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I came here to say the same. It was my first camera when I was 12 years old. Learned photography on it. I still have it and had it reconditioned. Just a light, simple camera with great glass and great image quality.
Yes very true! It was just an example I guess that the camera really don't matter, it's what's in the photo that makes it. Minolta photo of this girl will always beat my M6/Hassy/RZ67/4x5 ..etc photo of a tree!) :)
I love the Olympus OM1n, had one for over 40 years, amazing durable camera with fantastic viewfinder. Also Zeiss Contarex bullseye, for photography and weight training, You will know what I mean if you pick one up. The British made 5x4 MPP is very enjoyable to use. You have a great collection there Matt.
What a great collection! The same passion on this side also. Living in a private house helps to keep collection growing. The favourites in my collection are, the first mentioned rated highest: Olympus OM-4Ti, Nikon F, Nikon F2, Nikon FM2, Olympus Om-2n, Olympus Om-1, Kiev-4A, Pentacon Praktica LTL 3, Praktica MTL 5, Canon Ae-1 program, Pentax SP, Pentax K, Zorki 4k, Zenit TTL, Zenit 19.
What a collection! I have only one film camera, the Canon A-1 I bought new in 1983. It's unremarkable, but solid. I've owned in for over 40 years, and I will never sell it.
The Canon A1 is a very fine camera, I have never owned one but I have used one. In fact my finest rock star photo was taken with one, a friend lent me his when my own camera was being repaired.
Rolleiflex Automat Perfection. I love the 6x6 format and the waistfinder LETS ME SEE at 80 years old. The photos are exquisite. Got a Leica M3 my favorite rangefinder. I can see with it too. Great article Matt. Thank you!
The Olympus OM-2 is brilliant, accurate, light and has a fantastic viewfinder. The Pentax KX is a bit of a tank, but it's smooth as butter, has a terrific light meter and a very bright viewfinder. The Nikon F3 is also super smooth and almost indestructible. In a pinch, I'd probably pick the F3, but only because of my collection of manual-focus Nikkor lenses.
My favorite all time camera is my Rolleiflex SL66. My runner up is my Contax 2a red dial and the four Contax lenses that go with it. I share about 8 of the same cameras on your list. A beautiful selection, Matt!
Thanks Michael! Yes the SL66 was perhaps the most creative MFormat camera I've owned but I eventually sold mine as I shoot mostly 35mm. I have the Contax too (still need to put film in it.. as use the Kievs instead)
I only own a Minolta SRT101, but I'll give you my list of "I really bloody want that" cameras 🤣: Nikon F3 Leica M3 Pentax 67 Mamiya RZ67 Fuji GF670 Contax 645 Contax III Mamiya C330 Hasselblad 501CM Fuji T-X1/XPan Fuji GW690 To get them all I need are a balaclava, a shotgun and a Ford Transit 😂
Haha thanks David, definitely get the F3 first. So much camera for the money and reasonable attainable if you save for a few weeks/months depending on your situation. (It's the most loved camera by viewers so far**) ..making a tally!
Great video! I have a few Nikon film cameras. 2x F2's, F3, F4, F5, 2x FE2's and a FM2n. I think my favourite is a black F2as. I like the size of it and the feeling that it will last forever.
In regards to film cameras, my very first camera was a Minolta XG-1, I still have it. Lots of memories, fun and great pics with it. My second choice is an Olympus 35SP.
Congrats, great collection, indeed! My personal favourites quite simple: 1. Nikon F3HP, 2. Nikon FM2n, 3. Nikkormat EL. Ok, closely followed by my Nikkormat FT2, Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP II, Nikon F-301 and my very first SLR which I bought in 1977, Ricoh Singlex II - a real tank, indestructible and still going strong😉.
My favorite camea was a ecconomical rangefinder camera, The Yashica Ekectro 35. It was large enough to fit comfortably in my hands and had enough weight for very steady photos, The metering system was new and for the time vey accurate for automatic pictures, including timed exposres.
For me it is the Leica IIIc, Ihagee Exakta V, Zeiss-ikon Contaflex, Rolleiflex II with Tessar, and for a banger, believe it or not, a KW Practica L, the steel shutters are bulletproof.
Most used: Canon P. Nothing special about it, but it feels good in the hand, does everything I usually need a film camera to do, and isn't so rare or expensive that I get the vapors about taking it out. Bonus: the rangefinders in Canons seem much more knock-resistant than those in Leicas. Actual favorite: probably my 1950s-era Mamiya Six. I like it for the same reason you like your Voigtlander folder - a 6x6cm camera you can shove in your jacket pocket - but unlike the Voigtlander, the Mamiya has a coupled rangefinder, auto film stop, and cocks the shutter when you advance the film… all the “mod cons.” I feel kind of silly going out and about with such an obviously old-timey camera, but I just can't find anything lacking in the darn thing…
Thanks James! I have a slightly bigger 6x6 folder with RF and great lens. I know there is little interest in these now but perhaps one for a future video. (..and yes Canon offer great value)
Three favourite cameras is easy, not so easy to narrow down to one, Pentax 6x7 (original) so under rated. Amazing photos, even at 50 inches. Rolleiflex SL66SE, has everything you could want, well nearly, and for a camera to use every day, a Rolleiflex 6003, which has everything you should need accept movements. Bonus camera that really does have everything except a sherpa to carry it, Fujifilm GX680 which is the most amazing camera ever made but it is heavy and as far away from a Leica as it is possible to get and not be using sheet film.
My favourite is the Nikon FE2, the 1/4000, good needle light meter, light yet built like a tank and it is very ergonomic for me, everything where I need it to be. Best of all is I can pick one up for $250 and get the same quality and pictures as a FM3a but 1000 to 1500 dollars cheaper.
Yes until very recently I was exactly the same. The FM3a is a recent purchase that I never expected to make. It’s my long term backup for my FE2 if the electronics ever fail.
My first 35mm camera was a Canon VTdelux, given to me by my late father. I have stayed with Canon With FTb my first SLR. I then bought an F1 in 1972, I now own 5 F1s, and they are fantastic.
Nice cameras all! My first camera was a Canon FTB in 1971( Brand new!). My first and favorite rangefinder was the Canon VT Deluxe, acquired in 1981(I now own four) and the 35mm camera I dreamed of: the original Canon F1 (second iteration). I now have 3 of those. Superb cameras.
Based on my actual shooting these days my favorite camera is a Leica IIf. However, I have just received a Kardon with the Kodak Ektar 2/47. Both have been sent out for a CLA but I have a feeling in the back of my mind that that combination may become my favorite.
My favorite film cameras (which I actually own and use): 35mm rangefinder - Carl Zeiss Werra IV 35mm SLR - Olympus OM-1 6x4.5cm - Konica Pearl IV 6x6cm - tie between Voigtländer Brillant S (the version with Heliar lens and Compur Rapid Shutter) and Pentacon Six 6x9cm - Agfa Record III (the version with Solinar lens) Other - 6x14cm converted Kodak 3-A Autograph Special (the version with rangefinder and Tessar lens) 9x12cm - Voigtländer Bergheil (the version with Heliar lens) 10x15cm - ICA Ideal 325 (the version with Tessar lens) If I'd had to pick one, it would be a difficult decision between the Konica Pearl IV and the Voigtländer Brillant S, today probably the Konica, because it is a bit more economical with film and much more easy to use. On another day it might be the Voigtländer because of its fantastic viewfinder and its characterful lens.
Wonderful list! I was pleased to see my own desert island camera made your list - the Minolta X-370 (X-300 on your list), and with my favorite lens of all time, that gorgeous small and light 45/f2. Aside from the obvious reasons - the body is small and light, simple with no bells and whistles, and just a breeze to shoot, and the lens is also small and light and my favorite focal length. BUT for me it's also personal as the X-370 was the first real camera I bought myself back in the day, and the lens was given to me by my father, and was also my first lens for that camera (and only lens for a number of years). Thanks for this great run down.
I bought an X300 for peanut’s with a zoom lens can’t recall which one but during a comment chat Matt suggested I get the 45 F2 which I did soon after never regretted it lovely light set up cheers for the advise
I love my Leica IIIf red dial Barnack Leicas are quite the nice piece , just restored a 1940 red curtain IIIc and it’s just such a work of art I had a Zorki-1c clone and i loved the surprising results it gave me, nice camera as well I really like Soviet cameras too , I shoot with a Kiev 6c TTL for medium format quite often
Hi Matt, what a great collection of analog treasures! I've had a Nikon F3 with me since 1991 and I'm still totally happy with the 50mm/f1.8-AI combo. So the Nikon is my #1. My #2 is the Leica M6 from 1986. Together with the 50mm Summicron, it's the camera I would take to a desert island... #3 is my Nikon F6-smaller and lighter than the F5 and for me the perfect, modern symbiosis of digital and analog photography. I also have a bonus camera... the Yashika T4. This small camera fits perfectly in any jacket pocket😉. Thank you for your great CZcams videos! Please keep up the good work.
I choose my Leica M2 with a Doomo Cold Shoe meter. I know the M3 has a better viewfinder but I mainly use 35mm and 50mm lenses so the M2 suits me better and I have no problem with the M2 viewfinder. There is something special about using a 60 yr old camera - l guess like owning a classic car. Cheers!
Thanks, yes +1 for the M2 from me. As good a finder as the M3 (single tramlines) and a joy for 35mm lenses. It's #21 on my list! :) I'll never sell it.
After watching the movie “Blow-Up” in 1967 I bought an Olympus Trip 35. As a gift I received a Minolta-16 MG in 1971. In the 1980’s I bought a Canon AE-1. The only film cameras I’ve owned.
