Your Dream Camera

[matchat]

I just got to wondering, if you could have your dream camera then what would it really be? We can all say "oh a Leica" off the top of our head or "oh a canon eos 1ds mk2" but is that really our dream camera or just a piece of expert marketing. I suppose I ought to say therefore 'which camera is the very essence of camera-hood? which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'

Hope this isn't a bit too theatrical :rolleyes: - Mat

 

[roteague]

I ought to say therefore 'which camera is the very essence of camera-hood? which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'

That would have to be my Toyo 45AII, with its complement of Schneider lenses.

BTW, when I hear Canon EOS Ds MkII, I think of doorstop.

 

[gandolfi]

easy: I got it.

Rolleiflex SL 66 E!

beat that!

......and of course the tiny Gandolfi.....

 

[josephaustin]

In 35mm, the Pentax LX, or a Contax. In MF a Hassie, or a mint 2.8 Rollie. In LF, hard to say really love to have a great 8x10 MasterView, or a Deardorff. A couple Leicas would be nice if I HAVE to take them.

 

[rbarker]

. . .which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'

I can't limit it to one, as they're good at different things: Leica M6TTL for 35mm, the Hassy for MF, Toyo 45AX for 4x5 in the field, and the Tachihara for 8x10 field work.

 

[sajianphotos]

easy: I got it.

Rolleiflex SL 66 E!

beat that!

......and of course the tiny Gandolfi.....

His!

 

[Earl Dunbar]

My OM-1. For auto, an OM-4t. For RF, I'd love to have the new ZI, but if I could convert one of my Oly 35SPs to interchangeable lenses...

Earl

 

[Dave Parker]

I just got to wondering, if you could have your dream camera then what would it really be? We can all say "oh a Leica" off the top of our head or "oh a canon eos 1ds mk2" but is that really our dream camera or just a piece of expert marketing. I suppose I ought to say therefore 'which camera is the very essence of camera-hood? which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'

Hope this isn't a bit too theatrical :rolleyes: - Mat

Can't say I could choose just one, but I do know what I would not choose....

Canon 1DS MII would be at the very bottom of my list.

Dave

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I saw a 20x24" Lotus recently that was pretty fancy, but I think I'd need to set up my dream darkroom first, and then there's the dream lens, and the dream filmholders.

 

[Paul Sorensen]

......and of course the tiny Gandolfi.....

Sounds like some sort of sick euphemism, doesn't it?

I have a problem in that I have many, many dream cameras. In no particular order:

Nikon F6
Pentax LX
Mamiya RZ67
Ebony 4X5 and 8X10 and 11X14 etc
Rollei 35
Rolleiflex f/2.8
Voigtlander Bessa II 6X9 Folder
Pentax 110 SLR
Any Leica M series
Olympus XA
Pentax 67
Olympus OM 4Ti

I will likely think of a few more in a minute or two!

I am pretty darned happy with my Mamiya 645 and ersatz Shen Hao, however. In fact, I consider myself pretty lucky to have them.

 

[jd callow]

My mamiya 6 is as close as I've found. I would like a shorter lens.

I have in my mind the thought of what I could do with a Plaubel SW pro shift but Ive never used one and the grass is often greener...

I love my sinar and need to add just one more lens and a 6x12 RFH and it is done. Unfortunately, it is 50% a studio camera and I gave mine up for a darkroom.

I would love a M3/4/6 and the lenses, but I hate the tiny neg.

 

[bobfowler]

For 35mm, a manual focus Nikon with interchangable viewfinders AND interchangable film backs - no more rewinding mid roll to change from neg to chromes.

Medium format, I have it already, my Bronica system.

Large format field camera, a Canham Traditional wood field with both 5X7 and 4X5 backs.

Large format studio camera... hmmmmm.... I need to think about that some more...

 

[MattKing]

To approach this a different way:

A MF SLR camera, with:
- controls that can be operated with either hand;
- choice of replaceable backs, offering a choice of either 6x6 square format, or rotating 6x4.5 format, with easy to load inserts;
- choice of viewfinders and prisms, including a 45 degree prism, all with bright and contrasty screens, showing at least 97% of the image area, and automatically showing the size and orientation of the film back;
- built in (to the body) metering usable with all finders, including a spotmeter, and a centre-weighted meter, and averaging meter, all with manual and aperture preferred autonatic options, all with OTF capabilities, including for flash;
- focal plane shutter, with manual speeds between 16 seconds and 1/1000 second, with 1/250 flash synch speed;
- uses commonly available household type (AA??) batteries, and offers a range of useful manual shutter speeds if batteries fail;
- a variety of grip choices, for left and right hand options;
- a variety of winder choices, including power winders as well as winding cranks and speed grips (as in Bronica ETRSi) which can be set to operate from either side;
- a wide range of sharp, contrasty manual focus lenses, including specialty lenses such as macros, soft-focus, leaf shutter lenses (that maintain automatic operation) and zooms;
- an effective, add-on auto-focus option;
- a wide range of easy to use accessories that work well with each other;
- light weight, but robust build quality, that is easily maintained and serviced; and
- most importantly, owned by me.

You did say that this was to be my Dream camera

Matt

 

[luvmydogs]

I have most of my dream cameras already!

35mm RF - Leica MP
MF - Hasselblad
LF - Ebony SV810U

Would still like: Linhof MT2000, OM-4T, and Nikon F2AS

 

[RichSBV]

in 35mm, a Minolta XK. For the 'dream'; a Minolta XK with a detachable motor drive...

LF 4x5 - Super Graphic.

LF 8x10 - Century Universal.

 

[narsuitus]

Titanium Nikon F2, F3, or F4s with an optional full-frame digital back

Titanium Leica MP with an optional full-frame digital back

Titanium Fuji 6x7cm, 6x8cm, or 6x9cm rangefinder with bulb setting, interchangeable lenses, and an optional full-frame digital back

Custom-made 8x10 inch Deardorff with an optional full-frame digital back

 

[Ole]

Gandolfi again. In particular the 5x7" Traditional.

In 35mm cameras the Bessa-L comes pretty close.

 

[Soeren]

I'm a gearhead, I don't have A dreamcamera, Ill take anything
Regards Søren

 

[removed account4]

i'd like something like a graflex superD 3x4 with a rollback and a POS portrait lens ...

 

[SchwinnParamount]

How about a camera you made yourself? You cut your wood and machined your brass/steel? That will be my dream camera when I complete it.

 

[Graeme Hird]

Arca Swiss F-Line Metric 5x4, although my Tachi is quite suitable for what I do now.

Already have my dream 35mm system - Nikon F5.

 

[firecracker]

... a camera that dreams, talks, and shoots like I do, so I can take a long nap in the afternoon.

 

[nzeeman]

zorki 1 - small , compact, with great lenses. can do anything that other cameras can if you know to use it.


(also i would like to have some camera used in wwii- i like that feeling that someone in war was running around with camera and shooting and that i have it after him. )

 

[matchat]

Some interesting replies here folks! I have to agree with RichSBV though, the Minolta XK is a supreme camera (i'm a bit of a Minolta nut) and could only be improved with the addition of the 135mm (2)/85mm (2) or the 35mm (1.8) MD Rokkor.
Nostalgically though I reckon i'd like to get my hands on a mint Yashica FR1 with a collection of fine ML lenses (perhaps when i've finished my Minolta collection to my satisfaction)

 

[Soeren]

Snip
(also i would like to have some camera used in wwii- i like that feeling that someone in war was running around with camera and shooting and that i have it after him. )

Sexist, it could be a female you know. Look here
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/wcf/wcf0001.html

Regards Søren