What Are Your GOAT Cameras?

[djdister]

The Canham MQC57 with 5x7 and 4x5 backs + the Canham 6x17 automated rollfilm back.

 

[flavio81]

The Pentacon Six is the 80s Corvette of cameras.

I guess this means that the 80s Corvette broke down easily? Because the film transport mechanism on the Pentacon Six is made of hardened bubblegum.

The Kiev 60 is the tow truck she rides upon.

Yes, the Kiev 60 is a more reliable machine. And contrary to what one would think, it has nothing in common with a Pentacon Six or Praktisix.

 

[eliadesqu]

Nikon F100

 

[loccdor]

I guess this means that the 80s Corvette broke down easily? Because the film transport mechanism on the Pentacon Six is made of hardened bubblegum.

80s sport cars are sexy, but usually unreliable, yes. My friend who enjoys working on cars bought one and sold it out of frustration a few years later.

 

[benjiboy]

I only have five cameras, all of which are Canon F1s, two F1ns, and three New F1 AEs.

 

[ivan35mm]

yashica t4 (the original, not the super / super d variant)

the leica C3 (however, this camera is actually a piece of crap. i bought one NOS a few years ago. used it daily for no more than 3 months, and then it completely died. but wow, the images i took with this camera are really something special. was worth bringing back from the dead. it’s currently being torn apart and the 28mm vario-elmar lens will be re-housed to use on Leica M mount cameras)

Plaubel peco jr 6x9 monorail (a true workhorse. good size, lightweight, and just super fun to use)

 

[skahde]

The camera I knew I should have bought some time after I got my first SLR in 1985 and finally bought used in 1996. The only film-camera I never sold. It never let me down and there is no picture I had in mind and didn't get because I only had this camera: my Nikon FE2.

 

[Cholentpot]

The camera I knew I should have bought some time after I got my first SLR in 1985 and finally bought used in 1996. The only film-camera I never sold. It never let me down and there is no picture I had in mind and didn't get because I only had this camera: my Nikon FE2.

I use the original FE extensively. I prefer it over my F F2 and F3.

 

[mrosenlof]

Answering before reading any but the first post.

Most Reliable: Mamiya TLR no body issues in 40+ years of ownership, I've had sticky shutter lenses, easily repaired and I have duplicates.

Best Utility: Hasselblad 501CM and most lenses from 40mm to 250mm. It's my do-everything system now.

Most Elegant: Zeiss Icon Contina III. This was my dad's camera through most of my childhood. Specs don't sound like much, fixed 45mm 4/2.8 Triplet, uncoupled selenium meter, scale focus, really a humble camera. But the feel of the film advance and the soft click of the shutter are smoother than any Leica that I own. Second place to a Nikon F2 with the plain pentaprism.

Most Beautiful: Leica iiif. The last of the screw mount, bottom load leicas. Some don't like the look of the finder illumination window, but the view through that finder makes up for it. I'm trying to decide if this also fits "Weirdest".

Most Innovative: Olympus OM-1. Started a new fad for smaller and quieter SLRs. I might have named the OM-2 for OTF exposure and flash metering, but I've never used one. Similar thought for the Leica M-3.

Best Output: Arca Swiss 8x10 f-line. Quality, not quantity. I'm only able to contact print these negs.

Weirdest: Fuji GW690iii. My oversized clown camera. A great lens bolted to a super basic body that proved to be a little bit fragile in my hands. 6x9 was once common in basic rollfilm folders but less so in the last 70 years or so. I broke this one, twice, and have replaced it with a gw690ii that I've been more careful with.

Most Beloved: Mamiya TLR, I have C330fx2 and C220f bodies and all of the black lenses except the 250. Yeah, a duplicate. They have been with me on my honeymoon, the birth of both kids, multiple trips to Japan, Europe, and Australia. My intro to medium format, used some, but not a lot since I got the Hasselblad.

 

[chuckroast]

Most Beautiful: Leica iiif. The last of the screw mount, bottom load leicas. Some don't like the look of the finder illumination window, but the view through that finder makes up for it. I'm trying to decide if this also fits "Weirdest".

Good list, but I think the last of the bottom load SM Leicas was the IIIg, not the IIIf, right?

 

[GregY]

Answering before reading any but the first post.