My 2 favorites are my 1952 Leica IIIf and my recent purchase of a 1930 Leica 1c - These 2 I will never willingly let go of. I've been using the IIIf for the past few months and it absolutely gives me more joy than my Fuji X-T4 and my Nikon D850 combined. I'm not getting rid of my Fuji or Nikon but the fun I have with the IIIf cant be matched. I also love the fact that I can push and pull the 45mb .tiff files in lightroom - not that I need to do much of that as long as I use my light meter I use what comes straight from the camera quite often. Your discussion on the Agfa Billy Record II was very intriguing as it shoots 6x9. Now I'm looking at possibly picking up a Fujica GW690 for 6x9 medium format as I'm more comfortable with that camera layout. - Thanks again for a great video.
@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Truly. There's a dimension in shooting film that I don't get shooting straight digital. The starting point being the film you choose and the personality it imparts on everything you shoot for the duration of the roll. I'm really looking forward to this part of the journey.
I find it hard to go past the Olympus OM1-N. I travelled half the world with one back in the day and it never missed a beat, even though it was an old beater I had bought off a Pro, had been around the clock a few times. There is nothing about them that is wrong, minimalist perfection I would say. The viewfinder experience is off the hook, why can't they make a digital camera with a viewfinder like that? Today I have an unmarked copy in mint condition that I bought about 23 years ago for £149. I am tempted to add an OM3, but aside from the multi spot metering, not sure if there is much difference. OM3 is rare and Titanium version costs a bomb. Maybe one day, but OM1 is not for sale.
Thanks Richard, nice! If I didn't have so many Nikon F lenses I could be tempted. I do love small setups as you see. (The Ti models are lovely! I saw one once)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I built up a collection of vintage Nikkor glass myself, but sold out half of them, as I realised the flange distance was a bit of a stumbling block for use on film cameras and DSLRs that aren't F mount. I kept a few smaller ones that adapt well to mirrorless. OM-3 Ti, yeah, that would be the one to go for, one day I might decide that life is short and bag one!
The often overlooked Nikon FA is my favorite. First camera that quietly introduced matrix metering which exists in most cell phones today and had a honeycomb titanium shutter. Less sharp edges than an F3. 😉
Wow.. what a collection, you have a fantastic series of beautiful film cameras and I totally admire and respect your knowledge. I have unfortunately sold off cameras over the years to buy new cameras and looking at your collection wish I had kept every camera I have owned. I have one film camera now, the Canon F 1. A pro camera from the 1970`s, you can remove the prism and use it as a waist level finder but none metered a lovely camera I shall never sell. One of my favorite film cameras was the Canon T90, manual focus with auto wind and a fantastic metering system, multi spot I believe it was the forerunner for the EOS system. Thanks for a great vid.
Thank you! I hear you. I sold some of the best known premium cameras. I will have to do a part 2 video to give some greats a mention! (Canon F1 is the Nikon F3 alternative as I understand so I'm sure it's great).
Great video ... nice collection and great selection here is my 10 first favorit film camera in my collection (not easy to do ... ) 1- 2005 Zeiss Ikon ZM 35mm 2 - 2004 Nikon FM3a black 35mm 3 - 1998 FuijFilm TX-1 Xpan 35mm 4 - 1996 Hasselblad 501C 6*6 5 - 1962 Leica M3 35mm 6 - 1952 Leica IF Red 35mm 7 - 1958 Agfa Super Isolette 6*6 8 - 1954 Voigtlander Bessa II 6*9 9 - 1931 Leica IC 0 std Black 35mm 10 - 1972 Yashica 124 mat G TLR 6*6 Bonus 1 : Hasselblad 903 SWC and Bonus 2 : Chroma Camera 6*17
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I m not surprised ... The Zeiss Ikon ZM is an hidden gem when you like the Rangefinder and the Leicas... It is the Ultimate rangefinder M Mount Viewfinder 0.74 - clear frame lines 28, 35, 50, 85 - classic open door with open window to see the film - excellent light cell - flash synchro 1/125 - TTL metering - aperture priority - speed upt to 1/2000 - very well built - small and ligth 454 gr - flash hot shoe - standart LR44 battery ... So what else 🙂
Fun +, Matt. Sharpest? Rollei 35. Made in Germany, 3.5/40mm Tessar. Ease of transport and results ? Voigtlander Perkeo 3 (6x6, uncoupled rangefinder, Color Skopar 3.5/80mm).
I love my FM3a - but being predominantly a low light shooter I find the match needle a downgrade to the +o- of FM2 - a minor niggle coz it’s my beater otherwise. F3 also suffers from this fate - and I have many of those A cheap FM is an absolute joy to use (I own and use all F-F6 bodies You sure about the stellar performing Minolta/Rokker and not the arsey subject young man ?
Ah yes the FEs/FM3a needle is less ideal in low light true. I have the FM/FM2n too if required. My FM was my first and has served me really well (with brassing!) ..yes the 45/2 seems to easily beat similar Nikon 50s for raw sharpness and ease of focusing. Agree, put me in front of it and the photo will be trash so yes subject off helps with any lens. (Photo is #1 because of the girl BUT I couldn't have taken it with my Leica M or Leica iii cameras or Kiev, as I was @
which is why I hate/love my M6 and Blad 503 - that minimum distance is a ballache, tried a 150mm and was no longer in arms length to "cajoule" my subject :)@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom
I wasn't expecting your No.1 choice, and a few early ones were a surprise, although interesting, and such a great collection. For me, in no specific order: Nikon F3; Olympus OM-1; Leica R6/6.2; Pentax 6x7; Hassleblad 501CM; Bronica ETRSi.
over some 40 years ago i carried my old leica 3F everywhere.i just had it over my shoulder when a "old guy" walked past and said don't ever sell that with a smile.i used my money for a couple lens rather than a SLR at that time.
My favorite film cameras are: Graflex Century Graphic 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 with Rodenstock lens. Medium format so large prints are very sharp. Also I have a roll film back as well as cut film holders. Not stuck with whatever film is “in” the camera. Plus tilts and shifts to give a lot of control. Favorite 35mm is Canon Ftb. This is because in testing the split image focus was very good. Better than any other camera tested. Set up was at a place that made “event” cameras. These take up to 1,000,000 frames/second. In their lab, on a cast iron bench, the object, camera, and traveling microscope were mounted. An optically flat fiber optic plate was pressed against the film plane. Focus was determined by the slight chromatic aberration still in the lens. The object was in focus when black, out of focus when red or green. The optical engineer and I were mostly goofing off, but the set up, which had a test indicator to measure the position change as the lens was moved, was set to evaluate lenses for the event cameras. The lenses were rejected if they could not resolve 40 line pairs per millimeter. There was actually no was to focus this well. Best focus was found, an exposure made, the lens moved about .0005” and then another exposure made. This was done several times and then the developed images examined to see if the criteria was achieved. We did not make images, we only measured the difference between actual focus and where the split image said it was. My Ftb was less than .001” from where the split image said it was. All other cameras tested were off by more.
Very cool! I’m loving the 4x5 cameras currently, my Speed Graphic and a MPP I just got. See those videos and new video to come. (I just got back from a trip using 120 backs on 4x5)
my favorite camera list will be canon ivsb2,canon vi-l,nikon fm3a and f3. Looking forward to seeing you have a tryout on the classic canon vi-l.It’s no doubts a good camera indeed!
Three icons from the sixties/seventies: Paillard Bolex D8L 8mm filmcamera with 3 (turnable) lenses and a handheld grip Minox 35 series (mini 35mm photo cameras) LUBITEL-2 Sovjet-camera LOMO Lens Triplet - 22 (4.5 / 75) Voigtlander Brilliant Copy 6 x 6 Vintage Made in UssR
My favourite film SLR's, Minolta XD7/XD11, (silky smooth film advance, the shutter sound is premium, beautiful, sharp Rokkor lenses), Olympus OM1n, Nikon FM.
My fav of all time is the best selling camera ever, the Kodak Brownie. A good sample will shoot killer good images. One modification I like to do is remove the front element, recoat it to improve contrast, otherwise I might leave it off to get Thambar like images. Great video, film bodies aren’t critical, lenses are, but lighting is rarely mentioned and its importance is primary, #1, given the same subject.
Thanks! You sound more skilled than me if you are re-coating lenses! Totally agree about lighting. Sadly my lighting videos never do well despite them being the most important.
What a fun video! Thanks. My favs would be my old 50-year old M4, then the Minolta CLE, and lastly, the new Leica M6. The M6 was more of a frivolous purchase, but I had wanted a new film camera..
Of the film cameras I've owned, the pentax 67 is my absolute favourite followed by the more practical mamiya 7ii. For 35mm, my favourite was the canon F1 and then the T90. My dream film camera was always the linhof technorama 612, but never bought one. Very enjoyable video Matt, thanks.
Hello, thanks! Nice cameras.. see part 2 to find out the viewers top cameras + the best of the best. (you mention two of them!) ..well 3 and kind of 4!
I've had so many cameras and now left with only one.... Exakta VX1000. Mainly Pentax...SL, SP, ES, ME, MX, LX, 67, 645, Fed 111, Canon EOS 5, Leica M6 with f1 50mm Noctilux😊 and Nikonos 111 and V❤
Leica M2 over M3, mainly for 35mm, 50mm, 90mm lens focal lengths using the stock 0.72 viewfinder... M2 is nearly as good as the M3 construction as well. Nice review... Peace!
