Which Camera would You Like to See Again?

Wayne R. Scott · Sep 2, 2006

Contax IIa with improved viewfinder, lever film advance, and lever film rewind.

Canon F1. Super Graphic 4x5. Olympus Pen FT. Olympus OM1. Minolta Autocord.

Wayne

Nick Zentena · Sep 2, 2006

David Brown said:
One wonders if it would be practical to engineer and market a meter replacement/repair product for such as the Spotmatics, or say the Minolta SRTs, that would use current (and plentiful/cheap) batteries? There's a zillion of these out there, but you can't get batteries, and if you can, chances are the meters are no good anyway. There's an awful lot of good glass for these cameras at reasonable prices, too.

The Spotmatics are happy with current batteries. Always have been.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 2, 2006

Not 35mm, but I've read about 8x10" Graflex reflex cameras. Wouldn't mind seeing one of those.

The Graflex 70mm Combat Graphic rangefinder, maybe updated to take 120 and 220 film would be an interesting thing, with multicoated versions of the three classic Ektar lenses of course.

firecracker · Sep 2, 2006

Nick Zentena said:
The Spotmatics are happy with current batteries. Always have been.

I think Cosina released M42-mount SLR bodies (Bessaflex) a few years ago for the old Pentax users to be able to use their old Takumar lenses again. I know they feel different from the Spotmatic bodies, but you know...

Andy K · Sep 2, 2006

firecracker said:
I think Cosina released M42-mount SLR bodies (Bessaflex) a few years ago for the old Pentax users to be able to use their old Takumar lenses again. I know they feel different from the Spotmatic bodies, but you know...

They certainly did, and they are still available.

copake_ham · Sep 2, 2006

I think that the F3 (HP version particularly) was one of Nikon's best of the manual focus F-series.

I don't think it would be a successful reintroduction right now - there are still tons of them on the used market. But in twenty years a 50th Anniversay edition might be popular (assuming that film is still around, of course).

BTW: If Nikon were smart - they would license the F3 design over for Cosina (w/proper QC) to build as a "student camera" instead of the FM10 (but that would require building to a quality standard that, sadly, is probably gone forever in our disposable/built-in obsolesence world).

David Brown · Sep 2, 2006

Nick Zentena said:
The Spotmatics are happy with current batteries. Always have been.

Now all we need are the meter replacements.

BTW, which battery do you use?

removed account4 · Sep 2, 2006

David A. Goldfarb said:
Not 35mm, but I've read about 8x10" Graflex reflex cameras. Wouldn't mind seeing one of those.

The Graflex 70mm Combat Graphic rangefinder, maybe updated to take 120 and 220 film would be an interesting thing, with multicoated versions of the three classic Ektar lenses of course.

one of those graflex reflexes would be nice.
sounds like something ron wisner would re-invent like he
did with his wisner 4x5 slr ... but the only problem
would be that the 8x10 would cost something like 10K seeing that his
4x5 costs as much as a small car ...

mawz · Sep 2, 2006

What I'd actually like to see is a cross between the Pentax LX and Nikon F3. Take the F3 as the base design, but use the LX's Exposure compensation/ISO dial, prism mount method (Rails like the F4/F5), meter readout and TTL-OTF metering (but with the F3's 80/20 pattern) and also the standard TTL hotshoe on the prism. Everything else should be the standard F3 except the AE lock location which should be like the FM3a.

The other possibility would be to have it use the F4 prisms. But otherwise with the changes I list above. The F3's only real weaknesses are the LCD in the finder, the crappy (and Nikon standard) Exposure compensation dial design and the flash shoe.

snegron · Sep 2, 2006

mawz said:
What I'd actually like to see is a cross between the Pentax LX and Nikon F3. Take the F3 as the base design, but use the LX's Exposure compensation/ISO dial, prism mount method (Rails like the F4/F5), meter readout and TTL-OTF metering (but with the F3's 80/20 pattern) and also the standard TTL hotshoe on the prism. Everything else should be the standard F3 except the AE lock location which should be like the FM3a.

The other possibility would be to have it use the F4 prisms. But otherwise with the changes I list above. The F3's only real weaknesses are the LCD in the finder, the crappy (and Nikon standard) Exposure compensation dial design and the flash shoe.

