Most tactile camera to use

cliveh · Nov 27, 2013

Out of all the cameras you own or have handled and disregarding design, function etc. What one camera do you consider the most tactile to use? For me, I think it would have to be a Leica II not in its case. When Oskar Barnack designed this camera, I think he was in direct communication with god.

benjiboy · Nov 27, 2013

I think my most tactile camera I have is my Canon T 90.

MattKrull · Nov 27, 2013

For me it is the OM40. Sounds odd to chose a ruber coated consumer grade SLR, but I can control everything from the lens barrel (aperture, focus, and shutter speed). I never need to take my eye from the view finder. All the controls have nice clear clicks whcih let me know when things have been changed, even when wearing light gloves. I might prefer an OM-single digit, but I haven't had the chance to handle one in as good condition as my OM40.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 27, 2013

cliveh said:
Out of all the cameras you own or have handled and disregarding design, function etc. What one camera do you consider the most tactile to use? For me, I think it would have to be a Leica II not in its case.

Leica II/III are really nice, but I don't have one.I had a couple DS M3s, they felt almost as good as the early Nikons. I do however have a Canon SIIb, which has very much the same feel as a Barnack Leica except for the Nikonish angled corners. I also like the angular solidity of my Nikon F/Nikkormat FT/FTN. I'm rating these on simply holding them, not smoothness of controls & etc., and I'm sticking to 35mm.

chip j · Nov 27, 2013

A F6 felt the best in my hands out of the many cameras I have seen & owned.

Thomas Bertilsson · Nov 27, 2013

Rolleiflex TLR. I miss mine insanely, but can't afford to buy it back.

David Brown · Nov 27, 2013

Minolta Maxxum 7.

Fixcinater · Nov 27, 2013

My top two cameras: Pentax 67 MLU and M3. Probably because they are so simple.

A lot of them are 90-95% there but have some small oddities holding them back: SX70 focus wheel, Canon A1 function dial, Rolleicord's linked aperture/shutter dials, Canon 7 has so many little knobs/switches on the top/back panel.

Maris · Nov 27, 2013

Most tactile? My Tachihara 810HD triple extension field view camera! When I'm looking at the ground glass focussing screen under the dark cloth all the camera and lens controls are located and operated by touch only.

Nick Merritt · Nov 27, 2013

I suppose the question means, which cameras feel best in the hand -- convenience of controls, tactile sense, sounds. For that I guess my top choices would be Leica M3 DS, Olympus OM1 and Nikon F2.

RalphLambrecht · Nov 27, 2013

for me it is the Mamiya 6.

Kawaiithulhu · Nov 27, 2013

I grew up with my grandfather's Leica M3, which I still have, and just love the solid yet smooth operation and the little noises it makes while winding and shooting. Plus it just feels nice held for shooting and cradling underneath to focus.

Lately I've acquired a Graflex 4x5 and all the little twisty, bendy, gadgety bits to restore and play with have made my "I love complex systems" side happy.

Can I have two answers?

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Nov 27, 2013

Leica II is the best camera I have ever handled. I could not believe it how it was good. Viewfinder was best.

dmschnute · Nov 27, 2013

Kodak folders prior to the Monitor; (Special/Senior/Junior, et al)

The little mushroom-shaped shutter release button on the body was in exactly the right place for a gentle, measured squeeze -- especially with shutters that are cocked. The 620 size was a perfect fit for my hands.

The Monitor spoiled it all what with a complex linkage in the body, and across and around the bed. IMHO, it is stiff and unresponsive.

The Tourist falls in a close second-best, although it doesn't feel the same.

A real pity none of these cameras ever had Compur shutters and Ektar lenses.

AgX · Nov 27, 2013

Tactile?

What does that mean? Any camera is tactile.
And aside of those standard click-stops there are merely other features concerning tactibility. The most important of those would be differenciation between metering and release position at the release button.

In general, concerning operation, cameras are designed (though often bad) for vision not for feel.

Christopher Walrath · Nov 27, 2013

Presuming we mean to mention the camera that felt most natural and comfortable while using...

I was going to say my old Minolta XG-M. I was my first and always will be one of my favorites.

However, I think I would have to settle on my old RB67. That thing was a tank but not unwieldy. I really enjoyed using that system when I had it.

AgX · Nov 27, 2013

Well, then amongst SLRs it would be the T90 for my hands.

But this is a wide and tricky field. A camera that feels good does not necessarily deliver the best result concerning image stabiltity for instance. Another design with some extra lever may yield better results though it may not feel that way.

And sometimes you look at a camera and think "that would hold nice" due to its special design and then it is very disappointing. The Exa for example.

Dan Fromm · Nov 27, 2013

Perkeo II. After that, Nikkormat, FTN or later.

PhotoJim · Nov 27, 2013

Nikon F4 and FM2/FM2n. And, strangely, Fed 2b.

Pioneer · Nov 27, 2013

I love my Leica II, as well as a number of others. They are all wonderful cameras when it comes to fondling.

But the camera that feels the absolute best when I am actually working with it is my Pentax 645Nii. When I am just standing around it is big, heavy and, depending on the lens, a bit awkward. But when I start taking pictures it becomes an extension of me and it changes from big and awkward to sleek and streamlined. I completely forget the weight and size. Everything just works.

My 2 cents.

mike c · Nov 27, 2013

My Hasselblad with the pistol grip and old style meter prism and the 50mm, 80mm or 150mm lens for hand held . Would like a pistol grip with a flash attachment.

Mike

irvd2x · Nov 27, 2013

I concur with Ralph,
of the cameras I have owned(scores..all formats) by far the best in my hands was a Mamiya 6 w / 50 wide angle lens.

Sent from my LG-P509 using Tapatalk 2

MattKing · Nov 27, 2013

My Mamiya C330.

Sirius will probably shudder when he sees this.

Christopher Walrath · Nov 27, 2013

Yup. Probably.

winger · Nov 27, 2013

I have to pick 2 (that's still under 10% of what I've got):
Pentax H1a (pre-spotmatic; older than I) - I can use it without thinking about anything and it just has a nice solid feel.
Pentax 645N - at least with the 75mm, it feels nice and solid, but not ungainly.
I can shoot both without having to really look at the camera to adjust anything.

Most tactile camera to use

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