Have you ever bought a camera just because it was so beautiful?

One more that I can't believe I forgot... The art deco Kodak Bantam Special. Bakelite heaven, sweet camera. If 828 film was really available I'd shoot the thing!
 
No... Completely bizarre idea to me. It's a tool, only consideration is function. You don't choose a hammer because it looks appealing, surely!?
 
RichC said:
No... Completely bizarre idea to me. It's a tool, only consideration is function. You don't choose a hammer because it looks appealing, surely!?
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Form follows function. I appreciate good industrial design. But my concern when buying a camera is strictly how well it can do what it was made to do. I have art in my house; the cameras are in drawers in my studio. And I have nice cameras.
 
Keith said:
One camera that I'd definitely buy if I had the spare cash would be a Linhof Technika ... Mael had one advertised in the classifieds a while ago and I swear that is the most beautiful camera I've ever seen!

One day!


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I agree whats not to like. I rather like Speed Graphics in the nude too, there is a certain resemblance



Untitled by Adamwithoutanyhands, on Flickr
 
Life is too short for ugly cameras. :) Mine are proper working tools as well as pretty. I did buy the Telyt 280/4.8 (Visoflex) because it looked gorgeous, even though I knew the optical performance was dodgy.
 
hteasley said:
OK, I shot it this evening. Rolls of Portra 160 arrived, and I ruined a roll trying to get it loaded: 828 is not merely a little thicker than the custom Compass rolls, it's a lot thicker. The backing paper is very thick on these rolls, and the caps on the spool were far too big in diameter to use the spool unadulterated. So I had to pull the caps off, try to roll out some of the film, and then load a half-sized roll. And it didn't work.

But it left me with a brass spool that basically fits, so I tried rolling from a 35mm cartridge in the changing bag, and that worked out. So I have a couple shots (that were more than garbage).
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Nice! I use 35mm film in my Kodak Flash Bantam, although I don't really use that camera much. I just bought it because it was cheap, in good condition, and I think it looks great.
 
kdemas said:
One more that I can't believe I forgot... The art deco Kodak Bantam Special. Bakelite heaven, sweet camera. If 828 film was really available I'd shoot the thing!
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I use 35mm film in my Kodak Flash bantam. I just covered the green window in the back with some tape from the inside. I take an 828 spool (luckily my camera came with 2), put it into a changing bag, and load it with 35mm film. This gives you the advantage of using any film you want.


Kodak Flash Bantam by Roberto V., on Flickr
 
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I have...many times...
Pentax MX...black body...twice
Nikon F2a...black, as well...
Aires 35s IIIC...I so wanted to use it but we never got along...
Nikon FM...such a simple camera...
Zone VI 4x5 View Camera...Black Walnut with Gold Plated Trim...a work of Art...
 
5x7 Sinar Norma with 360mm Schneider Sinar Symmar.

5x7 Sinar Norma with 360mm Schneider Sinar Symmar.

This is my idea of true beauty.

This camera is on permanent display in The Museum of Modern Art, as an Industrial Design object.

Photographic perfection. The Leica M2 of View cameras.
 
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RichC said:
No... Completely bizarre idea to me. It's a tool, only consideration is function. You don't choose a hammer because it looks appealing, surely!?
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That's like saying a Ferrari should have no more appeal than a Yugo.

Just because it does have function, why can't it affect us on many different levels? Besides that, all tools are not alike and anyone with even a smidgeon of tactile sensibility should be able to differentiate experiences. When i moved into my first apartment after college, i used a hand-me-down can opener for years. I later bought one with 'ergonomic grips' - one of those newfangled things.... And, was shocked at how much nicer it was to use. Even if i only used it once a month. I almost feel sorry for people who can't get impact from small sensual pleasures.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
I've also bought some that are just downright ugly.
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I have definitely avoided a lot of gear because it's ugly.

Sometimes, though, my opinions change. I thought the Leica R8/9 was ugly for the longest time. Until i finally caved and held one. Olympus Stylus Epic. Ick. Until enough forum reviews got me to buy one anyway. Not so bad, after all. There are, though, a lot of things that are just hopeless, and one wonders who could have designed them.
 
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