Cameras you don't click with.

[snusmumriken]

I don't like the FE because the film advamce lever needs to be pulled out to turn the camera on and unlock it. Since I'm left eyed, that pokes me in the eye and made the camera basically unusable.

I got used to being poked in the eye, but I couldn’t live with the embarrassingly loud mechanism. Didn’t like the 35 and 50 lenses I had, either. The 105 was superb though.

 

[M-88]

I got used to being poked in the eye, but I couldn’t live with the embarrassingly loud mechanism. Didn’t like the 35 and 50 lenses I had, either. The 105 was superb though.

One truly awkward and "unclickable" situation with FE was whenever I needed to hold a camera in portrait orientation AND use AE lock function at a same time. Everything else can be lived with.

 

[Craig]

I got used to being poked in the eye, but I couldn’t live with the embarrassingly loud mechanism. Didn’t like the 35 and 50 lenses I had, either. The 105 was superb though.

The only reason I have kept the FE was because it was my grandfathers camera. I never use it, just keep it on a shelf as a memory of him. Actually both by grandfathers were into photography, I also have my other grandfathers Zeiss 645 folder that he carried through World War 2.

 

[Steven Lee]

The Mamiya 7 might not be pretty, but it still remains the only 6x7 camera that really gets out of your way when you are photographing. Not much to look at... but it is light, efficient, easy to carry around. A joy to use, for any kind of work (apart from macro and tight portraits, obviously).

Ugliness of this level gives you face cancer after repeated contact, so you have to wear gloves and a full-face motorcycle helmet when shooting with one. A joy to use? I don't think so.

Very few people know this, but Mamiya 7 triggered the lost decades in Japan.

 

[thicktheo]

Very few people know this, but Mamiya 7 triggered the lost decades in Japan.

Wait... do you mean that maybe, aided by the butterfly effect, those clunky old wooden cameras brought around the Great Depression?

 

[gone]

You didn't know that beforehand? You never heard the nickname "Texas Leica"? The specs are online, ya know...

Well, that is true of course. But specs are just words. Until you actually see and hold the camera in your hands, you just don't know. Someone could describe to you what an apple looks and tastes like for 100 years, but simply handing it to you to hold and eat, ah, then you understand.

I had also hoped that "Texas Leica" was an exaggeration. Then there was this subliminal concern that it might stand up and start telling me "Don't mess w/ Texas", and "Remember the Alamo", whatever any of that means. I'm from the South, and Texas is allegedly a Southern state. But when I lived there, all that brashness clashed with my Southern manners. No offense to Texans, but it felt like another country,

 

[Huss]

My GW690iii for sure gave excellent results. Just did not like using it. Film wind on felt like you were playing w a Fisher Price toy camera, shutter release and sound was just so not good.

 

[Autonerd]

Nikon FE. One of the first cameras I inherited when I got back into film and I always thought it would be a fave -- I had a good lens for it (50/1.4) and it had all the features I could ask for. Paid to have it CLA'd and shutter repaired.

But...

I never "clicked" with it, or it with me. The viewfinder is massive and hard to use -- feels like you have to look all over the place to focus and set the meter (and I keep forgetting the aperture readout is even there). And despite all the hype surrounding it, I didn't find it to be significantly better, in application or photo quality, than my Pentax cameras. When it broke again (meter) I declined to have it repaired, and put it on the shelf.

As it happens, the one Nikon I really like is the FG, and I do enjoy the challenge of my FT2. My N8008 is a lovely camera though I rarely use it as it's a bit boring. Still, I am grateful to the FE for dispelling the notion that Nikons are somehow superior cameras. I'm much happier with my Pentaxes and Ricohs and Minoltas.

Aaron

 

[Huss]

Zenit TTL - awful in every way, including extremely sharp edges to the hot shoe which literally could draw blood.

Zenit 212K - See above, but at least it did not draw blood. And also Leica copied it for the design of their R8.

Best part? Both had a vf that showed the equivalent of 60% of the actual film area.

 

[albireo]

Another vote for the Nikon FE - vastly overrated IMO and a bad design for my needs. I'm another left eyed/left handed guy and that stupid lever needing to be popped out just doesn't work for me.

