whats your favorite classic 35mm slr?

non return mirror SLR - Contaflex Super (2nd) with 50 2.8 pro-Tessar lens, (also 35mm and 115mm lenses), Voigtlander Bessamatic with 50, 35, 135 lenses.

Pentax SP, S1A, SP1000 (this was my first 35mm SLR bought in 1974, sold it and in the past few years assembled a flock of Pentax Spotmatic bodies and lenses)

Nikon F2 (non AI 28 3.5, non AI 85 1.8) FM, FM2, N8008s (clearest brightest viewfinder I have) with AI'd 20 mm f4, 105 2.5 AI.

Yashica FX-D with Carl Zeiss T Distagon 28mm f2.8 and 35mm f2.8
compact with AE and full manual....the 28 is an especial favourite lens of mine.

I have too many cameras, way too many cameras. If I was going to slash the numbers down. I would probably stick to the Pentax Spotmatics and keep the AF automated Pentax PZ-1 with an adapter (used it this past summer to cover a Dragon Boat Race Charity event with a 28-80 and 100-300 zoom - it was perfect for that kind of shoot.) the old screwmount lenses work quite well with it too.

Portrait sharpness - the Nikkor 105 2.5, just got the non AI 85 1.8 and have not shot any portraits yet....for other shots I have liked the results so far very much.
 
Well, I have to jump in with the "Best of the Nikon's". I love the F2, but I had two Nikon F's rebuilt at Mora camera in DC; new shutter brakes, etc. It is the smoothest and quietest of the Nikon SLR's that I have used. Probably due too the slower shutter transit time; 1/60th vs 1/80th of the F2 and F3.
 
Honu-Hugger,
Yep, Nikon's staying with the F mount is why I switched to them years ago. Now that they are still introducing another Pro FILM SLR (the F-6) that will Still use AI lenses I'm convinced I made the right choice.
 
Oh come on, doesn't ANYBODY but me have a soft spot for the Pentax K1000? Built like a tank and even 30 years and lots of film later (most of which my dad shot, I'll admit), mine still operates and looks like it just came out of the box. It may be fairly primitive, but I'll never give it up.
 
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Re: No Other Alpas?

Re: No Other Alpas?

Honu-Hugger said:
Wow, I'm a little surprised ... I appear to be the only Alpa user ... Is it really that obscure of a camera?
Click to expand...

The Swiss Alpas are extremely rare ... I have never seen a person out in the real world using one, although I've seen a few at camera stores and shows. Most Alpa models were hand built in small numbers and cost more than what most consumers could afford. A few of the later models were rebadged Chinons made in Japan - quite a divergence from the Alpa tradition.
 
Doug2, I'm with Oldprof; I've never seen an Alpa in use, as far as I can recall. They are obscure treasures!

If this thread hadn't specified "35mm slr" I'd have probably claimed the Pentax 6x7 as my current favorite SLR. Sort of an overgrown K1000, eh DougK? 🙂 I've had it since 1976, and just like how it works. I really haven't had all that many SLRs anyway, starting with a Petriflex and going on to various 35mm Pentaxes, an Olympus Pen FT handed down from my Dad, and an Olympus OMG I got for $50 solely to use a Tokina 500mm in OM mount. So, being mostly a Pentax guy when it comes to SLRs, it just boils down to choosing a favorite Pentax!
 
D2, I have never seen one "in person" either. I have never seen one in all of my years (25) at a research lab either. I remember Alpa cameras advertised in Olden in the Pop and Modern "yellow page" ads. They tended to use more O-Scopes around here, not microscopes. I have read that the Alpa was a great Microscope camera as the lever advance was front mounted.
 
Ok Doug,
I'll 'fess up, I have three K1000's and wouldn't part with any of them. Like the SE best. And like most of us, I've never seen a real live Alpa in the flesh either (and I've been using/collecting for 35 years). Then again, I've only seen 1 Ford Pantera too.
 
Kin Lau said:
I don't list my SLR's on my sig since it's an RF forum, but my favourite is my Zeiss Contaflex IV but unfortunately, it's shutter is acting up right now.

I've got 6 M42 SLR's, a Pentax SP II, Yashica Electro TL, Fujica ST701, Practika MTL3, Vivitar 220/SL & 450/SLD. All tanks but the SP II is my favourite of this bunch.

Main classic SLR's and my workhorses are Minolta's, SRT101, 200, XG-M, X-570, X-700 & XD-11. The XD-11 is really smooth and the SRT101 with the 58/1.4 is just a classic. I'm finding that it's easier to get quality Rokkors than quality M42's.

