Your Personal Choice: What is your all-time favorite camera?

[Discoman]

My Graflex Pacemaker 4x5. I just enjoy using it, and it's been through a bit of travel and such with me. Never really had a problem, it's been as reliable as a working German camera. I have a studio monorail I really like, but if I want to use large format, I usually end up just reaching for the Graflex. It's just more convenient.
Also on my favorites would be my Seagull 4BI. Bought it for about $50, just had the focus go out last year (but it's just offset by an adjustable amount, and only prevents me getting closer than two meters to my subject.) I paid way too much for it, but it's been used so much and worked so simply and easily that I have gotten more out of it than I paid for it. Would never tell someone to buy one though. It's sitting in my cabinet outside of its case (as it no longer fits in it with the bad focus) and I can take it out, and the shutter, aperture, film advance (everything except the focus) is in perfect working order. I can't say the same about my Rollei, sadly.
35mm, I'd have to say the Minolta SRT-101. I first learned on that camera, and it was the easiest thing I had ever used. Line the needle up in the ring and your exposure is set right. focus on the lens. Push the side button for depth of field preview. Nothing ever was bad with the camera, except the battery switch could be a little more user-friendly. Haven't used it in years, but I still have it around, perhaps mostly for sentimental reasons. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one of them for someone who wants to try film photography.

 

[lacavol]

I love my M2 & M6, love my ETRS, but my favorite I bought it new when it came out; my OM 4T. It's been hundreds of miles hiking in deserts and mountains, taken pictures from Mt. Whitney to Badwater. It's taken pictures at Joshua Tree and Suicide, never been CLAed and it still works perfectly. Cosmetically it has a few flaws but so do I.

 

[John Austin]

Rollei Wide Angle - Just gets on with the job with no fuss, is rain proof, dust proof and so far has been me proof

 

[jcoldslabs]

Despite a stable of cameras from a Minox B to a Kodak 2D 8x10, the Rolleiflex 3.5F (Planar) is the best camera I have ever used, period. The Gossen meter is still spot-on accurate, the camera is a pleasure to hold and use, the accessories are amazing. (I have a not-so-secret SL66 fetish, but I've never held one.)

 

[fmajor]

Simple answer for me - Mamiya RB67 all the way. No hesitation with this question. I have a Pro-S and sorta wish i had bought an SD, but it's not too much different. I *love* the format, though 6x7 is harder for me to get C-41 films developed (like near impossible).

For smaller format, i really like my Minolta SRT202 and stable of excellent Rokkor lenses. I also have a KM 7D dSLR that is an absolute joy to use as well, but that's not an APUG appropriate answer!!!

 

[brian steinberger]

How about my favorite two?? My Bronica RF645 and my Mamiya 6 are both equally loved! But I guess if I could only own one it would the Bronica RF645 as my favorite camera.

 

[pgomena]

I've bonded with my Hasselblad kit. Mind you, the kit includes my Rollei 2.8C, which serves as an emergency backup tool. I need no other stuff. That doesn't mean I don't own and use other stuff, though.

Peter Gomena

 

[Frank C]

No question about it, my 1955 MX-EVS f3.5 Rolleiflex. I absolutely love this camera. My camera bag is crammed full of accessories to prove it.

 

[LarryP]

I'm kind of torn here between 2 Pentaxs. In 35mm hands down spotmatic f had it loved it miss having it since it was tolen some 12 years ago. guess i should just get another and get rid of my 2 rangefinders. In medium format my P645 had one and it was stolen 4 years ago finally replaced it this year. EDIT if I have to choose between the spotty and 645 the 645 wins but barely.

 

[macrorie]

A Nikon F2A and a little Voigtlander Vito B that is simple fun with a great lens.

 

[EASmithV]

Graflex 4x5

 

[BradS]

All time favorite...its a toss up between the Pentax Spotmatic-F and Nikon FE. I think I'll have to choose the old pentax...it has outlasted at least three Nikons!

 

[mooseontheloose]

Definitely my Nikon FE. It just feels like an extension of my whole being when I use it, and I've never been disappointed by it.

A very close second would be my Minolta Autocord TLR, the first one I ever bought. It's been bumped from first place ONLY because it doesn't always wind the film tightly enough which creates light leak issues. But the feel and use of the camera, along with the images I've taken with it, are wonderful.

 

[Klainmeister]

Mamiya 7II with the 43mm--gah I never get sick of it or the negs! I still find myself having a blast with my old Minolta Hi-matic though.

 

[Toffle]

All time favorite...its a toss up between the Pentax Spotmatic-F and Nikon FE. I think I'll have to choose the old pentax...it has outlasted at least three Nikons!

I have to agree with the Spot-F. I was gifted one last year and it quickly made its way into my daily pack.

 

[John NYC]

Rolleiflex 2.8F for the practicality and sheer loveliness of it. But my real (and less practical) favorite is my 8x10. I am never happier taking photos than when shooting the 8x10.

 

[EdColorado]

My favorite, because of all the time I spent with it (actually two of them) would be my Canon T-90s. I used these when I was working shooting motorsports and although that was many years back they still just fall into my hands and are so completely automatic and intuitive to use. Like a couple of old friends.

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

I don't have a favourite per se, but I have a special place in my heart for my YashicaMat. It heralded my return to film based photography...

 

[Paul Green]

As a 24 year old the first proper camera I received at 16 was an Olympus om4 with a 50mm 1.4 others have come and gone, but it just feels 'right'. Secondly I would have to add the Bronica rf645.

 

[tomalophicon]

There's no question the best ever camera is the RB67.

 

[darkosaric]

nikon F3.

 

[Danielle]

My Mamiya RB67 ProSD. No batteries to fail, and a fine workhorse with big enough negatives to print easily up to 20x24 or a bit bigger depending on film used. Unless Im doing journalism, its the RB, plus the flash sync on any speed. They only issue is the 1/400th sec limit, but its a very rare day its an issue for me. Should get some ND filters actually.

 

[lesm]

Topcon RE2, which I had for 20 years or so. Only ever had two lenses, the standard and a 135mm. I really loved the quality of the solid body, the metering and those superb lenses. It never missed a beat all around Europe and into Outback Australia. One day I traded it in for a field telescope for birdwatching and regretted it ever since. Must've been mad.

 

[sewarion]

Nikon F4.

Though There are far more modern cameras (regarding AF, etc.), or more puristic ones, I just love it. It was the cam that tossed me into the world of analog photography. I took it up with a 35/2 lens mounted and fell for it. And besides all this rather emotional stuff, I seriously find its knobs and wheels really useful and well designed, haptics are awesome and its meter is just great (spot, but matrix as well). Even though I have a Konica Hexar AF (also with a 35/2 lens which is much superior to the Nikkor) and I am about to switch over to the MF fraction, I just take the F4 every once in a while and shoot some rolls og film - old love never dies...

cheers,
sewarion

 

[keithwms]

Mamiya 6.