Thanks Matt ! I owe you a message. Short version: I discovered the Nikon FE2 I got in April last year is defective. Focus is off on apertures below f8. It seems the mirror stop has worked its way below the factory-set angle causing the focal plane to fall behind the subject. Time to go shopping ! LOL
Hi George, thanks and sorry to hear. It's quite rare to hear about Nikons with issues so I think you got unlucky. Fingers crossed for the replacement choice!
You have not tested any Olympus yet? Om1 small and mechanic ? Om2 small and electronic with even high speed sync (with Olympus speedlight) and the excellent om3 titan with multispot? You should at least give it a test 😊 cheers Peter 😊
You're right, Matt really should be checking out the early OM SLRs since he enjoys small and light cameras. The OM-1 is nice but sort of a pain to use regularly since it used those now obsolete mercury batteries for the meter and you have to work around that with oddball battery setups. The OM-2 uses 'normal' batteries and since it's also aperture priority it's really easy to use - and also the same size as the tiny OM-1.
Hi Peter thanks! I did own a OM-1 once but it was before I knew the front from the back of a camera. Yes the small size attracts me but another camera system equally scares me haha. Yes if I can get one to review I will.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom hahaha 😆 maybe make a workshop with om system. You don’t need to own it …. Cheers 🥂 you are doing such a good job. Thanks for all the nice curated content …. From hamburg greetings
My favourite medium format camera was a Yashica mat 124G. Brilliant sharp images, a range of viewfinders and that handle to twist around. These were the the days when you had to really get your shots right first time. Having only 12 chances per roll.
Leica M4 (I also have an M3, but the M4 is a bit more practical), Nikon F2 (Indestructible). But the one I like the most: the Leica Standard (Model E), chrome version, used with a Summaron 35mm 3.5 and the viewfinder actually covers close enough the 35mm field of view (I also have a black Model C) 🙂Honourable mentions: black Nikon F with F36 motor (a beast), Hasselblad SWC, Minolta XK (unfortunately they are fragile, otherwise amazing viewfinder and sound!), Leica II (Model D), Leicaflex SL2 (totally over-engineered, and that sound!), and a couple more...
Very nice! This video (and all the Linhof votes (see part 2) pushed me back into 4x5 cameras. Linhof GAS resulted in me getting a MPP. See recent video and more vintage camera vids to come (I just took it overseas with my Perkeo 2)
Here is my top three - by the way Matt, you have great taste! 1. Topcon RE-2 2. Nikon F2 3. Leica M3 I strongly prefer mechanical cameras. It is so hard to select the top 3 (e.g., no Rolleiflex, no Leicaflex, no Yashica YF.......(:
I have a 1932 model 2 leica, still in perfect working order, with a Hector 50mm F2, but tend to use with Voigtlander glass, but have to agree with a number of posts here, loved the olympus om1n which I used from college to professional until it was stolen in Italy in the mid 80's. Brilliant size and feel, great lenses and much missed. Great content as usual - thanks Matt.
Thanks Terry! Great to hear you enjoy using a vintage Leica too! Yes in part 2 I shared the most voted cameras and the OM1 did well. Sorry to hear about your loss.
My choice is Nikon F4S. Fantastic camera, works in virtually any weather condition on Earth. The only Nikon model compatible with full array of Nikon lenses. There was NASA version, they used it in space (first operational digital camera). They chose the F4 body for a big reason. No other camera is so rugged and durable.
My first SLR was a Zeiss ikon contaflex. Next was an Olympus OM 1 before switching to Nikon. My favorite was the F 100. Also used the graflex speed grafic for 4x5 and 6x9cm roll back. Still have the Nikon, zeiss and graflex.
Nice Stevie, after this video I fell in love with 4x5 (and using 120 backs) so doing a lot of that at the moment (see the latest video!). F100 is a nice F5 lightweight alternative! I had one.
I learnt so much from your video. I agree with the FM3A. I also would have the Konica Hexar AF, Yashica Electra 35 GN, Canon 1V, Minolta A9, Ricoh 500, Fujifilm GW690III, and the Pentax LX.
Thanks! The is a lot more info in the individual videos but it was a brief overview. Thanks for your list, I'll make a follow up video with the winners!
The Original Ricoh GR digital and my MPP 5X4 Micropress with a Schneider Xenar 135 mm f 4.7 lens are my favourite cameras. Little and Large. Daily carry with the Ricoh set to black and white and 800 iso. Monthly use with the MPP. Fomapan 200 film dish development with Rodinal in total darkness.
Having limited knowledge of SLR cameras, I have my late fathers old cameras. A few Nikons - FA and FG 20, plus some I can’t remember while typing this. Also an Exakta and at least one Olympus. Probably not worth a lot in this digital age, but to me they are heirlooms all the same.
Oh it's tough, my top 3 can change depending on what type of photography I'm in the mood for but I'll go with.... 1. Mamiya c330f - TLR with interchangeable lenses, close focusing and Hasselblad quality at 1/4 the price 2. Nikon F3 - interchangeable everything (virtually), built to last and gives me everything I could want 3. Voigtlander Percio I - Medium format camera that fits in a pocket? (My Percio I has a Color Skopar BTW?) Honorable Mentions - Nikon FM, Mamiya 6 Automat ( and a Holga 120n for a completely different film experience)
My favourite paper weight and I have quite a few, is a Zenit, the Olympic one. I bought it for the lens for a couple of quid. It's quite lovely and heavy enough to be used as a weapon.
Thank you for the beautiful revue of honorable cameras, I enjoyed it very much. I learned many years ago that you have to part with your old camera treasures. I no longer have a problem with that. I use my cameras for longer and don't let reviews and advertising tempt me into buying a new camera. My first camera model was an Ihage Praktica FX2 made in GDR. I made a collector happy with it.
I have a Nikon fm3a, it was the last film camera I bought before going digital. It's had only 3 rolls of film go through it. I would start using it again if film was less expensive. I like to just hold it now and then because it is really fine.
My top 35mm is probably the M6 0.85 Classic. Stealthy and quiet, It has a meter when I need it. I love the M3 as well. A close second would be the Nikon F2 since it can take such a wide array of lenses, particularly on the long end. I also love the old Barnack Leicas. They feel so good in the hand. I have an old Contax II and its factory-matched Sonnar is just gorgeous. My top 120 camera would have to be my early Rolleiflex 2.8E Schneider without meter. It renders beautifully in B&W or color. The Hasselblad 501CM is, similar to the F2, close behind with its vast array of accessories.
Hello Matt, I would rate my cameras 1) Fujifilm GF670 for its absolute portability, 2) Nikon FM3A for its hybrid shutter and great features and 3) Olympus OM-3 as a pinnacle of camera engineering and best of best viefinder when paired with bright 2-13 focusing screen. As a best purchase and joy to use I would not forget Leica M6TTL, which I picked back when prices were not crazy yet. Same as for you, all they are NEVER SELL category for me.
My favorite film cameras are Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super, Leica iiif, Canon A-1 and Leica R7. For the sake of "fits in any pocket but is so small you have to be careful not to lose it": my Minox 35gt.
Take a look at the following cameras: - Voigtländer Vito CSR - Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIcs (The only difference between the Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIb and the Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIcs is the internal light meter and its power supply. With the IIIb you still have the selenium light meter, with the IIIcs you only need an LR44 button cell battery, which you can get cheaply anywhere.) - Praktica VLC2 - Kowa Super 66 - Pentax LX - Sigma Mark1 - Voigtländer Bessaflex TM Perhaps one or two of these will change your top 20 ranking. 😉
Hi, great video. My all time favorite cameras are: Canon F-1n, Canon SbIV , Canon VI-L, Canon FP, Rollei 35, Rolleiflex Automat 1950, Voigtländer Bergheil 1929 6x9 with shift lens (its a very very slow way to take pictures) and sometimes Hasselblad 500 ELX.
favorites (this will change I'm sure - but right now): Olympus OM2 with G Zuiko 50mm f1.4 // Minolta Autocord TLR // Rollei Prego Micron 30/24mm f3.5 (small point and shoot Soooooo god sharp and silent - great alternative to the much more expensive Ricoh GR1)
Wow what a collection. My #1 is my Hasselblad H3D-39 with the analog back, usually shot with my 100mm f2.2, #2 is my Nikon FM2 usually with the Nikon E 50mm f1.8, and my #3 is my Sprocket Rocket toy like camera, not sharp and distorting the scene but amazing for creative photography.
My favorites are Rolleiflex E 3,5, K4a, Mamiya C33, Voigtländer Perkeo II, AGFA Isolette II Solinar, Zeiss Ikon Nettar 521/16 (Novar), Greatings from Black Forest.
These are my top three film cameras 1. Leica M6 2. Rollei 35 made in Germany with the Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 3. Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIb with the Ultron 2.0/50
You should have re-cocked the 500C/M, before re-attatching the film back! So, you`ll loose one frame. ALWAYS re-cock Hassis instantly after firing them. My fave is probably the SWC/M or my Linhof Technika 4x5.
Such a beautiful collection. I cannot let any of my Nikon film cameras. In order of what I cannot let go of, Nikon f3 HP, Nikon F4s and number one, my Nikon F5. I don’t shoot them much because there’s very few places to develop film anymore and I am not equipped to have a dark room. But I adore my FM2 as well. You have an amazing collection there…
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom - that’s a great idea. I’m laid up recovering from cancer, so maybe busting out the rigs would be cathartic. It sounds weird to some, but I miss the feeling of film advancing. I know digital rigs try to replicate it, but it’s not very convincing. I was very late to the digital scene and actually used my F5 as sort of a ‘poor man’s digital’. I’d shoot a few rolls and have them transferred to CD/DVD at the local pharmacy for years. Few deal with film anymore. Patterson tank is a great idea. Thank you!