A recent acquisition has been a Canon AE-1 with a FL 55/1.2 and a Yashica FX-3 Super2000. I'm surprised at how light the FX-3 is and it's totally mechanical shutter is a pleasant surprise but this will end up as a gift to a friend.

Somewhere along the line, I'll probably get a MF SLR like the Kiev 60, 88 or Practisix.
Click to expand...

Yashica TL Electro (I have the X), Fujica ST701 (mine is the 901), and Yashica FX3 Super (mine is just the FX3). All great cameras. The Yashica Yashinon and Fujica Fujinon, as I mentioned above, were great lenses, but never got their due in the press or public's mind. Especially the Fujinons. I got the FX3 as a backup to the Contax 139 as I stated above, which was lucky. The 139 died, but the FX3 keeps on working. And yep, they take all the Contax T* lenses and keep working if the meter battery dies. What more to want? You can keep your Nikons and Canons, Minoltas, and what-not. Give me those old screw mount lenses anytime. 😀
 
My first SLR (and my first new camera) was a Canon Pellix. Fixed semi-transparent mirror, and quiet as a rangefinder. In fact, the main reason I bought it rather than a 7s was the bayonet lens mount. I'd had a 30+ year old Leica I for a few years at this time, and I couldn't see the charm of screw threads for lenses. That was about 1966. Some years later I traded the whole lot for some MF gear. Later still, I went back to 35mm with Olympus OMs (various). Most of that kit was eventually stolen. Looking back, I think the Pellix was my favourite 35mm of all.
 
I'm keeping the m42's for now. I have an adapter for m42->EOS & a m42->MD which I've used with quite a few lenses. Recently picked up a monster Pentacon 300/4 in m42 but haven't shot with it yet.

I'd love to get a SMC 50/1.4 and a good 135/2.8 . The "Karl-Gener" 135/2.8 I have, isn't quite that sharp.

I actually have 2 Fujinon EBC 50/1.7's and they're quite nice, the Yashica ML 50/1.9 in Y/C is very nice also.
 
My first SLR was a Nikon FM in 1982, and I still use it. In the last five years I've added an FE2 and an F Photomic FTn. The FE2 quickly made itself my favorite for nearly all uses, especially night photography. As for the F, I've always loved the chrome slab face of the Photomic FTn finder, and am enjoying shooting with this body, as well.

I also have a beater Mamiya RB67, in need of work, but got it for $50 with a 90mm, 180mm, two backs and a prism finder. Probably a bit large for what most folks think of in an SLR, but there it is.

Regarding Alpa, I was not at all familiar with these, and must admit this thread has peaked my curiosity. Who works on these in the US, if I should pick one up... Essex?
 
another Nikon fan checking in

another Nikon fan checking in

I have a F3HP that I inherited from family, and it came with three lenses. I added two more lenses and a FM2 backup body to round-out the outfit. I love the F3, but the FM2 is definitely more of a "classic" to me... Totally mechanical, reliable and compact. The meter is 60/40 weighted, which I wouldn't like except that I never use it's meter (have never even put a battery in it). Lately I use the FM2 more than the F3, and I can't explain why I like it more.

I also have a Canon AE1 which was my first ever camera. I still love that camera, and it feels more natural in my hands than anything else - even moreso than my rangefinders! 😱
 
OM1 for me. That's what I started with and added an OM10 (impulse buy) and an OM2s after that. Great little cameras. Still have my OM1 but it doesn't wind properly all the time.

My Dad recently gave me his F and F2, and my father-in-law gave me another F. I like the big ol' Nikon F cameras but they're too damned heavy for me to want to lug around, especially since I have three much lighter choices (digital, RF, and modern SLR).

To be honest, the SLR I like the most out of them all is the one I have right now, my Minolta Maxxum 7. If it's the last film SLR I ever buy, it's a nice one to end on.



Larry
 
My favourite SLR is my brother's Pentax MX, which I borrowed a few years back to try out. It really got me into photography seriously, and shortly afterwards I bought my ME-Super. Happy as I am with the ME, the MX is still my favourite - a glance at the top of the camera tells you what it's all set at, and similarly, through the viewfinder you get both shutter speed and aperture settings. Not to mention DOF preview (which I didn't use much, admittedly). Great little camera (though a little heavier than the ME)

Cheers,
Steve
 
Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special, the complete opposite of the small, lightweight RF. Stellar glass, bright VF (unlike the later Supers), & optional waist-level finder compensate for the relatively heavy weight, large size, & lack of features (no meter or convenient DoF preview). Superlative mechanical precision, finish, & quality of construction make it true "guy jewelry" as well as a great photographic tool.
 
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