one camera, one lens, one film: what would you choose?

I suppose we could all make do with whatever we have to hand. I'd even survive with just my camera phone. But I think about what would draw me into using it, and that guides my thinking.

So, from what I have, it'd be: Minox 35GL Minotar 35/2.8 (of course) and Delta 400. I've shot more film with a Minox than anything else, and it just kinda works for me. Easy to carry, discreet to use, good quality.

From anything, I'd take Leica M9 with a 35mm lens (Summicron? But I'm not over fussy). The M9 gets the vote purely for being a digital rangefinder. If there were other contenders in the category, my vote might go elsewhere.

Limited to film, then my ideal might be either a Fuji GS645S or a Zeiss Ikon ZM with a 35mm Biogon. Delta 400 wins the day again there, though.
 
alienmeatsack said:
Would you care to, within the thread's intentions, explain this a little? I've got an R4A myself and an M3 and am looking at M6's at some point. Just curious as to what draws you to the M6 over the Bessa for a one camera/one lens combo or in general. 😀
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I'm another that uses Bessa's (R2A in my case) and an M6 and tend to go to the M6 in preference. For me the Bessa has a much better viewfinder but the M6 feels a good deal more solid. There's nowhere I'd not take the M6 but the Bessa I might not always bring out...I'm not one to wrap cameras in cotton wool so the fact I don't trust (rightly or wrongly) the camera to withstand whatever I throw at it automatically makes me prefer the M6. I've also got a Leica III and I trust that to survive anything even more than the M6 🙂

Manually selecting the focal length on the Bessa I find a pain too - the lever gets a knock sometimes when I take it out of a bag and if I'm not 100% paying attention I can not notice and find I'm shooting to wrong framelines. I don't have the Bessa to hand right now but I don't think it has a 28mm frameline, which is something else to bear in mind if you are ever going that wide.
 
dabick42 said:
I think it would have to be my Leica 111b fitted with SCNOO rapidwinder and collapsible Summicron 50.
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Impeccable taste! I have the junior configuration:

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For a whole year of RF shooting with a single lens, however, I would choose the Contax T and Superia 800.
 
Might actually try this idea but a year seems like a long time ... not sure

Nikon F
Nikon clip-on light meter
NIKKOR-S 58mm f1.4
Black & White film of a yet to be determined flavor.
 
Lund said:
I do have an urge to list one of my stranger cameras. But even if I love the results I will never lug around say a mamiya press universal day after day. I couldn't even stand to bring my dslr all the time even when I tried to.
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Understandable.
I just walked around all day with my linhof technica IV and the 150 xenar.
I could probably do a lot with just that combo.

There would probably be a lot I WOULDN'T end up doing with it though.

But it definitely got me thinking about it.

-Brian


(oh. M3 and 50 lux would probably be the real choice. Hp5)
-b.
 
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Basically all I have been using anyway. I got the Edixa for $1, and the Yashinon 2/50 for $9, and fell in love. 😀

My better cameras have just been getting dust. The camera is cheesy, but the Yashinon is surprisingly excellent, I think one of the best M42 lenses I've come across.

As for film I don't know. I used Neopan SS and Elite Chrome exclusively last year. Those are now history 😡 I'm thinking about trying Kentmere 100, or Agfa Precisa if I can get my hands on it.
 
semilog said:
M6, Summilux ASPH, Kodachrome 64.
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I would use any number of impractical and stupid cameras for only a year to have an opportunity to try K25 or K64. Kodachrome was already dead when I found some books in the library and then found my grandfather's OM-1 in a closet.
 
Analog: Pentax Spotmatic SP500 with Takumar 55 f2. This was my fathers camera.
Digital: Canon 5d(old) and 50 1.8.

Both really simple and well build cameras and both budget lenses with good enough optics.
 
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