If one were to collect cameras, which are the top ten, in your opinion?

My list tweaked:

1. 4x5 speed or crown graphic
2. A 500 series Hasselblad
3. A Rolleiflex TLR
4. Nikon F or F2 with plain prism
5. Screw mount Pentax like SV
6. A Rollei 35
7. Retina lla
8. Olympus OM1
9. A screw mount Leica
10. An M mount Leica

11. A 120 folder
 
FrankS said:
My list tweaked:

1. 4x5 speed or crown graphic
2. A 500 series Hasselblad
3. A Rolleiflex TLR
4. Nikon F or F2 with plain prism
5. Screw mount Pentax like SV
6. A Rollei 35
7. Retina lla
8. Olympus OM1
9. A screw mount Leica
10. An M mount Leica

11. A 120 folder
Click to expand...

.... I thought you were done?
 
OK, I can't afford beeing a real collector, more sort of a user/collector with gear which don't see much of use aside from looking nice on the shelf. But all of my "collectibles" are still usable.

No ranking, only my actual wish list mixed together with the systems I already own and would count in:

  • Bronica RF645
  • Fuji TX-2 (or Hasselblad XPAN-2)
  • Fuji GL690
  • Konica Hexar RF
  • Leica M9
  • Voigtlander Bessa-T
  • Minolta Dynax 7
  • Sony a900
  • Minolta TC-1
  • Fujifilm X-Pro1

I have a long way to go, owning only 10 % of my wish list :(
 
no particular order (five are enough for me):

canon p
hasselblad 500 series (up to 1980)
kmz zorki 4k
leica m series (up to 1975)
mamiya rb67 pro s
 
Alpa 12
Walker 4x5
Leica M3
Olympus OM3Ti
Bessa III
Nikon SP 2005
Rolleiflex FX
Leica O

Not sure I can get to 10...
 
list of cameras for a collection

list of cameras for a collection

I have never considered myself a collector, but I moved homes recently and had to get all my cameras packed up and it was a shock to see them all in one place. I use all of my cameras, so none of them are in "collector" shape, and I like to learn about important (to me) touchstone cameras from different eras.

Some that I would like to add to my non-collection, in a perfect world where space and money was no object:

Kodak Brownie of some sort, I have never shot with a box camera, and the brownie has arguably changed photography more than any other camera.

Canon F- just because.

Nikon rangefinder- they are simply too pretty, and I love my Contax.

Leica SLR, to see how the big L does SLRs.

Olympus OM1- I had an olympus OMG 20-some years ago, and I loved the size of it.

A half-frame camera of some sort- I really like the looks of the Yashica Rapide.

That's about it for now, I am pretty happy with what I have, and have not been at a loss for lack of gear.

And my recent group shot, minus 4 folders and about 6 lenses:

Cheers,

Matt


cameras
 
As per my sig, swap the Yashica for a Rolleiflex eventually and add a Hassleblad - that makes 5 and then i'm honestly stuck!, can't currently think of any other camera I would really like to own...

Cheers, Richard
 
My list, which is a list of things I'd like to have and use (I do have & use half of them) -- it isn't driven by collectibility or historical significance or influence, but each of then has a history, eclat, panache and just general prettiness, and does what it was meant to do remarkably well:

1) Rolleiflex 2.8C (ideally with the silly plastic locks replaced with the metal ones from a D)
2) Leica M3
3) Pacemaker Speed Graphic
4) Nikon F2 (Photomic prism)
5) Minox A
6) Hasselblad 500 (A12 back)
7) Nikonos III
8) Stereo Realist
9) Linhof MasterTechnika
10) Widelux

The last three were in a group with the Rollei 35s and Alpa 8b and I'm not sure that tomorrow I'd choose the same three for my list)

Oh and edited to add that I feel like I should have a digital camera or two on that list except that I can't imagine any digital cameras that are undislodgeable in the way that the ones I have listed are. "Dislodgeable" here doesn't mean that something else might be released that'd push it down a notch or a few so it falls out of the top ten, it means that something else might be released that'd entirely supplant that camera. I can't think of any digital cameras currently manufactured that I'm certain won't be entirely supplanted by some yet to be released digital camera. Except maybe the Contax U4R.
 
Re: If one were to collect cameras, which are the top ten, in your opinion?

Nikon SP
Leica M(3)
4x5
Nikon F
Speed Graphic
Hasselblad
Leica screwmount
Olympus XA
Hexar AF
Rolleiflex
 
It took me awhile, but I have pretty much got the camera's I wanted. I wouldn't say I'm a collector per-say, I do use the camera's I buy and I buy to my strengths and likes.

Here is my /collection/


​

As for my List:

Hasselblad 203FE
- Workhorse, and I love that it has a metered WLF, rather then requiring a prism.

Pentax 67ii
- Probably my favourite camera, and an absolute joy to use. I think the SMC lenses are outstanding and very reasonably priced.

