Who's your "Baby"...???

[nikon_sam]

With all the recent talk about your Favorite, First, Wounded, Oldest and Newly Aquired...how about the One you "Baby"...

The one camera no one's allowed to use, the one you find yourself polishing or dusting off so it always looks pretty, the one that gets you searching camera ads or shows for "Baby Bling"...I'm not talking about "Closet Queens" but cameras that get used but never abused...

Mine is a Yashica Mat 124g that I traded for three SLR's about ten years ago...it's still in Mint condition even though I've put at least 100 rolls through it...This camera really shined when I started using Rodinal and Neopan 400. Last week it was just me and my baby for a nice 2 hour walk around Los Angeles...I shot three rolls that day and hope to develop them tonight...

Sorry, I don't have a photo to show you but if you have one of your "Baby" let's see it...😎

 

[samoksner]

humm. i'm not sure i have a camera i babied, the Nikons: 2x FE, FA, F100 Nikkormat are always banging up against stuff. The digital is scratched and worn... Most of my lens filters are grubby, lens shades show abuse, focussing rings are worn... The m6 looks like it's been to war, twice. The only lens i babied was a Nikkor 85mm f1.4 Ai, i got it from a war photographer who used it everyday and the lens hood was pretty much worn to bare aluminum, the apertures on the aperture ring were illegible, the focusing ring had been replaced with some the grippy side of lens strap after it fell apart, and yet, it was the one lens i babied, it had it's own little pouch, i would go home and use a toothbrush to clean it, i would clean the filter even if it was clean... i just loved her! I think that's the lens i regret selling most.

 

[payasam]

Sam, my feeling is that no one can really baby a camera which is in constant use. Strong bonds of the heart are a different matter.

 

[oftheherd]

Sam, my feeling is that no one can really baby a camera which is in constant use. Strong bonds of the heart are a different matter.

No surprise that for me it would be my Fujica ST 901, followed by my Super Press 23. I have used both a lot, and they show it. Still, I always tried to be very careful with them. They are good picture takers for me and get used, but never abused.

 

[Keith]

My 1930 Leica 1a sort of brings out this ridiculous attitude in me unfortunately.

It is in near unmarked original condition though and when I did decide to start using it occasionally a couple of years ago it broke requiring a trip to Youxin to repair some shutter shaft pin in the bottom that had sheared off. Youxin really likes these old Leica 1a's and actually suggested when he sent it back to me that I treat it with a little more respect because it was probaly one of the most original ones he'd ever seen!

Now it only leaves the cupboard for an occasional fondle and polish and not much more ... I should sell it ... I'm ashamed! 😛

 

[shadowfox]

This one:

Yessir, in the 1950's, long before the age of digital, Ricoh already blaze ahead with a GPS system hookable to their TLR systems as you can see here.

The GPS system will automatically transmit your location and your shooting condition and setting via satellite.

Trick is, you got to know how to download this information. And that's where I'm scratching my head...

 

[FPjohn]

If I have such a camera, it can be seen to the left. A Leica IIIb, c1939.

yours
FPJ

 

[supersonik-zlad]

'Blad 500CM. Will never sell it.

Ever.

Not even for a Mamiya 6.

 

[batterytypehah!]

Well, I am more careful with the few that came to me in excellent condition, versus those that were beat up to begin with. But they all get used without hesitation.

Someone (not a photographer) observed recently that the Contax IIa was "my baby" but I really don't think so. Just ordinary precautions against banging into things or scratching the glass.

I do have an inexplicable soft spot for the Zeca Goldi. I guess that's because of the name, the diminutive size, and being the oldest in my small collection. It's worn, it's probably never been CLA'd, but after 70+ years the modest shutter and triplet lens still do the job just fine, the folding mechanism is as solid as ever, and the leather still smells nice when I hold it up to my eye. I wish there were more choices in 127 film.

 

[degruyl]

I've only got lenses which fit this bill...

The cameras get beat to hell. (gently, but used. and I love them so, but they are tools for making pictures).

 

[oftheherd]

Well, I am more careful with the few that came to me in excellent condition, versus those that were beat up to begin with. But they all get used without hesitation.

Someone (not a photographer) observed recently that the Contax IIa was "my baby" but I really don't think so. Just ordinary precautions against banging into things or scratching the glass.

