What are the classic 35mm SLR's

Ken Nadvornick · Dec 9, 2009

Given the range of responses thus far, perhaps the original question,

"What are the classic 35mm SLRs?"

should be rephrased to,

"Were there any 35mm SLRs ever manufactured that are not classics?"

Ken

Ian Grant · Dec 9, 2009

Over the past few days i've refrainned from posting in this thrfead.

Personally I think there are few "Classic" SLR's and only 2f/2F and Eric Rose are close.

My take is just three:

Exacta Varex IIa or b (VX in the US)

Nikon F

Pentax Spotmatic.

Those are "The Classics".

Ian

Barry06GT · Dec 9, 2009

Ken Nadvornick said:
Given the range of responses thus far, perhaps the original question,

"What are the classic 35mm SLRs?"

should be rephrased to,

"Were there any 35mm SLRs ever manufactured that are not classics?"

Ken

.
.

The Nikon N8008

The Mamiya 35mm SLR (piece o' crap)
.
.

BradS · Dec 9, 2009

Ken Nadvornick said:
Given the range of responses thus far, perhaps the original question,

"What are the classic 35mm SLRs?"

should be rephrased to,

"Were there any 35mm SLRs ever manufactured that are not classics?"

Ken

I was thinking this too...but, maybe it would be less confusing if we started a new thread for this point of view....

JohnArs · Dec 9, 2009

Nikon FM 2 Titan

flashgumby · Dec 10, 2009

Antonio A. said:
I vouch for the minolta maxxum 7000...

NO, NO, NO!!! Didn't you see that "plastic" is not allowed to be "classic"? And Heaven forbid it's autofocus - that doesn't "make" it a classic, it "disqualifies" it

I own a camera that's DEFINITELY a classic. It even says so on the front - Minolta Dynax 600si Classic (Note - I'm kidding about this one, but I couldn't help myself).

If only one camera was allowed to be called a classic (oops, I mean "the" classic), then the Nikon F has a good case. But why must we exclude cameras that defined or re-defined a genre? Cameras that were a standout in their day?

IMO there are a number of classics, and these are by no means all of them - just some that I think should make the cut:
Nikon F, F3, F4
Minolta SRT-101, XD-11, Maxxum 7000, Maxxum 7
Olympus OM1
Canon F-1

@ 2F/2F - try living in Australia without aircon in your car. If you can leave it locked up for a few hours and get in without cursing and gagging for air, you're doing well

Regards,
Gordon

Top-Cat · Dec 10, 2009

Why not make a list someplace and let people vote for it?

elekm · Dec 10, 2009

Rol_Lei Nut said:
What does "pre-plastic" mean? To what degree is plastic acceptable?

I usually think of the "plastic era" as meaning the prolific use of plastic when it became obvious to the buyer. Plastic lens barrels. Plastic top decks. Plastic lens elements.

nolanr66 · Dec 11, 2009

The word Classic to me means something that is an older camera of a particular style, one of lasting worth or with a timeless quality. There are a lot of camera's like that that have been listed many times in this thread such as the Nikon F,F2,F3 etc, etc.

mopar_guy · Dec 11, 2009

Classic, shmassic

THE classic American camera is not a 35mm at all. It is called a Speed Graphic and it uses 4x5 film.

TheFlyingCamera · Dec 12, 2009

Contax RTS, RTS II, 167mt, RX (why not the RTS III? too many bells and whistles, most of which were not really innovative, but rather answers to unasked questions. The 167mt pioneered auto-bracketing, and the RX not only had great design, it also had the Digital Focus Indicator in the viewfinder, which made it much easier to not only focus, but place the depth of field ).

Pentax K1000 for its absolute ubiquity.

Olympus OM1,2,3,4 for just being a great idea (but NOT the OM-10 or OM-PC).

The Nikon F-F4 (I'll include the F4 because it was the first F to bridge the gap between all-manual and auto).

Tom Kershaw · Dec 12, 2009

Scott,

Do you have any thoughts on camera or lens quality with regard to the Contax versus Nikon systems?

Tom

Rol_Lei Nut · Dec 12, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
Scott,

Do you have any thoughts on camera or lens quality with regard to the Contax versus Nikon systems?

Tom

I'm not Scott and I haven't used the Contax bodies, but I have used the same (in most cases) Zeiss lenses on Rolleiflex bodies as well as many Nikon lenses.

Short answer: I strongly prefer Zeiss lenses (at least for primes).
First things that come to mind are flare-resistance and 3-d look. I'm not saying that Zeiss is always better than Nikon, but the fact is, thanks to Zeiss and Leica, I haven't used my Nikons in years.

elekm · Dec 12, 2009

In Rolleiflex QBM, I think the 50mm Planar and the 85mm Sonnar are outstanding, particularly the Sonnar. Two months ago, I added the 25mm Distagon and find that to be an excellent lens as well.

Since "going German" about six years ago, I rarely use my Nikons. Sort of a shame, as they're excellent cameras.

Rol_Lei Nut · Dec 12, 2009

elekm said:
In Rolleiflex QBM, I think the 50mm Planar and the 85mm Sonnar are outstanding, particularly the Sonnar. Two months ago, I added the 25mm Distagon and find that to be an excellent lens as well.

