Best looking solid "non plastic" 35mm cameras under $150?

[Bobkins]

To my eye, Zenit-S is the best looking SLR.

wow!! for me it is the ugliest camera

I like Zorky 3

 

[McFortner]

To my eye, Zenit-S is the best looking SLR.

I'm partial to my Kristall SLR.

It was produced as the successor of the Zenit 3 in 1961-62. It wasn't well received by the Soviet public (I guess Art Deco and painted finish was out) and was replaced by the Zenit 3M. Oddly enough, the only real difference between the Kristall and 3M is the top plate. All the mechanical parts are the same, to the point I was able to get a bad 3M for parts to repair my Kristall.

For rangefinders, it's a tie between the FED-2 and the Canon P.

I like the smooth lines on the top plate, with the FED showing it's Leica II roots and the Canon looking like a LTM Leica M2.

The FED runs almost as smoothly as my Leicas since I got it a professional CLA. I think a lot of problems people have with the FSU cameras is the fact the lubricants are old and stiffening up, making them rougher than they were new.

 

[onre]

I think a lot of problems people have with the FSU cameras is the fact the lubricants are old and stiffening up, making them rougher than they were new.

That's my experience as well. I've taken apart and reassembled a lot of this stuff and have yet to find an actual manufacturing defect.

 

[Nodda Duma]

In my opinion, iconic German cameras of the 50s are amongst the best looking 35's out there. The Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super, released in 1959, is a perfect example.

From its molded brown leather with chrome-trimmed case

To its velvet red inner lining.

The dials and knobs are perfectly laid out and are the epitome of 50s styling, and the optics bring together the big names in photography of the time: Zeiss. Tessar. Compur.

I think this was the epitome of German consumer photography at the industry's height. When the Contaflex series was originally released in 1953, it was widely popular and set the pace for 35mm styling for the next several years. The super was costly to make, overly complex, but beautiful... providing insight into why the Japanese took over the market starting with Nikon's release of the F-series SLR that same year. Cost and function over form.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

To my eye, Zenit-S is the best looking SLR.

They do look nice and remind me of the Alpa 7 (the Alpa 7 SLR also has a vertical (!) rangefinder):

http://www.collection-appareils.fr/Alpa/images/Alpa7.jpg

In my opinion, iconic German cameras of the 50s are amongst the best looking 35's out there. ...

Alas, with some of their cameras, like the Voigtländer Bessamatic, two aspects of German design were problematic: in-body leaf shutters and and EV interlock on the lens which has "locked" as default. (*):

Then there are Exaktas:

(*) Hasselblad's C lenses had the lock as default as well, but then wisely switched to a "press to lock" button on the CF lenses.

 

[4season]

Altix V with 50/2.9 Meyer Trioplan. Arrived jammed, but a light CLA job got it working again. Tiny! Main gripe is lack of strap lugs.

Zorki 3M with 50/2 Jupiter-8. Recent arrival, needs CLA and new shutter curtains. I may repaint it while I'm at it. I guess it looks a little spartan due to the lack of the slow-speed dial up front, but on the other hand, it's nice to have all shutter speeds available from a single knob.

Pentax MX: Got it very cheaply but I think it was someone's backpacking camera because it was filled with what appeared to be fine trail grit! Did a light cleaning and de-denting, but it needs more work. Meter is also unresponsive, always reads high.

 

[AgX]

Then there are Exaktas:

The Exakta 500 has a nice flat front top.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

...

Pentax MX: ...

Hi ... What is the tool on the right used for? Did you get these from Microtools?

 

[Theo Sulphate]

The Exakta 500 has a nice flat front top.

Better view:

 

[4season]

Hi ... What is the tool on the right used for? Did you get these from Microtools?

"Minispan" from Micro-Tools.

 

[4season]

Then there are Exaktas:
View attachment 162511
QUOTE]

I hadn't been a fan of Exakta styling, but that VX IIa w/Flektogon looks intriguing.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

I hadn't been a fan of Exakta styling, but that VX IIa w/Flektogon looks intriguing

Better view:

Like Bleu Cheese dressing, Exaktas are an acquired taste.

 

[AgX]

What is the difference between those two automatic-diaphragm releases?

 

[Theo Sulphate]

What is the difference between those two automatic-diaphragm releases?

On the VXIIa's Carl Zeiss Jena 35/2.8 Flektogon, pressing the release half way will stop down the lens; pressing further will release the shutter. With no pressure on the release, the lens is always wide open.

On the VX's Steinheil München 55/1.9 Auto-Quinon, pressing the rectangular lever will produce the same results described above. However, with the round knob pulled forward, then the lens is stopped down and remains stopped down. It can be re-opened by pressing the rectangular lever half way down and then letting the lever return back up.

 

[haziz]

Olympus OM1, OM1N or OM2N.

 

[benjiboy]

I don't worry too much what cameras look like, there's a saying in this part of the World " handsome is, as handsome does ".

 

[narsuitus]

Pentax Spotmatic
Fuji ST705



Black M42 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[emacs]

I love those M42 Fujis, my ST901 and 801 get a lot of use.

 

[darinwc]

My vote goes for the Pentax Spotmatic. There is no flash shoe to break the nice lines of the prism. It is nicely sized. And that advance lever... Wow that advance lever is a piece of art!

The super-chromed German cameras always looked a bit gaudy to me. Icarex, bessamatic, etc.

Another contender is the Canon QL17 giii rangefinder.

 

[kb244]

OLD k1000s
ive been using mine consistantly since 1980
even fell out of my pack and the base hit pavement
i put duct tape on it and used it for 10 years before
taking to my repair friends who laughed at my low budget
repair job, and fixed it as good as new for like $30.
its been IDK 36 years and only taken to the repair shop once ..

Given the popularity of the model, they have often times seem to have gone up in price even over "better" cameras like the MX (or the KX if you prefer the match needle style meter like in the K1000).

 

[Army35mm]

Based on looks alone? My choice is this one.

I concur. Sadly mine is inoperable. You don't happen to be looking for a parts camera and a 28mm Vivitar lens? (silver model)

 

[alanrockwood]

Exakta

 

[Mark Kasick]

Doesn't it depend on whether the camera matches your outfit or not. Skinny jeans, handlebar mustache demand something truly retro. I mean..like a Minolta X700 just won't cut it.

 

[mgb74]

3 pages in this thread. I don't understand it.

Best looking camera under $150? Obviously the answer is the Pentax Spotmatic.

If you bend the $150 constraint, you could make an argument for the Canon P.

 

[Pioneer]

3 pages in this thread. I don't understand it.

Best looking camera under $150? Obviously the answer is the Pentax Spotmatic.

If you bend the $150 constraint, you could make an argument for the Canon P.

Close, but not there yet. Spotties are certainly nice but the best looking camera out there is the Pentax SV.