The camera that you use much more and less than expected

Sirius Glass said:

35mm is for when I do not have much time to take photographs such as when I am on a trip and I do not want to slow down others.

The Hasselblad is for fun and when I was to do serious work or to do sirius work.

4"x5" is for experimentation and play time.

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I can agree with this, 4x5 time is fun time. Nothing more interesting than hauling my Crown Graphic downtown with two or three loaded Grafmatics and start taking photographs of people walking around. Some of the looks that come out on those negatives are enough to keep you hootin and hollerin for some time!

Pioneer said:

I can agree with this, 4x5 time is fun time. Nothing more interesting than hauling my Crown Graphic downtown with two or three loaded Grafmatics and start taking photographs of people walking around. Some of the looks that come out on those negatives are enough to keep you hootin and hollerin for some time!

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I'll have to try that.

Pioneer said:

I can agree with this, 4x5 time is fun time. Nothing more interesting than hauling my Crown Graphic downtown with two or three loaded Grafmatics and start taking photographs of people walking around. Some of the looks that come out on those negatives are enough to keep you hootin and hollerin for some time!

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That's a great idea... I've been thinking about something to do with my 5x7 for a long time. I make square 5x5 negatives, which print well in my 4x5 ProLab Omega. Thanks for the inspiration!

Could be a laugh and a half to do this.

frank said:

I'll have to try that.

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Almost as good (although some consider it worthless, but I beg to differ) and just as much fun is a roll film back with proper viewfinder mask and a well-adjusted rangefinder.

Most used is my Voigtlander Vitomatic - it is just so nice to use.

Does not get used is my Zeiss Ikon Contaflex - too heavy and fiddly.

A longtime Nikon F-series user (F2 through to the most recent F6), I have, in the past, found that models would, for no real good reason, fall into irregular use ("rotations" excepted) when a new model would announce itself (i.e. F3 replaced the F2, F5 replaced the F3 and the F6 replaced the F5 as my go-to camera when a 35mm SLR was called into duty). This pattern, if you will, was disturbed when I began sending in my F2s to Sover Wong for "Soverization." Subsequently, the F5 and F6 bodies have spent more time locked in their respective Halliburtons while I have been getting reacquainted with the simple virtues of the F2. Likewise the AFSers are collecting a bit of dust while the Ais arsenal is in regular use...

1 - Which camera do you have that you find yourself using a lot more than you ever expected, and what about it surprised you?

I was just getting into digital when I scored a T90 and 1V via ebay, thinking they'd be shelf queens. Today the T90 is my most-used camera, followed by several EOS. The 5D has been gathering dust for a couple of years now. Can't say I'm surprised by my love affair with it, the T90 was my first real camera way back when, used it in photography classes, took it on road trips, etc.


2 - What camera did you get that just hasn't worked out to be used as often as you planned, and why?

RB67. Beast of a camera. I've had mine for two or three years now, and I've put just under two rolls through it. I've never been a tripod kinda guy, so I just wore it around my neck. It worked out pretty well, but there's always something I'd rather use, so it stays at home. No plans to sell, I just have to make up my mind to use it.

My most used camera is a Minolta XD-11. An elegant smaller camera that just feels right and sounds solid. Before it was an X-700 or two that were bought new in 1984. Somehow I missed the boat by not getting the XD-11 first.
My least used camera is a Minolta Maxxum 8000i. It is a quite capable camera with lots of features but is too big for my tastes. I recently bought a Maxxum 700si to take advantage of my A mount lenses. It's smaller like the XD-11 and X-700.
It may be a favorite as well. One MF & one AF.

1 - Which camera do you have that you find yourself using a lot more than you ever expected, and what about it surprised you?

My Wista 4x5 - it's so much fun, the negatives so big, it encourages random conversation with interesting people, and I have somehow retained the motivation for 6 years to take it places and set it up all the time.

2 - What camera did you get that just hasn't worked out to be used as often as you planned, and why?

Canon EOS 1v - It's an awesome beast but it's just heavy and lacks charm. I'd rather use a Rollei 35 or Olympus OM4...

Marc!