Most Reliable: Mamiya TLR no body issues in 40+ years of ownership, I've had sticky shutter lenses, easily repaired and I have duplicates.

Best Utility: Hasselblad 501CM and most lenses from 40mm to 250mm. It's my do-everything system now.

Most Elegant: Zeiss Icon Contina III. This was my dad's camera through most of my childhood. Specs don't sound like much, fixed 45mm 4/2.8 Triplet, uncoupled selenium meter, scale focus, really a humble camera. But the feel of the film advance and the soft click of the shutter are smoother than any Leica that I own. Second place to a Nikon F2 with the plain pentaprism.

Most Beautiful: Leica iiif. The last of the screw mount, bottom load leicas. Some don't like the look of the finder illumination window, but the view through that finder makes up for it. I'm trying to decide if this also fits "Weirdest".

Most Innovative: Olympus OM-1. Started a new fad for smaller and quieter SLRs. I might have named the OM-2 for OTF exposure and flash metering, but I've never used one. Similar thought for the Leica M-3.

Best Output: Arca Swiss 8x10 f-line. Quality, not quantity. I'm only able to contact print these negs.

Weirdest: Fuji GW690iii. My oversized clown camera. A great lens bolted to a super basic body that proved to be a little bit fragile in my hands. 6x9 was once common in basic rollfilm folders but less so in the last 70 years or so. I broke this one, twice, and have replaced it with a gw690ii that I've been more careful with.

Most Beloved: Mamiya TLR, I have C330fx2 and C220f bodies and all of the black lenses except the 250. Yeah, a duplicate. They have been with me on my honeymoon, the birth of both kids, multiple trips to Japan, Europe, and Australia. My intro to medium format, used some, but not a lot since I got the Hasselblad.

ML...one minor correction.... the iiig was the last of the screwmounts ....& a killer at that

 

[Don_ih]

I think he meant the IIIg - it's the one with the finder illumination window.

IIIg

IIIf

 

[Cholentpot]

Answering before reading any but the first post.

Most Reliable: Mamiya TLR no body issues in 40+ years of ownership, I've had sticky shutter lenses, easily repaired and I have duplicates.

Best Utility: Hasselblad 501CM and most lenses from 40mm to 250mm. It's my do-everything system now.

Most Elegant: Zeiss Icon Contina III. This was my dad's camera through most of my childhood. Specs don't sound like much, fixed 45mm 4/2.8 Triplet, uncoupled selenium meter, scale focus, really a humble camera. But the feel of the film advance and the soft click of the shutter are smoother than any Leica that I own. Second place to a Nikon F2 with the plain pentaprism.

Most Beautiful: Leica iiif. The last of the screw mount, bottom load leicas. Some don't like the look of the finder illumination window, but the view through that finder makes up for it. I'm trying to decide if this also fits "Weirdest".

Most Innovative: Olympus OM-1. Started a new fad for smaller and quieter SLRs. I might have named the OM-2 for OTF exposure and flash metering, but I've never used one. Similar thought for the Leica M-3.

Best Output: Arca Swiss 8x10 f-line. Quality, not quantity. I'm only able to contact print these negs.

Weirdest: Fuji GW690iii. My oversized clown camera. A great lens bolted to a super basic body that proved to be a little bit fragile in my hands. 6x9 was once common in basic rollfilm folders but less so in the last 70 years or so. I broke this one, twice, and have replaced it with a gw690ii that I've been more careful with.

Most Beloved: Mamiya TLR, I have C330fx2 and C220f bodies and all of the black lenses except the 250. Yeah, a duplicate. They have been with me on my honeymoon, the birth of both kids, multiple trips to Japan, Europe, and Australia. My intro to medium format, used some, but not a lot since I got the Hasselblad.

Good list but no Argus C3

 

[mrosenlof]

yes iiig, I knew that, fat fingers. sigh

the Argus C3 was my first 35mm camera, I found it in a box after a move at age nine. I learned a lot from having it, but no, it doesn't get my vote in any of these categories. On my 11th birthday, my parents gave me a Minolta Auto-pak-something 126 camera that never took a sharp photo in its life. I took the C3 apart.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Nikon F100

One of my go to cameras.

Welcome to Photrio!