Your Top Ten Historic SLR Cameras?

[tunalegs]

I'm going to use the term "historic" instead of "influential" or "innovative" so one can interpret it how they like. I've noticed usually when these sorts of lists are published some really important cameras are left off, while popular cameras that didn't really do anything make the list.

My 10 in chronological order:

1. Ihagee Kine Exakta (first production 35mm SLR)
2. Rectaflex (first production SLR with eye-level viewfinder)
3. Exakta Varex (first production SLR system camera)
4. Miranda T (first production Japanese 35mm system SLR)
5. Asahiflex IIb (first SLR with powered instant mirror return)
6. Minolta SR-2 (first "modern" SLR with lever wind, fixed pentaprism, automated mirror return and diaphragm)
7. Topcon RE-Super (First SLR with TTL metering - also first with open aperture metering)
8. Praktica LLC (first with an electronic shutter (edit: oops, it wasn't))
9. Canon AE-1 (first SLR with a microprocessor)
10. Minolta 7000 AF (first auto-focus SLR)

For me, that pretty much sums up the film era, might add a top ten DSLRs later. Go ahead and post your top ten historic SLR cameras, I'd be interested in seeing what people choose and why.

 

[Robert Lai]

Nikon F? It basically killed the rangefinder 35mm camera (except for Leica).

 

[Paulbe]

tunalegs--see Robert's post--make a place for the Nikon "F" and "unflaw" your list! 🙂 🙂
And oh--BTW?? Pentax Spotmatic? Don't see it...
Paul

 

[lawrence]

Canon Pellix

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I'm going to use the term "historic" instead of "influential" or "innovative" so one can interpret it how they like. I've noticed usually when these sorts of lists are published some really important cameras are left off, while popular cameras that didn't really do anything make the list.

My 10 in chronological order:

1. Ihagee Kine Exakta (first production 35mm SLR)
2. Rectaflex (first production SLR with eye-level viewfinder)
3. Exakta Varex (first production SLR system camera)
4. Miranda T (first production Japanese 35mm system SLR)
5. Asahiflex IIb (first SLR with powered instant mirror return)
6. Minolta SR-2 (first "modern" SLR with lever wind, fixed pentaprism, automated mirror return and diaphragm)
7. Topcon RE-Super (First SLR with TTL metering - also first with open aperture metering)
8. Praktica LLC (first with an electronic shutter)
9. Canon AE-1 (first SLR with a microprocessor)
10. Minolta 7000 AF (first auto-focus SLR)

For me, that pretty much sums up the film era, might add a top ten DSLRs later. Go ahead and post your top ten historic SLR cameras, I'd be interested in seeing what people choose and why.

Historic still has a meaning. From the Oxford:
"Famous or important in history, or potentially so."

500C: flown on Mercury flights
Contarex Special: first camera used by man in open space (Edward White, Gemini IV)
500EL: modified versions flown on Apollo missions and spawned the EDC used on the lunar surface.
All about as historic as you can get. With respect, most of those on your list are historical but they are not particularly historic.

 

[xyz3450]

Olympus OM1n

 

[Dwig]

1. Folmer & Schwing Graflex Reflex (1898)
2. VP Exakta (1933)
3. Hasselblad 1600F (1948)
4-5. Rectaflex & Contax S (tie, ~1949)
6. Asahiflex I (1952)
7. Nikon F (1959)
8. Topcon RE-Super (1963
9. Mamyia RB-67 (1970)
10 Minolta Maxxum 7000 (1985)

the above list is based on my impression of the impact they models had on the evolution of cameras and is not a narrow list of only 35mm models.

 

[Dwig]

Olympus OM1n

A minor tweak on an existing design. Hardly "historic".

One might contend that the earlier Olympus M-1 (later rebadged "OM-1" for legal reasons) had adequate influence on later cameras to be considered as a potential for listing.

 

[Dwig]

...
My 10 in chronological order:

1. Ihagee Kine Exakta (first production 35mm SLR)....

This was simply a reformat of their earlier VP Exakta and not all that novel in itself. It was much more popular as 35mm came into its own as a major format at about the same time.

