Which brand of camera do we use the most?

[Prime]

Which brand of camera do you use the most?

 

[BobF]

Number of frames shot = Minolta XE-7. Number of hours used = Linhof.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I use less and less 35mm all the time, but I still keep my Canon FD system for bird photography and those occasions when I need 35mm slides, like for copy work.

I also have a Voigtlander Vitessa-L, which is a great folding rangefinder with a fine classic lens, which I picked up mainly as a camera to carry around everywhere, but I haven't used it much since I got a Voigtlander Perkeo II, which is smaller and lighter, but shoots 6x6 instead of 35mm (downside--no coupled rangefinder, so I use a shoe-mount rangefinder or scale focus).

 

[Jim Chinn]

I have used Nikon gear for 35mm work for years, but have on occason borrowed a Lieca or Contax rangefinder. For my next 35mm purchase I will probably by a Contax rangefinder, as the lenses are near equals to Leica's at a third of the cost. I find that I almost exclusively use prime lenses except at auto races I attend, so I don't really have need for elaborate zooms.

 

[Wim van Velzen]

I voted, but not without saying here that I don't know why the camera brand should be of any importance.

Of course the right equipment is important, but I guess the F5 and EOS1V have more in common than the EOS1V and an EOS3000 (don't know the USA name!).

 

[mystique]

Hey all.... I am a 15 yr Minolta gal. Love em. I have beat the stuffin outta mine forever. Probably put a milloin frames thru the old 8000... Honest!! The only thing that slowed me down was some moron stole my gear. So I did some soul searching, and decided to step into Nikon shoes. The reason was thus: Digital someday. (mainly for soccer tream stuff, ((volume)) and dances).... It looks to me that the forerunner of choices is in the Nikon based bodies. So, hmm....need to learn what I am doing, so I scored on a good buy from a nikon boy (N90s). Gotta deal on a couple of sweet lenses, and here I go... :0)
I have the Minolta 9xi, 8000i, and 7xi. Luv em!
I also shoot Mamiya 645, and Bronica 645, 6x7. Tried the Mamiya 7...uummmm..not for me. sigh. Also had a big ol Pentax 6x7, whew....
First wedding I shot on a C330, w/ 180..fun fun... umm, could you hold still and still look happy for a hour or so??? Damn, lost em again...hehehheh. I also have a large collection of oldies (brownie baby) type o stuff. I love cameras. Oh yeah, I use a mamiya 35 mm also. OOOOLD doggie.....

 

[dr bob]

Almost all my effort involves medium and large format these days: Pacemaker Speed Graphic and C330f and Koni Omega. 35mm work is accomplished with a Zeiss Ikon Contarex (a gift).

I guess the division of effort is:
LF..... 30% Speed
MF..... 60% C330f/KO
35mm... 15% Crex
Total.....105% Yea, I'm busy! No time for upgrades, downloads or backups.

 

[Ed Sukach]

Hasselblad 503 Cx - 99%
Olympus OM4 - 1%

I have an Agfa "Silette" I picked up in a yard sale for $1, complete with bulk fim loader ... I've gotta try that one again.

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

My first 'serious' camera was an Yashica ragefinder - for some 2yrs.
From then on, a Penatax Spotmatic - 33yrs now and, more recently an used ESII (my main camera today).
All lenses are Takumars.

 

[brimc76]

I find that I am shooting less and less 35mm as well, but I shoot Nikon in 35mm (some Minox as well), Bronica for medium format (used the most), and Arca Swiss for my 4x5.

 

[baronfoxx]

FOUR YEARS AGO, AFTER GETTING FOCUS PROBLEMS WITH MY CANON T90 DUE TO AGING EYESIGHT I CHANGED TO A RANGE FINDER CAMERA AND SPLASHED OUT ON A NEW LEICA M6TTL AND THREE PRIME LENS, 35, 50 AND 90MM AND HAVE USED NOTHING ELSE SINCE.
RECENTLY I CHANGED THE BODY FOR THE M7 AND I DO NOT THINK THIS COMBINATION CAN BE BETTERED ANYWHERE.
I HAVE ACCESS TO A MAMIYA 6X7 AND A HORSMAN 4X5 BUT ONLY USE THE M7FOR MONOCHROME PRINTS AT 12"X16" AND COLOUR SLIDES.

 

[Loose Gravel]

Contax G2, Mamiya 7, Pentax 67II, Canham 45, Deardorff 57

Use them all... for different things.

