Minimal 35s

[E. von Hoegh]

I would take no frills to mean limited number of features, interchangeable prisms is a frill in my book while a self timer is not frill as it allows the shutter to be tripped without a cable release.

In the case of the F2, the self timer also allows shutter speeds to ten seconds.

 

[Sirius Glass]

There are many 120 folders. I had one with a very sharp Zeiss lens.

 

[narsuitus]

Who else has a favorite basic and competent 35...

A Nikon F2 with meterless prism is acceptable.

Since my Nikon F2 meets the original poster's criteria, I submit it as my "favorite basic and competent 35."

However, I still prefer my homemade pinhole cameras when I really want to go primitive.



Nikon F2 + 18mm lens by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Since my Nikon F2 meets the original poster's criteria, I submit it as my "favorite basic and competent 35."
...

That plain-prism F2 is beautiful. Give it to me.

 

[Bill Burk]

I think it's the "built-in" part.

If a camera was designed with a meter, e.g. Spotmatic, then it's not a minimalist camera. If the meter doesn't work, that doesn't matter: it was designed with a meter, so it's not minimalist.

Pentax S3V was my favorite until it got stolen. Been keeping my eyes peeled for Pentax SL to take its place.

 

[albada]

The Retina IIc is sharp, with lovely styling and minimalistic appeal since it lacks the meter found in the IIIc.
I have devised a way to brace the rack in this line of cameras, so that it will never strip, eliminating the major design-flaw in IIIc/IIc/Ib.

Mark Overton

 

[Down Under]

Wow.
I could write a pretty interesting essay, based solely on responses to this thread. Several pretty interesting essays, probably.

Wow indeed. Don't hand in those essays for a study course - no doubt the Guardian will publish at least one, if you give it to them free.

We can then clog up their Comments with yet more equally pretty interesting opinions and our pretty interests.

On the whole, PHOTRIO members write far better posts than most on the Guardian, so the OP's essay(s) and our responses would be a great improvement on their usual dismal fare of hipster news.

Seriously ( ), this thread has been amusing and certainly stimulating - I'll even dare to say pretty again, and many of the cameras mentioned are very pretty indeed). And fun. To be taken with tablespoonfuls of honey or maple syrup, not lemon juice or vinegar.

We who have so little to laugh about these days...

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Wow indeed. Don't hand in those essays for a study course - no doubt the Guardian will publish at least one, if you give it to them free.

We can then clog up their Comments with yet more equally pretty interesting opinions and our pretty interests.

On the whole, PHOTRIO members write far better posts than most on the Guardian, so the OP's essay(s) and our responses would be a great improvement on their usual dismal fare of hipster news.

Seriously ( ), this thread has been amusing and certainly stimulating - I'll even dare to say pretty again, and many of the cameras mentioned are very pretty indeed). And fun. To be taken with tablespoonfuls of honey or maple syrup, not lemon juice or vinegar.

We who have so little to laugh about these days...

I don't know anything about the Guardian.
What was on my mind when I started this thread was "clutter" and how it finds it's way into our lives through the tiniest points of access. I'm a great fan of simple things that work, the hinge for instance is an elegant device - and take a moment to imagine a world without hinges. Seriously.
Using the Pentax H1a (S1a outside the U.S.)bpoints out to me just how powerful a tool such a "primitive" SLR is - I have a Nikon outfit which I used semi professionally, but the lowly Pentax will do 99+% of what the Nikon stuff will do; the main lack is abscence of ttl metering for macro work. The Pentax is "uncluttered" in that every feature is used all the time, while the Nikons have quite a few features and options which are used occasionally or in the case of the motordrive option, never (by me).
A built in meter is nice, but the lack of one, except for the application cited above, is no inconvenience to me. On a month long trip to Germany I used a meterless Nikon F, three lenses, and a Gossen LunaSix, I never wished for the FTN finder I left home, and out of 8 36 exp. rolls of Agfa E6 film I missed not a single exposure - because I had to think each time I used the meter, the deliberate process being very beneficial. Contrast this to the "spray & pray" (= clutter) approach so prevalent today. Look at how cluttered most prosumer dslrs are, particularly those dreadful multilayer menues.

 

[guangong]

I don't know anything about the Guardian.
What was on my mind when I started this thread was "clutter" and how it finds it's way into our lives through the tiniest points of access. I'm a great fan of simple things that work, the hinge for instance is an elegant device - and take a moment to imagine a world without hinges. Seriously.
Using the Pentax H1a (S1a outside the U.S.)bpoints out to me just how powerful a tool such a "primitive" SLR is - I have a Nikon outfit which I used semi professionally, but the lowly Pentax will do 99+% of what the Nikon stuff will do; the main lack is abscence of ttl metering for macro work. The Pentax is "uncluttered" in that every feature is used all the time, while the Nikons have quite a few features and options which are used occasionally or in the case of the motordrive option, never (by me).
A built in meter is nice, but the lack of one, except for the application cited above, is no inconvenience to me. On a month long trip to Germany I used a meterless Nikon F, three lenses, and a Gossen LunaSix, I never wished for the FTN finder I left home, and out of 8 36 exp. rolls of Agfa E6 film I missed not a single exposure - because I had to think each time I used the meter, the deliberate process being very beneficial. Contrast this to the "spray & pray" (= clutter) approach so prevalent today. Look at how cluttered most prosumer dslrs are, particularly those dreadful multilayer menues.

