What is "enough" in a camera for you?

[Huss]

While out shooting, I had an M3 with me. I just like the size and how quiet it is. In public settings you are not 'that' guy w the big camera and bazooka lens. I passed a gentleman using an Olympus OM1 - and man it was the SLR equivalence of the Leica. Beautiful, small, discrete.
I've had small Pentax SLRs, and liked them, but not enough to keep them. Just my deal, nothing against the cameras. But it made me think, what is "enough" camera for you as a daily carry to have fun with, without you feeling limited? As in, you don't want to think 'if only I had my..'
It's making me think as to why I'm keeping my Nikon Fs.. awesome cameras but I really don't use them as they are in the middle - too big for 'fun' - too small for serious (AF, motor drive etc like with the F4 and F6).
I guess its part of the paring down of gear that is being used, not collected.

 

[Sirius Glass]

For decades I used Minolta SLR starting with the SR-7 through X-700, various Nikon AF cameras, Graflex and Speed Graphics but my go to camera is the Hasselblad system.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

When picking a 35mm for casual use I go by weight and self-containedness - either a Nikon N75 or Yashica T4. For serious casual use I usually pick up a Nikon FM2. For serious use I take whatever is appropriate to the task and carry-ability doesn't much figure into it; If it is an 8x10 on a Ries tripod, so be it.

 

[Helge]

Though I love 135mm and to a lesser extent 28 and 24mm, I could truly live with a normal lens or close equivalent for the rest of my life without really missing much.
When you miss a tele or wide it’s very often because you are not doing a good enough job of getting close to your subject and you need to be working on composition.
A tiny Contax T or a Rolleiflex, perhaps with closeup lenses, is really all you ever need.

 

[mgb74]

Interesting question. I've recently sold my 2 Maxxum 9 bodies. I've found that my 800si and 600si bodies (much lighter and much less valuable) do everything I need. When I need really small and light, I have my Pentax MX and ME super. I have lusted for the occasional Leica M, but really, would I get significantly better images than my Pentax with Pentax glass?

 

[MartinCrabtree]

My 1971 Nikon F is fine. Need to use a handheld meter. That being said I don't use it a lot.

EDIT:Actually I have a few Canon AE-1 that I enjoy very much. Probably 'cause I shot a lot with them in the '80s.

 

[Paul Howell]

Last few days I've been shooting with my Minolta 7xi, along with the 9xi it uses a set of cards for advanced features like multiple exposures, bracketing, sports, and the like. What I found that I kept in manual mode, matrix exposure, did not miss any of the features that are standard on other models. It does not take a battery grip, lighter, fast motor drive and pretty good AF. So, most of what is on my 800si and Minolta 9 are features I don't really need. There are times that the build quality of the 9 is desirable but not really needed.

 

[Dismayed]

While out shooting, I had an M3 with me. I just like the size and how quiet it is. In public settings you are not 'that' guy w the big camera and bazooka lens. I passed a gentleman using an Olympus OM1 - and man it was the SLR equivalence of the Leica. Beautiful, small, discrete.
I've had small Pentax SLRs, and liked them, but not enough to keep them. Just my deal, nothing against the cameras. But it made me think, what is "enough" camera for you as a daily carry to have fun with, without you feeling limited? As in, you don't want to think 'if only I had my..'
It's making me think as to why I'm keeping my Nikon Fs.. awesome cameras but I really don't use them as they are in the middle - too big for 'fun' - too small for serious (AF, motor drive etc like with the F4 and F6).
I guess its part of the paring down of gear that is being used, not collected.

I shot Nikon SLRs/DSLRs to capture my sons playing sports. They were perfect for that situation. Now I prefer Nikon rangefinders or my Mamiya 7 for film, and my Fujifilm X-pro2 for digital. I'm still holding onto my large format gear, but I haven't used it for quite a while. I'd love to use it to shoot 1:1 basketball with studio lights. Maybe once we're out of the grip of COVID.

 

[Craig75]

daily carry round is olympus xa3 or minolta tc-1 as thats all i have room in my bag for without emptying it of a load of other crap to put rangefinder or slr in. Of the two minolta is crazy powerful camera with all the functions i could ever need in any situation - has zero limitations for me whilst being absolutely tiny.

 

[George Mann]

A loaded question. But for me, my F2 + 35 f2.8/50 f2 Nikkors fits the bill for serious pursuits.

For casual shooting where small and light is preferable, my Fed 3b with Argus turret and Industar 61l/d (52mm) + Jupiter 12 (35mm) does splendidly.

 

[Pioneer]

It can depend on what I'm doing and my mood. Since July 1st I have been carrying my Leica M-A with a Voigtlander Color Skopar 35. Not being totally exclusive with it but pretty close. Before that I was carrying the Minolta 201 and the MD 28mm lens.

I have used the Rolleiflex Automat, my 2x3 Graflex RB Series B and the Intrepid with a Tessar 150 lens a few times this past month.

