Best M42 body?

[Zorkiphoto]

The ESII is by far my favourite, though I may have been lucky in that none of my four have had problems with the electrics.

The Ce and CE II Memotrons are fantastic cameras. Not so the CE3, which has a reputation for unreliability. Both the ones I picked up were duds.

The Praktica MTL 5/50 are cracking cameras. Loud, but with an incredibly reliable shutter.

The Bessaflex is expensive, but a lovely camera. I had three, sold two when i switched to ESIIs as my main travel camera. But those three Bessaflexes have seen a lot of the world.

The Zenit 19 is the pinnacle of the Zenit range and a great camera.

The Zenit E is the cheapest possible way into taking decent film pics. Find a working one, match it with a late-model Helios-44 and you're laughing.

S

 

[onre]

Find a working one, match it with a late-model Helios-44 and you're laughing.

Why late-model? These are taken with a 44-2 from 1975.

 

[AgX]

The Zenit E is the cheapest possible way into taking decent film pics. Find a working one, match it with a late-model Helios-44 and you're laughing.

There is not much to go bad (mechanically). The aperture blades likely can become sticky. But there is access to them from behind.
With the early models without automic diaphragm not even that would matter.

 

[Paul Howell]

The ESII is by far my favourite, though I may have been lucky in that none of my four have had problems with the electrics.

The Ce and CE II Memotrons are fantastic cameras. Not so the CE3, which has a reputation for unreliability. Both the ones I picked up were duds.

The Praktica MTL 5/50 are cracking cameras. Loud, but with an incredibly reliable shutter.

The Bessaflex is expensive, but a lovely camera. I had three, sold two when i switched to ESIIs as my main travel camera. But those three Bessaflexes have seen a lot of the world.

The Zenit 19 is the pinnacle of the Zenit range and a great camera.

The Zenit E is the cheapest possible way into taking decent film pics. Find a working one, match it with a late-model Helios-44 and you're laughing.

S

I bought my CE3 in 1980 or 81 new out of the box, it has worked fine, just one cleaning and adjusting, my CM II on the hand has developed a intermittent short in the meter, the diodes will only come on if the camera is held either upside down or vertical, sometime.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Cannot go wrong with a Spotmatic. I've got a Fujica I like and a Mamiya and a Praktica. Each a bit different. Some I got as free "rear lens caps" when buying lenses so they can be had very very cheap if you look....

 

[gone]

I like my Canon FT QL w/ a $10 Chinese FD to M42 adapter. You have to do the stop down metering thing, but since the meter does not work anyway, no problem. This camera has taken a LOT of photos w/ Helios lenses for 10+ years.

If I find a Zenit, model E or otherwise, that actually works right I'm laughing.

 

[flavio81]

I own most of the classic Canon and Nikon SLRs and no M42 lens, but if I think the Spotmatic has better ergonomics than practically all my Canon and Nikons, and is smaller. So a great choice.