You favorite "socially acceptable" 35mm camera?

Marvin · Oct 1, 2015

+1 for the N80 or similar most won't know that its not a DSLR. I was shooting with a group down on the Sound with my F5 and a guy came up wanting to look at my camera, he thought it was a DSLR.

contaxg2 · Oct 1, 2015

I've never gotten any comments on the minolta tc-1 in social settings other than the occasional "How do I check if the picture came out?"

On the flip side the Yashica T5 got me lots of "My grandma wants her camera back" type comments.

Not sure why the difference but everyone always assumes the minolta is a digital camera.

JBrunner · Oct 1, 2015

When I'm trying to be unobtrusive, I usually take my Kodak Masterview. Rail cameras are so obnoxious.

Sirius Glass · Oct 1, 2015

MartinCrabtree · Oct 1, 2015

I'm as socially acceptable as a seal clubbing in an oil spill on a glacier. Thus at any parties where I'm invited photos are verboten. So I usually take the F5.

GarageBoy · Oct 1, 2015

j-dogg said:
I've brought my 5x7 and RB67 to parties, they are great icebreakers with ladies.

Who cares what's socially acceptable.

See- the 5x7 and RB67 are "cool" because they're "weird"- my F100 and FE2 makes me people go "great, there's GarageBoy again, taking pictures of everything"
"Grandma's camera" is a plus to me - it adds an extra layer of "oh, that's a cool camera" and a conversation starter-

blockend · Oct 1, 2015

It depends - inconspicuous or a talking point? For low profile a clamshell Olympus, as a talking point - the sky's the limit.

Theo Sulphate · Oct 1, 2015

Polaroid with Impossible film or Fuji with Instax.

Malinku · Oct 1, 2015

I have a Fuji instax for my Social pictures. And If I want to get people I take out my 1930s welta welti.

frank · Oct 1, 2015

From my point of view, dslr's are the most disruptive/intimidating/least acceptable.
A longer lens or zoom lens, makes it worse.

M Carter · Oct 1, 2015

Kinda sounds like if you want to be unobtrusive (and not be lugging an SLR & Lens around), an Olympus XA might be worth a look. I don't own one but have bid on them once or twice. Kind of badass little camera, and has a sort of 80's vibe going on.

ColColt · Oct 1, 2015

j-dogg said:
I've brought my 5x7 and RB67 to parties, they are great icebreakers with ladies.

Who cares what's socially acceptable.

My feelings exactly.

dynachrome · Oct 1, 2015

A Nikon Pronea S with the 20-60 zoom and, when it was still available, the Fuji 800 speed APS film.The faster film extended the reach of the flash and with the lens at the 20mm end, everything is sharp.

Down Under · Oct 1, 2015

Any Nikkormat model (I have seven, covering almost every model made, so for me it's a no-brainer, I can even take two at any one time) with a 1960s space age design Metz electroflash. Great chick magnets and always produce the results (on film anyway).
At older gatherings, try a Perkeo, Zeiss Nettar, or a Rolleiflex TLR.
On the street, a Contax G1 with the 21mm Biogon and of course the Barney Google viewfinder.
At my age, the 'in' social niceties concern me less, but I still use all the help I can get. I got on a Melbourne tram yesterday, with a G1 round my neck, and a young lady I quite fancied got up and offered me her seat. I took it!

mrjr · Oct 1, 2015

I haven't really found the right balance either. But at the last wedding I went to, I took my Olympus trip 35. And my Olympus XA4 in my pocket. You can also pocket a tiny flash unit and use guide number flash on the Trip when the light gets bad.

Or substitute any 70's compact rangefinder, and that would give you roughly the same result.

Alan Gales · Oct 1, 2015

frank said:
From my point of view, dslr's are the most disruptive/intimidating/least acceptable.
A longer lens or zoom lens, makes it worse.

Frank, your point of view is correct in my experience.