Also, it's a camera that is too big, too bulky, too noisy for what it does. I dislike the cheap "springy" sound of its shutter actuation. The viewfinder is puny, I hate composing through it - magnification is what - something like .76X. I don't like that exposure compensation dial that needs to be lifted up to be moved. A bland camera, I used it a couple of times then forgot in a drawer. I really need to pass it on.

I much prefer using my other Nikons and my wonderful Olympus OM2n. The OM2n is, for my taste, everything the FE should have been but was not, and I speak as a long term Nikon user (I had never even heard of an 'OM cult'). Small, nimble, smooth, absolutely stunning huge viewfinder, fantastic small primes (my 28mm f/2.8 MC Zuiko is better than many Nikkor primes I own).

 

[flavio81]

Agreed on the Kiev/Contax I bought one to test some lenses
Glass was amazing, camera felt archaic

Focusing wasnt that bad, the whole speed changing method and film transport made the process very unfriendly to me.

Which lenses were you using?

Focusing should be great, a Kiev with a service rangefinder has a great, very contrasty rangefinder.

I agree in the rest, it is unfriendly. That's why I prefer my Contax IIa and IIIa bodies, the ergonomics are better in every way.

 

[lxdude]

Someone could describe to you what an apple looks and tastes like for 100 years, but simply handing it to you to hold and eat, ah, then you understand.

Just do not attempt to eat a Texas Leica. Though if you do, it will make several meals.

 

[blee1996]

We are really living in the age of plenty, in terms of analog film gear. Once we need several month's salary to afford one 35mm SLR, now we can buy 10 of them on a whim with less money we spend on a fancy dinner. I loved my Canon AE-1, Nikon FE, Nikon F801S (N8008s), and Fujica G690BL when they were my only camera and producing tons of beautiful pictures out of them. But now I have sampled so many other cameras, they are no longer my top choices going out for a photo stroll.

The cameras that I truly cannot click with, are:

1. Voigtlander Prominent rangefinder: all the controls are in the weird places. But the lenses are so good (Nokton 50/1.5, Ultron 50/2, Skoparon 35/3.5), so I have to bear with the terrible ergonomics.
2. Several 6x9 medium format folders (Voigtlander Bessa RF, Zeiss Mess Ikonta) that have shutter release either on the left, or on the lens board. I seem to have more camera shake when the shutter button is not in the usual place.
3. Several 6x6 TLRs that are impossible to focus (Voigtlander Superb, Ansco Automatic Reflex). The screens are bit too bright and hard to nail focus, or the hood design does not shield ambient light.
4. Kodak Medalist: it is impossible to hold, viewfinder and rangefinder are separate, the shutter cocking and film advance does not always work together, and the helicoid can be sticky. Once I get used to it, the rangefinder is actually very precise and easy, and the Ektar lens is well worth it.

Some cameras took me significant effort to get used to and appreciate:

• Hasselblad V system (500C, 500C/M, 501C/M, 533ELX): there are too many inter-locks and little things to remember, even loading magazine after a long while can be challenging. But once I use it more regularly and get familiar with the system, I start to appreciate the quality and design.

Compared to the above, all the modern 35mm manual SLRs (Nikon, Canon, Konica, Pentax, Olympus, Minolta) seem to be totally usable and ergonomic.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

I have tried many cameras but the only ones I like are the Leica M6, Nikon F3hp & for the beach and rugged sports the Nikonos V.

 

[Sirius Glass]

We are really living in the age of plenty, in terms of analog film gear. ...
Some cameras took me significant effort to get used to and appreciate:

• Hasselblad V system (500C, 500C/M, 501C/M, 533ELX): there are too many inter-locks and little things to remember, even loading magazine after a long while can be challenging. But once I use it more regularly and get familiar with the system, I start to appreciate the quality and design

I found the learning curve very easy for the Hasselblad.

• The dark slide keeps the camera from firing and must be in in order to change film backs
• Make sure the lens and camera body are cocked before removing or putting on
• When extender or close up tubes are used put on the tube(s) or extender and then the lens. Reverse the process for removing
• Load film in the film back, black side facing out

There that was no hard. It is easier than falling off a motor cycle!

 

[Mike Lopez]

...No offense to Texans, but it felt like another country,

I lived there for 2 years while in grad school, and I can assure you that there are thousands and thousands of Texans who wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[KerrKid]

I lived there for 2 years while in grad school, and I can assure you that there are thousands and thousands of Texans who wouldn't have it any other way.

I’m one of them!

