agentlossing
Well-known
I thought it might be fun to copy a thread idea from over at Cameraderie. The idea is to go over what you currently own, what you like and don't like about it, and how you might change it. It's a way to put down one's thoughts about refining one's kit. Apologies if there is something like this already; I couldn't locate anything. This could function as a bit of a companion thread for the acquisitions thread.
I'll go first, and, if this thread lives, I'll no doubt look over my initial post sometime in the future and chuckle. For me at least, gear changes with time. Right now I have several analogue cameras and several digital ones. For film, I have a Petri Color 35 which doesn't see much use, a Pentax MX which shares lenses with a digital Pentax, and, most recently, a Lomo LC-A made in the beginning of the '90s. The Petri is a cool little camera, and a rare one, but I can't get used to the focus scale existing only in the viewfinder. I really prefer scale focusing to be possible before raising the camera to my eye. That's the way a rangefinder shooter would use scale focus, allowing for taking quick shots without taking the time to focus once the camera is at eye level (and the photographer is more conspicuous). I got used to doing that when I had a Voigtlander M-mount camera, and I definitely prefer it. It's a very cool little camera otherwise. I have, however, found that the meter is way off when using modern batteries with a slightly different voltage. I might give it a try with a Wein cell battery and see if the readings come out closer to accurate.
The MX is a very good small SLR. My model has a bit of a winding issue sometimes, however, where the film will get stuck while advancing. I've remedied it in the moment by rewinding the film partway, and then advancing it back to where it was, but this wastes film and/or risks accidental double exposures. My only other complaint is that the large viewfinder is a tad difficult to see entirely with glasses. That's a pretty common complaint for vintage cameras in general, however (and even some modern ones). I have considered picking up a more modern Pentax film SLR, perhaps an autofocus model, to utilize with my autofocus lenses. Still deciding what I might get. I also wouldn't pass up a very good deal on an LX. I hear the viewfinder is a little better. But I do like the small size.
The LC-A is a fun little camera. I'm used to having some control over my shutter speed, but the "lomo" part of the camera and its lens makes some accidental motion blur not the worst thing in the world. My version only goes up to the approximately ISO 400 setting in Soviet GOST, so it's unfortunately not for shooting film over that, which is really too bad as I think pushed HP5+ at 1600 would look pretty cool with this lens. I think I'll probably get used to shooting grainy ISO 400 film like Arista 400 in it a lot of the time and developing in Rodinal for a grainy, contrasty look. I really like Rodinal and Arista 100, but 100 speed film in the LC-A requires a sunny day for confident shooting. I think I'll keep using the LC-A for quite a long time, as long as it holds up.
On to digital. I shoot a Ricoh GRIIIx, an Olympus EM5 Mark II, and a Pentax K-1 Mark II. The Pentax is both the most expensive and the one I consider my most versatile system camera, while for the Olympus I keep a more minimal kit of small M4/3 primes. I have used M4/3 for quite a few years at this point and just can't quite rid myself of a small, capable body with a great little lens like the Panasonic 20mm f1.7, even though that's redundant with the excellent GRIIIx. I also feel like the EM5II is one of the very best build quality cameras Olympus made in the digital era. It's as solid as a brick but extremely compact. I only use mine on manual, and keep ISO at base unless I need to bump it up. This makes it rather like a film camera (I even use it with the LCD closed on itself). The GR is probably my most-used camera, and has been since the GRII that I started with back before the GRIII was released. It's the perfect run-and-gun camera when photography isn't the primary goal of the outing. IQ is excellent. I can't envision myself divested of the GR. It's a way of life.
Lastly, the K-1 II is a joy to use, with a beautiful 36mp FF sensor that is capable of amazing detail, color and dynamic range. Paired with great Pentax glass it's a fantastic experience when I can take the time to lug it around. It's heavy and a little large. But I think it'll continue to satisfy for years to come.