Of your collection it would be the FM3a, light weight do anything. However I would really go for the grandfather of the FM3a, the humble but bullet proof FM.
Canon A-1 with the MA motor drive and the f1.2 85mm, had it since 1979. Hassey 501 & 503 rigs, with 80mm T* and the old cone shaped distagon 40mm. Nikonos V for underwater. All have been good solid workhorses. I stll prefer my Sinar F 4x5 over all of them. I wish you had done all of the shutter sounds at a consistent speed, like 1/60th. My Hassey sounds like slamming the door of a Volvo, while the Nikonos is almost silent. The LF lenses are very quiet as well.
Thanks Michael, yes great point on the shutter speeds, sorry about that. The Hassy's got a lot of votes (see part 2 video). I'm loving 4x5 since this video (see latest video and a few recent ones!) Those Nikonos are huge/cool!
Hello Osbornenauts out there. My 'must keep cameras have been collected over the years. From going to Jessops Birmingham and picking up and still having the original brochures from the 80's, 90's and 00's I've wanted to own the following cameras for many years. Purchased over the last few years my camera collection now consists of the Leica R8 ( 50mm-F2 and 90mm-F2.8 ), Contax RTS III ( Various Carl Zeiss C/Y,Tamron Adaptall II C/Y and Yashica ML C/Y lenses) Nikon F4 and Nikon F5 as I have a Nikon D3X, a Nikon D810 and D850 DSLR's. It would be a tough call between the Leica R8 and the Contax RTS III as the number one 'keeper'. They're both a joy to use.
I could do with just the Leica M3 before I started using my glasses while taking photos. Now M2/M4 is a bit more practical to see the whole frame lines at 50mm, waiting for the M4 to come back from CLA :). If you can live with 35mm for the wide end, the M2/3/4 are fine, even M3 has the Elmarit 35mm 2.8 with goggles that works on the 50mm framelines and I tried it, sharp and contrasty with character, totally usable for anything!
Possibly like yourself I'm a collector as much as a user. I have a lovely Olympus PEN-FT, Canon P with a beautiful Canon 50 F1.4 and a Hasselblad 500C and a 503CX. I have Nikon F, F2, F3 and F4. The F3 is my favorite as it just feels right. My F4 came with a MB-21 battery holder which makes this something of a beast but I recently got the MB-20 which does help in the size and weight department. I'd love to find a Leica M3 but a Leica III in one of its iterations would be nice also. My newest find is a nice Super Fujica -6 which is a nice 6x6 folder.
Nice! Love my H2 but not on my list as electronic.. may die eventually. (I'll likely do a part 2 video to cover such topics and to give credit to cameras like the SWC/M!)(Had one for some years)
I've only ever owned two film cameras, my first was the Rollei B35 with a collapsable lens and I used it for 4 years before buying my first SLR, an Olympus OM-1n which I used for 28 years before moving to digital 17 years ago.
Bonus observation: Put a leaf-shutter lens on your Speed Graphic and it will be just as quiet as your Intrepid. That's how the press old-timers mostly used them back in the day - you'd use the “back shutter” for sports photos and the “front shutter” for everything else. Double bonus: Nobody's likely to try to steal a Speed Graphic, and if they do try you can beat them into submission with it…
Thanks James, great tip! I have a fair bit of 4x5 kit that I should use and yes totally agree I can use small LF lenses with built in shutter. I tend to use the Intrepid outside and Sinar or SG inside.
The one I regret selling was the Alpa 10d that I custom ordered in the 70s. It had a black body with a deep burgundy leather covering and was beautiful. Looking back I did not get nearly enough for it but a new house and a new baby were higher priorities ,
My top three are the Canon IIF, Leica M4-2, and the M3 I still need to get fixed. I'm sure it will be lovely to use when I unjam the film advance, planning on carrying around both Ms with different focal lengths according to which viewfinder is more suitable.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I'd highly recommend playing with one if you ever get the chance, superb quality and a couple improvements over the oldest Leicas (combined viewfinder/rangefinder window, zoomable viewfinder)
My favorite film cameras, the one that gives me the memories is the is a 4X5 Graflex Speed Graphic press camera (made by Singer Corporation). This camera had folding infinity stops along the rails for my two lenses. I believe that I had a 90mm and a 135mm. This camera has been added to my son's camera collection. My next memory is my Kodak Retina pocket camera. It was a folding camera with a bellows and a Schneider Kreuznach 50mm lens.
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My choice was the Olympus OM1. The film camera! What a beautiful sound it makes. Don’t use it any more, but I still use the Olympus OM Zuiko lenses.
Thanks! This is a popular choice. I'll do a part 2 and give it some love!
One of the best film cameras ever made.
I came here to say the same. It was my first camera when I was 12 years old. Learned photography on it. I still have it and had it reconditioned. Just a light, simple camera with great glass and great image quality.
Um, I'm pretty sure there were some other very cheeky reasons for that popular Flickr photo other than that 45mm F2 Rokkor lens!
Yes very true! It was just an example I guess that the camera really don't matter, it's what's in the photo that makes it. Minolta photo of this girl will always beat my M6/Hassy/RZ67/4x5 ..etc photo of a tree!) :)
I was admiring the beautiful bokeh! Did I miss something? I'll have to re-watch.
I approve this method of grading on a curve. ツ
I love the Olympus OM1n, had one for over 40 years, amazing durable camera with fantastic viewfinder. Also Zeiss Contarex bullseye, for photography and weight training,
You will know what I mean if you pick one up. The British made 5x4 MPP is very enjoyable to use. You have a great collection there Matt.
Thank you! Lots of love for the OM1n here. I'll have to make a part 2 to mention some of the greats!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom pls do! Lot's of other amazing cameras esp. in the '70s out there😉
Try a Rapid Omega camera if you think Zeiss Contarex is heavy.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Who needs Leica when there's OM1 Olympus, its a masterpiece!!
What a great collection! The same passion on this side also. Living in a private house helps to keep collection growing. The favourites in my collection are, the first mentioned rated highest: Olympus OM-4Ti, Nikon F, Nikon F2, Nikon FM2, Olympus Om-2n, Olympus Om-1, Kiev-4A, Pentacon Praktica LTL 3, Praktica MTL 5, Canon Ae-1 program, Pentax SP, Pentax K, Zorki 4k, Zenit TTL, Zenit 19.
Thanks! ..and great list of cameras too!
What a collection! I have only one film camera, the Canon A-1 I bought new in 1983. It's unremarkable, but solid. I've owned in for over 40 years, and I will never sell it.
Thanks (that's only about 1/4) ..I don't own a house yet but I have my cameras haha. I'm equally impressed that you stayed with 1 camera. Good on you!
The Canon A1 is a very fine camera, I have never owned one but I have used one. In fact my finest rock star photo was taken with one, a friend lent me his when my own camera was being repaired.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom One film camera at least. I own several digital cameras.
I still have the Nikon F I bought new in 1969
Olympus OM-2n Just such a beautiful little 35mm camera does everything right and nothing you don't need. Not to mention fabulous lenses.
Thanks Tony! A lot of love for this series of cameras in the comments!
Oh yeah - That's a beauty !!!
Rolleiflex Automat
Perfection. I love the 6x6 format and the waistfinder LETS ME SEE at 80 years old. The photos are exquisite. Got a Leica M3 my favorite rangefinder. I can see with it too.
Great article Matt. Thank you!
The Olympus OM-2 is brilliant, accurate, light and has a fantastic viewfinder. The Pentax KX is a bit of a tank, but it's smooth as butter, has a terrific light meter and a very bright viewfinder. The Nikon F3 is also super smooth and almost indestructible. In a pinch, I'd probably pick the F3, but only because of my collection of manual-focus Nikkor lenses.
Thanks, F3 is the viewers winner so far.. counting continues!
My favorite all time camera is my Rolleiflex SL66.
My runner up is my Contax 2a red dial and the four Contax lenses that go with it.
I share about 8 of the same cameras on your list.
A beautiful selection, Matt!
Thanks Michael! Yes the SL66 was perhaps the most creative MFormat camera I've owned but I eventually sold mine as I shoot mostly 35mm. I have the Contax too (still need to put film in it.. as use the Kievs instead)
I only own a Minolta SRT101, but I'll give you my list of "I really bloody want that" cameras 🤣:
Nikon F3
Leica M3
Pentax 67
Mamiya RZ67
Fuji GF670
Contax 645
Contax III
Mamiya C330
Hasselblad 501CM
Fuji T-X1/XPan
Fuji GW690
To get them all I need are a balaclava, a shotgun and a Ford Transit 😂
Haha thanks David, definitely get the F3 first. So much camera for the money and reasonable attainable if you save for a few weeks/months depending on your situation. (It's the most loved camera by viewers so far**) ..making a tally!
Great video! I have a few Nikon film cameras. 2x F2's, F3, F4, F5, 2x FE2's and a FM2n. I think my favourite is a black F2as. I like the size of it and the feeling that it will last forever.
Nice gear 👍📷🌟🌟🌟🌟
Nice line-up! No FM3a yet!? I need to try the F2!
In regards to film cameras, my very first camera was a Minolta XG-1, I still have it. Lots of memories, fun and great pics with it. My second choice is an Olympus 35SP.
Great! Thanks Lucy
Congrats, great collection, indeed! My personal favourites quite simple: 1. Nikon F3HP, 2. Nikon FM2n, 3. Nikkormat EL. Ok, closely followed by my Nikkormat FT2, Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP II, Nikon F-301 and my very first SLR which I bought in 1977, Ricoh Singlex II - a real tank, indestructible and still going strong😉.