Hasselblad XPan II - Beautiful camera, and a joy to use.

Contax G2
- This has replaced my M7, I struggle with focusing with a manual focus lens when it comes to non-static subjects; this is a user fault I appreciate, but none the less it makes using a M7 for street an absolute nightmare. While not having a huge array of M mount or LTM lenses, the G system is wonderful - it's auto focus rangefinder system removes the anxiety (if you will) of worrying about focusing, and lets me get shoot much faster, with composition in mind instead. I just think it is really well made, and the zeiss glass it has available to it, hardly make it 'inferior'.

Graflex Speed Graphic
- I think while limited in terms of it's movements, a fully working speed graphic is a wonderful edition, and indeed great at easing you in to the LF world. I like that it has a focal plane shutter, meaning one can use shutterless lenses as well as those with shutters. It is compact and light, the Crown more so but of course you loose the FPS in that option. It was to be a starter, but since using it, I found I don't really need anything else.

Hasselblad 500/503
- Definitely on my list, and a jot to use. Like the MP listed below, it was the fact the camera was/is fully mechanical and requires no power to work. This is wonderful if you like I, enjoy shooting long exposures. I acquired one 2 years ago and have found shooting with it an absolute joy.

Lecia M7/MP - Probably the latter now, but I elected for the M7 due to a very good deal I got on my M7. While this was a huge 'to buy' camera, as noted above I struggled and still do with fast focusing of RF lenses. It got to the point where I wouldn't even raise my camera; still it was on my list - so in the list it goes. I still use it now and then in situations that don't call for focusing on moving subjects.


That was my main list, and I was fortunate over the course of about 4/5 years to procure all of the cameras (minus MP) that I had set out get.

For the sake of the thread:

Widelux F8
- A bit pointless seeing as I have the XPan, but none the less, I have always wanted one. I love the swing lens concept, I have seen it used to create some wonderful images, a lot of which by the 'dude' Jeff bridges.

Rolleiflex
- Pointless, as I went the (SLR) Hasselblad route, but I have always liked the look of the Rolleiflex camera's. I understand you can get them with planars, so I dare say they are rather good optically too.

Fuji GX617
- Panoramic is a guilty pleasure, I am a slave to it. So shooting with a Fuji GX617 would be my idea of a good day/night out.

I believe that is 10.
 
Bob shell wrote an article in Photo Techniques Nov/Dec 2001 entitled: The BEST 25 Cameras of all time. I don't necessarily agree with all of his opinions, but he probably has many of them right.

Not in any particular order:

Minox IIIS and other Minox Models
Alpa 5, 6, 9 and 11 Series
Leica M6 and other M Series Cameras
Exakta VX1000
Pentax Spotmatic and Spotmatic F
Nikon F5 and F Series
Minolta Maxxum 9
Canon EOS-1V and other EOS-1 Models
Olympus Pen FT
Contax RTS III
Yashica Samurai
Rollei 35 Series
Hasselblad 500 Series
Rolleiflex SLX/6000 Series
Rolleiflex TLR
Fuji GW670/690 Series
Mamiya RB/RZ 67
Mamiya 645
Mamiya 6/7
Noblex
Linhof 612
Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5
Zone VI Wood Field Camera

Brad
 
FrankS said:
My list tweaked:

1. 4x5 speed or crown graphic
2. A 500 series Hasselblad
3. A Rolleiflex TLR
4. Nikon F or F2 with plain prism
5. Screw mount Pentax like SV
6. A Rollei 35
7. Retina lla
8. Olympus OM1
9. A screw mount Leica
10. An M mount Leica

11. A 120 folder
Click to expand...

I totally agreed with your original list and then you went and dropped the Minolta XK. Has to be the best and definitely the most under rated full body SLR. We agree on most things. I long for an M mount Leica, but my Minolta Autocord will do a nice stand in for the Rollei. And 120 folders are one of my standard out for a walk cameras. I also really enjoy my very battered by useable F's.
 
With the understanding I could have all the lenses I think suitable to go with these, my list --

Leica IIIf RD
Leica M2
Leica M9 Monochrom
Nikon F2
Nikon F6
Nikon D800E
Minolta XD-11
Contax RTS II or III
Leica R8
Hasselblad C/M

Ok, that’s ten. But it’s not nearly enough. Also essential will be:

Olympus 2n or 4Ti
Leica MP
Leica M3 (I can't decide SS or DS... a little help?)
Canon F1n second version original
Canon 5D Mark III
Contax IIA
Contax 645
Nikon SP 2005
Nikon FE
Nikon F3
Nikon F100
Pentax 67ii (with handle and flash….)
Pentax MX
Pentax 645D
Mamiya 6
Rolleiflex 2.8E
Linhoff MasterTechnika
Zone VI field camera
Olympus XA
New SONY pocket camera with 1” sensor.

So that’s only like 20 extra. Perfectly reasonable.
 
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