Yes! Less is more. Better to have computer in head...not dependent on batteries.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Yes! Less is more. Better to have computer in head...not dependent on batteries.

Plus, it's easily mass produced by unskilled labor
You might want a bit of finesse in the programming, though - particularly the ROM.

 

[ic-racer]

I've been using a Pentax H1a as a daily carry camera lately, with the 55 f:2.2 Auto Takumar and a Gossen N100 meter.
I like the simplicity and handling of the camera, it seems smaller than it is and the lack of frills is very appealing.
Who else has a favorite basic and competent 35, either rf or slr?

Which part of "no built-in meter" is so #&@!$ difficult to understand?

???

 

[guangong]

Plus, it's easily mass produced by unskilled labor
You might want a bit of finesse in the programming, though - particularly the ROM.

A remark made by a little playmate of my three and a half yr old grandson, when his mother told him that his grandmother had died: “Just plug her into the charger”.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

???

The Gossen N100 is a handheld meter.

 

[Ces1um]

The Gossen N100 is a handheld meter.

I think he might be referring to the pentax h1-a's clip on light meter as the op doesn't like "on camera" meters. Why it makes any difference is beyond me as the op allows handheld meters. Maybe if you unclipped the clip on meter from the camera and used it handheld he'd be ok (I know-using a gossen and not the clip on). Op gets to set the criteria though. It's their thread.

***edit*** disregard this. Looking back through the conversation I don't think I interpreted things correctly.

 

[Chuckwade87]

Is it ironic that the OP's criteria for a minimal camera is that it has no meter, or battery, yet the actual meter he is using the Gossen N100 takes a battery? Kind of defeats the purpose to me, but whatever.


Why not just go all the way and use a Leica IG, 35mm Summaron, with no rangefinder or viewfinder and just use sunny 16?

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Olympus Pen F for me, with 38 f/1.8. Pretty compact and neat on its never ready case.


Regards

Marcelo

 

[E. von Hoegh]

That plain-prism F2 is beautiful. Give it to me.

You know what looks strange? An F2 body wearing an eye level finder from an F.
He can send me just the DE1, I'll send him an accurate DP11, and put the original prism back on the F and stop looking at that strangeness. I really think it could be dangerous... I'll see if it looks better on the black one.

 

[ciniframe]

Why not just go all the way and use a Leica IG, 35mm Summaron, with no rangefinder or viewfinder and just use sunny 16?

I already have a M4-2, yes it has a rangefinder but the lens I adapted to it should qualify as minimal, very minimal. It is a 2 element, 28mm f8 (fixed aperture and fixed at infinity) taken from a plastic 35mm camera and mounted in a generic body cap. Still have a first roll in the camera with that lens. Will have to see how it looks.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

You know what looks strange? An F2 body wearing an eye level finder from an F.
...

Hm? That's a proper DE-1 for an F2. The F never had that. All the F plain-prisms I've seen had a lovely "F" right in the center.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Hm? That's a proper DE-1 for an F2. The F never had that. All the F plain-prisms I've seen had a lovely "F" right in the center.

View attachment 198168 View attachment 198169

No no, my F2 is wearing a prism from an F. I wanted to see if it fit, it fits. Doesn't look good either, it's even worse on the black F2.

 

[Chuckwade87]

I already have a M4-2, yes it has a rangefinder but the lens I adapted to it should qualify as minimal, very minimal. It is a 2 element, 28mm f8 (fixed aperture and fixed at infinity) taken from a plastic 35mm camera and mounted in a generic body cap. Still have a first roll in the camera with that lens. Will have to see how it looks.

I take it is not rangefinder coupled? I've seen something similar on eBay, someone took a Minox 35 lens and adapted it to M mount. Interesting to see your results

 

[Down Under]

Since my Nikon F2 meets the original poster's criteria, I submit it as my "favorite basic and competent 35."

However, I still prefer my homemade pinhole cameras when I really want to go primitive.

(Quote) wow! (Exclamation mark added by poster). I thought my Nikkormats were the bee's knees.

This post has made me want to buy an F2, or maybe a pair of F2s.

Send the OP the pinhole. It seems more suited to his line of thought.

