Just for the enjoyment of it, or maybe it's Nostalgia

[Timmyjoe]

Are there any cameras that you shoot, just for the enjoyment of using that camera. Maybe it doesn't create the sharpest images, or the most subtle bokeh, or one of a million other traits that some other camera may do better. But just because you love holding it in your hands, interacting with its controls, and making images with it.

For me, the current standouts are my Nikon S2, even though it has a shutter "issue" that repeated trips to the repair person hasn't remedied and occasionally an image won't turn out. But even with that limitation, I just love the process (focusing, setting aperture & shutter speed) of making pictures with it.

And my other standout is an old Kodak Duo Six-20 (Amelia Earhart camera) that isn't the sharpest 6x4.5 camera I've ever used, but it is just so darn cute, and the way everything works on it, after 82 years, is just amazing.

Maybe it's that I'm getting older and it's just nostalgia, I don't know.

But how about you, are there any cameras that you love to use, even though they're not considered the "best"?

Best,
-Tim

 

[Out to Lunch]

The Epsons. All three of them.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Overused and under_serviced M4-2 (old dog) with Summarit-M 35 and Smena-8M. Those are linear and transparent tools.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I cannot feel nostalgic for something I never experienced (I was a teen when some of my cameras came out, and in my early twenties). However, I really like using them because they force me to think that a photograph and a snapshot are two different things. Not to mention that film cameras like yours are extremely cool. 🙂

 

[B-9]

I feel Nostalgic shooting 6x6

That was until my 500c kicked the bucket right when I took delivery of a old H20 digital back.... man that's bitter... sold my two lenses still have a PM45 and my now 1000 piece 500c.. oh and that unused by me H20.

I'm pretty tired with cameras in general and spend a lot of my time in other projects these days.

So I'm selling it all and maybe buy a SWC or add to my savings.

 

[Franko]

My eighty-three year old IIIa. No other camera feels so "right" in my hands.

 

[sebastel]

asahi pentax spotmatic (said enough)

 

[johannielscom]

I'm generally not that good with 135 format.
Still, I like some of the 135 cameras. I have a lovely Leica II and lenses, and an old Nikon F with 50mm. Also two Kodak Retinas from the 1930s. The Nikon sees the most action from the 135 format cameras.

My best stuff is shot on 6x7 film or 24MP digital. I also shoot 4x5.

 

[Contarama]

For me it is a system. I have a digital FX body, a film body, and a set of old manual focus primes. I thoroughly enjoy using the system and I am also nostalgic about it too. Im sure there are some Leicaphiles around here who can say the same thing.

 

[jsrockit]

Not currently, but if I could afford to I´d use the Nikon Df, Leica M6, Olympus XA, and Leica IIIg just for pleasure.

 

[rfaspen]

The Nikon FE2. The camera I actually made money with -- back in my stupid youth. Still pull it out because it works well at what it does, and I suppose nostalgia as well.

I'd still shoot my Minolta Hi-Matic E if it worked. Because it was a lens I fully fell in love with (and fatally introduced me to rangefinders).

My Rollei SL-35 and Zeiss 50. Because it was a great lens that was better than any of my Nikon lenses, but the body was, erm, clunky to use.

All Barnacks are enjoyable "just because". Does that really need to be said out loud on this forum???

 

[zuiko85]

Olympus Pen F (film). I just get a kick out of that camera. It feels so right in my hands despite it’s quirks.

 

[ellisson]

Nostalgia is a big part of my fondness for an old Rolleiflex SL66. Not the easiest camera to use and full of quirks, not least of which is the occasional and unexpected partial overlapping exposure from the film transport mechanism if not tended to regularly. Yet, the unpredictability and resulting images can produce some interesting graphic effects that keep me shooting with it, especially for macro work.

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[davidnewtonguitars]

Nostalgia would indicate that I shot this gear years ago, but I never had this nice of stuff back then.
I don't profess being a photographer, so I make snapshots with a IId and it is great fun, and is so cute girls come up and ask about it.
Shooting with the M2 is a waste of good hardware for my level of skill, but I bought it and use it to justify buying it, and models come up and ask about it.

 

[Darthfeeble]

I'm with the Epson crowd. It's just a fun camera to use. Film camera shtick without the bother.

 

[Steve M.]

My Nikkormats were certainly like that, and it was a big plus being able to use Leica R glass in stop down metering mode. Sadly, they were just too limited (but w/ a wonderful shutter sound) so I replaced them w /a much more technologically capable camera, an N8008s. Great camera, and a better all around tool, but the Nikkormats were a lot more fun to shoot. Probably my favorite cameras.


But then my memory ain't what it used to be. My M3 DS was also a wonderful camera to shoot, and one of the best built cameras ever. Still, a Nikkormat is a special camera to me.

 

[dave lackey]

I feel Nostalgic shooting 6x6

That was until my 500c kicked the bucket right when I took delivery of a old H20 digital back.... man that's bitter... sold my two lenses still have a PM45 and my now 1000 piece 500c.. oh and that unused by me H20.

I'm pretty tired with cameras in general and spend a lot of my time in other projects these days.

So I'm selling it all and maybe buy a SWC or add to my savings.

What happened to your 500c? Did you drop it?😱

 

[F6Roger]

For enjoyment and nostalgia:
OM1 / OM1n / OM2 / OM2n

For enjoyment:
F4s / F100 / F6
D700 / Df

For nostalgia;
S3 Rangefinder

But at the end of the day, if I didn't enjoy using a camera, I wouldn't use it. Probably why my S3 doesn't see much use.

 

[michaelwj]

All the film cameras I've ever owned I shoot just for the enjoyment of it. I assume every lens from a reputable manufacturer is far better than me, so I choose my cameras purely based on the enjoyment I get from using it. I'm not going to put up with difficulties just to get 5% better lens-metric-of-the-day.

But most film cameras are so cheap that I tend to just get the ones I like, be it Leica or Hasselblad. Life's too shot.

 

[dave lackey]

All the film cameras I've ever owned I shoot just for the enjoyment of it. I assume every lens from a reputable manufacturer is far better than me, so I choose my cameras purely based on the enjoyment I get from using it. I'm not going to put up with difficulties just to get 5% better lens-metric-of-the-day.

But most film cameras are so cheap that I tend to just get the ones I like, be it Leica or Hasselblad. Life's too shot.

And that quite sums up how to attain the Joy of Photography!!:angel:
Well stated.🙂