons (usually financial), which means I've gone back to some that I had before now that things are more settled.

F2
FM
Nikkormat FTn
F100 (new addition)

One I never really got totally used to is the N90s, as it was a transitional model from the mechanical to automatic for me, and I just didn't delve into all its functions like I should have. I kept using it like a P&S with some fantastic Tamron lenses.

Yashica rangefinders are also one of my favorites, with plenty of variations to choose from.

I finally got a Rolleiflex (K4a) a couple of years back, and I don't feel a need to get any other TLR. It's just right as far as I'm concerned, although I do miss the Mamiya C330ProF outfit I had.

There are a lot of 35mm compact/P&S cameras I've liked and will hold onto. Nikon L35AF; Canon AF35ML; Canon QL17 GIII; Olympus 35 RC; Canon Z135; Olympus Stylus/mju I; Yashica T-4 D Super.

Even though I really like the lenses from the Canon FD/FDn, Minolta MC/MD, and Olympus 35mm SLRs, other than the SRT-202, I never got comfortable with the camera bodies. Especially the Olympus OM line.

Photographic equipment in and of itself cannot have soul, but one can look into the workings and see the souls of the makers.

PF

 

[jamin-b]

Infatuation: M3+Leicameter, M8, Bessa R3a & R4a, Olympus 35SP, FM3a, Rolleiflex MX-EVS and T, Pentax ZX5n and *ist DS (yes, just purchased new12+ years later!), Fuji ST705N

Cute and want to love, but a bit too fussy: Leica CL,Pentax MX, SuperME,

Loved and was betrayed: Bessaflex TM (mirror shattered), Minilux (E01)

Sensible gal to have around,but doesn't quite get my juices flowing- Nex 7, GF670

 

[stompyq]

Bonded with

Pentax 6x7
Rolleiflex 2.8E
Ricoh GR (V)

Too many cameras that i haven't bonded with. But notable mentions

Nikon F3
Hexar AF (I have gone through 6 of these and considering another one... again!!)

 

[coelacanth]

Soulmates: Film M w/o meter, GR series.

Friends with benefits (and on-again-off-again): Barnack Leica, digital M, Fuji X-series.

Strictly professional: Micro 4/3, cell phone cams, GoPro

Coffee once in a while: XA, Hasselblad 500 series, midrange TLRs, Rollei 35

Went out for many years, but not talking: 35mm & digital SLRs

Wanted to say hi but never will: Pen F (film), high-end TLRs

 

[Kent]

Great idea for a thread! I can really see your point and totally agree: there are some cameras that you bond with easily and others ... well...

Here is my list:

Very strong bonds with
Nikon Df
Leica M8
Leica M6
Leicaflex SL (just since recently)
Leica IIIa syn
Nikon F3
Fujifilm GW690


I've also really bonded with
Fuji X-E2 (and X-E1 which has been replaced by the "2")
Fuji X-T1
Nikon F
Nikkormat FT-2
Nikon F90x
Ricoh KR-10x (because that was my first own SLR)
Canon EOS 350D (sold!) - That camera has started the madness when I realized I could adapt vintage lenses! 😉
Fuji ST701 & ST801
Pentax K100D (the last cam my dad shot with)
Pentax ME Super
Pentax Spotmatic SPII (a generous present from a friend)
Yashica Electro 35GS (another generous present from another friend)
Olympus OM-10 (and another generous present from yet another friend)
Panasonic Lumix LC-5 (not really a good cam, but there is "something")
Fuji 4800z (see above)
Kodak Retina IIIc
Franka 125 (my dad's cam for years)
Weltaflex
Moskva-5
Nikon D7000
Rollei 35 T
Polaroid SX-70
Polaroid Land 330 (But Fuji"film" has just tried to rip that bond...)

/\ These cams I still own (apart from the 350D...)

Those are mainly sold \/ (apart from these *)

Some loose bonds only with:
Panasonic Lumix FZ-20 (way too much noise in the images)
Minolta DiMage 7 (sucked out batteries) *
Canon EOS 40D (objectively better than the 350D, but it didn't get through to me)
Canon EOS 5D (at its time a great cam, but similarly to the 40D not "my" cam)
Canon EOS 10D (only bought because the used price was unbeatable) *
Fuji S1 Pro & S2 Pro (my dad's first DSLRs)
Sony V1 (better than the Lumix LC-5, but less "soul") *
Olympus 35RC
Minolta Hi-Matic E
Nikon D90
Nikon D3100 (both are good cams, esp. the D90, but they did not amaze me)
Minox 35 *
Kodak Retina Ia *

No bonds at all:
Nikon F50/F60/F65 (mass products without character)
Canon EOS 300/EOS 500/EOS 50e/EOS 5 (decent cams, but no "soul" that fit me)
Several other old SLRs by Revue, Porst etc.
Holga
Lubitel 166 *
and many more...

 

[jordan.dickinson]

Leica M4 black paint. It's beat up, missing vulcanite, and is just plain great. If I keep one camera, this will be it.

 

[jsrockit]

Bonded with

Pentax 6x7
Rolleiflex 2.8E
Ricoh GR (V)

You forgot the D610

 

[BillBingham2]

...In general, I just want a camera that gets out of my way, or can be set up to get out of my way, when I'm taking photos. ........

I think this is a bond of sorts...

To me that's a requirement for use more than to solve special challenges. I look to bonding a bit more ethereal, motivating, helps you find you vision but also leads you to new places.

But that's me, I can see your (JSR's) definition as being good.

B2 (;->

 

[drinkingeye]

Film: Leica M4 Black, Canonet QL17 GIII, Plaubel Makina 67, Hassy 501, Yashica Mat 124
Digi: Fuji X100, Ricoh GR, M Monochrom, Pentak K5IIs, Hassy H3DII-31

 

[Ronald M]

Only Leicas have soul. The rest are machines and some very capable, but no soul.

 

[literiter]

Gulp, I don't think I've actually bonded with a camera.

Some I like for nostalgic reasons like my Pentax Spotmatic, and some I like for usefulness, like my Hasselblad 501CM, but I haven't really bonded with one.

 

[RichL]

Only retina IIa's have soul. The rest are machines and some very capable, but no soul.😀

 

[Out to Lunch]

Definitely the Epson R-D1 series.

 

[Peter_S]

Contax T3 above all.

 

[Hern]

I am engaged to my Leica M3. The rest of my cameras can come and go, as I see it.

 

[biomed]

Bonded -

Nikon F2, FE2, Nikkormat (the Nikkormat was stolen, still have other two)
CV R3A, R4M, Bessa L (sold after setting idle for a while)
Mamiya RB67,C330 (sold to studio where I worked)
Panasonic GF1, LX5, GX7 (currently my users)

Definitely not -

Kowa Six (bought new - was very unreliable)
Kiev 4 (didn't care for the ergonomics)

There have been many cameras that fall in the middle ground that I have enjoyed using like the Canon Elan 7e and Spotmatic II.

 

[Darthfeeble]

My first camera, a GAF branded Chinon SLR. I didn't have to think, just see.
The Epson R-D bunch. Close to the same thing.
The Fuji X100. Same thing, just look, see and capture.