There was an F3HP model with the hotshoe on the prism, taller speed dial, it's the F3P and the F3 High Speed.Problem was that they were extremely difficult to get.

copake_ham · Sep 2, 2006

snegron said:
There was an F3HP model with the hotshoe on the prism, taller speed dial, it's the F3P and the F3 High Speed.Problem was that they were extremely difficult to get.

Also, at the very end of the product run there was a F3 AF - considered to be m/l the proto-type for the F4.

braxus · Sep 3, 2006

I'd like to see a modern Canon T90. Call it the T100. FD mount. Features like an EOS 1V or Elan 7 (matrix metering, E-TTL 2, etc) minus the auto focus of course. But most important have a shutter that doesn't seize up from non use. Build it like the old T90. Call it the "Tank 2".

Nick Zentena · Sep 3, 2006

David Brown said:
Now all we need are the meter replacements.

BTW, which battery do you use?

I'm not even sure which one is in the camera-) It's just a silver oxide battery small enough to fit with a rubber ring around it to keep the thing in place.

The better choice would be a silver 400 or I think 387[From memory the 387 is the same size ] either should fit without the need for the rubber ring. But I was never able to find either locally.

benjiboy · Sep 3, 2006

Nikon F

nyx · Sep 3, 2006

Konica Hexar RF with silent mode from Hexar AF (the patent expired some time ago so it should be possible)

throw in better viewfinder and I'll take two

titrisol · Sep 3, 2006

If there was a re-run of the Contax IIa

As for the Spotmatic with iproved metering, the Bessaflex is as close as it gets

snegron said:
Nikon reintroduced the SP rangefinder for a limited production run several years ago. Maybe they did it for nostalgic reasons, who knows. I wonder why they chose that particular model? This got me thinking about how cool it would be if the camera companies would bring back one of their classic models for a limited production run, maybe with a few slight improvements. So, the idea of this thread is to share what we would like to see again, even if for a limited time.

For Nikon, I would love to see a new production of F2AS bodies. This time though it would be even better with improved metering cells and all titanium body (even the metered prism in Titanium). Also, better weather seals.

For Canon, the F1N, this time with shutter speeds up to 1/4000, maybe all in Titanium.

For Pentax, probably the Spotmatic SP this time with improved metring.

I would love to include Minolta and Contax, but I don't think they are making any 35mm cameras anymore, not sure.

Mackinaw · Sep 3, 2006

I wouldn't mind seeing a thoroughly updated FD-mount Canon Pellix with a much-improved two-way mirror.

Jim Bielecki

Jerevan · Sep 3, 2006

David Brown said:
Now all we need are the meter replacements.

BTW, which battery do you use?

Well, if you want a CLA (including meter repair) for a Spotmatic, just go here: www.pentaxs.com. A lot of other people have reported good service from Eric, but mine's in a box on the way so I don't have any personal experience yet.

Oh, and a new Spotmatic wouldn't be bad -except if you want that kind of quality today, expect Leica prices...

DBP · Sep 3, 2006

David A. Goldfarb said:
The Graflex 70mm Combat Graphic rangefinder, maybe updated to take 120 and 220 film would be an interesting thing, with multicoated versions of the three classic Ektar lenses of course.

Great idea, but still in 70mm.

David Brown · Sep 3, 2006

Jerevan said:
Well, if you want a CLA (including meter repair) for a Spotmatic, just go here: www.pentaxs.com. A lot of other people have reported good service from Eric, but mine's in a box on the way so I don't have any personal experience yet.

Oh, and a new Spotmatic wouldn't be bad -except if you want that kind of quality today, expect Leica prices...

Thanks for that link. I have three Spotmatics (and a cadre of lenses) but I never use them anymore and was thinking of selling. However, after this thread, I may have the best one (it was my first "real" camera and so is also sentimental) CLA'd and use it again. Maybe sell the other two bodies.

Or, maybe have one of them done up in purple snake skin from Camera Leather!

Let me know how yours turns out!

Andy K · Sep 3, 2006

Jerevan said:
Oh, and a new Spotmatic wouldn't be bad -except if you want that kind of quality today, expect Leica prices...

One word: Bessaflex.

Jerevan · Sep 3, 2006

David Brown said:
Thanks for that link.

Let me know how yours turns out!

I'll do that, David. And mine also needs new clothes, I'll fix that when she returns.

Rombo · Sep 3, 2006

Nikon F3P and F3 Limited.

roteague · Sep 3, 2006

Nikon F5

bjorke · Sep 3, 2006

Cirkut

Which Camera would You Like to See Again?

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