What's your favorite non-rangefinder camera and why?

Indeed. But in addition to "what to include and when to press the shutter", there's "what we want the final image to look like" and "how easily we can use the equipment at our disposal in order to make it look like that". Hence my relative disdain for the DSLR: I just don't see that way, and even when I do, I find DSLRs overweight and obtrusive.

Cheers,

R.

You raised an even more important point, the "look" of a photograph.

In film days, there were a few films/looks that people could choose from. Today there are an infinite number of looks thanks to digital post-processing. This is something that neither a DSLR owner or a RF owner can escape... It does not matter what camera one used, the post processing is the real test of one's creativity as a photographer. We no longer have Kodak's chemists to decide what our images should look, today all of us who take photos have to become an expert on the look of an image, something that is impossible.

There are so many images out there that its practically impossible to tell what camera was used to capture them. So, the argument of 'look as a result of using a particular camera' is no longer valid, today its all about finding a way to feel satisfied with one's own photos, because after all we're our only audience and if we cannot make ourselves happy, forget about those ten friends on facebook.

Photography has changed in every level, faster than people actually can keep up.
 
In the end of the day, photography is about the eye looking at a scene and deciding what to include and when to press the shutter. This is how all great photos have been captured.

Its up to the photographer to decide what tool will give the best means to master this process.

I couldn't agree more.
 
You raised an even more important point, the "look" of a photograph.

In film days, there were a few films/looks that people could choose from. Today there are an infinite number of looks thanks to digital post-processing. This is something that neither a DSLR owner or a RF owner can escape... It does not matter what camera one used, the post processing is the real test of one's creativity as a photographer. We no longer have Kodak's chemists to decide what our images should look, today all of us who take photos have to become an expert on the look of an image, something that is impossible.

There are so many images out there that its practically impossible to tell what camera was used to capture them. So, the argument of 'look as a result of using a particular camera' is no longer valid, today its all about finding a way to feel satisfied with one's own photos, because after all we're our only audience and if we cannot make ourselves happy, forget about those ten friends on facebook.

Photography has changed in every level, faster than people actually can keep up.
Unless you see an original print. Then, while you may not be able to tell exactly what sort of camera WAS used, you can quite often say what sort of camera WASN'T used. If you can, then ten to one it WASN'T a DSLR.

Cheers,

R.
 
my favs

my favs

huge range of cameras to love. the hasselblad 501cm, cause it really makes you think per shot. nikon f3hp, just beautiful, and a phenom sound and feel when you have the md-4 attached. any of the nikon fm's cause i know that come hell or high water i can still get my shot. if i have to go digital, its gonna be a D4, just cause its a tank and i know that no matter what the lighting situation is i'll come out with what i need.
 
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I have a Nikkormat plus some lenses I bought in the early 1970s. It still works just fine and has been ever faithful helping me record memories of my family.

For digital I have several Canon cameras and they all work well, even the 20D I bought almost 10 years ago!
 
I am so fond of the big Pentaxes that I have four of them, two each 6x7 (one since 1977) and 67II. They don't pretend to be "best" for every photo use, but the P67II is my all-time favorite non-RF camera.
 
Hmmm,
All of my Polaroids are rangefinders
My Speed Graphic is a rangefinder and then some
My primary digital body is an M9 rangefinder

My favorite non rangefinder is my D800E. I usually use it with long lenses and special times when I need high ISO. With the 70-200 zoom, it makes a great companion for my M9 and wider lenses. Before that my D200 was my favorite because of the CCD but the D800E without the AA filter is just awesome.
Pete
 
In the digital domain it has to be the DP2M - extraordinary camera.

In the film domain, it has to be my Hasselblad SWC/M, another extraordinary camera.

LouisB
 
Indeed. But in addition to "what to include and when to press the shutter", there's "what we want the final image to look like" and "how easily we can use the equipment at our disposal in order to make it look like that". Hence my relative disdain for the DSLR: I just don't see that way, and even when I do, I find DSLRs overweight and obtrusive.

Never did I think there'd be a wrong answer to a "what is your favorite of something" question...
 
Nikon F and FM. I'm waiting right now for the UPS guy to bring me my five NAI lenses, now converted to Ai for easier use on the FM.
I love the way my Nikkors render the image, differently than my RFs, Leica and Contax.
 
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