 

[Mark Schretlen]

Kodak DCS-100

 

[tunalegs]

Historic still has a meaning. From the Oxford:
"Famous or important in history, or potentially so."

...With respect, most of those on your list are historical but they are not particularly historic.

You don't think they are important for the reasons I gave? I think they're all historic, by the definition you give.

But feel free to give us ten you would choose.

[/list]This was simply a reformat of their earlier VP Exakta and not all that novel in itself. It was much more popular as 35mm came into its own as a major format at about the same time.

I didn't choose the VP exakta for several reasons: roll film SLRs already existed, 127 film fell out of popular usage relatively quickly whereas 35mm became the new standard, the Kine Exakta is a much, much more advanced design if you ever put the two next to each other.

 

[michaelwj]

"First" does not always equate to "historic". The original list is a lot of "firsts", but are they all what I would call "historic"?
To me, an "historic" camera would have to be memorable and impact the way things were done.
The Nikon F.
The Hasselblad 500.
..?

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

You don't think they are important for the reasons I gave? I think they're all historic, by the definition you give.

But feel free to give us ten you would choose.



I didn't choose the VP exakta for several reasons: roll film SLRs already existed, 127 film fell out of popular usage relatively quickly whereas 35mm became the new standard, the Kine Exakta is a much, much more advanced design if you ever put the two next to each other.

You seem to be looking at the topic from the perspective many of us here often do, Ie photography geeks on the web. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that in itself, of course, but I'm inclined to take the definition (recap: famous or important in history) at face value. Eg Abraham Zapruder's Bell and Howell movie camera that he used at Dallas in November 1963 became famous (not as famous as Zapruder himself, but, still) and was used to record an important event in history. Canon releasing an SLR with a microprocessor, or Praktica one with an electronic shutter (are you sure the Electro X wasn't first anyway, some sources say 1968, for that?), well: not so much.

On that basis, I think confining the candidates to SLRs isn't particularly appropriate. If you want to open it up to other types of cameras, I might play. At the moment I have to develop a roll of Agfa Isopan ISS, Ilford Selochrome, Kodak Super -XX and a more prosaic roll of Verichrome Pan. I don't know where people find this stuff. Later.

 

[tunalegs]

You seem to be looking at the topic from the perspective many of us here often do, Ie photography geeks on the web. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that in itself, of course, but I'm inclined to take the definition (recap: famous or important in history) at face value. Eg Abraham Zapruder's Bell and Howell movie camera that he used at Dallas in November 1963 became famous (not as famous as Zapruder himself, but, still) and was used to record an important event in history. Canon releasing an SLR with a microprocessor, or Praktica one with an electronic shutter (are you sure the Electro X wasn't first anyway, some sources say 1968, for that?), well: not so much.

On that basis, I think confining the candidates to SLRs isn't particularly appropriate. If you want to open it up to other types of cameras, I might play. At the moment I have to develop a roll of Agfa Isopan ISS, Ilford Selochrome, Kodak Super -XX and a more prosaic roll of Verichrome Pan. I don't know where people find this stuff. Later.

I thought the context of the thread should have been clear, from the fact that it was posted in the SLR section of a photography forum. 🙂

Not that a list of most famous cameras in history wouldn't be interesting, but that's not what I had in mind (I also think one shouldn't confuse "popular" with "important" in that context either).

"First" does not always equate to "historic". The original list is a lot of "firsts", but are they all what I would call "historic"?
To me, an "historic" camera would have to be memorable and impact the way things were done.
The Nikon F.
The Hasselblad 500.
..?

Well they are, by definition, historic, as they all have historic significance in the development of photographic technology. The Nikon F? From my point of view it is not as significant as those I chose, but it is famous, so therefore still historic.

 

[CMur12]

Why so much emphasis on being "right?" Even the definition of "historic" proffered by Brett is wide open to interpretation.