I used to use a Nikon D200 and then D300 with an 18-200mm DX lens (28-300mm on full frame digital or 35mm camera) for shooting Fastpitch Softball. I could shoot on the field with the longer end or in the middle somewhere and then take pictures in the dugout with the shorter 18mm end. That lens worked great!

I tried taking it over to my wife's family get togethers and her family would actually put their hands in front of their faces. I'd be shooting slightly wide to normal (35mm to 50mm lens focal length on a 35mm camera) but all they saw was that long lens!

Now I use a Fujifilm x100s. It looks like a rangefinder and has a 23mm lens which is equal in focal length to a 35mm on a Leica. They actually pose for me now.

mehguy · Oct 1, 2015

Well, it depends. If you want people thinkin' "wow! thats a cool camera!", then use a hasselblad, Rolleiflex or any medium or large format camera. Or if you want to look like any other shooter out there, get a Nikon or Canon Film slr made in the last 15 years or so.

But honestly... WHO CARES?

Ken Nadvornick · Oct 1, 2015

Here's a (non-35mm) social acceptance secret...

Next time show up at the party with a full-blown Graflex 4x5 Crown Graphic newspaperman's press camera with all the trimmings. That includes a working Graflite flash gun with real Press 25 flashbulbs. And maybe a Grafmatic holder with six sheets of film loaded. The entire rig looks like something out of a damned Jules Verne novel.

I'm willing to give you a written guarantee that you will have subjects lining up begging and pleading with you to take their picture. They will be putty in your hands, willing to do anything you wish. Since they will have to wait, simply pop the burned out flashbulbs into their hands ("careful now, it's hot!") as souvenirs to tide them over until the film is processed.

Works every time.

Ken

ColColt · Oct 1, 2015

Guaranteed chick magnet...I like it.

ic-racer · Oct 1, 2015

GarageBoy said:
I hate being "that guy" who whips out my Nikon F100 during parties and social gatherings- I guess I need something more "socially acceptable"
Any ideas? Olympus XA? Contax G1?

That is why I got some Nikons. For example my F100 looks more like a camera to the unwashed masses than, my Shen-Hao 8x10, Horseman, Rolleiflex SLR or Minox.

MattKing · Oct 1, 2015

I would avoid a Koni-Omega, particularly if there are any duck hunters in the crowd.

frank · Oct 1, 2015

Use a Fuji RF 6x7/6x9 and tell them it's a clown camera. Wearing those big clown shoes helps.

Pioneer · Oct 1, 2015

Rolleiflex TLR or Crown Graphic are the most socially acceptable film cameras.

After that comes a nice, Leica LTM.

Sirius Glass · Oct 1, 2015

Ok we are now to the point that everyone can recommend their favorite camera.

GO!

jspillane · Oct 2, 2015

markbarendt said:
Holga, roll up your pant cuffs, pointy goatee, ...

ParkerSmithPhoto said:
I think the Holga is usually paired with a neck beard and flannel.

The conception that hipsters shoot with Holga's seems entirely limited to the internet. I live in Brooklyn am an obsessive observer of peoples cameras, and the most common super-hipster cameras I see are Leica M and Contax G... which people probably can't have quite as much fun dismissing. You see a big mixture though, lots of Nikon SLRs, too.

I don't own one, but if I wanted to be subtle I'd get a Ricoh GR of some type. My social-event camera is a Canonet QL17, which gets a lot of eyes.

You favorite "socially acceptable" 35mm camera?

Marvin

contaxg2

JBrunner

Moderator

Sirius Glass

MartinCrabtree

GarageBoy

blockend

Theo Sulphate

Malinku

frank

M Carter

ColColt

dynachrome

Down Under

mrjr

Alan Gales

mehguy

Ken Nadvornick

ColColt

ic-racer

MattKing

Moderator

frank

Pioneer

Sirius Glass

jspillane

You favorite "socially acceptable" 35mm camera?

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