 

[titrisol]

Which lenses were you using?

Focusing should be great, a Kiev with a service rangefinder has a great, very contrasty rangefinder.

I agree in the rest, it is unfriendly. That's why I prefer my Contax IIa and IIIa bodies, the ergonomics are better in every way.

Hola Flavio!
I tried a IIIa as well, but it was just not for me.

I had a good set of german, east german, and soviet lenses to test and they were all good (the 35mm Jupiter 12 was the worst of the group)

 

[KerrKid]

I‘ve been shooting pix with my Pentax Zoom 90WR.

What a mushy shutter. When I can find it. I kept pressing the zoom buttons instead. Oh well. The experience has been painless otherwise.

It’s not a camera I am drawn to, but if the pix come out good, I will take it places I wouldn’t take something nicer.

 

[snusmumriken]

While I clunked with a Nikon FE, I do click with a Rollei 35. But with a Leica I just go “pht”.

 

[Huss]

I‘ve been shooting pix with my Pentax Zoom 90WR.

What a mushy shutter. When I can find it. I kept pressing the zoom buttons instead. Oh well. The experience has been painless otherwise.

It’s not a camera I am drawn to, but if the pix come out good, I will take it places I wouldn’t take something nicer.

C'mon, the shutter button is that big grey button perfectly placed!



I guess it may feel mushy due to the rubber weather sealing cover, but I'll take that as a trade off. I hope yours makes as good pics as mine does!
Really wild that a camera this good is under $20.. Just that the vast majority of people have no idea, and migrate to the trendy cameras.

Bad weather over the next few days so I'll load some film into this one.


The problem I have with mine is I always struggle re-attaching the battery cover. Goes on super easy w/o batteries, but with them I just have issues...

 

[KerrKid]

C'mon, the shutter button is that big grey button perfectly placed!



I guess it may feel mushy due to the rubber weather sealing cover, but I'll take that as a trade off. I hope yours makes as good pics as mine does!
Really wild that a camera this good is under $20.. Just that the vast majority of people have no idea, and migrate to the trendy cameras.

Bad weather over the next few days so I'll load some film into this one.


The problem I have with mine is I always struggle re-attaching the battery cover. Goes on super easy w/o batteries, but with them I just have issues...

I guess I have big hands because the entire pad of my shutter finger falls well past the shutter. It just make it very awkward to shoot.

The water resistent pad over the shutter can be forgiven for creating a mushy feel. It's not a dealbreaker, but I do wish it was better.

I dunno. If I keep shooting with it, I may get a lot more comfortable with it.

My GAS runs so deep that I'm actually contemplating getting another one. How do I pass up a camera as good as this for $10? I need an intervention.

 

[MattKing]

I need an intervention.

I'm afraid you've come to the wrong 12 step group for that intervention.

 

[Huss]

I guess I have big hands because the entire pad of my shutter finger falls well past the shutter. It just make it very awkward to shoot.

The water resistent pad over the shutter can be forgiven for creating a mushy feel. It's not a dealbreaker, but I do wish it was better.

I dunno. If I keep shooting with it, I may get a lot more comfortable with it.

My GAS runs so deep that I'm actually contemplating getting another one. How do I pass up a camera as good as this for $10? I need an intervention.

I shot a roll of Kentmere 400 through it. It was raining on and off, so low light weather. The pics were no where near as sharp as when I use it in nice sunny weather. Understandable because the lens is now being used wide open (I assume), but still disappointing if you are planning on big prints.
I guess I am just used to shooting in sunshine!

 

[KerrKid]

I shot a roll of Kentmere 400 through it. It was raining on and off, so low light weather. The pics were no where near as sharp as when I use it in nice sunny weather. Understandable because the lens is now being used wide open (I assume), but still disappointing if you are planning on big prints.
I guess I am just used to shooting in sunshine!

I shot some pix earlier in the week and again today. All sunny days. I have a roll of Delta 400 in the camera. Interested to see the outcome. Glad to know that low light is not the camera’s friend.

The shutter isn’t really mushy like I thought it was. It just doesn’t feel like a regular shutter. There isn’t any click. Depress the shutter and all you hear is the film advancing. Not a thing wrong with that, it’s just different and the film advance isn’t loud.

I have to say that I like the ergonomics much better than the Pentax 928M. That camera has all the character of a dead cat.