That's my gear currently! The Color 35 might move on sometime, and the MX might get replaced with a different Pentax. Ultimately I'd love to pare things down to a manageable 4 cameras: two film and two digital, one of each compact and the other full-featured system. But that would mean at present giving up the EM5II which I'm not ready to do. We'll see.
I don't keep a large camera collection. I like to restrict it to cameras and lenses that I actively use. This gives me more freedom to experiment and iterate on my gear choices, without amassing a large and costly collection, which I have neither the space nor the pocketbook for at present.
I'll go first, and, if this thread lives, I'll no doubt look over my initial post sometime in the future and chuckle. For me at least, gear changes with time. Right now I have several analogue cameras and several digital ones. For film, I have a Petri Color 35 which doesn't see much use, a Pentax MX which shares lenses with a digital Pentax, and, most recently, a Lomo LC-A made in the beginning of the '90s. The Petri is a cool little camera, and a rare one, but I can't get used to the focus scale existing only in the viewfinder. I really prefer scale focusing to be possible before raising the camera to my eye. That's the way a rangefinder shooter would use scale focus, allowing for taking quick shots without taking the time to focus once the camera is at eye level (and the photographer is more conspicuous). I got used to doing that when I had a Voigtlander M-mount camera, and I definitely prefer it. It's a very cool little camera otherwise. I have, however, found that the meter is way off when using modern batteries with a slightly different voltage. I might give it a try with a Wein cell battery and see if the readings come out closer to accurate.
The MX is a very good small SLR. My model has a bit of a winding issue sometimes, however, where the film will get stuck while advancing. I've remedied it in the moment by rewinding the film partway, and then advancing it back to where it was, but this wastes film and/or risks accidental double exposures. My only other complaint is that the large viewfinder is a tad difficult to see entirely with glasses. That's a pretty common complaint for vintage cameras in general, however (and even some modern ones). I have considered picking up a more modern Pentax film SLR, perhaps an autofocus model, to utilize with my autofocus lenses. Still deciding what I might get. I also wouldn't pass up a very good deal on an LX. I hear the viewfinder is a little better. But I do like the small size.
The LC-A is a fun little camera. I'm used to having some control over my shutter speed, but the "lomo" part of the camera and its lens makes some accidental motion blur not the worst thing in the world. My version only goes up to the approximately ISO 400 setting in Soviet GOST, so it's unfortunately not for shooting film over that, which is really too bad as I think pushed HP5+ at 1600 would look pretty cool with this lens. I think I'll probably get used to shooting grainy ISO 400 film like Arista 400 in it a lot of the time and developing in Rodinal for a grainy, contrasty look. I really like Rodinal and Arista 100, but 100 speed film in the LC-A requires a sunny day for confident shooting. I think I'll keep using the LC-A for quite a long time, as long as it holds up.
On to digital. I shoot a Ricoh GRIIIx, an Olympus EM5 Mark II, and a Pentax K-1 Mark II. The Pentax is both the most expensive and the one I consider my most versatile system camera, while for the Olympus I keep a more minimal kit of small M4/3 primes. I have used M4/3 for quite a few years at this point and just can't quite rid myself of a small, capable body with a great little lens like the Panasonic 20mm f1.7, even though that's redundant with the excellent GRIIIx. I also feel like the EM5II is one of the very best build quality cameras Olympus made in the digital era. It's as solid as a brick but extremely compact. I only use mine on manual, and keep ISO at base unless I need to bump it up. This makes it rather like a film camera (I even use it with the LCD closed on itself). The GR is probably my most-used camera, and has been since the GRII that I started with back before the GRIII was released. It's the perfect run-and-gun camera when photography isn't the primary goal of the outing. IQ is excellent. I can't envision myself divested of the GR. It's a way of life.
Lastly, the K-1 II is a joy to use, with a beautiful 36mp FF sensor that is capable of amazing detail, color and dynamic range. Paired with great Pentax glass it's a fantastic experience when I can take the time to lug it around. It's heavy and a little large. But I think it'll continue to satisfy for years to come.
That's my gear currently! The Color 35 might move on sometime, and the MX might get replaced with a different Pentax. Ultimately I'd love to pare things down to a manageable 4 cameras: two film and two digital, one of each compact and the other full-featured system. But that would mean at present giving up the EM5II which I'm not ready to do. We'll see.
I don't keep a large camera collection. I like to restrict it to cameras and lenses that I actively use. This gives me more freedom to experiment and iterate on my gear choices, without amassing a large and costly collection, which I have neither the space nor the pocketbook for at present.
telenous
Well-known
I 'll never commit in writing self-incriminating evidence that my wife may one day find.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
Two cameras I have are vexing me.
The first is an Agfa Silette L which I got for a few dollars. It works, the shutter does, and it’s missing only the meter cover ( I’ve since fabricated one for it). What I quickly discovered after seeing my photos is that close focusing doesn’t work. I thought the bezel/ring which contains the front element was set so that focus went beyond infinity and, consequently, close focus wasn’t where it should be. Several times now I’ve removed this ring (plus front element) and re-inserted it, not being sure whether there are several places around the circumference where the threads might catch. I do see the front element move back and forth and I’ve tried checking the focus with a groundglass at the film plane, but I don’t have the magnification I need to see if my adjustments are doing anything. At this point, the poorly worn screws for the bezel/ring can’t take many more disassembly attempts.
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super. The name alone should tell you why its vexing. What was I thinking when I bought this? I’ll tell you: I bought it because at the time I didn’t own any Zeiss cameras. My Voigtländer Bessamatic and its jammed shutter (now repaired) warned me about German leaf-shutter SLRs, but I didn’t listen. I bought this, wanting a Zeiss Ikon, even though it had someone’s ”Social Security” number scratched on it. That’s how desperate I was. It worked for a while - I think less than a month after I bought it it’s shutter jammed open and that’s how it sits today - eventually it‘ll get fixed.
All my other cameras are fine. I use them all or at least do a thorough check of them regularly.
The first is an Agfa Silette L which I got for a few dollars. It works, the shutter does, and it’s missing only the meter cover ( I’ve since fabricated one for it). What I quickly discovered after seeing my photos is that close focusing doesn’t work. I thought the bezel/ring which contains the front element was set so that focus went beyond infinity and, consequently, close focus wasn’t where it should be. Several times now I’ve removed this ring (plus front element) and re-inserted it, not being sure whether there are several places around the circumference where the threads might catch. I do see the front element move back and forth and I’ve tried checking the focus with a groundglass at the film plane, but I don’t have the magnification I need to see if my adjustments are doing anything. At this point, the poorly worn screws for the bezel/ring can’t take many more disassembly attempts.
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super. The name alone should tell you why its vexing. What was I thinking when I bought this? I’ll tell you: I bought it because at the time I didn’t own any Zeiss cameras. My Voigtländer Bessamatic and its jammed shutter (now repaired) warned me about German leaf-shutter SLRs, but I didn’t listen. I bought this, wanting a Zeiss Ikon, even though it had someone’s ”Social Security” number scratched on it. That’s how desperate I was. It worked for a while - I think less than a month after I bought it it’s shutter jammed open and that’s how it sits today - eventually it‘ll get fixed.
All my other cameras are fine. I use them all or at least do a thorough check of them regularly.
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Cascadilla
Well-known
I used Pentax MX bodies for almost 20 years before replacing them with LX bodies. The LX is a bit bigger than the MX and has interchangeable finders. Most of the standard prisms have adjustable diopters so you might be able to see the finder to focus without your glasses. There is also the FB-1 base with FC1 low magnification action finder that can also rotate for use as a waist level finder.
This will add considerable size and weight to the camera but might be worth it for you. If you do buy an LX be sure it comes with the lugs for attaching a strap. Pentax used proprietary lugs on the body that require an additional attachment that will be hard to find if you need them. One more thing--the vibration damping of the mirror in the LX is better in my experience than the already good MX is. I found that I could handhold the LX at slower speeds than I could the MX without getting motion blur from the mirror flipping up.
