What Are Your GOAT Cameras?

[Drew B.]

Walker Titan 4x5 XL covers all categories (well, I like the F4 and RB as well)

 

[Drew B.]

This thread has given rise to selling prices of Argus C3's.
They have gone from an average price of $40 to an amazing $63 !

I'll sell you the C4 for 50 bucks, and it is much better than the C3

 

[MattKing]

Very cool. Are you the little fella in the middle or the one on the right?

I'm the older child
A couple of months before turning 5!
That was taken on or just before the day we left Toronto to head out to the wilds of British Columbia - my Dad was part of the group that opened up the Canadian Kodak Ektachrome and Kodachrome lab in (North) Vancouver - slightly more than three years before I was given my first camera!

 

[BobUK]

I give in.

What is a GOAT camera?

The only thing that springs to mind is an......................... Agfa Billy GOAT

 

[Don_ih]

What is a GOAT camera?

Greatest Of All Time

It's something new the kids are saying.

I find it hard to imagine Muhammad Ali crying out, "I'm the goat!" .... Actually, I can easily imagine that.

 

[BobUK]

Thank you Don.

Hopefully in a thousand years some one will find a second Rosetta Stone with plain English and text messaging abbreviations on it.

 

[chuckroast]

I'm the older child
A couple of months before turning 5!
That was taken on or just before the day we left Toronto to head out to the wilds of British Columbia - my Dad was part of the group that opened up the Canadian Kodak Ektachrome and Kodachrome lab in (North) Vancouver - slightly more than three years before I was given my first camera!

What a wonderful memory. I have some negatives from when I was a kid on my grandparents' farm in central AB. Sadly, they are long gone. So is the Argus C3 that took them.

 

[dokko]

Thank you Don.

Hopefully in a thousand years some one will find a second Rosetta Stone with plain English and text messaging abbreviations on it.

It‘s already here in several forms…. Google, ChatGTP and Gemini being some of them (and they are fantastically good at it too!).

PS: that actually made me ask ChatGTP:

What is a GOAT camera?

A "GOAT camera" typically refers to a camera that is considered the "Greatest of All Time" in terms of its performance, features, and overall reputation. This term is often used in the context of discussions about high-end cameras in the photography and videography community. It can refer to a camera that excels in various aspects such as image quality, build quality, versatility, and innovative technology.

Examples of cameras that might be referred to as GOAT include:

1. **Canon EOS 5D Mark IV** - Known for its outstanding image quality and reliability, especially among professional photographers.
2. **Nikon D850** - Praised for its high resolution, dynamic range, and fast performance.
3. **Sony A7R IV** - A mirrorless camera celebrated for its high-resolution sensor and advanced features.
4. **Leica M10** - Renowned for its build quality and the iconic status of the Leica brand.
5. **Fujifilm X-T4** - Known for its versatility and excellent film simulation modes.

The designation of a camera as the "GOAT" can be subjective, depending on individual needs, preferences, and the specific type of photography or videography being considered.

 

[dokko]

That actually made me curious and here‘s the answer to the OP question:

what are the Greatest Of All Time analog film cameras in each of the following categories and why?
- Most Reliable?
- Best Utility?
- Most Elegant?
- Most Beautiful?
- Most Innovative?
- Best Output?
- Weirdest?
- Most Beloved?


Certainly! Here's a rundown of some of the greatest analog film cameras of all time in various categories, along with reasons for their acclaim:

### Most Reliable: Nikon F (1959)
**Why?** The Nikon F is renowned for its durability and reliability. Introduced in 1959, it was one of the first successful SLR cameras and became the professional's choice due to its robust build and dependable performance. Its modular system allowed for various attachments, making it versatile and reliable under different conditions.

### Best Utility: Canon AE-1 (1976)
**Why?** The Canon AE-1 is praised for its ease of use, affordability, and advanced features for its time. It popularized automatic exposure in SLRs, making it accessible for amateur photographers while still offering enough manual control for professionals. Its versatility in both automatic and manual modes made it highly practical.

