Unpopular Cameras You Like

blockend · Jun 7, 2018

Deciding what camera to carry in the saddlebag of my bike, I eventually settled on the Canon T70. It isn't pampered in that environment, has no case and bounces around with food, clothes, tools and stuff.

I wanted something that wasn't valuable but could take good lenses. It had to use readily available batteries, AAs can still be bought in supermarkets or fuel stops. Something not too heavy, but robust.

The T70 doesn't get much love and is undeniably one of the ugliest SLRs made, but I kinda like it. Any cameras you like that the world doesn't?

CMoore · Jun 7, 2018

I am not sure how Popular/Unpopular they were when released as a New camera, but.......Minolta XG-M and the Canon AT-1.
I rarely see either of those on the street, and rarely read about them on The Internet.
Neither are my "Favorite" 35mm SLR, but i could certainly be happy if, for some reason, one of them became my Only SLR.

removed account4 · Jun 7, 2018

if it can be a fixed lenz zone focus RF i like the affa optima. i had never heard of it before it was gifted to us.
huge bright finder easy to focus ( has feet and metres on the barrel )

AgX · Jun 7, 2018

Of all models I got, I got most samples of the T70. Seen availabilty, price, functionaliy, the perfect SLR for the saddlebag.
(Though it won't fit in my saddlebag, maybe we should start a thread on saddlebags.)

4season · Jun 7, 2018

I haven't tried a T70 (yet) but I do like the Pentax P30t. That particular variant offers A and M modes only (no P) but it has a clever little battery door which isn't readily lost. Combined with 40/2.8 lens, it makes for one of the flattest SLRs that I'm aware of. The more common 50/2 is also nicely compact.

Why not wrap your camera in clean clothes? That way it's protected.

mard0 · Jun 7, 2018

The Olympus OM 20. I actually like it over the OM 1 and 2.

CMoore · Jun 7, 2018

mard0 said:
The Olympus OM 20. I actually like it over the OM 1 and 2.

Really.?.....high praise indeed.
I will have to take a look this baby.....

Chan Tran · Jun 7, 2018

A couple of cameras I can think of.
1. The Petri 7s fixed lens rangefinder. I don't see anyone use it but I like it very much.
2. The Nikon Df which is a current camera which I love but I can't count how many bad reviews or how many negative postings about it on the internet.

blockend · Jun 7, 2018

4season said:
Why not wrap your camera in clean clothes? That way it's protected.

Takes longer to remove.

blockend · Jun 7, 2018

CMoore said:
and the Canon AT-1

I debated whether to put my AT-1 in, but the possibility of grab shots from the bike favoured a Program option.

AgX · Jun 7, 2018

Then you might even use the even lesser loved T50.

flavio81 · Jun 7, 2018

Pentax P30. It is usually dismissed, but I like the ergonomics, the looks, the memory lock and the ease of use.

Mamiya RB67 is often derided as "too big", etc. I love it.

Olympus Pen S. It doesn't get mentioned usually, all the hype being on the Pen F (which I think is has an horrible shutter and viewfinder). I think the Olympus Pen S is a masterpiece camera. I own two, plus the very rare Olympus Pen W.

flavio81 · Jun 7, 2018

blockend said:
The T70 doesn't get much love and is undeniably one of the ugliest SLRs made,

All the T-series look kind of ugly, except for the T80. I think the T80 screams "80s!" but in a positive way, .

michr · Jun 7, 2018

Are there any cameras these days which don't have a cult following?

I'm partial to the American cameras of the 1940s, like Perfex, Clarus, Argus, and Univex. Those aren't very popular, but I like them.

blockend · Jun 7, 2018

AgX said:
Then you might even use the even lesser loved T50.

I bought a T50 but the shutter was DOA. The seller returned the cost so it sits in the drawer. For SLR simplicity the Konica FP-1 would have been in the frame. AE only and shoots at 3 apertures whatever lens is used. Probably the simplest and most eccentric SLR ever made.

nbagno · Jun 7, 2018

Nikon F5. Many people say it's too big, I think it's just right. I think my F100 is too small.

Arklatexian · Jun 7, 2018

CMoore said:
I am not sure how Popular/Unpopular they were when released as a New camera, but.......Minolta XG-M and the Canon AT-1.
I rarely see either of those on the street, and rarely read about them on The Internet.
Neither are my "Favorite" 35mm SLR, but i could certainly be happy if, for some reason, one of them became my Only SLR.

Believe not or not, the Leica M3 DS was not very popular with Leica users/owners when it was released. I remember people saying that the bayonet lens mounting would not last as long as the "proven" screw lens mounting, the camera was too big and did not "look like a Leica". Little mention was made of the nice bright viewfinder and rangefinder. The double stroke feature was criticized and Leica did change that just about the time people were getting accustomed to it. By the time Leica brought out the M2, things had changed......Regards!

Lee Rust · Jun 7, 2018

Graflex XL. Big, awkward and excellent. Mercury II half-frame. Small, awkward and excellent.

narsuitus · Jun 7, 2018

Fujica ST705 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

battery independent

high-quality M42 screw-mount lenses

well built

low cost

Helios 1984 · Jun 7, 2018

Olympus AZ-4 / Ricoh Mirai... anyone? I like its futuristic/cyberpunk design, I see one and I think “Robocop” “Akira” “Terminator”. It’s only ugly because it’s a camera, nobody would have said a word, if it had been night vision googles...

blockend · Jun 7, 2018

Helios 1984 said:
I like its futuristic/cyberpunk design

Then the Konica Aiborg is your photographic death star. Too scary to be used in the presence of minors, mine's kept in the garage.

Helios 1984 · Jun 7, 2018

blockend said:
Then the Konica Aiborg is your photographic death star. Too scary to be used in the presence of minors, mine's kept in the garage.

I don't want to alarm you, but I think that's a Cylon.

Ces1um · Jun 7, 2018

blockend said:
Deciding what camera to carry in the saddlebag of my bike, I eventually settled on the Canon T70. It isn't pampered in that environment, has no case and bounces around with food, clothes, tools and stuff.
I wanted something that wasn't valuable but could take good lenses. It had to use readily available batteries, AAs can still be bought in supermarkets or fuel stops. Something not too heavy, but robust.
The T70 doesn't get much love and is undeniably one of the ugliest SLRs made, but I kinda like it. Any cameras you like that the world doesn't?

I know this is in the 35mm forum, but the question isn't specifically aimed at 35mm cameras, so here goes.
I like Lomography's lubitel 166+. I know most people here hate their cameras but consider the following: It has a 100% viewfinder, a split prism focusing screen, a removable hood (for cleaning the ground glass), the entire focusing screen IS ground glass, it comes with a 35mm adapter and it focuses closer than the original did (or at least my lubitel 166 u did). All features my 166universal didn't have . Plus it comes with a warranty. It's just the price tag that puts most people off I think.

bclift · Jun 7, 2018

+1 canon AT-1

Theo Sulphate · Jun 7, 2018

Chan Tran said:
...
2. The Nikon Df which is a current camera which I love but I can't count how many bad reviews or how many negative postings about it on the internet.

People used to digital camera menus and controls don't like the Df, I think. The Df is essentially a digital version of the Nikon F4. Anyone familiar with the F4 could pick up a Df and the controls would be instantly familiar. Converse is also true.

Unpopular Cameras You Like

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