Thanks and nice collection too!
My favorite camea was a ecconomical rangefinder camera, The Yashica Ekectro 35. It was large enough to fit comfortably in my hands and had enough weight for very steady photos, The metering system was new and for the time vey accurate for automatic pictures, including timed exposres.
Thanks! Yes some fixed lens RF cameras are good value. I have my late grandfather's Yashica MG-1
I like the fact you know which camera took which photo. It helps giving an examples of what the camera can do. Nice work.
Yes, luckily I have a massive 14K + photo back catalogue on Flickr!
For me it is the Leica IIIc, Ihagee Exakta V, Zeiss-ikon Contaflex, Rolleiflex II with Tessar, and for a banger, believe it or not, a KW Practica L, the steel shutters are bulletproof.
Thanks Marc, nice!
Most used: Canon P. Nothing special about it, but it feels good in the hand, does everything I usually need a film camera to do, and isn't so rare or expensive that I get the vapors about taking it out. Bonus: the rangefinders in Canons seem much more knock-resistant than those in Leicas. Actual favorite: probably my 1950s-era Mamiya Six. I like it for the same reason you like your Voigtlander folder - a 6x6cm camera you can shove in your jacket pocket - but unlike the Voigtlander, the Mamiya has a coupled rangefinder, auto film stop, and cocks the shutter when you advance the film… all the “mod cons.” I feel kind of silly going out and about with such an obviously old-timey camera, but I just can't find anything lacking in the darn thing…
Thanks James! I have a slightly bigger 6x6 folder with RF and great lens. I know there is little interest in these now but perhaps one for a future video. (..and yes Canon offer great value)
Three favourite cameras is easy, not so easy to narrow down to one, Pentax 6x7 (original) so under rated. Amazing photos, even at 50 inches. Rolleiflex SL66SE, has everything you could want, well nearly, and for a camera to use every day, a Rolleiflex 6003, which has everything you should need accept movements. Bonus camera that really does have everything except a sherpa to carry it, Fujifilm GX680 which is the most amazing camera ever made but it is heavy and as far away from a Leica as it is possible to get and not be using sheet film.
Thanks David! Nice choice. I loved my SL66E (see that video).. I'll have to make a part 2 video!
Nikon F3. No contest. Used them for years, until I went digital. Now using Panasonic GH5 with the amazing Laowa 7.5 f/2.
Thanks, yes the F3 is very popular for sure! See part 2, the F3 got a lot of votes!
1. Pentax 67
2. (For contrast) Rollei 35
3. Pentax MX
Love it, a giant and a mini!
Definitely class leading cameras everyone of them.
My favourite is the Nikon FE2, the 1/4000, good needle light meter, light yet built like a tank and it is very ergonomic for me, everything where I need it to be. Best of all is I can pick one up for $250 and get the same quality and pictures as a FM3a but 1000 to 1500 dollars cheaper.
Yes until very recently I was exactly the same. The FM3a is a recent purchase that I never expected to make. It’s my long term backup for my FE2 if the electronics ever fail.
My first 35mm camera was a Canon VTdelux, given to me by my late father. I have stayed with Canon With FTb my first SLR. I then bought an F1 in 1972, I now own 5 F1s, and they are fantastic.
5! haha nice. Yes I hear they are the Canon alternative to the Nikon F3 cameras.
Nice cameras all! My first camera was a Canon FTB in 1971( Brand new!). My first and favorite rangefinder was the Canon VT Deluxe, acquired in 1981(I now own four) and the 35mm camera I dreamed of: the original Canon F1 (second iteration). I now have 3 of those. Superb cameras.
Based on my actual shooting these days my favorite camera is a Leica IIf. However, I have just received a Kardon with the Kodak Ektar 2/47. Both have been sent out for a CLA but I have a feeling in the back of my mind that that combination may become my favorite.
Very nice! I know those Ektar lenses are said to be very good.
My favorite film cameras (which I actually own and use):
35mm rangefinder - Carl Zeiss Werra IV
35mm SLR - Olympus OM-1
6x4.5cm - Konica Pearl IV
6x6cm - tie between Voigtländer Brillant S (the version with Heliar lens and Compur Rapid Shutter) and Pentacon Six
6x9cm - Agfa Record III (the version with Solinar lens)
Other - 6x14cm converted Kodak 3-A Autograph Special (the version with rangefinder and Tessar lens)
9x12cm - Voigtländer Bergheil (the version with Heliar lens)
10x15cm - ICA Ideal 325 (the version with Tessar lens)
If I'd had to pick one, it would be a difficult decision between the Konica Pearl IV and the Voigtländer Brillant S, today probably the Konica, because it is a bit more economical with film and much more easy to use. On another day it might be the Voigtländer because of its fantastic viewfinder and its characterful lens.
Thanks and nice collection! Probably the most unique list commented so far. (I have the P6 TTL ..has spacing issues)
Wonderful list! I was pleased to see my own desert island camera made your list - the Minolta X-370 (X-300 on your list), and with my favorite lens of all time, that gorgeous small and light 45/f2. Aside from the obvious reasons - the body is small and light, simple with no bells and whistles, and just a breeze to shoot, and the lens is also small and light and my favorite focal length. BUT for me it's also personal as the X-370 was the first real camera I bought myself back in the day, and the lens was given to me by my father, and was also my first lens for that camera (and only lens for a number of years). Thanks for this great run down.
Thanks Bob, great to see some more love for the humble X-300 and 45/2!
I bought an X300 for peanut’s with a zoom lens can’t recall which one but during a comment chat Matt suggested I get the 45 F2 which I did soon after never regretted it lovely light set up cheers for the advise
I love my Leica IIIf red dial
Barnack Leicas are quite the nice piece , just restored a 1940 red curtain IIIc and it’s just such a work of art
I had a Zorki-1c clone and i loved the surprising results it gave me, nice camera as well
I really like Soviet cameras too , I shoot with a Kiev 6c TTL for medium format quite often
Great stuff! I still have my 6x6 Kiev88 "ARAX" (see that video). It travelled all over.
Hi Matt, what a great collection of analog treasures! I've had a Nikon F3 with me since 1991 and I'm still totally happy with the 50mm/f1.8-AI combo. So the Nikon is my #1. My #2 is the Leica M6 from 1986. Together with the 50mm Summicron, it's the camera I would take to a desert island... #3 is my Nikon F6-smaller and lighter than the F5 and for me the perfect, modern symbiosis of digital and analog photography. I also have a bonus camera... the Yashika T4. This small camera fits perfectly in any jacket pocket😉.
Thank you for your great CZcams videos! Please keep up the good work.
Thanks Jens and great choices too!
Beautiful collection, Matt! My Top 3: Olympus OM-1, Hasselblad 500cm, and … Lumix LX5.
Thanks and thanks for your choices!
I choose my Leica M2 with a Doomo Cold Shoe meter. I know the M3 has a better viewfinder but I mainly use 35mm and 50mm lenses so the M2 suits me better and I have no problem with the M2 viewfinder. There is something special about using a 60 yr old camera - l guess like owning a classic car. Cheers!
Thanks, yes +1 for the M2 from me. As good a finder as the M3 (single tramlines) and a joy for 35mm lenses. It's #21 on my list! :) I'll never sell it.
After watching the movie “Blow-Up” in 1967 I bought an Olympus Trip 35. As a gift I received a Minolta-16 MG in 1971. In the 1980’s I bought a Canon AE-1. The only film cameras I’ve owned.
Great! That's all most people need. It's now my job testing and reviewing cameras so that's my excuse!
My 2 favorites are my 1952 Leica IIIf and my recent purchase of a 1930 Leica 1c - These 2 I will never willingly let go of. I've been using the IIIf for the past few months and it absolutely gives me more joy than my Fuji X-T4 and my Nikon D850 combined. I'm not getting rid of my Fuji or Nikon but the fun I have with the IIIf cant be matched. I also love the fact that I can push and pull the 45mb .tiff files in lightroom - not that I need to do much of that as long as I use my light meter I use what comes straight from the camera quite often. Your discussion on the Agfa Billy Record II was very intriguing as it shoots 6x9. Now I'm looking at possibly picking up a Fujica GW690 for 6x9 medium format as I'm more comfortable with that camera layout. - Thanks again for a great video.
Thanks Steve and welcome to the wonderful world of the little Barnack Leicas! Great aren't they! :D
@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Truly. There's a dimension in shooting film that I don't get shooting straight digital. The starting point being the film you choose and the personality it imparts on everything you shoot for the duration of the roll. I'm really looking forward to this part of the journey.
I find it hard to go past the Olympus OM1-N. I travelled half the world with one back in the day and it never missed a beat, even though it was an old beater I had bought off a Pro, had been around the clock a few times. There is nothing about them that is wrong, minimalist perfection I would say. The viewfinder experience is off the hook, why can't they make a digital camera with a viewfinder like that? Today I have an unmarked copy in mint condition that I bought about 23 years ago for £149. I am tempted to add an OM3, but aside from the multi spot metering, not sure if there is much difference. OM3 is rare and Titanium version costs a bomb. Maybe one day, but OM1 is not for sale.
Thanks Richard, nice! If I didn't have so many Nikon F lenses I could be tempted. I do love small setups as you see. (The Ti models are lovely! I saw one once)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I built up a collection of vintage Nikkor glass myself, but sold out half of them, as I realised the flange distance was a bit of a stumbling block for use on film cameras and DSLRs that aren't F mount. I kept a few smaller ones that adapt well to mirrorless. OM-3 Ti, yeah, that would be the one to go for, one day I might decide that life is short and bag one!