I do have an inexplicable soft spot for the Zeca Goldi. I guess that's because of the name, the diminutive size, and being the oldest in my small collection. It's worn, it's probably never been CLA'd, but after 70+ years the modest shutter and triplet lens still do the job just fine, the folding mechanism is as solid as ever, and the leather still smells nice when I hold it up to my eye. I wish there were more choices in 127 film.

I can understand. My Zeca 9x12, while not my baby, is much liked. Essentially a 4x5, but oh so light and easy to carry. Ground glass or viewfinder, ten film holders, possibilty of 6x7 roll film if I want to pay for that. You see the Zecas on ebay once in a while, but I don't hear much about them. Nice to know they did other things besides 9x12.

Got a photo of it?

 

[batterytypehah!]

Got a photo of it?

Not at the moment but see here http://www.flickr.com/photos/senorton/90463214/

Keep in mind that this is a little smaller than a Retina I! I have the lower spec Prontor II shutter on mine, but the same lens (thought to be a renamed Schneider Radionar).

These are actually fairly common, under the Zeca name as well as others (I have seen Rodenstock and Precision; the Japanese Baby Rosen is an exact copy). If you come across one with a Tessar or Elmar, snatch it up!

 

[RichC]

I'm one of those photographers who like to use high-quality tools, so look after them mechanically, but I don't worry about cosmetic dings etc., and am completely uninterested in "bling" unless it makes the camera more functional. In fact, I often upset a friend by doing what he calls "defacing" equipment!

I wanted a compact 6x6 camera, so I bought a rare and pristine Certo-Six (took me six months to find one!), then hacksawed and filed it to make it function more like a modern camera: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65609 - it's now no longer pristine or original, and it's uglier, but it is a much more efficient camera!

And this is what I did to a sought-after early version-2 Summilux 35mm with a lockable infinity lock - filed-down shroud (at the top) and coding pits drilled so it works on my Leica M8:

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I have a couple of collectors items. The electric Tessina is probably the most rare.

 

[lightshot]

My "baby's" - the cameras I won't part with.

Yahsica 635 complete with 35mm adapter kit. Just two small scuffs on the case, a real joy to look at and use. Along with its sister the Yashica Mat 124G I have two beautiful TLR's to use and enjoy.

Holgaroid. Now held together with a lot of electrical tape. I love this camera! It's fun to take it out when (or if) there's some light and fire away. I have to be gentle with it or the back falls off. 🙄

R D1. By far my favorite camera out of all of them. A real joy to shoot with, lovely to handle, very intuitive for me to use. I love it! 😛

 

[johannielscom]

I baby my black paint Leica M3 DS, my black chrome M6 Classic 0.85 with M3-style lever, and my Chinon Memotron CE-II, which has black paint as durable as the M3. And the lenses that go on them.

 

[Luddite Frank]

So hard to single-out one...

Right now, the "Baby" of the gang would probably be my "very nice" 1932 Leica D ( s/n 77xxx ), with it's nickel Elmar (s/n 99xxx, 11 o'clock Inf lock ).

It does get used occasionally, but carefully.

The workhorse is my "ugly" Leica III (1934), that cost about $140, and came with a Komura 35mm lens.... when I opened the box, the first things that caught my eye were lots of green "flurge" on the top plate, peeling chrome around the serial #, and general grunge. It turned-out to be a well-functioning camera, and after some general cleaning & polishing, it's now my daily shooter.

Any "mint" ( or neat-mint) cameras I have, would get extreme care during use.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

My cameras do not get babied by a long shot, and when I acquire one that is in really nice condition, I tend to sale it quickly to someone who will baby it. 🙂

I prefer "experienced" cameras that are working perfectly.

I constantly see cameras in the classified's I would love to have, but they are usually just in too nice condition!

 

[Al Kaplan]

Once in awhile I dust off and polish my 1890's vintage 5x7 E.&H. T. Anthony view camera but I haven't shot with it since the early seventies. It looks pretty, varnished mahogany and red bellows. Someplace around here I have half a dozen varnished sheet film holders of the same vintage. I also like to hear the soft "thwunk!" of the mirror flipping up in my 3.25 x 4.25 series B Graflex SLR. Neither one is "too clean" to use. I'm just too lazy.

 

[elshaneo]

My Leica IIIf Red Dial Self Timer Screw Mount Rangefinder camera, I'll never sell it 🙂

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elshaneo/3757201770