If I were forced by circumstances to fall back to one camera and one lens it would be difficult as I have gotten spoiled by my choices. It would almost certainly be my K1000 SE and the little 50mm f/2 or my newer Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 just because that kit is pretty close to bulletproof. Even with no batteries I can keep on shooting as long as I have film.

Looking back at the cameras I have been using and the ones I am partial to it is clear that I am not too concerned about format or whether they are SLR or Rangefinder, but I tend towards cameras with simple shutters, simple meters (if any), manual focus and wide to "normal" lenses . Obviously that could change in case my vision deteriorates significantly from where it is at this point but, for now anyway, I am very partial to metal, manual, mechanical film cameras.

 

[Mackinaw]

More and more, I seem to be completely satisfied with the results I'm getting with my Canon IVSb2 rangefinder. A roll of Eastman 5222-XX, with either with a 35mm or 50mm lens, and a light meter (or use the sunny 16 rule). Small, compact and light. Plus people are very interested in the camera. Makes street photography easy.

Jim B.

 

[test_realm]

Honestly I'm pretty disinterested in sharpness. Its all the tactile experience these days.

 

[Horatio]

I’m still in the process of figuring that out. Although I love my M3, I’m more of a SLR guy, and as my eyesight worsens I tend to prefer AF cameras. I’m leaning towards the F100 as meeting my requirements.

 

[4season]

"Enough" is a tricky state of mind to hang onto for any length of time, but I love the sentiment expressed by the engraving on the Yasuhara T981: Isshiki: "All you need". But that's probably just a little word of encouragement, not a promise.

I don't have a T981 to call my own, and since this thread is posted in the 35 mm forum, I guess my most Isshiki camera might be my Olympus Pen-FT. Or Canon F-1. Or Nikon F-3. Because sometimes life happens at distances shorter than 0.7 meters. As for why not include Canon New F-1, Nikon F or F2, I don't own those cameras, that's all.

 

[removed account4]

I hadn't used it in 2 or 3 years but I thought it seemed enough this weekend, it was a nikon L35AF.. it worked OK
I was worried the AF was going to be a pain if I shot out of a window or when it rewound the film the leader was going to b stuck in the cassette
so I couldn't DE the film but it worked out. I guess enough for me is it works ?

 

[runswithsizzers]

I expect just about any Japanese 35mm SLR from the 1980s would be enough camera for me, but I would prefer to avoid the biggest and heaviest of the lot. My only problem is deciding when I want to carry a 35mm lens, and when I'd rather have the 50mm. Presently shooting Pentax MX, mostly with the 35mm f/2, but sometimes with the 50mm f/1.7 or f/1.4. If I can't get some kind of half-way decent photo with that, it's almost never the fault of the camera.

 

[abruzzi]

For me the perfect daily carry camera is my Pentax MX. it’s small, especially with the 40/2.8 lens, though I prefer the 50/1.4.

my preferences: small, SLR, small prime lens, and simple over/under meter needle (I really dislike the needle that points at the shutter speed or aperture, just a plus or minus.)

 

[MattKing]

I need to have film that fits it, batteries (where required) that work with it, and inspiration that suits it.
So my "daily carry" camera can vary with the day.

 

[benjiboy]

For me it's a Canon F1.

 

[drmoss_ca]

I used to worship at the altar of small cameras. "You can't take the picture if you don't have a camera with you." That led me through a Trip 35, Rollei 35, Pen F, OM-2n, and Leicas. But these days I regard carrying a capable camera as how I get my exercise, which is just as well as I'm trimmed down to an F6, a Hasselblad, and a Chamonix 4x5. I still have the Trip 35, Pen F and OM-2n, but mostly for fondling and nostalgia.

 

[film_man]

Enough is my EOS 300 with a 50/1.8 STM. Everything else I own is just nice to have because I'm bored. In fact going back through a few thousands photos in Lightroom over it produces some of the best photos.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

In 35mm cameras, "enough" currently is my Contax RTS III. I have three lenses for it, two of which I would carry around on a regular basis; the other is a very specialized optic that I mostly use with an adapter on my digital camera. The two lenses are the 50mm f1.4 and the 28mm f2.8. I'll probably add a 35mm f2.8 and either an 85 f2.8 or 100 f3.5 to the outfit at some point, but I so rarely shoot 35mm these days it's not a great investment of time and money. Across all cameras, my Rolleiflex 2.8E is the most "enough" if someone put a gun to my head and said "choose only one camera". A rough second would be my Lomo LCA-120, tied with my Lomo Belair x-6/12.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

For large format, plenty of movements, and the ability to take very short lenses. Canham lightweight 8x10.
For medium format, fine optics, the ability to interchange film backs, and heavy as a tank. RB67.
For 35mm, fine optics, all manual. Pentax K1000, ME.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

Lever film advance is a must for 135 and is nice to have in larger formats. Knob-based advance/rewind are a nightmare and is the primary reason I don't shoot 36-exposure loads in my retinette & bolsey. Auto-rewind motors (mainly in P&S cameras) that eat the leader also make me think twice before using the camera.

A Minolta 16 QT covers the bare minimum for me, and then some.