If you went back to film - what camera ?

[Skiff]

After some years using mainly digital I've come back to film.
Preferred film camera: Nikon F6.
I am extremely satiesfied with it.

 

[harpofreely]

If my modest pile of digital gear was reduced to its current market value in cash, it wouldn't pay for any of the film gear I still covet but don't already have. So I'd probably just buy... film.

 

[xayraa33]

I still use film and my freezer still has some film in there.

If I had no film camera, which is highly unlikely, then I would purchase a Canon P with the 50mm f1.8 lens.

 

[Hsg]

Nikon F100 with Nikon 28-80mm zoom lens.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Inspired by a few threads skirting this question .....

If digital stopped existing 😀 and in place of your current digital camera(s) there was an equivalent pile of cash in your bag, and if we caught up to you shooting pictures next week, what camera body would you be holding?

In my case, probably a "user grade" Leica M6 loaded with Tri-X (my long forgotten friend). "What lens?" I'd have to think more about.

My two DSLRs costs together as one of my entry level L lens. If they're gone, I'll take film EOS body from the drawer and reattach to one of my L lens to it. The cash will be spend for celebrating of "digital is gone". 😀

This is the kit.

Actually, you are into something, this little digital one has disappeared somehow, somewhere already 🙂

 

[barnwulf]

If I could have only one my first choice would be my M4. If I could have a couple more they would be my M3 and maybe my M6. Zeiss 50 Planar and Zeiss 35 Biogon lenses. - jim

 

[jordan.dickinson]

M4 + 35mm Summicron is my thing these days. Nothing better in my opinion. This combo is so compact, covers just about everything, and I can handhold shots in low light with Tri-X 400 down to about 1/15 sec. Don't need much more than that...although I absolutely do have way more than that, and likely don't "need" it...


Also, I'm a little biased here, because I've recently sold all of my digital equipment, except for the Ricoh GR APS-C v.1. I don't need or want digital much these days, so I guess the OP is getting a bit of a skewed answer.

 

[BillBingham2]

While the simplicity and flexibility of a Nikkormat FT3 and a 28/2.8 AIs would be a siren's song too easy to answer, odds are it would be a MF camera, either a good user Rollie TLR, a folding 6x4.5 Fuji or a Baby Crown Graphic.

Something about large negatives, 4x5 is a bit too clumsy to soup, though I do love results.

 

[oftheherd]

This is one of those threads where people recommend what they use.
😉

IMO we a spoiled for choice. I'll use pretty much anything as long as it works.

I have good film cameras with good lenses. I know what they will do. Why would I wish for a camera I have never used and might find I dislike?

My Fujica ST901 works well with the still easy to get batteries. If I can't get batteries, it has manual speeds from 1/60 to 1/1000. While I have batteries, I have great auto-exposure. I have zooms, but I often think how many good photos I got with just a good camera and a 50mm lens. So I am sure I would take the Fujinon 50mm f/1.4.

But if batteries would never be a problem, I could go with the a camera that took my Contax 50mm f/1.4, or an ME Super with its 50mm f/1.4.

As I said, I have good cameras and would want one of them if I could only have one. But, fortunately, I haven't yet gone digital, and do have those good cameras.

 

[jnclde]

Why an M2 over M3 for a 50? I do like the M2 styling better, but that M3 magnification...

For me, a nice ds M3 with a 50mm Summicron. And a Mamiya 6 with the 50mm lens.

Personally, I feel as though the .72 magnification is the best for 50mm. When you put a 35mm on a .72 you can barely see outside of the frame lines. One of the strongest attributes of using a RF camera is being able to see outside of the frame lines while composing. I was considering to purchase a M3 to use with my 90mm for those same reasons. The M3 does have a better EBL, but it's give or take to what you feel is more important. And to me composing an image is far more important than how sharp the image is. I rarely shoot wide open, only when I'm taking a portrait I consider opening the lens. Again it depends on how you shoot.

 

[kxl]

Continue to shoot with my ZI's.

Instead of my D800e, I'd pick up an F6.

 

[Tim Murphy]

My Grandfather's Nikon FTN

My Grandfather's Nikon FTN

Dear Board,

I still use my Grandfather's Nikon FTN with the Nikkor -S - 5.8cm f1.4 lens he bought new in the early 1960's. It originally had a meterless prism finder but he sent it to Nikon in New Jersey to get modified to accept the FTN finder when it came out.

The old girl still works great too. I wish I still had the Honeywell Strobonar 'potato masher" handle flash that he used to use with it because it brings back memories of him taking Holiday pictures. It was always plugged into the wall and I can remember the buzz of the AC adapter used to power the flash. Unfortunately the Honeywell died and was replaced by a Vivitar 283 with the F hot shoe mount that also still works.

I'll admit that I pretty much dropped film 10 years ago when I got into digital, but I am trying to make my way back. I'd love to have a Canon F-1 version with the 2000 ISO limit also because that was the first "good" camera I ever owned and while it frustrated my Grandfather that I would buy anything but a Nikon he eventually accepted it.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

I have good film cameras with good lenses. I know what they will do. Why would I wish for a camera I have never used and might find I dislike?

Because the thread is probably geared towards those of use that don't currently use film... "If you went back..."

 

[oftheherd]

Because the thread is probably geared towards those of use that don't currently use film... "If you went back..."

You are probably correct.

 

[daveleo]

Because the thread is probably geared towards those of use that don't currently use film... "If you went back..."

This is true, as I first asked the question.

It is good though to hear filmshooters still loving their past choices.

 

[richard_l]

Leica M2 or M6 with a 50mm Summicron or a Nikon FM2 with a 50mm Zeiss Planar.

 

[giganova]

Nikon F2 (standard VF) w/ 45mm pancake
Leica MP w/ 50mm Zeiss Sonnar 1.5
Mamiya 6

+1

(message not long enough)

 

[nebraska]

Since I never gave up on film this is an easy answer. I do own and use several professional digital cameras. But my true love is still film. Yes, film is slow and often grainy when fast. I use the Mamiya 7II with several lenses and added last week an OM 3 to my collection of OM cameras and lenses. Plus the freezer has enough film to last me for a very long time. I hope this threat will induce some digital shooters to experiment with the joy of film.

 

[Darthfeeble]

I want to say Contax G, the camera that got me into RFs, but I would probably go M7.

 

[CMur12]

I'm sure that I'll one day add digital to my photography with film. I like the idea of white balance control for color and a digital camera would make travel photography much simpler. I can't imagine ever abandoning film, however.

So, I use the cameras indicated in my signature, below.

- Murray