The often overlooked Nikon FA is my favorite. First camera that quietly introduced matrix metering which exists in most cell phones today and had a honeycomb titanium shutter. Less sharp edges than an F3. 😉
Thanks Dave! That's one of the few Nikons in that line I don't have.
Wow.. what a collection, you have a fantastic series of beautiful film cameras and I totally admire and respect your knowledge. I have unfortunately sold off cameras over the years to buy new cameras and looking at your collection wish I had kept every camera I have owned. I have one film camera now, the Canon F 1. A pro camera from the 1970`s, you can remove the prism and use it as a waist level finder but none metered a lovely camera I shall never sell. One of my favorite film cameras was the Canon T90, manual focus with auto wind and a fantastic metering system, multi spot I believe it was the forerunner for the EOS system. Thanks for a great vid.
Thank you! I hear you. I sold some of the best known premium cameras. I will have to do a part 2 video to give some greats a mention! (Canon F1 is the Nikon F3 alternative as I understand so I'm sure it's great).
Great video ... nice collection and great selection
here is my 10 first favorit film camera in my collection (not easy to do ... )
1- 2005 Zeiss Ikon ZM 35mm
2 - 2004 Nikon FM3a black 35mm
3 - 1998 FuijFilm TX-1 Xpan 35mm
4 - 1996 Hasselblad 501C 6*6
5 - 1962 Leica M3 35mm
6 - 1952 Leica IF Red 35mm
7 - 1958 Agfa Super Isolette 6*6
8 - 1954 Voigtlander Bessa II 6*9
9 - 1931 Leica IC 0 std Black 35mm
10 - 1972 Yashica 124 mat G TLR 6*6
Bonus 1 : Hasselblad 903 SWC and Bonus 2 : Chroma Camera 6*17
Thanks Grom! The first love so far for the Ikon and Xpan. I'll do a follow up video I think!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I m not surprised ... The Zeiss Ikon ZM is an hidden gem when you like the Rangefinder and the Leicas...
It is the Ultimate rangefinder M Mount
Viewfinder 0.74 - clear frame lines 28, 35, 50, 85 - classic open door with open window to see the film - excellent light cell - flash synchro 1/125 - TTL metering - aperture priority - speed upt to 1/2000 - very well built - small and ligth 454 gr - flash hot shoe - standart LR44 battery ...
So what else 🙂
Fun +, Matt.
Sharpest? Rollei 35. Made in Germany, 3.5/40mm Tessar.
Ease of transport and results ? Voigtlander Perkeo 3 (6x6, uncoupled rangefinder, Color Skopar 3.5/80mm).
Thanks and nice choices!
I love my FM3a - but being predominantly a low light shooter I find the match needle a downgrade to the +o- of FM2 - a minor niggle coz it’s my beater otherwise.
F3 also suffers from this fate - and I have many of those
A cheap FM is an absolute joy to use (I own and use all F-F6 bodies
You sure about the stellar performing Minolta/Rokker and not the arsey subject young man ?
Ah yes the FEs/FM3a needle is less ideal in low light true. I have the FM/FM2n too if required. My FM was my first and has served me really well (with brassing!) ..yes the 45/2 seems to easily beat similar Nikon 50s for raw sharpness and ease of focusing. Agree, put me in front of it and the photo will be trash so yes subject off helps with any lens. (Photo is #1 because of the girl BUT I couldn't have taken it with my Leica M or Leica iii cameras or Kiev, as I was @
which is why I hate/love my M6 and Blad 503 - that minimum distance is a ballache, tried a 150mm and was no longer in arms length to "cajoule" my subject :)@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom
I wasn't expecting your No.1 choice, and a few early ones were a surprise, although interesting, and such a great collection. For me, in no specific order: Nikon F3; Olympus OM-1; Leica R6/6.2; Pentax 6x7; Hassleblad 501CM; Bronica ETRSi.
Thanks Phil, yes I think I'll need to do a part 2 to cover some of the greats!
As a user and collector, 1. Leica M4-p, 2. Canon EF, 3. Canon F1n, 4. Leica M2 , 5. Rolleiflex 2.8, 6. Mamiya C330, 7. Hasselblad 500c/m, 8. Nikon F3hp, 9. Canonet QL17, 10. Minolta Hi-matic, 11. Leica M5, 12. Kowa 6, 13. Voigtländer Bessa 6x9, 14. Welta Perle 15. Meopta Flexaret 16. Leica M3, 17. Rollei 35SE, 18. Olympus 35rc 19. Canonet 28 20. Leica M6 ...
Thanks Jens, very nice list!
over some 40 years ago i carried my old leica 3F everywhere.i just had it over my shoulder when a "old guy" walked past and said don't ever sell that with a smile.i used my money for a couple lens rather than a SLR at that time.
Great advice!
My favorite film cameras are: Graflex Century Graphic 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 with Rodenstock lens. Medium format so large prints are very sharp. Also I have a roll film back as well as cut film holders. Not stuck with whatever film is “in” the camera. Plus tilts and shifts to give a lot of control. Favorite 35mm is Canon Ftb. This is because in testing the split image focus was very good. Better than any other camera tested. Set up was at a place that made “event” cameras. These take up to 1,000,000 frames/second. In their lab, on a cast iron bench, the object, camera, and traveling microscope were mounted. An optically flat fiber optic plate was pressed against the film plane. Focus was determined by the slight chromatic aberration still in the lens. The object was in focus when black, out of focus when red or green. The optical engineer and I were mostly goofing off, but the set up, which had a test indicator to measure the position change as the lens was moved, was set to evaluate lenses for the event cameras. The lenses were rejected if they could not resolve 40 line pairs per millimeter. There was actually no was to focus this well. Best focus was found, an exposure made, the lens moved about .0005” and then another exposure made. This was done several times and then the developed images examined to see if the criteria was achieved. We did not make images, we only measured the difference between actual focus and where the split image said it was. My Ftb was less than .001” from where the split image said it was. All other cameras tested were off by more.
Very cool! I’m loving the 4x5 cameras currently, my Speed Graphic and a MPP I just got. See those videos and new video to come. (I just got back from a trip using 120 backs on 4x5)
my favorite camera list will be canon ivsb2,canon vi-l,nikon fm3a and f3. Looking forward to seeing you have a tryout on the classic canon vi-l.It’s no doubts a good camera indeed!
Thanks! I know of that Canon camera. If I ever get to try one I'll be sure to make a video!
Three icons from the sixties/seventies:
Paillard Bolex D8L 8mm filmcamera with 3 (turnable) lenses and a handheld grip
Minox 35 series (mini 35mm photo cameras)
LUBITEL-2 Sovjet-camera LOMO Lens Triplet - 22 (4.5 / 75) Voigtlander Brilliant Copy 6 x 6 Vintage Made in UssR
Thanks! I know #2&3
My favourite film SLR's, Minolta XD7/XD11, (silky smooth film advance, the shutter sound is premium, beautiful, sharp Rokkor lenses), Olympus OM1n, Nikon FM.
Thanks! I still have my FM. The OM-1 got lots of votes. See the next video for the winners
The Minolta XD7 /11 has Leica copied shutter mechanisms
My fav of all time is the best selling camera ever, the Kodak Brownie. A good sample will shoot killer good images. One modification I like to do is remove the front element, recoat it to improve contrast, otherwise I might leave it off to get Thambar like images. Great video, film bodies aren’t critical, lenses are, but lighting is rarely mentioned and its importance is primary, #1, given the same subject.
Thanks! You sound more skilled than me if you are re-coating lenses! Totally agree about lighting. Sadly my lighting videos never do well despite them being the most important.
What a fun video! Thanks. My favs would be my old 50-year old M4, then the Minolta CLE, and lastly, the new Leica M6. The M6 was more of a frivolous purchase, but I had wanted a new film camera..
Thanks Avery!
Of the film cameras I've owned, the pentax 67 is my absolute favourite followed by the more practical mamiya 7ii. For 35mm, my favourite was the canon F1 and then the T90. My dream film camera was always the linhof technorama 612, but never bought one. Very enjoyable video Matt, thanks.
Hello, thanks! Nice cameras.. see part 2 to find out the viewers top cameras + the best of the best. (you mention two of them!) ..well 3 and kind of 4!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom haha look forward to it!
I've had so many cameras and now left with only one.... Exakta VX1000.
Mainly Pentax...SL, SP, ES, ME, MX, LX, 67, 645, Fed 111, Canon EOS 5, Leica M6 with f1 50mm Noctilux😊 and Nikonos 111 and V❤
@@thomaseland3136 nice list Thomas!
Leica M2 over M3, mainly for 35mm, 50mm, 90mm lens focal lengths using the stock 0.72 viewfinder... M2 is nearly as good as the M3 construction as well. Nice review... Peace!
Thanks Shawn!
Thanks Matt ! I owe you a message. Short version: I discovered the Nikon FE2 I got in April last year is defective. Focus is off on apertures below f8. It seems the mirror stop has worked its way below the factory-set angle causing the focal plane to fall behind the subject. Time to go shopping ! LOL
Hi George, thanks and sorry to hear. It's quite rare to hear about Nikons with issues so I think you got unlucky. Fingers crossed for the replacement choice!
You have not tested any Olympus yet? Om1 small and mechanic ? Om2 small and electronic with even high speed sync (with Olympus speedlight) and the excellent om3 titan with multispot? You should at least give it a test 😊 cheers Peter 😊
You're right, Matt really should be checking out the early OM SLRs since he enjoys small and light cameras.