Just curious about your 25mm...

In my experience it is a very variable lens. I heard a rumour that it was updated around 1984.

The fact is, I had two older "Made in Germany" 25s which were, putting it mildly, a bit soft.
I finally got hold of a later, "Made in Singapore" by Rollei under license 25 which is what I would expect of a Zeiss lens, an entirely different animal from the other two!

Perhaps the 1984 upgrade rumour is true...

adenough · Dec 12, 2009

My Praktica VLC with interchangeable viewfinders/screens and a range of electronic M42 lenses. Absolute classic.

BradS · Dec 13, 2009

Top-Cat said:
Why not make a list someplace and let people vote for it?

lots of reasons...but, mostly just because it's more fun and way more interesting to talk about it.

TheFlyingCamera · Dec 13, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
Scott,

Do you have any thoughts on camera or lens quality with regard to the Contax versus Nikon systems?

Tom

I've been a huge fan of the Zeiss optics, so much so that I never bothered with anything else. As far as quality, I suspect that Nikons MAY be slightly more rugged, but if it tells you anything, I'm now down to one 35mm system - the Contax G1/G2 rangefinder setup. So I'm not worried about it, even though it's an "extinct" system.

Ralph Javins · Dec 14, 2009

mopar_guy said:
THE classic American camera is not a 35mm at all. It is called a Speed Graphic and it uses 4x5 film.

Good morning, Mopar Guy;

One surprisingly American camera that may also qualify as a classic, believe it or not, I suggest is the Argus C3. That one camera alone did more than the combined efforts of all of the other 35mm cameras in America to establish 35mm film as the film format of choice in this country. There is no denying the power of the sheer number of them that exceeded 2 Million built and sold in America. There are millions of people who can say; "My Dad had a C3." Of all the people on this forum, I think you will understand when I say that the C3 was the "Model T" of cameras, even more than the Kodak Brownie Box cameras.

By the way, 225 Slant Six, 283, 330, 360, 426 Hemi, 440 Wedge, or what?

BradS · Dec 14, 2009

Ralph Javins said:
......

By the way, 225 Slant Six, 283, 330, 360, 426 Hemi, 440 Wedge, or what?

....283? That was Chevy.

I think Mopar had a 273...no? and from this came the 318, etc...

and whoa! you left off the 340 ! (my favorite)

photoncatcher · Dec 14, 2009

For me, I would have to include the Minolta SRT-101. Besides being my first "real" camera, theynwere way ahead of the curve with there "CLC" metering system. The SRTs were also built like tanks (as many others of that vitage were) My first 101 had many, many rolls trough it until it was stolen in '73. I replaced it with another 101 which did yeomens work up till the mid 90s when the shutter finally fell apart. Oh, and some really great glass too.

Ian Grant · Dec 14, 2009

Strange thread, this one.

Only a small handful of camera's can really be called classic.

The Nikon F is THE Classic Nikon SLR after the SP (a range-finder camera), the ONLY other real Classic SLR was the Spotmatic. All others are pretender.

Praktica were almost in the Classics with the Pentacon Super, but it never happened commercially. There are few Iconic SLR's from the 7-'s/8-'s.

Ian

TheFlyingCamera · Dec 14, 2009

Oh, and don't forget those other oddball classic SLRs, the Alpas.

Ralph Javins · Dec 15, 2009

An Off-Topic Note to Brad

Good morning, Brad;

I admit that in that time period, my only motorized transportation was by motorcycle. Chronologically in the order I had them, from the 1957 Ariel Square Four G Mark II, the 1954 BMW R-51/3, the 1960 BMW R-60/1, and the 1965 BMW R-60/2, I put about 356,000 miles on two wheeled vehicles in that time period. While I did not do that much in four wheeled vehicles, I did have many friends who did. I also admit to you that those numbers were pulled from memories that are at least 35 years old on a topic I agree were only of peripheral interest to me at that time.

Brad, I do want to thank you for providing the designation of the very popular Mopar 318 V-8. I could not think of that one. That may have been the source of my error in coming up with the substitute 283 designation. Also, I am still hoping for a comment in reply from the Mopar Guy.

BradS · Dec 15, 2009

mmmmm, Ralph you were fortunate to have owned (still own?) some very wonderful BMW twins. Perhaps, a whole new thread could be started (in the lounge?) pertainign to Classic BMW?

I'm still hoping to hear form MoparGuy too...

and sorry to sound harsh in my reply above. That was not my intention....we're just having fun.

What are the classic 35mm SLR's

Ken Nadvornick

Ian Grant

Barry06GT

BradS

JohnArs

flashgumby

Top-Cat

elekm

nolanr66

mopar_guy

TheFlyingCamera

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Tom Kershaw

Rol_Lei Nut

elekm

Rol_Lei Nut

adenough

BradS

TheFlyingCamera

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Ralph Javins

BradS

photoncatcher

Ian Grant

TheFlyingCamera

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Ralph Javins

BradS

What are the classic 35mm SLR's

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