Cameras you bond with, or that have "soul"

BONDED
Nikon F - feels "right."
Canon FT - my first SLR, fond memories
Nikon D800e - 'cause IQ is so darned good
Fuji-X E2 - highly competent, chunky little guy
Fuji X 100s - all the good things you've heard are true
Mamiya 7II - see my signature

NO BONDO
Canon AE 1 - cheap, tinny feel and sounds
Nikkormat - see Canon AE 1
Sony NEX7 - V. good IQ but menu interface drove me batty
 
I bond with a camera if besides the good results I find a "tactile" pleasure in operating it and from an ergonomic point of view it feels well.

From this point of view my Leicas M3 and M5 are my favourite, as well as my Spotmatic F...their advance lever are a joy to use.

I also bonded with my LX, ST705W and my Canon F1N. I have two Nikon F2s, I appreciate the quality but they are too heavy to carry for a long time, so my pleasure is limited. Prakticas B, in particular the Jenaflex are also pleasant even if their building quality is not up to the standard of the best Japanese cameras.

I haven't bonded with my Canon A-1, the Praktica BX20S (advance lever unpleasant), Nikkormat FT3, Bronica 645, Pentax MX, Contax IIa and IIIa.
 
Bonded with:
Nikon F
Nikon S3
Leica M4
Leica M3
Leica M6
Leica II
Sony A7r
Sony NEX7

NO BOND WITH:
Leica M8.2
Leica M7
Rolleiflex 3.5

- jim
 
I'm With You!

I'm With You!

Keith said:
Anything with the Sigma logo on it. I really admire that little company's attitude towards it's quirky products ... and photography in general.
Click to expand...

Most folks are biased about products they've never tried but are only known by reviewers who are Nikon, and to lesser extent, Canon devotees.

I like Sigma products too! All lenses are designed by making compromises, cost can't be defended, absolute performance can, but ergonomics comes in last, and there you have Sigma's quandary.

Now that Olympus OM is forgotten, what would those beautiful small, light lenses try to be today: Sigma.
 
I been digging my Kiev 4 for a few years now, even though I got better cameras since the 1970s.
 
For me, my Leica CL, my Kiev 4AM and my Nikon D7000. Not all at the same time. Too much to carry around all day.:D

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)
 
Bonded and soul, 2 different things but are so related in my opinion. My wife said my photos lost their soul when I quit shooting with my V cameras (500 series) and she is probably right ( did I just say that???) The only cameras I have ever bonded with were my Hasselblad and a Nikon F3. I have recently started shooting with the V system again with a digital back from work and it has been a wonderful thing.
 
I think most of you guys have been shooting film longer than I've been alive, or longer than I've taken photography seriously, for sure. At 41, I only got into digital seriously 3 years ago, and since then, completely fell in love with film.

Shooting for a magazine, I use my D750, but at this point it's more of a tool.

Bond?
Nikon FM2n. What gorgeous photos we make together.

Love affair:
Rolleiflex 3.5F Some issues, but I already have an affair with it.

Unsure:
Leica M3 with a 50mm Summicron collapsible.


Interesting that my < $400 Nikon unit is for more comfortable in my hands now than the Leica $2500 setup.
 
Bonded with:

Leica M3
Leica M-E
Sony a7s
Sony a7ii

Didn't bond:
Leica M1
Sony a7
Ricoh GRV
Minolta Hi-Matic 7s
Voigtlander Bessa R2

Unsure:
Leica M4-P
 
Bonded with:
SRT101
XD11
Retina 1a, 11a
M3
QL17
Nikon D90

No Bond:
Zorki S
Canon G9 Sureshot
Yashica TLR
Canon AE1
Miranda "G"
 
Last edited:
Bonded:

Olympus XA
Olympus OM series
Ricoh GXR
Canon P
Canon 5D
Kodak Retina IIa, Retina IIIC

Not bad:

Pentax Q
Fujifilm X-Pro1
Canon 60D
Sony A37
Sony A850
Fuji GW690II
Rollei 35S
Yashica Electro 35 GTN
Canon AE-1

Not so much:

Pentax K-01
Minox 35
 
I have owned Leica m2, m5, m4-p, m6 and a m9. I have owned the fuji x100, x100s, x100t and the x-pro1. But the camera that is my all time favorite is the digital Ricoh GR.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom