jmooney
Guy with a camera
So we all know that the M2 is the king of cameras but sometimes an SLR is the tool at hand for various reasons. So Tom, what are your favorite SLR's? What lenses do you like?
I know that this is all hypothetical because there isn't anything Tom can't do with an M2 and Tri-X
So consider this one of those conversations you have over a few pints with photobuddies.
Take care,
Jim
I know that this is all hypothetical because there isn't anything Tom can't do with an M2 and Tri-X
So consider this one of those conversations you have over a few pints with photobuddies.Take care,
Jim
FrankS
Registered User
While waiting for Tom to respond, maybe others can?
I have 2 Leica M2's and 2 Nikon F2's. I consider each the epitome of their camera type.
I have 2 Leica M2's and 2 Nikon F2's. I consider each the epitome of their camera type.
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35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
Nikon F6 - possibly the best slr ever made.
jmooney
Guy with a camera
That would be great to hear from others! I always trust the opinion of a person with an M2, they are obviously a smart person with impeccable taste in photo gear.
Vilk
Established
Ef-toos anytime. My fling with the M2 was very very brief; my M3 only leaves the closet when I'm considering selling it.
Now, your turn to buy the pint...
Now, your turn to buy the pint...
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
My guess is that Tom likes the SL2 with his one R lens the APO 100mm Macro.
migtex
Don't eXchange Freedom!
I believe Tom uses a Nikon F with bellow PB-5 and various lens....
Photo credit: Tuulikki, Tom's spouse
Photo credit: Tuulikki, Tom's spouse
Lilserenity
Well-known
I'm not Tom but you'll have to pry my OMs from my cold dead hands. Not for everyone with their shutter speed around the lens, but if you're shooting an OM2/4 Av mode, I find them great. The finder is the clincher for me.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
M's are great and M2's the greatest - but for somethings a SLR works better!
My stash of these are - at the moment. 6 Nikon F's that have various lenses attached to them. Usually used for Macro work.
55f3.5 Micro Nikkor, 105f4 Micro Nikkor, 200f4 Micro Nikkor and the bellows kit with a 135f4 Nikkor Bellows lens. I like the F's as they are simple, rugged and I can use my Nikon Rf cassettes in them.
I also have an old 28f3.5 F lens (chrome barrel), the 55f1.2 (not the Noct though) and a couple of 105f2.5's and a 200f4. Also the 58f1.4 Nokton and the 40f2 Ultron with the small Proxar lens for close-ups.
A Leicaflex SL Mot, black paint - though it is a bit brassy too. 60mm f2.8 Macro Elmarit and 180f3.4 Apo-Telyt.
Bessaflex (Cosina re-make of a Pentax Spotmatic - with a better meter). That one is used for adapting to a microscope or with a Takumar 50mm f4 macro.
Konica Auto-Reflex (full frame/1/2 frame capability) and the Konica 50f1.8 - though most of the time it is used with an adapter that allows me to put Nikon SLR lenses on it. Great for close-up and Macro too.
Only one F2 - strange looking as someone painted it hammertone gray. Good for long exposures as anything above 1/4 sec is non functioning. B and 1 sec works fine though.
There are also two ultra wides for the F's, a 12f5.6 Heliar and a 15f4.5 Heliar and, if I removed it from the S2 - I could put the 21f4 Nikkor on one too,
Two of the F's are designated parts cameras. They still work, but if I ever need parts for my S3's or SP's - they will be raided.
I used to shoot a lot with SLR' Nikon's for work. Mainly F2's and F3's. Great motordrives, good finders and the modular construction allows you to "build" the camera to a specific purpose. The 6x sportsfinder, heavy, but great for macro work. The prism finder as a walk-about body. The Photomic's that I have (2) are dead - so they only clutter up space - but in case one of the prisms in the regular finder dies - I can salvage one from a Photomic.
The good thing with the Nikon F's is that they are generally cheap and as they are mechanical, you can still get them fixed. In many ways, it is one of the best designs for a SLR ever.
The F2 was a slight improvement and the F3 was a great "work" camera - with the MD-4 motor on it.
Oh, then we have the two "pool" lenses. Terry, Chris and I have a 560f5.6 and a 400f5,6 set up with a televit focussing grip. I think I got that for about $400 some years ago. If I ever need a long reach - I can get those. Looks a bit like some kind of grenade launcher though!
SL2's are good, but I can get several F's for what one of those costs and the SL-Mot takes care of the few rolls I shoot with the 60f2.8 and the 180f3.4.
My stash of these are - at the moment. 6 Nikon F's that have various lenses attached to them. Usually used for Macro work.
55f3.5 Micro Nikkor, 105f4 Micro Nikkor, 200f4 Micro Nikkor and the bellows kit with a 135f4 Nikkor Bellows lens. I like the F's as they are simple, rugged and I can use my Nikon Rf cassettes in them.
I also have an old 28f3.5 F lens (chrome barrel), the 55f1.2 (not the Noct though) and a couple of 105f2.5's and a 200f4. Also the 58f1.4 Nokton and the 40f2 Ultron with the small Proxar lens for close-ups.
A Leicaflex SL Mot, black paint - though it is a bit brassy too. 60mm f2.8 Macro Elmarit and 180f3.4 Apo-Telyt.
Bessaflex (Cosina re-make of a Pentax Spotmatic - with a better meter). That one is used for adapting to a microscope or with a Takumar 50mm f4 macro.
Konica Auto-Reflex (full frame/1/2 frame capability) and the Konica 50f1.8 - though most of the time it is used with an adapter that allows me to put Nikon SLR lenses on it. Great for close-up and Macro too.
Only one F2 - strange looking as someone painted it hammertone gray. Good for long exposures as anything above 1/4 sec is non functioning. B and 1 sec works fine though.
There are also two ultra wides for the F's, a 12f5.6 Heliar and a 15f4.5 Heliar and, if I removed it from the S2 - I could put the 21f4 Nikkor on one too,
Two of the F's are designated parts cameras. They still work, but if I ever need parts for my S3's or SP's - they will be raided.
I used to shoot a lot with SLR' Nikon's for work. Mainly F2's and F3's. Great motordrives, good finders and the modular construction allows you to "build" the camera to a specific purpose. The 6x sportsfinder, heavy, but great for macro work. The prism finder as a walk-about body. The Photomic's that I have (2) are dead - so they only clutter up space - but in case one of the prisms in the regular finder dies - I can salvage one from a Photomic.
The good thing with the Nikon F's is that they are generally cheap and as they are mechanical, you can still get them fixed. In many ways, it is one of the best designs for a SLR ever.
The F2 was a slight improvement and the F3 was a great "work" camera - with the MD-4 motor on it.
Oh, then we have the two "pool" lenses. Terry, Chris and I have a 560f5.6 and a 400f5,6 set up with a televit focussing grip. I think I got that for about $400 some years ago. If I ever need a long reach - I can get those. Looks a bit like some kind of grenade launcher though!
SL2's are good, but I can get several F's for what one of those costs and the SL-Mot takes care of the few rolls I shoot with the 60f2.8 and the 180f3.4.
Ronny
Well-known
F
jmooney
Guy with a camera
Thanks Tom!
I've been eyeing up F3HP's lately. It's amazing how much camera you can get for so little money these days.
I've been eyeing up F3HP's lately. It's amazing how much camera you can get for so little money these days.
dogberryjr
[Pithy phrase]
Absolutely true. The F3 might be the best buy around right now. I outfitted mine with Levant leather from Cameraleather and it looks even better.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I agree with the F3HP - it is a good design and the fact that with the MD4 motor you run less chance of having the meter/AE dying on you as it draws power from the motor rather than from the batteries in the "head".
Only thing to watch for is the LCD screen in the viewfinder. This was fairly early LCD technology and they can fade or malfunction.
At the moment I dont have a F3, but I will probably pick one up at the next swap-meet (April 17). They work well with macro and bellows. The math for getting correct exposures with bellows in particular can be head-ache inducing. I usually just bracket like hell. Hmm, might be able to save up for a F3 on reduced film-cost!
The F3/MD4 is not as noisy as the F36 or MD-2 motors (and not as heavy either). Remember the "photo-ops" from the 60's. Politicians looking like gold-fish at feeding time. Mouth open and whatever they said drowned out by the clatter of F36's churning away!
Only thing to watch for is the LCD screen in the viewfinder. This was fairly early LCD technology and they can fade or malfunction.
At the moment I dont have a F3, but I will probably pick one up at the next swap-meet (April 17). They work well with macro and bellows. The math for getting correct exposures with bellows in particular can be head-ache inducing. I usually just bracket like hell. Hmm, might be able to save up for a F3 on reduced film-cost!
The F3/MD4 is not as noisy as the F36 or MD-2 motors (and not as heavy either). Remember the "photo-ops" from the 60's. Politicians looking like gold-fish at feeding time. Mouth open and whatever they said drowned out by the clatter of F36's churning away!
Harry Lime
Practitioner
Nikons for me. I tried Canon EOS, Minolta, Leica R and Pentax.
The Nikons just work, just like the M-series does.
I have a treasured black paint F, that unfortunately is currently not functional.... (sniff)
It's such a simple camera, but I just loved picking it up and shooting with it. This is hands down my favorite SLR. It's just so elegant and straightforward. Nikon really broke the mold, when they made the F.
Currently, my two main SLR bodies are a black paint F2 with the plain prism and F3-P/MD-4. Both looked almost new when I got them. I love shooting with these cameras. The F3-P with it's extra sealing is great in adverse conditions.
I also have a Nikon FM, that needs to be checked. Very nice little camera. Sort of a Nikon F with a fixed prism and meter.
The Nikons just work, just like the M-series does.
I have a treasured black paint F, that unfortunately is currently not functional.... (sniff)
It's such a simple camera, but I just loved picking it up and shooting with it. This is hands down my favorite SLR. It's just so elegant and straightforward. Nikon really broke the mold, when they made the F.
Currently, my two main SLR bodies are a black paint F2 with the plain prism and F3-P/MD-4. Both looked almost new when I got them. I love shooting with these cameras. The F3-P with it's extra sealing is great in adverse conditions.
I also have a Nikon FM, that needs to be checked. Very nice little camera. Sort of a Nikon F with a fixed prism and meter.
aoresteen
Well-known
I use a couple Spotmatic SLs, 6 OM-1/2 bodies, a couple of Contflex Supers and a Yashica FX-D. I have only one lens for the Yashica - a Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar.
kshapero
South Florida Man
F, F2, FM, Nikkormat FTN, FT2, FM3a for me.
OMG.
I just realized I have more Nikon F's than Tom, even after selling one. I'm down to 8. Still have 11 F2's.
I just realized I have more Nikon F's than Tom, even after selling one. I'm down to 8. Still have 11 F2's.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
Brian, I dont know what it is with Nikon's - they just multiply. I rarely "carry" them - mainly used for macro stuff. The F2's are great, but they lack the soul of the F. One advantage too with the F is that older lenses (non AI) are cheap and plentiful. But 11 F2's is a bit excessive - 8 F's is more normal - and there is a swapmeet coming up in April here in town and I tend to migrate to the dusty F's at these occasions - so 8 is not an impossibility!!!!