Canyongazer
Canyongazer
One Nikon D800e and two Fuji X Pro2s.
No complaints and no plans to acquire replacements or additions.
I know....I'm no fun. 😔
No complaints and no plans to acquire replacements or additions.
I know....I'm no fun. 😔
Bingley
Veteran
I have experimented w/ a lot of gear over the last 15 years and am at a point now where I think I know what works for me and what I can get rid of b/c I don’t regularly use it or haven’t bonded w/ it. I recently sold my M2 bc I hadn’t shot it in about 5 years, and I’ve got an R2A for sale in Classifieds, along w/ the Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50/1.5. The R2A is a very nice, functional camera, but I don’t use it that much.
On the other hand, I shoot my M3 (which was overhauled by DAG a couple of years ago) a lot. I appreciate the ability to accurately focus and the vf easily works w/ 40mm lenses as well as 50s. I’m still shooting my Barnack Leicas a lot as well as my Canon IVSB2. And I’m also building out a kit for my Contax IIa. In terms of glass, I prefer the rendering of Zeiss glass, either original or Japanese lenses based on on Sonnar lens designs. For landscapes, my preferred camera is a Hasselblad 500 c/m. My hassy is currently in the repair shop, but when it comes back I’m going to look for a Sonnar 150mm lens for it, to complement the 60 and 80mm lenses I already own. My landscape backup camera is a Rolleiflex Automat MX EVS w/ a very very sharp Tessar 75mm lens. For SLRs, after a few years of trying out Minolta and Pentax cameras, I’ve settled on Nikon and have built up a nice collection of lenses to go w/ my FM2n and F2 camera bodies. I don’t think there are any lenses that I’m dying to add to any of these camera bodies (other than the Sonnar 150) and in fact will be thinning the herd over the next few months.
I’m also shooting Rollei 35 cameras a lot, particularly when traveling. The 40mm focal length works well for me for street photography, and these little cameras are robust and have working (and surprisingly accurate) meters.
For film cameras, the only addition I’m thinking is a used M6 or, if I can find one, a used MP. Either would complement my M3, and I’d like a metered Leica M. I built up this collection of film cameras, slowly, over time, taking advantage of good buying opportunities as they arose. My photographic interests have pretty much settled on street and landscapes.
I’m still thinking about where to go w/ digital cameras. I really like my Olympus Pen F, and have a good collection of lenses for it, but am thinking of selling it. I picked up a used CL digital in 2021 and like the results from that camera. I also have an M-E 240 for when I need a full frame sensor; not sure whether I’ll keep it. I’m intrigued by the Q2 and the lovely photos I’ve seen from that camera (including here on RFF).
On the other hand, I shoot my M3 (which was overhauled by DAG a couple of years ago) a lot. I appreciate the ability to accurately focus and the vf easily works w/ 40mm lenses as well as 50s. I’m still shooting my Barnack Leicas a lot as well as my Canon IVSB2. And I’m also building out a kit for my Contax IIa. In terms of glass, I prefer the rendering of Zeiss glass, either original or Japanese lenses based on on Sonnar lens designs. For landscapes, my preferred camera is a Hasselblad 500 c/m. My hassy is currently in the repair shop, but when it comes back I’m going to look for a Sonnar 150mm lens for it, to complement the 60 and 80mm lenses I already own. My landscape backup camera is a Rolleiflex Automat MX EVS w/ a very very sharp Tessar 75mm lens. For SLRs, after a few years of trying out Minolta and Pentax cameras, I’ve settled on Nikon and have built up a nice collection of lenses to go w/ my FM2n and F2 camera bodies. I don’t think there are any lenses that I’m dying to add to any of these camera bodies (other than the Sonnar 150) and in fact will be thinning the herd over the next few months.
I’m also shooting Rollei 35 cameras a lot, particularly when traveling. The 40mm focal length works well for me for street photography, and these little cameras are robust and have working (and surprisingly accurate) meters.
