The Poor Boy Camera

[RML]

Interesting point, in the book "Devil and the White City", about the World's Fair in Chicage in the 1890s, the is a reference that photogs would be charged to bring in their own cameras. an attempt to corner the sales of photographs.

Not just to corner the market but also to keep a tight control over how this Utopian city would be seen in the media.

 

[windraider]

My guess the basic set for professionals
SLRs :
Zenits
FM-10
Phoenix

RFs:
Feds/Zorkis

MFs
Seagull
Kiev 88

As you can see, I'm inclined to think FSU cameras seem to be value for money if you get a working copy. I believe the prices of the Canons, Minoltas & Olympuses from the 60s-80s are more affordable currently, but they were not at the time they were launched. Hence we do get to see off-brand cameras like Cosina, Sigma, Topcon, Fuji etc especially in Asia & developing countries.

 

[OldNick]

My dentist still uses his Spotmatic.

Brian- I still use my Spotmatic for any lens over 85mm.

Jim N.

 

[oftheherd]

The objective is great results, reliably, on the cheap, right?
Almost any manual focus, metal construction SLR will fill this bill.

I can't really say with 35mm RF, not having that much experience with different models at the time. I seem to remember some of the Kodak models being popular at the camera club I used to attend with my father, but don't remember if they were interchangable lensed cameras or not. I am not sure the poor boy camera needs to be an interchangable lens camera, but I think so given your analogy.

In SLR, I would consider the Yashica TL Super. Even the Pentax was a little pricey and not a few pros used it. Certainly the Nikons, Canons, and Minoltas were favorites of pros pretty much in that order. The Yashica TL Super was less expensive, yet the Yashinon (not Yashikor!) lenses were very good. It was metal and heavy, but durable. I think it sold pretty well. The poor boy camera should have had to do that also. That might be a good reason to choose the Spotmatic instead.

Interesting to wonder.

 

[pvdhaar]

Come on, you're all thinking too upmarket..

The real working man's camera was the Agfa Clack: http://www.tanyaclark.com/clack.htm

 

[Bryce]

Cool link, Peter. I had to go through her entire site once I was there!
I think the poor boy camera is supposed to deliver good results, though?

 

[350D_user]

"Poor boy camera"? What's with the 'must buy equipment'? Whatever happened to a shoebox with a pinhole?