Underrated film cameras

[bluechromis]

I am not surprised to see the Mamiya C330 on the list of underrated cameras
https://fstoppers.com/film/most-overrated-and-underrated-film-cameras-2021-563868

 

[Pieter12]

On man's opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[gone]

Everyone's got their opinions......but I wouldn't pay too much attention to a list that includes an M3 as an overrated camera.

 

[awty]

All of them. The camera is one of the lesser important aspects of making a picture.
A good photographer can make a good picture with just about any working camera you give them.

 

[Helge]

BS.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Journalists make up drivel for their paychecks.

 

[Jeremy Mudd]

I don't want to sound negative, but I can't read anything that F-Stoppers puts out. Lee is an egotistic a-hole that hates all things film, and essentially said in a video that shooting film in today's digital age when you can just use presets is stupid. That's where he lost me. He can't conceive of someone doing something because they enjoy doing it.

Jeremy

 

[itsdoable]

Journalists make up drivel for their paychecks.

I like to give "Journalists" the benefit of doubt.

James is expressing his opinion, that make that article an editorial, he is not being a Journalist. In fact it is more of a Blog, and bloggers are not Journalists.

Perhaps it's just semantics, but it tough being a good Journalist these days, and I don't want to make it any harder.

 

[anthonym3]

Everyone's got their opinions......but I wouldn't pay too much attention to a list that includes an M3 as an overrated camera.

Anyone who regards an M-3 over rated obviously has LEICA envy and has never even held one. Mine is a 1955 model and has required service twice since i purchased it used in 1968. Right very over rated!

 

[Paul Howell]

Journalists make up drivel for their paychecks.

A real journalist reports the facts, a columnist reports his or her opinion.

 

[Sirius Glass]

A real journalist reports the facts, a columnist reports his or her opinion.

Unfortunately, the hack journalists are growing in number faster than the real journalists.

 

[grat]

Unfortunately, the hack journalists are growing in number faster than the real journalists.

They're standing in larger quantities of fertilizer.

 

[davela]

I agree with the above poster. The M3 is a camera worthy of the hype surrounding it. The first time I handled one many years ago (an early and minty DS), it left an ever lasting impression - I almost couldn't believe what a fine camera it was.

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Well everyone is entitled to his/her opinion I guess. On the same note, everyone is entitled to give a damn about that opinion

I used to have a Leica M3 and is a pretty amazing piece of equipment, I was not a big fan of it (sold it and keep a M6) but is worth its price and hype because it fullfil its duty in a great way.
Same with Pentax 67 II and Mamiya 7. Mamiya 7 glass on particular are amazing and not overrated at all.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Quite frankly, there’s no Leica worthy of the hype, and they’re probably all overrated to some degree. And I’m speaking purely of the fanboy and snobbery that they have grown to acquire in recent years. And the majority of those in the hands of fanboys probably aren’t being used to their full potential to begin with, so how can any accurate opinion, blog post, a article be posted or shared, and worse relied upon? Give me a review written by Erwitt, Winogrand, or Arbus and let’s see how thy differ from the fanboy reviews. I’d bet they’d be wildly different tones.

 

[MattKing]

Give me a review written by Erwitt, Winogrand, or Arbus and let’s see how thy differ from the fanboy reviews. I’d bet they’d be wildly different tones.

One of the things I've learned over the years is that there are very few really great photographers who I'd want to read a camera review from.
In fact, in most cases, there are very few great photographers who are all that great at writing in general.

 

[shutterlight]

In fact, in most cases, very few great photographers who are all that great at writing in general.

Robert Adams is at the top of that list.

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Quite frankly, there’s no Leica worthy of the hype, and they’re probably all overrated to some degree. And I’m speaking purely of the fanboy and snobbery that they have grown to acquire in recent years. And the majority of those in the hands of fanboys probably aren’t being used to their full potential to begin with, so how can any accurate opinion, blog post, a article be posted or shared, and worse relied upon? Give me a review written by Erwitt, Winogrand, or Arbus and let’s see how thy differ from the fanboy reviews. I’d bet they’d be wildly different tones.

Most likely I would regret this comments but..