 

[Donald Miller]

Zone VI 4X5, Deardorff 8X10, Korona 12X20... I have Bronica and Minolta but don't use them anymore.

 

[MikeK]

Olympus 0M1/0M2 for 35 mm - 5%
Hasselblad 500 C/M for medium format - 20%
Wista 45DX for 4x5 - 60%
Ansco 5x7 woodie - 10%
Senneca City View for 8x10 - 5%

-Mike

 

[Thomassauerwein]

35mm, I use T90's, though they've been relegated to my sketch shooting. for the real work I use hasseblad 2 1/4 square, fuji 680III, and horseman 450. I have been tempted lately by the hasselblad XpanII for my run & gun 35mm work but can't get past it's limitations.

 

[Joe Lipka]

My faithful Wista Field 45 has been around since '81. Have a 5x7u expander back for the Wista. Used to have a Canon F-1 (circa 1972) but gave it up for an EOS 630. Haven't used the 35 mm except for family snapshots in years.

 

[Jeremy]

I use the my mamiya m645 the most, the bessa r next, but the calumet 4x5 will soon be catching up on all of them once I have it all together.

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[Tom Duffy]

Leica M6TTL with 35 and 50 mm lenses inside and for things that move, like people.

Sinar P2 5x7 with 150, 300 and 600mm lenses for things I can stop long enough, like people.

I've pretty much stopped using anything but Tri-x with either camera.

I prefer the Leica for its quiet shutter and accurate focus in low light. I've been using the 5x7 more and more for portraits in natural light. whole orders of magnitude more difficult than 35mm, but when it works, it really works!

last weekend, I shot a roll with my daughter's Canon Rebel 2000 and my wife's old 35mm f2 lens (great lens, btw). very impressive combination. Someday I'll write a comparison test between the Leica and the Rebel and while each will have its strengths, there will be no clear cut winner.

 

[FrankB]

I started on a Pentax S1a with 55mm 28mm and 135mm primes and when it proved a little too unreliable in cold weather, moved to a Nikon F80 with Nikkor 28-105mm and 70-300mm ED zooms and a 50mm f1.8.

 

[Shesh]

Nikon N90S for Color Slides - 70%
Nikon FA for B&W - 30%
(Percentages in terms of film usage)

Lenses:
Nikkor 24-50mm AF-D f/3.3-4.5
Nikkor 70-300mm AF-D f/4-5.6
Nikkor micro 105 AIS f/2.8
Nikkor 1.6x Teleconverter
Nikkor 50mm AF f/1.8

 

[Eric Rose]

Well since this is suppose to be about which 35mm camera we use I won't bore you with all the other hardware I frustrate myself with.

For 35mm it's Nikon all the way. Started off with Minolta but found the lenses to soft in the contrast department. Now before all you Minolta people start to flame me this was back in the early 70's. I sure they are perfectly wonderful lenses now.....

Pretty much sold off most of my 35 gear as I very rarely ever use it anymore. I like sharp, grainless 11x14's and I don't care how much you paid for your voodoo 35 it just ain't gonna hold up to my MF or LF.

What I do have left though is the following:

Nikon Nikkormat FTN
28mm
35mm
50mm
135mm
43-86mm
35-70mm (piece of crap Tamron thingie)
80-200
500 mirror lens
closeup tubes
2X teleconverter
10lbs of filters

Now when I do use my Nikon, it is usually with the 35mm lens.

I find my Blad is just as easy to pack around with 50mm, 80mm and 150mm lenses, 2 or 3 backs and the waist level finder.

Now a special message for Aggie.

GET OUT AND USE THE DARN THING!!!!!

Eric

 

[JohnArs]

Hi

I use: Fuji S2 "Pixelhorse" 60%,
Nikon F5 + F100 with lenses from 20mm to 300mm 20%
Arca Swiss F-Line, Horseman HF, and Sinar F1 all 4x5 inch 15% With lenses from 47mm to 480mm
Bronica GS1 and Rolleiflex GX 4%
the different little point and shoot ones 1%
But I could not miss one I like to have for any situation the right camera!

 

[fingel]

A Contax Aria about 15% of the time,
a Leica M4 about 10%
medium and large format stuff the rest of the time.

 

[Silverpixels5]

For 35mm work:

Nikon FM - 25%
Minolta Maxxum 7 - 75%