The OM-1 is nice but sort of a pain to use regularly since it used those now obsolete mercury batteries for the meter and you have to work around that with oddball battery setups. The OM-2 uses 'normal' batteries and since it's also aperture priority it's really easy to use - and also the same size as the tiny OM-1.
Hi Peter thanks! I did own a OM-1 once but it was before I knew the front from the back of a camera. Yes the small size attracts me but another camera system equally scares me haha. Yes if I can get one to review I will.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom hahaha 😆 maybe make a workshop with om system. You don’t need to own it …. Cheers 🥂 you are doing such a good job. Thanks for all the nice curated content …. From hamburg greetings
My favourite medium format camera was a Yashica mat 124G. Brilliant sharp images, a range of viewfinders and that handle to twist around. These were the the days when you had to really get your shots right first time. Having only 12 chances per roll.
Thanks! I looked at those a few times. Yes I like shooting film as you appreciate each shot more.
Leica M4 (I also have an M3, but the M4 is a bit more practical), Nikon F2 (Indestructible). But the one I like the most: the Leica Standard (Model E), chrome version, used with a Summaron 35mm 3.5 and the viewfinder actually covers close enough the 35mm field of view (I also have a black Model C) 🙂Honourable mentions: black Nikon F with F36 motor (a beast), Hasselblad SWC, Minolta XK (unfortunately they are fragile, otherwise amazing viewfinder and sound!), Leica II (Model D), Leicaflex SL2 (totally over-engineered, and that sound!), and a couple more...
I really want to get an M4.
Thanks and great to see you have the Model E and Model C!
..I prefer the M2/M3 film advance vs. M4 (M4 same as M4-P etc as you probably know)
35mm - Konica III, Konica IIA, Zeiss Ikon Contaflex III - Medium Format - Rolleiflex - Large Format - Linhof Super Technika IV and Graflex Speeds 😎✌
Very nice! This video (and all the Linhof votes (see part 2) pushed me back into 4x5 cameras. Linhof GAS resulted in me getting a MPP. See recent video and more vintage camera vids to come (I just took it overseas with my Perkeo 2)
Here is my top three - by the way Matt, you have great taste!
1. Topcon RE-2
2. Nikon F2
3. Leica M3
I strongly prefer mechanical cameras. It is so hard to select the top 3 (e.g., no Rolleiflex, no Leicaflex, no Yashica YF.......(:
Nice! I’ve never used a Topcon but I hear good things.
I have a 1932 model 2 leica, still in perfect working order, with a Hector 50mm F2, but tend to use with Voigtlander glass, but have to agree with a number of posts here, loved the olympus om1n which I used from college to professional until it was stolen in Italy in the mid 80's. Brilliant size and feel, great lenses and much missed. Great content as usual - thanks Matt.
Thanks Terry! Great to hear you enjoy using a vintage Leica too! Yes in part 2 I shared the most voted cameras and the OM1 did well. Sorry to hear about your loss.
My choice is Nikon F4S. Fantastic camera, works in virtually any weather condition on Earth. The only Nikon model compatible with full array of Nikon lenses. There was NASA version, they used it in space (first operational digital camera). They chose the F4 body for a big reason. No other camera is so rugged and durable.
Thanks! I have the basic F4. (They took the Hasselblad to the moon too. See the next video. That was voted number 1
My first SLR was a Zeiss ikon contaflex. Next was an Olympus OM 1 before switching to Nikon. My favorite was the F 100. Also used the graflex speed grafic for 4x5 and 6x9cm roll back. Still have the Nikon, zeiss and graflex.
Nice Stevie, after this video I fell in love with 4x5 (and using 120 backs) so doing a lot of that at the moment (see the latest video!). F100 is a nice F5 lightweight alternative! I had one.
I learnt so much from your video. I agree with the FM3A. I also would have the Konica Hexar AF, Yashica Electra 35 GN, Canon 1V, Minolta A9, Ricoh 500, Fujifilm GW690III, and the Pentax LX.
Thanks! The is a lot more info in the individual videos but it was a brief overview. Thanks for your list, I'll make a follow up video with the winners!
Matt, great photos with those classics ! I like the Nikon FM and Olympus OM-1 ... for digital - Leica CL so compact and takes great photos.
Thanks and nice! The FM was my first serious film camera. I still have it.
Contax RTS III, Contax AS. built in focus within the camera. Amazing technology. Uses Zeiss lenses.
Thanks! I have the Contax RX and some lenses
Nikon : nikon fm3a
Canon : canon f1
Olympus : om3ti
Pentax : Pentax mx
Konica : t3n
Minolta : xd7
Mamiya tlr : c330f
Hasselblad : 500 c m
Leica : m6
P&s : yashica t4, t5
Nice, see part 2 for the voted winners. You have some mentioned there!
The Original Ricoh GR digital and my MPP 5X4 Micropress with a Schneider Xenar 135 mm f 4.7 lens are my favourite cameras.
Little and Large. Daily carry with the Ricoh set to black and white and 800 iso. Monthly use with the MPP. Fomapan 200 film dish development with Rodinal in total darkness.
Hi Neil, very very interesting.. You are so close to the mark with one of those I say stay tuned.. it is coming!
Having limited knowledge of SLR cameras, I have my late fathers old cameras.
A few Nikons - FA and FG 20, plus some I can’t remember while typing this.
Also an Exakta and at least one Olympus.
Probably not worth a lot in this digital age, but to me they are heirlooms all the same.
Great that you still have them. You’ll have to stick a roll of film through one sometime!
Hasselblad 500C / Leica III / Agfa Clack / Isolette III / Stenopeika 4x5 / Yashica Mat 124 G
Thanks Chris, you picked well. See part 2 for the most voted camera.
Oh it's tough, my top 3 can change depending on what type of photography I'm in the mood for but I'll go with....
1. Mamiya c330f - TLR with interchangeable lenses, close focusing and Hasselblad quality at 1/4 the price
2. Nikon F3 - interchangeable everything (virtually), built to last and gives me everything I could want
3. Voigtlander Percio I - Medium format camera that fits in a pocket? (My Percio I has a Color Skopar BTW?)
Honorable Mentions - Nikon FM, Mamiya 6 Automat ( and a Holga 120n for a completely different film experience)
Great choices. See the next video for the voted winners!
My favourite paper weight and I have quite a few, is a Zenit, the Olympic one. I bought it for the lens for a couple of quid. It's quite lovely and heavy enough to be used as a weapon.
Ha nice! I must admit I'm guilty of only buying cameras that work as I like to use them but I know many old ones make for pretty props!
My current essential five
1. Leica M2
2. Nikon F3 hp
3. Nikonos II with 35mm f2.5
4. Olympus XA
5. Rolleiflex Standard model 622
Great! I'm making a tally so I'll note the "viewers top 3 choice" on the blog after the first 24hrs
1) Hasselbald 503CX+ 50mm, 80mm & 150mmm 2) Pentax LX + Various SMC focal lengths 3) Pentax MX
Thanks! Hassy are popular with viewers (for good reason ofc!)
Thank you for the beautiful revue of honorable cameras, I enjoyed it very much. I learned many years ago that you have to part with your old camera treasures. I no longer have a problem with that. I use my cameras for longer and don't let reviews and advertising tempt me into buying a new camera. My first camera model was an Ihage Praktica FX2 made in GDR. I made a collector happy with it.
Thank you. I enjoy cycling through my various cameras so it keeps life interesting. Currently getting back into 4x5 so more on that to come!
I have a Nikon fm3a, it was the last film camera I bought before going digital. It's had only 3 rolls of film go through it. I would start using it again if film was less expensive. I like to just hold it now and then because it is really fine.
Great. Get some budget B&W film and have fun with it!
My top 35mm is probably the M6 0.85 Classic. Stealthy and quiet, It has a meter when I need it. I love the M3 as well. A close second would be the Nikon F2 since it can take such a wide array of lenses, particularly on the long end. I also love the old Barnack Leicas. They feel so good in the hand. I have an old Contax II and its factory-matched Sonnar is just gorgeous. My top 120 camera would have to be my early Rolleiflex 2.8E Schneider without meter. It renders beautifully in B&W or color. The Hasselblad 501CM is, similar to the F2, close behind with its vast array of accessories.
Nice list Brad! Thanks. See the next video for cameras that were voted the top 10 by viewers. (You have a few of the top 3!)
Nikon F3 for me, I shoot with both a Hassy 501Cm and a Leica M6, owned an F3 about 25 years ago, still wish I never sold it.
Thanks Mark, all 3 cameras are stellar. Never to late to get another F3!
Hello Matt, I would rate my cameras 1) Fujifilm GF670 for its absolute portability, 2) Nikon FM3A for its hybrid shutter and great features and 3) Olympus OM-3 as a pinnacle of camera engineering and best of best viefinder when paired with bright 2-13 focusing screen. As a best purchase and joy to use I would not forget Leica M6TTL, which I picked back when prices were not crazy yet. Same as for you, all they are NEVER SELL category for me.
Thank you! I will do a part 2 I think for the "camera greats" which include the GF670!
my favorite is the canon L3 Ii love that camera, its easy to use and takes great pictures !
Great! Did you see my L3 video!?
My favorite film cameras are Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super, Leica iiif, Canon A-1 and Leica R7. For the sake of "fits in any pocket but is so small you have to be careful not to lose it": my Minox 35gt.
Thanks Markus! A few people mentioned some of those.
Take a look at the following cameras:
- Voigtländer Vito CSR
- Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIcs
(The only difference between the Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIb and the Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIcs is the internal light meter and its power supply. With the IIIb you still have the selenium light meter, with the IIIcs you only need an LR44 button cell battery, which you can get cheaply anywhere.)