The OP's intent, as I understand it, was for RFFers to list cameras that they saw as historic. It is an opportunity for each person to list cameras that s/he sees as historically significant. Each such list would be a statement of opinion. There are no absolutes here and, in spite of all the arguments that have taken place here so far, all are still not in agreement.

Tunalegs has started this thread with his opinion, offering the opportunity for everyone else to state theirs. Each person can provide his/her own list, even explaining why s/he has included certain cameras. There is no need to assail anyone's judgment in this thread.

- Murray

 

[tunalegs]

Why so much emphasis on being "right?" Even the definition of "historic" proffered by Brett is wide open to interpretation.

The OP's intent, as I understand it, was for RFFers to list cameras that they saw as historic. It is an opportunity for each person to list cameras that s/he sees as historically significant. Each such list would be a statement of opinion. There are no absolutes here and, in spite of all the arguments that have taken place here so far, all are still not in agreement.

Tunalegs has started this thread with his opinion, offering the opportunity for everyone else to state theirs. Each person can provide his/her own list, even explaining why s/he has included certain cameras. There is no need to assail anyone's judgment in this thread.

- Murray

Exactly. My list is only an example. I was hoping that if people had different ideas, they'd post their own list.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Why so much emphasis on being "right?" Even the definition of "historic" proffered by Brett is wide open to interpretation.

The OP's intent, as I understand it, was for RFFers to list cameras that they saw as historic. It is an opportunity for each person to list cameras that s/he sees as historically significant. Each such list would be a statement of opinion. There are no absolutes here and, in spite of all the arguments that have taken place here so far, all are still not in agreement.

Tunalegs has started this thread with his opinion, offering the opportunity for everyone else to state theirs. Each person can provide his/her own list, even explaining why s/he has included certain cameras. There is no need to assail anyone's judgment in this thread.

- Murray

Hi Murray,
sorry if you took my posts that way. I'm likely guilty of taking the proposition too literally. The definition I quoted of "historic" was not my own, mind, it's straight from the Oxford. I agree it's still a good topic for discussion; but I still maintain there is a difference between historic cameras and those cameras which achieved a first for the industry. I don't think anyone's judgement has been "assailed" nor that my posts were particularly confrontational. But if you read them as such please accept my apologies, it was not intended as such. 🙂
Cheers
Brett

 

[tunalegs]

Hi Murray,
sorry if you took my posts that way. I'm likely guilty of taking the proposition too literally. The definition I quoted of "historic" was not my own, mind, it's straight from the Oxford. I agree it's still a good topic for discussion; but I still maintain there is a difference between historic cameras and those cameras which achieved a first for the industry. I don't think anyone's judgement has been "assailed" nor that my posts were particularly confrontational. But if you read them as such please accept my apologies, it was not intended as such. 🙂
Cheers
Brett

Because a first in history is, by definition, historic.

 

[CMur12]

Hi Murray,
sorry if you took my posts that way. I'm likely guilty of taking the proposition too literally. The definition I quoted of "historic" was not my own, mind, it's straight from the Oxford. I agree it's still a good topic for discussion; but I still maintain there is a difference between historic cameras and those cameras which achieved a first for the industry. I don't think anyone's judgement has been "assailed" nor that my posts were particularly confrontational. But if you read them as such please accept my apologies, it was not intended as such. 🙂
Cheers
Brett

Hi Brett -

My post wasn't directed to you individually, other than to borrow the dictionary definition. I understood Tunalegs' thread to be an invitation for others to offer their own lists of the ten most historically significant SLRs, and he started it off by offering his own. Instead of offering their own lists, most sought to dispute his. I just felt that it was a lot of contention for naught.

I don't know enough about early SLRs to offer an opinion of my own here, so I'm just along for the ride. I looked forward to seeing more lists and explanations than I found. (Though I must admit that I was delighted to find a Minolta in Tunalegs' list.😀)

- Murray

 

[CMur12]

Because a first in history is, by definition, historic.

I agree with this. At the same time, we all interpret the definition of "historic" a little differently. Each list will be based on the poster's interpretation of "historic," and I have no problem with this. I have no problem with people having an opinion that varies from my own.

- Murray