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

[jsrockit]

Since I'm a digital guy... I would be into the following film cameras for a collection.

Leica Standard - Black
Leica IIIg
Leica M6
Leica MP
Leica M7
Nikon S3 2000
Nikon F with Standard Prism
Minolta CLE
Hassleblad SWC
Hassleblad Xpan

 

[séamuis]

What a beautiful camera! Would have had a hard time giving that one away (perhaps to one of my children, only).

my ex-fiancée. but I know its in loving hands. thank you though. I beat it pretty bad in use, and then spent quite a bit of time and money restoring it to the pictured condition, as it became as much of a companion as it was a tool.

 

[Robin Harrison]

Something bling:
- Gold-plated and crocodile skiin Olympus OM-2n (sure there are a few Contax equivalents, too).

Something that's seen real action
- Winogrand's Leica M4. Or Capa's Contax.

Something very rare
- How about the 1923 Leica 0-series (last sale, $1.9m)?

Something big
- A Polaroid 24x20 monster would suit me.

Something small
- How about a Ducati half-frame?

Something with an impressive arsenal
- Like a Pentax Spotmatic with a matching pristine 12-piece M42 lens collection: 17/4.0, 20/4.5, 28/3.5, 35/2.0, 50/1.4, 85/1.8, 100/4.0, 135/2.5, 200/4.0, 300/4.0, 400/5.6, 135-600/6.7

Something very wooden
- I dunno, a handmade early 20th century full plate camera in cherrywood?

Something very useless
- Something like a silly 'spy watch camera'.

Something up-and-coming
- Modern...not digital...endangered....Lomo special edition? Nikon F6? Fuji TX-2?

Something that means something to the collector
- Like the Contax 139 given as a gift on his 20th birthday by his late father

 

[Kent]

From a collector's point of view and according to "importance" and concentrating on "format 135":

- Leica 0-series (The cam that triggered everything.)
- Leica III ("The" Leica.)
- Leica M3 ("The" M-Leica.)
- Leica M9 (The first digital fullframe "M".)
- Nikon F (The first real pro system camera.)
- Asahi Spotmatic (The one that influenced all the others.)
- Minolta 7000 (The first AF SLR.)
- Canon EOS 300D (The cam that made DSLR shooting affordable.)
- Canon EOS 5D (The first mainstream fullframe DSLR.)
- Exakta Varex (The cam that marketed several inventions.)


My personal collector's set with only cams that I still own:

- Canon EOS 300D (s.a.)
- Canon EOS 5D (s.a.)
- Exakta Varex (s.a.)
- Nikon F (s.a.)
- Asahi Spotmatic (s.a.)
- Canon FTb QL (FD lenses could be used)
- Leica Digilux 2 (First really well performing digital Leica)
- Sony NEX-3 (Adaptation miracle!)
- Sigma SD9 (First SLR with a Foveon sensor)
- Minox 35GL (Classic supercompact)

 

[BillBingham2]

Interesting question......


1. 4x5 crown graphic
2. 500 series Hasselblad
3. Rolleiflex TLR
4. Nikon F
5. Olympus OM-1
6. Pentax Spotmatic
7. Leica IIIa
8. Kodak No. 1 Folding Pocket Camera
9. Nikon One Touch (early model)
10. Kodak Instamatic 100


B2

 

[noeyedear]

Hasselblads + lenses
Rolleiflex various
Linhof/Plaubel
Razzledog outside bet for prosperity
Nikon F
Leica G
Early Kodak digital
Nikon D1

That's only 8 but I would want more than one hasselblad or Leica.

Kevin.

www.treewithoutabird.com

 

[noeyedear]

Hasselblads + lenses
Rolleiflex various
Linhof/Plaubel
Razzledog outside bet for prosperity
Nikon F
Leica G
Early Kodak digital
Nikon D1

That's only 8 but I would want more than one hasselblad or Leica.

Kevin.

www.treewithoutabird.com

Ooops, forgot to add a Reid to the list.

 

[bobkonos]

OK, here are my 10

OK, here are my 10

In no order. I own some of these and look for the others:

1. Nikon S4 (looking)
2. Black Nikon F 1959-1961 wit eye level prism (looking)
3. Leica M3 DS with later shutter speeds (have it)
4. M2 with lever rewind and no self-timer (just got it!!!)
5. Hasselbad SWC/M in black (got it)
6. Leica M2-R (looking)
7. Leica Ig (looking)
8. Black Canon L1 (looking)
9. Black Canon VT or VT deluxe (looking)
10. Ducati camera (looking)

 

[re_visible]

Here are the top 10, at this moment:

1. Leica M2 with a retractable 50mm lens
2. NPC 195
3. Rollei 35S
4. Konica Auto S3
5. Contax T
6. Contax G2 with the 28m and 45mm lenses
7. Black Pentax MX with SMC-M 50mm f1.4
8. Ricoh GR1v
9. Retina IIIC
10. Canon P with a retractable 50mm lens

I currently own Nr. 3, 4, 7 and 9.
I had the Nr. 1, 6 and 10, but have sold them in an attack of "sanity". :bang:

 

[RanceEric]

-Nikon SP (I have an S2 and S3, but fantasize about an SP)
-Leica M3 (so I can finally use my 5cm Summitar!!)
-Contax I(d or later) (have a I(b), but would prefer a body with slow speeds)
-Zeiss Super Ikonta (I have a B 532/16, but want a C for 6x9 or A for 6x4.5)
-Nikon F with standard prism (I have a black one!)
-Leica III
-Nikon S (or M, but I'm trying to be realistic 😉)
-a Rollei TLR (probably will never get one, since I'm not a huge fan of the square.. but would be nice to have as an option....)
-Nikon S3M (OK, I have to add something outrageous to the list 😉)
-Zeiss Contaflex TLR (ok.. maybe two ridiculously rare things..)

 

[paapoopa]

for a moment i find it hard to just list 10.

- black paint Leica M3
- Leica MP with lux steel rim
- Plaubel Makina 67
- Norita
- Rolleiflex 2.8F
- a 4x5 camera
- one of the Barnack
- xpan
- polariod 110B
- hassy 500cm

 

[Frontman]

My top 10...? That's too small a number for me, it needs another digit. If I had to choose the 10 favorites of what I have now, it would be as follows:

#1 Rolleiflex 2.8C. I have all the 2.8 cameras, A through F, the C is my favorite.

#2 Nikon F. Enough said.

#3 Leica M4. I have owned/used all the M models, the M4 remains my favorite.

#4 Konica Hexar AF.

#5 Nikon S3. Small, silky-smooth in operation, reliable as an anvil.

#6 Canon F1n.

#7 Pentax 67.

#8 Nikon FE, simply fool-proof.

#9 Olympus 35 SP. Great meter, better lens.

#10 Super Graphic 4x5

 

[Ronald_H]

Hmm, I got a few of what I would consider my top ten:

1. Leica II
2. Kodak Beau Brownie (with Walter Dorwin Teague design)
3. Leica M3
4. Nikon F
5. Rolleiflex 2.8 D
6. Graflex Anniversary Speed Graphic
7. Polaroid SX70
8. Linhof Technika V
9. Pentax 110
10. Olympus Mju-II/Stylus Epic

 

[shiro_kuro]

Plaubel Makina W67
Plaubel Makina 670
Ricoh GR21
Tomiyama Art Panoroma
Lieca M4 Black Paint
Pentax LX
Pentax 67
Leica "O"
SX70
Leica MM

my collection of course would be well used

 

[Blanc]

1 Kodak Medalist
2 Bessa RF
3 Koni omega Rapid 200
4 Rolleicord 1936 "art déco"
5 Rollei 35
6 Yashica FxD (for the Zeiss lenses)
7 Minox 35 GT
8 Hasselblad SWC
9 Leica C1
10 Leica M4-P

 

[bfffer]

my list would be

01, 4x5
02, barrack with Voigtlander nokton LTM
03, contarex
04, nikon F
05, hasselbald
06, bessa II
07, zeiss ikonta
08, contax T
09, nikonos
10, Leica M2 with 35 F1.4 v1

 

[PatrickT]

Rollei 2.8F
Leica M3
Leica M9P
Hassy 500cm
Pentax 67
4x5
Mamiya 7
Contax RX/ST
Canon 5D Mk3
Contax 645

Wow, this was harder than I expected!

 

[Sparrow]

1-9 .. nine M2's
10 ... Alpa 8

 

[BobYIL]

Those I would never sell:

Leica IIIc (my birthday camera)
Leica IIIf (for me the last of the classical looking Barnacks)
Leica M3SS (Rolls Royce)
Leica M2 Button rewind (Engineer's M)
Leica M4 (Bentley)
Contax IIa (w.Sonnar 1.5/50)
Nikon F plain prism
Rolleiflex 2.8F or 3.5F (six elements)
Hasselblad 501CM
Linhof Technika 5x7

 

[jsrockit]

1) Leica II Black Paint
2) an Alpa
3) Leica Hello Kitty M6
4) The Hassleblad that went to the moon.
5) Leica M9 Titanium
6) a brand new Rolleiflex
7) Leica 0
8) Ricoh GR21
9) Leica MP (a la carte)
10) Mayima 6