- Praktica VLC2
- Kowa Super 66
- Pentax LX
- Sigma Mark1
- Voigtländer Bessaflex TM
Perhaps one or two of these will change your top 20 ranking. 😉
Cool cameras thanks. I only really know of the Kowa of these.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Do you need some more key data on these cameras, or do you want to find out for yourself? 😁
great Video, my personal faves are : Hasselblad 203 FE, Leica MP , FM3a and Contax T3
Thanks Marc! ..and very strong choices!!
Hi, great video. My all time favorite cameras are: Canon F-1n, Canon SbIV , Canon VI-L, Canon FP, Rollei 35, Rolleiflex Automat 1950, Voigtländer Bergheil 1929 6x9 with shift lens (its a very very slow way to take pictures) and sometimes Hasselblad 500 ELX.
Thanks Thomas! The Hasselblad proved popular with people, see part 2 for the winners.
Great vid . Very entertaining. My top 3 . I use and will never sell . 1. Olympus pen FT 2. Nikon f100 3. Olympus Om1
Thanks! See part 2, the OM1 is particularly popularly I had the F100, great for AF.
#1 - Kalloflex
#2 - Canon nF1 New
#3 - Leica M2
Great to see you know the Kalloflex! The lens is better than my Rollei. I have it
favorites (this will change I'm sure - but right now): Olympus OM2 with G Zuiko 50mm f1.4 // Minolta Autocord TLR // Rollei Prego Micron 30/24mm f3.5 (small point and shoot Soooooo god sharp and silent - great alternative to the much more expensive Ricoh GR1)
Ha yes my favourites change as the years go past
Wow what a collection. My #1 is my Hasselblad H3D-39 with the analog back, usually shot with my 100mm f2.2, #2 is my Nikon FM2 usually with the Nikon E 50mm f1.8, and my #3 is my Sprocket Rocket toy like camera, not sharp and distorting the scene but amazing for creative photography.
Thanks and great choice. Please watch part 2 and you’ll see a camera you like 😉 (and lens mention!)
My favorites are Rolleiflex E 3,5, K4a, Mamiya C33, Voigtländer Perkeo II, AGFA Isolette II Solinar, Zeiss Ikon Nettar 521/16 (Novar), Greatings from Black Forest.
Thanks and good to see more Perkeo love!
Congrats for your selection, Matt !!! My fav is te Hasselblad 500 C/M set up.
Thanks Carlos, great stuff. The Hassy is popular (for good reason!)
These are my top three film cameras
1. Leica M6
2. Rollei 35 made in Germany with the Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40
3. Voigtländer Vitomatic IIIb with the Ultron 2.0/50
Thanks, the first 2 are popular, I know less about the 3rd. I'll Google it!
You should have re-cocked the 500C/M, before re-attatching the film back! So, you`ll loose one frame. ALWAYS re-cock Hassis instantly after firing them.
My fave is probably the SWC/M or my Linhof Technika 4x5.
Great tip thanks. Yes luckily I do this before I load film. I read a lot on the Linhof cameras, stay tuned on that!
Such a beautiful collection. I cannot let any of my Nikon film cameras. In order of what I cannot let go of, Nikon f3 HP, Nikon F4s and number one, my Nikon F5.
I don’t shoot them much because there’s very few places to develop film anymore and I am not equipped to have a dark room. But I adore my FM2 as well. You have an amazing collection there…
Thanks Mark! Can you not develop in your kitchen sink like I do? Get a Paterson tank.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom - that’s a great idea. I’m laid up recovering from cancer, so maybe busting out the rigs would be cathartic. It sounds weird to some, but I miss the feeling of film advancing. I know digital rigs try to replicate it, but it’s not very convincing.
I was very late to the digital scene and actually used my F5 as sort of a ‘poor man’s digital’. I’d shoot a few rolls and have them transferred to CD/DVD at the local pharmacy for years. Few deal with film anymore. Patterson tank is a great idea. Thank you!
Of your collection it would be the FM3a, light weight do anything. However I would really go for the grandfather of the FM3a, the humble but bullet proof FM.
Thanks David, nice. The FM was one of my first film cameras. A beater but looks great with the brassing!
My two favorite is: Leica 2F, my first ever camera when I was like 10. Number one is new to me, its The Olympus OM-1n. Two great cameras
Thanks, both a great size too! See part 2 for the voted favourites!
Canon A-1 with the MA motor drive and the f1.2 85mm, had it since 1979. Hassey 501 & 503 rigs, with 80mm T* and the old cone shaped distagon 40mm. Nikonos V for underwater. All have been good solid workhorses. I stll prefer my Sinar F 4x5 over all of them.
I wish you had done all of the shutter sounds at a consistent speed, like 1/60th. My Hassey sounds like slamming the door of a Volvo, while the Nikonos is almost silent. The LF lenses are very quiet as well.
Thanks Michael, yes great point on the shutter speeds, sorry about that. The Hassy's got a lot of votes (see part 2 video). I'm loving 4x5 since this video (see latest video and a few recent ones!) Those Nikonos are huge/cool!
Hello Osbornenauts out there. My 'must keep cameras have been collected over the years. From going to Jessops Birmingham and picking up and still having the original brochures from the 80's, 90's and 00's I've wanted to own the following cameras for many years. Purchased over the last few years my camera collection now consists of the Leica R8 ( 50mm-F2 and 90mm-F2.8 ), Contax RTS III ( Various Carl Zeiss C/Y,Tamron Adaptall II C/Y and Yashica ML C/Y lenses) Nikon F4 and Nikon F5 as I have a Nikon D3X, a Nikon D810 and D850 DSLR's. It would be a tough call between the Leica R8 and the Contax RTS III as the number one 'keeper'. They're both a joy to use.
Thanks Patrick! Yes the R8 is nice, I've got the earlier models but not that one and a Contax RX (I think it's that one)(sounds very cool!)
I could do with just the Leica M3 before I started using my glasses while taking photos. Now M2/M4 is a bit more practical to see the whole frame lines at 50mm, waiting for the M4 to come back from CLA :). If you can live with 35mm for the wide end, the M2/3/4 are fine, even M3 has the Elmarit 35mm 2.8 with goggles that works on the 50mm framelines and I tried it, sharp and contrasty with character, totally usable for anything!
Thanks Thomas and good point for glasses wearers (that wear them.. unlike me!)
Possibly like yourself I'm a collector as much as a user. I have a lovely Olympus PEN-FT, Canon P with a beautiful Canon 50 F1.4 and a Hasselblad 500C and a 503CX. I have Nikon F, F2, F3 and F4. The F3 is my favorite as it just feels right. My F4 came with a MB-21 battery holder which makes this something of a beast but I recently got the MB-20 which does help in the size and weight department. I'd love to find a Leica M3 but a Leica III in one of its iterations would be nice also. My newest find is a nice Super Fujica -6 which is a nice 6x6 folder.
Thanks Sophie! Sounds like you have some great cameras already! Yes a Leica will add to your collection nicely :)
My choice from my locker:
- Rolleiflex 2.8F
- Hasselblad 503Cx
- Hasselblad Hasselblad SWC/M
+ 1 digital
Hasselblad X2D
- Hasselblad H2
Nice! Love my H2 but not on my list as electronic.. may die eventually. (I'll likely do a part 2 video to cover such topics and to give credit to cameras like the SWC/M!)(Had one for some years)
I've only ever owned two film cameras, my first was the Rollei B35 with a collapsable lens and I used it for 4 years before buying my first SLR, an Olympus OM-1n which I used for 28 years before moving to digital 17 years ago.
Thanks! Back in the film days new cameras were not released every few months so that was all you needed! Both are popular
Bonus observation: Put a leaf-shutter lens on your Speed Graphic and it will be just as quiet as your Intrepid. That's how the press old-timers mostly used them back in the day - you'd use the “back shutter” for sports photos and the “front shutter” for everything else. Double bonus: Nobody's likely to try to steal a Speed Graphic, and if they do try you can beat them into submission with it…
Thanks James, great tip! I have a fair bit of 4x5 kit that I should use and yes totally agree I can use small LF lenses with built in shutter. I tend to use the Intrepid outside and Sinar or SG inside.
The one I regret selling was the Alpa 10d that I custom ordered in the 70s. It had a black body with a deep burgundy leather covering and was beautiful. Looking back I did not get nearly enough for it but a new house and a new baby were higher priorities ,
Thanks, sorry to hear. Yes Alpa cameras do look very nice!
My top three are the Canon IIF, Leica M4-2, and the M3 I still need to get fixed. I'm sure it will be lovely to use when I unjam the film advance, planning on carrying around both Ms with different focal lengths according to which viewfinder is more suitable.
Thanks Ian, yes I often forget Canon made those Leica clones. Cool. Yes a 2 M combo is strong!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I'd highly recommend playing with one if you ever get the chance, superb quality and a couple improvements over the oldest Leicas (combined viewfinder/rangefinder window, zoomable viewfinder)
Cool collection Matt ! I only kept three cameras and they are somewhat similar to your top 3. I have Nikon FM, Zorky 1 and Konica Electrón.
Thank you! The FM was my first serious camera.. still have it!
My favorite film cameras, the one that gives me the memories is the is a 4X5 Graflex Speed Graphic press camera (made by Singer Corporation). This camera had folding infinity stops along the rails for my two lenses. I believe that I had a 90mm and a 135mm. This camera has been added to my son's camera collection. My next memory is my Kodak Retina pocket camera. It was a folding camera with a bellows and a Schneider Kreuznach 50mm lens.
Thanks Guy! Nice. Yes I must make myself use my 4x5 more. I miss having a regular local muse I can call on for such projects.