For film cameras, the only addition I’m thinking is a used M6 or, if I can find one, a used MP. Either would complement my M3, and I’d like a metered Leica M. I built up this collection of film cameras, slowly, over time, taking advantage of good buying opportunities as they arose. My photographic interests have pretty much settled on street and landscapes.
I’m still thinking about where to go w/ digital cameras. I really like my Olympus Pen F, and have a good collection of lenses for it, but am thinking of selling it. I picked up a used CL digital in 2021 and like the results from that camera. I also have an M-E 240 for when I need a full frame sensor; not sure whether I’ll keep it. I’m intrigued by the Q2 and the lovely photos I’ve seen from that camera (including here on RFF).
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Forest_rain
Well-known
Currently for digital I'm running a Sony A7II with A mount lenses mounted via LA-EA autofocus adapter. This makes the lenses much more affordable than having to buy native E-mount lenses. I'm really liking the output of full frame vs micro 4/3 (which I used previously) especially for portraits, I find the detail and bokeh much better. Low light performance is also great. I usually use 50mm or 70-210.
For analogue, I'm running a Canon 7 with Canon 50mm 1.8 lens at the 135mm 3.5. Works great and very compact, good sharpness and has a certain "character" to it that is particular to the canon lenses which I like. It's a bit of a pricey kit, however, so I also like to run my Praktica BMS with Pentacon 50mm 1.8. I bought it mainly for the pentacon lens compatibility and I'm a little disappointed with the body - the mirror slap is quite prominent and causes a bit of a camera shake in pictures. Might buy another SLR soon, maybe a Minolta SRT to round out the kit with a cheap everyday camera.
Trying to keep this short
For analogue, I'm running a Canon 7 with Canon 50mm 1.8 lens at the 135mm 3.5. Works great and very compact, good sharpness and has a certain "character" to it that is particular to the canon lenses which I like. It's a bit of a pricey kit, however, so I also like to run my Praktica BMS with Pentacon 50mm 1.8. I bought it mainly for the pentacon lens compatibility and I'm a little disappointed with the body - the mirror slap is quite prominent and causes a bit of a camera shake in pictures. Might buy another SLR soon, maybe a Minolta SRT to round out the kit with a cheap everyday camera.
Trying to keep this short
Ray Vonn 2023
Well-known
In digital terms I have, going back over 20 years, spent money and time with point and shoots to M43 to Fuji to FF Nikon DSLR. The issue with these setups is that the pricing was reasonable, in fact extremely good compared to the competition. What this meant was that it was, bit by bit, very easy to accumulate gear to the point that my mind was suddenly concentrated through realising that the M43/ Fuji gear I'd acumulated had a resale value of well over six grand(!). So, on the basis that we only live nice, I decided to sell all that and acquire a rangefinder and some lenses. The Nikon DSLR and one or two lenses were part exchanged for a Z6. For almost two years I haven't had the need to buy a camera. So I'm quite happy with my setup which is:
The only things which are not urgent but which do cross my mind from time to time are:
- Ricoh GRIII, in my pocket at all times.
- M-E 220, the main enjoyment for me. Re the lenses; all the focal lengths I really need I have ranging from native M/LTM/Contax RF & Amedeo adapter.
- Z6 for non M adapted lenses and the 85mm F1.8 Z, a modern and amazingly effective lens in conjunction with Z cameras. Non M legacy lenses shine on this camera. I have made a point of not using M/LTM/Contax mount lenses on this camera and using them solely with the rangefinder.
The only things which are not urgent but which do cross my mind from time to time are:
- A lens, be it prime or zoom wider than 21mm. Not sure on whether this should be for the Z6 or rangefinder atm.
- Summicron 28mm. That's a 'God' lens for me but alas, priced that way too. Must be honest, this is a first world problem.
- A Summilux of the 35mm or 50mm variety. If I'm being blunt though, I don't really need this, definitely another first world problem.