 

[Down Under]

I don't know anything about the Guardian.
What was on my mind when I started this thread was "clutter" and how it finds it's way into our lives through the tiniest points of access. I'm a great fan of simple things that work, the hinge for instance is an elegant device - and take a moment to imagine a world without hinges. Seriously.
Using the Pentax H1a (S1a outside the U.S.)bpoints out to me just how powerful a tool such a "primitive" SLR is - I have a Nikon outfit which I used semi professionally, but the lowly Pentax will do 99+% of what the Nikon stuff will do; the main lack is abscence of ttl metering for macro work. The Pentax is "uncluttered" in that every feature is used all the time, while the Nikons have quite a few features and options which are used occasionally or in the case of the motordrive option, never (by me).
A built in meter is nice, but the lack of one, except for the application cited above, is no inconvenience to me. On a month long trip to Germany I used a meterless Nikon F, three lenses, and a Gossen LunaSix, I never wished for the FTN finder I left home, and out of 8 36 exp. rolls of Agfa E6 film I missed not a single exposure - because I had to think each time I used the meter, the deliberate process being very beneficial. Contrast this to the "spray & pray" (= clutter) approach so prevalent today. Look at how cluttered most prosumer dslrs are, particularly those dreadful multilayer menues.

You and I are on the same page on almost all this. Entirely so.

Why didn't you say all this in your original post? All the angst you've caused, oh my.

You have well and truly buttered your own bread on this one. Now you'll have to lie on it.

To respectfully disagree on some of some of your points, by comparison to an inbuilt camera meter, how is a Gossen Lunasix around your neck not "clutter"?

Are you saying Pentaxes didn't have motor drives? Huh, we will have to disagree on that one.

Also that Pentaxes are "minimal" because they don't (again, so you say) don't take a motor drive, while Nikons aren't because they do?

By this logic, the fact that your Nikon F can take an FTN finder means it isn't really "minimal", doesn't it?

I do agree with the rest of your post about using "minimal" cameras. Which is what I try to do, with Nikkormats and Rollei TLRs. Also now and then a Voigtlander Perkeo II and a Kodak Retina IIc - overlooking the Perkeo and the Rolleis which are MF and not really relevant to this thread, you can't really get more minimal than those.

All respectfully submitted for your critical consideration.

For all this kit-kit and yap-yap, this is a fun thread. Please carry on!

 

[Sewin]

Basic and cheap.

Zenit B (or Praktica L) and Sunny 16.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

You and I are on the same page on almost all this. Entirely so.

Why didn't you say all this in your original post? All the angst you've caused, oh my.

You have well and truly buttered your own bread on this one. Now you'll have to lie on it.

To respectfully disagree on some of some of your points, by comparison to an inbuilt camera meter, how is a Gossen Lunasix around your neck not "clutter"?

Are you saying Pentaxes didn't have motor drives? Huh, we will have to disagree on that one.

Also that Pentaxes are "minimal" because they don't (again, so you say) don't take a motor drive, while Nikons aren't because they do?

By this logic, the fact that your Nikon F can take an FTN finder means it isn't really "minimal", doesn't it?

I do agree with the rest of your post about using "minimal" cameras. Which is what I try to do, with Nikkormats and Rollei TLRs. Also now and then a Voigtlander Perkeo II and a Kodak Retina IIc - overlooking the Perkeo and the Rolleis which are MF and not really relevant to this thread, you can't really get more minimal than those.

All respectfully submitted for your critical consideration.

For all this kit-kit and yap-yap, this is a fun thread. Please carry on!

As for angst and the turbidity of my op, my thoughts had not quite yet gelled into text; also with the typical tetrapyloctomy that takes place here, it likely wouldn't have mattered.

While Pentax did offer md capability, they did not in the pre- Spotmatic days when the H1a was designed. A handheld meter is acceptable, that was the pinnacle of sophistication in the '30s when 35mm cameras first became really capable. It allows reflected and incident readings, you can meter areas which may not be meterable with an in-camera meter, etc.. Minimal yet versatile. As for the Nikons, they can be configured in minimal mode - keep in mind that the metered finders came after the introduction of the F. I can use a Sinar meter at the filmplane of my Deardorff, which gives ttl metering on a viewcamera - that does not change the minimalism of the original Deardorff design.
My favorite 35s are my 5 Nikon bodies - 2 Nikkormats, 2 F2s, and an F - total investment in the bodies $250 over 25 years.
The Pentax screwmounts come next, SP-F, SP-1000, H1a $20 in all three. Then the rfs, a '36 Contax II with original Sonnar, all original accesories, papers, instructions, and the original bills of sale, I looked for exactly a year for just the right never-been-serviced Contax. Not cheap, but still a steal at $279. A pair of Kievs, 4 and 4a plus 35-50-85 fsu lenses and an as new 13.5 cm Nikkor for Contax. A pair of '49 Canon IIb Leica clones, '46 Summitar so far. Pretty basic save for the Nikons which were acquired as a working outfit, also I overhauled the Contax, stripping it to the bare casting, cleaning every part, and reassembling with modern lubricants; replaced the shutter curtains & overhauled one of the IIbs, and recemented the separated front pair of the Summitar.I repair & maintain my own stuff.