most "intelligent-looking" cameras?

[Poisson Du Jour]

Any pinhole camera.

 

[Ces1um]

If you're looking for ones that just "look" intelligent and difficult to use, I go for the bessa R3M. It is literally covered in stark white text against its black background making it look like there's a ton of reading required to operate all its knobs, rings, levers, etc...

 

[dpurdy]

Another old thread dug up from the archives.

I agree with Sirius.. Large format cameras are the most intellectually challenging.

 

[Soeren]

I mean those that look like they take a lot of intellingence to operate successfully. My vote goes to high-end 35mm RFs & 2 1/4 TLRs.

Sorry but BAAH
I dont consider any camera especially intellectual challenging. Some require more thoroughness and attention but learning a procedure for operating them is no more challenging than any craft. modern film has so much latitude you can get away with a lot using a Boxcamera and setting up a viewcamera is no harder than going trough a simple checklist.The Mamiya RB may be more complicated than a Pentax 67 but Again working step by step does not take more brain effort Your vision as a Photographer and putting that into the print on the other hand...........

 

[michr]

If the question is only what camera looks like it needs intelligence then it'd be hard to see past the Argus C3

I came here looking for this. The first black C3 I bought looked so difficult to use when I first got it. Now I know how simple they are, but part of that impression is the number of gears and dials on the front surface. Lots of other cameras have that stuff hidden away, or on the top plate.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I mean those that look like they take a lot of intellingence to operate successfully. My vote goes to high-end 35mm RFs & 2 1/4 TLRs.

I don't know what is 2 1/4 TLR, I used plenty of 6x6 TLRs. But I know very well RFs. Not sure what high-end means where, yet, but I currently own two Leica RF cameras and my family FED-2 (available on ebay as 50$ kit after CLA and 90 days warranty). Here is absolutely no difference how to operate. Here is only Aperture and Shutter speed. And very simple focusing. Select ISO on iPhone application and it will tell you how to set the camera. No intelligence needed. But time.

And since it is mixed forum, my intelligence is not enough to operate current load of OlyfuSonic fancy digital cameras. Dump of barely organized menus is hard to deal for me. I'm just not flight simulator player, I think, this to whom those cameras are addressed.

 

[Slixtiesix]

Any view camera, but 35mm Rangefinder is a close second.

 

[R.Gould]

I don't know what is 2 1/4 TLR, I used plenty of 6x6 TLRs. But I know very well RFs. Not sure what high-end means where, yet, but I currently own two Leica RF cameras and my family FED-2 (available on ebay as 50$ kit after CLA and 90 days warranty). Here is absolutely no difference how to operate. Here is only Aperture and Shutter speed. And very simple focusing. Select ISO on iPhone application and it will tell you how to set the camera. No intelligence needed. But time.

And since it is mixed forum, my intelligence is not enough to operate current load of OlyfuSonic fancy digital cameras. Dump of barely organized menus is hard to deal for me. I'm just not flight simulator player, I think, this to whom those cameras are addressed.

21/ tlr's are the same as 66 tlr's the 21/4 square is the British imperial size for them, I can think of a couple that fits the bill and gets folk thinking how clwver you are, Old LTM leica's, English made cameras such as Ensign folders or Microcord 1 1/2, or fixed lens folders both 35mm and MF folders always get people thinking you must know what you are doing, when I am out and about with mine I always get comments about them, and that they are ''real,nice and complicated'' old cameras,

 

[jim10219]

I would say one of those Hit cameras. Those ultra tiny, toy, spy cameras found in the back of old comic books. No focusing. No aperture options. Two speed options if you include "bulb mode". And these days, you have to make and develop your own film. And that's probably going to involve making your own spool if you want to use a daylight tank.

Either that or a wet plate view camera. It has all of the difficulty of a regular view camera, but you have to coat your own film on the spot, and then develop it immediately after the shot. Or in the same vein, maybe a kamera-e-faoree (Afghanistan Box Camera). That's a camera and dark room in one.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

21/ tlr's are the same as 66 tlr's the 21/4 square is the British imperial size for them, I can think of a couple that fits the bill and gets folk thinking how clwver you are, Old LTM leica's, English made cameras such as Ensign folders or Microcord 1 1/2, or fixed lens folders both 35mm and MF folders always get people thinking you must know what you are doing, when I am out and about with mine I always get comments about them, and that they are ''real,nice and complicated'' old cameras,

LTM Leica is the one! Only smart ones could load it. And then you have to switch between focus and framing parts. I often ended up with framing by focusing window.

 

[Paul Manuell]

Taking 'intelligent looking' to mean looking complicated to use, for me it would have to be the Mamiya RB/RZ 67s. I'd love to buy and use one, but they just look far too involved for simple use, unlike my 35mm SLR like Pentax 645 NII

 

[R.Gould]

LTM Leica is the one! Only smart ones could load it. And then you have to switch between focus and framing parts. I often ended up with framing by focusing window.

First time I tried loading mine it took me nearly an hour, these days with practice it is easier, I can even load it in the field, but it makes people think you ust be smart to try when they see only the bottom comes off, part of the fun of owing an old Leics for focusing/swithcing, the Vopigtlander turnit 3 viewfinder is your best friend, focus then switch to the approite set viewfinder, 35,50,100 with the turn of the viewfinder body, or 135 with the attached frame,

 

[Eric Rose]

My vote goes to Nikon F with Photomic head. You not only look intelligent you look sophisticated and worldly. All at the same time. That and rocking a 4 day growth.

 

[Cholentpot]

My vote goes for the Mamiya M645 original. It looks like it means business and has knobs and growths all over it. Looks more like a movie camera than a film camera.

 

[chip j]

My vote goes to Nikon F with Photomic head. You not only look intelligent you look sophisticated and worldly. All at the same time. That and rocking a 4 day growth.

Yes, I always thought it was the SMARTEST looking camera. I have one in almost like new condition, incl. the FTN meter, which works fine.