### Most Elegant: Leica M3 (1954)
**Why?** The Leica M3 is often regarded as the epitome of elegance in camera design. Its precision engineering, smooth mechanics, and minimalist design make it not only a joy to use but also a beautiful object to behold. The rangefinder mechanism is highly accurate, and its build quality is unparalleled.

### Most Beautiful: Hasselblad 500C (1957)
**Why?** The Hasselblad 500C is celebrated for its stunning design and iconic status. The clean lines, chrome accents, and modular build contribute to its aesthetic appeal. The medium format quality it provides also adds to its allure, making it a favorite among portrait and fashion photographers.

### Most Innovative: Polaroid SX-70 (1972)
**Why?** The Polaroid SX-70 was groundbreaking with its integral instant film technology. It was the first instant SLR camera, folding down to a compact size for portability. Its innovation lies in its ability to develop prints instantly, revolutionizing the way people captured and shared photos.

### Best Output: Mamiya RZ67 (1982)
**Why?** The Mamiya RZ67 is renowned for the exceptional quality of its medium format images. The 6x7 cm negative size offers incredible detail and resolution, making it a favorite among studio and landscape photographers. Its rotating back and bellows focusing system provide superior control over composition and focus.

### Weirdest: Lomography Lomo LC-A (1984)
**Why?** The Lomo LC-A is known for its quirky characteristics and the 'Lomography' movement it inspired. Its unique optical vignetting, unpredictable exposures, and vivid colors produced a distinct, often whimsical style of photography. The camera's design and effects were unconventional, leading to a cult following.

### Most Beloved: Pentax K1000 (1976)
**Why?** The Pentax K1000 is one of the most beloved cameras due to its simplicity, reliability, and affordability. It became the go-to camera for photography students and enthusiasts. Its all-manual operation provided a perfect learning platform, while its robust build ensured it could withstand years of use.

These cameras have each left an indelible mark on the history of photography, revered not only for their technical capabilities but also for their influence and the joy they bring to photographers.

 

[chuckroast]

Thank you Don.

Hopefully in a thousand years some one will find a second Rosetta Stone with plain English and text messaging abbreviations on it.

In my defense (that's defence to you, sir), I did spell it out in my original post starting this thread

 

[chuckroast]

It‘s already here in several forms…. Google, ChatGTP and Gemini being some of them (and they are fantastically good at it too!).

... if you trust the people who put together their large language models and learning algorithms.

I don't, given the way we've seen Google, pre-Musk Twitter, Bing, Apple, and the rest of the tech plutocrats jiggering their "facts" to support political and social agenda.

That said, I do use these tools, but with skepticism, and validation.

I prefer perplexity.ai, because it cites its sources. That's not a guarantee of balance, but at least you see how they got there.

 

[BobUK]

In my defense (that's defence to you, sir), I did spell it out in my original post starting this thread

Oops!

 

[ic-racer]

It‘s already here in several forms…. Google, ChatGTP and Gemini being some of them (and they are fantastically good at it too!).

PS: that actually made me ask ChatGTP:

What is a GOAT camera?

A "GOAT camera" typically refers to a camera that is considered the "Greatest of All Time" in terms of its performance, features, and overall reputation. This term is often used in the context of discussions about high-end cameras in the photography and videography community. It can refer to a camera that excels in various aspects such as image quality, build quality, versatility, and innovative technology.

Examples of cameras that might be referred to as GOAT include:

1. **Canon EOS 5D Mark IV** - Known for its outstanding image quality and reliability, especially among professional photographers.
2. **Nikon D850** - Praised for its high resolution, dynamic range, and fast performance.
3. **Sony A7R IV** - A mirrorless camera celebrated for its high-resolution sensor and advanced features.
4. **Leica M10** - Renowned for its build quality and the iconic status of the Leica brand.
5. **Fujifilm X-T4** - Known for its versatility and excellent film simulation modes.

The designation of a camera as the "GOAT" can be subjective, depending on individual needs, preferences, and the specific type of photography or videography being considered.

Wow, it got that wrong!