Your favorite camera this year

[pixelatedscraps]

Doesn't have to be a new one. It could just simply be the one you were most surprised by this year, or the one you found yourself reaching for the most.

Mine is the OM-2SP probably. While it doesn't have the quality, or finesse required of an M4, or the large negatives of a Mamiya 6, I did find some of my own favorite shots from this year were taken by it.

Small, quick in aperture priority mode, and with a pretty damned good meter, it was the perfect companion on many a walkabout in a foreign land this year.

 

[Roberto V.]

M4. My first RF! And also the first Leica I ever saw in person, so this camera is very special to me. I used to think I preferred the M2 but having used the M4, I prefer the quicker rewind crank and loading.

Runner ups:
Zeiss Contaflex I: Small SLR with a great lens and leaf shutter (flash sync at any speed). Same size as a Leica M with 35 'lux pre-asph. Great looking too!
Canon A2E: Inexpensive SLR. A real workhorse. 5 fps, eye controlled focus, good AF. More custom settings than you'll ever need. So good I bought two! (well, an A2E and an A2)

 

[gekopaca]

My Epson R-D1. For ever, my love.

 

[k.a]

got myself a M8 this year and I love it!

but the OM still gets used, really great cameras indeed

 

[pvdhaar]

Olympus XA2. Did cost me next to nothing. Fun factor goes through the roof..

 

[Brian Legge]

Good question. That is a tricky one for me as I spent the year exploring all sorts of cameras. First time using a pro build SLR body, first time using a rangefinder, first time using a foldinger, first time shooting MF, first time using a TLR, etc.

Based on number of frames I liked, the Leica IIIc is the winner.

Close runners up include the 35RD, Lynx 14 and Retina IIIc in 35mm. In 120, the Autocord and Zenobia definitely were near the top (I love a wide angle 120 camera - mine is the Bronica SQA - but isn't isn't walk around camera like the others). The Kiev 4a would have been in the running if I'd gotten it earlier in the year and if it didn't end up with slow speed problems.

 

[Roger Hicks]

M9. I've had it since December 2009.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sar-photo]

Due to financial necessity I had to sell my Mamiya 6 and lenses. It was my only camera (apart from a couple of Holgas - but, as everyone knows, they're not real cameras 😀 ) so I had to replace it with something cheap but good. It had to medium format and it had to be square. I'd had a few Rolleiflexes in the past (a couple of 3.5F's and a couple of 2.8F's - not all at the same time though!) and I enjoyed shooting with a TLR. So I got myself a late 50's Minolta Autocord but always suffered from a bit of Rollei lust.

After using the Autocord for a couple of months I saw a Rolleiflex 3.5F in the window of a local camera shop. I went in and asked if I could have a hold of it. It was then that I realised what a great camera the Autocord is - being able to focus with either hand is a real plus. It also has a much better film path which keeps the film flatter and it's got a fantastic lens!

I'd sold my favourite camera for £1400 and replaced it with a camera that cost under £100 that I like just as much. Result!!

Simon

 

[Chris101]

Gosh - it's hard to say.

OM-1n - I used this camera twice (with HIE both times), but got a couple dozen pics from it at that. An example with the 21mm:

http://homepage.mac.com/cheilman1/images/photos/film/california/roombythesea.jpg


M4-P - just an incredibly versatile camera, even though I have but a single lens for it, a 35mm Ultron. Here's my fave from the year:

http://homepage.mac.com/cheilman1/images/photos/film/uranotype/victim3.jpg


The F5 is a monster, but a master of the technical photograph. I love outfitting it with a 60 micro. Here is an example from my future project:

http://homepage.mac.com/cheilman1/images/photos/film/fracturedurbania/tanj.jpg


I got a new (to me) camera in June, but it took me until October to get used to it. Cause it's ... digital. A Nikon D2x, and here's a picture I made with it:

http://homepage.mac.com/cheilman1/1010/images/16.1 falls1.jpg


I use my N80 all the time, it's a lightweight, but can deliver when it's needed. I like it with a 50mm f/1.8 for ultra light shooting, or with a 24-120vr for the ultimate all-in-one camera. Here's one from the latter:

http://homepage.mac.com/cheilman1/images/photos/film/uranotype/shewentallskelator.jpg

I've loaned out my Mamiya and retired my Crown Graphic (for the time being) so the camera I will have to nominate for Camera of the Year is my sleeper, the Nikon FG with a 50mm f/2 lens. Here is one from it that I like a lot (sculpture by feminist artist Janet Eichman. The bright blob is the moon):

​

edit: I tried to fix the spelling!

 

[Arvay]

This year I was shooting mostly in medium format.
So Fujis (GW & GSW 690) were in first row.
Hassel was for portraits.

 

[Time Freeze]

Leica iiif, all the menus are in my head 🙂

 

[johannielscom]

My black M3 DS has grown on me since it became the only M body in my bag.

There's an M2 coming now, but the black M3 has so much of a head start that the M2 will always be a nice second.

I fixed my Horseman 970 (new beam splitter) and shot it handheld at an outdoor costume Dickens Festival last weekend, über-cool 🙂

However, I would have to vote my Mamiya C330f Pro. I have four lenses with it and it is in perfect mechanical and optical condition. I'm not using it much but the results are spectacular every time.

 

[thegman]

Fujfilm GF670, great to see a brand new camera like this hit the market. My brother has one and it's a delight. For cameras I bought this year, Lomo LC-A+, it got me taking a camera just about everywhere.

 

[TheHub]

Leica IIIf. Three years going it's still my favorite camera.

 

[Phantomas]

I bought my first Leicas this year - M4 and then M6. I enjoyed using them a lot.... however, I must say that my favourite camera this year was... D700. I love rangefinders, but I had a lot of fun with D700 this year because I used it in some favourable conditions, traveled a lot with it and got to try some awesome lenses. To be honest I'm having a digital fatigue now, so D700 will go back into the drawer for a while and I'll continue shooting with my belowed RF and MF cameras.

 

[shyoon]

Rolleiflex 2.8E3 Planar. Ended up spending so much money on the camera and associated repairs and accessories, it can't not be my favourite!

 

[lxmike]

Rollei 35S

 

[ruby.monkey]

It's a tie - Mamiya RZ67 Pro II when the weather is dry, Leica M3 when the camera will have to hide under my coat.

Wooden spoon goes to my Pentax K20D. The crappy autofocus performance hurts doubly when the rest of the package is so good.

 

[helen.HH]

Even though I Love my M2....
I have recently acquired and fallen hard
For a Barnack....a painted black 1938 III conversion
Love the ease of use, Compactness and Diopter/VF magnification

The only thing i miss is not being able to use a 50 pre asph lux on the barnack
Its truly a magical experience....ltm bodies

Merry Christmas to ALL my Rff friends
xo- H

 

[drinkingeye]

I'm still in love with my Voigtländer Bessa III . It's so portable for medium format! merry merry christmas to everybody out there, cheers, mauro