That comment itself sounded pretty snobbish and full of contempt to me. Why should it matter if they are using or not their cameras? Who is to judge if they are using them or not to their full potential, although I doubt there is such thing, since Leica camera are very basic. Just ignore their comments and go on.

World is already full of comtempt and hatred so no need to add more. Just my 2 cents.

Marcelo0

 

[markjwyatt]

Most likely I would regret this comments but..

That comment itself sounded pretty snobbish and full of contempt to me. Why should it matter if they are using or not their cameras? Who is to judge if they are using them or not to their full potential, although I doubt there is such thing, since Leica camera are very basic. Just ignore their comments and go on.

World is already full of comtempt and hatred so no need to add more. Just my 2 cents.

Marcelo0

Much like the basic Leica, you are clearly a bread and water kind of guy, Marcelo.

 

[Helge]

Most likely I would regret this comments but..

That comment itself sounded pretty snobbish and full of contempt to me. Why should it matter if they are using or not their cameras? Who is to judge if they are using them or not to their full potential, although I doubt there is such thing, since Leica camera are very basic. Just ignore their comments and go on.

World is already full of comtempt and hatred so no need to add more. Just my 2 cents.

Marcelo0

When you see some douchebag who is telegraphing and radiating “I have a Leica” whenever he can and wherever he goes (think eminently punchable characters like Matt Day and Nick Carver). And he only has mediocre, tendentious, borderline plagiarized work to show for it. Then you are entitled to be snobbish. Most of all because you are a counter snob.

Strange how being a snob is the worst thing you can tell someone they are in the US, really.

 

[BMbikerider]

A real journalist reports the facts, a columnist reports his or her opinion.

Possibly a columnist is too idle to bother looking into things too deeply in case where he/she finds something he/she doesn't agree with so presents an opinion which has about as much weight as hydrogen. Or doesn't have the capability to make his/her mind up so becomes a parasite living of other's researched information.

 

[moto-uno]

Hey , they're just tools . Enjoy what you have . . Peter

 

[foc]

No mention of the Zenit E anywhere.
Maybe because it's such a love/hate camera.

 

[Helge]

Quite frankly, there’s no Leica worthy of the hype, and they’re probably all overrated to some degree. And I’m speaking purely of the fanboy and snobbery that they have grown to acquire in recent years. And the majority of those in the hands of fanboys probably aren’t being used to their full potential to begin with, so how can any accurate opinion, blog post, a article be posted or shared, and worse relied upon? Give me a review written by Erwitt, Winogrand, or Arbus and let’s see how thy differ from the fanboy reviews. I’d bet they’d be wildly different tones.

Leicas are damn good cameras. No doubt about that.
Any generation of Leica really, compared to their peers, and to most cameras of similar form factor of any decade.
A IIIf will still knock the socks off any compact rangefinder designed in the decades in between.
Not only in function, but in how well it’s made. The look and feel of solidity and sophistication.

The big question is: How much better is it really?

I’d say original Leitz optics are very, very good. Take the 50mm 2.0 50s Sumicron.
I’d say on a scale based on what other people say and my own observations, that it is “only” about 1.5 times better than for example a Hi-Matics Rokkor 45mm 1.8 tops.
If you take lines per millimeter, contrast, corner performance, they are not that different.
Difference is the Sumicron easily costs $2000 alone.
The Rokkor can be had for $100 permanently put on a pretty good body with leaf shutter for better daylight fill-flash and lightmeter.

So with a body running also at about $2000 for an M3 or a good Barnack body running at $500 to $1000, you are looking at a 30 to 40X difference in price, for what exactly?

That’s a hell of a lot of film and processing.

Back in the day the difference was more like 5X or 10X.
Still a lot, but worth it for some due to the better feel, the theoretical notion that you could buy another lens or two, and the durability.

Unless you get a deal, Leicas are not worth it at all, unless you are straight up honest about you buying a status symbol, and buy into that thing, the story and care about the people who are impressed by stuff like that.

 

[Don_ih]

Give me a review written by Erwitt, Winogrand, or Arbus

Most well-known street photographers shoot Leica - that's their review.

The thing that's special about a Leica is that, with a minimum of maintenance, it reliably does exactly what you want it to, quickly, quietly, and without anything extra.