what, in your opinion, is the best 35mm camera?

<p>Nikon F with all those incredible lenses, and the waist level view finder! rollei 35s for travel.</p>

<p>The are a number of great cameras. My first criteria is the availability and quality of lenses for the camera. Then on a personal basis I like a meter. I also like the camera to be sturdy and light weight and I do not care for autofocus or motor drive (anymore). The Leica M6 Classic or TTL or the Nikon F3HP meets my needs. The Olympus OM series meets those criteria but I am not as confident in its build quality nor was I impressed with the lenses as I was with the aforementioned cameras.</p>

<p>I'm partial to the Topcon Super D. Solid camera, great metering, great lenses (exception being the 200/5.6). Indestructible.<br>

But I just got a Pentax LX, and it does pretty much anything the Super D does and better. For instance, TTL metering with any interchangeable finder. (Try that on a Nikon F or F2.) Probably not as reliable (indestructible) as the Super D. Very nice to handle. A wider collection of lenses. The larger throat of the lens mount allows better lens designs. But the accessory finders are rare and pricey.<br>

The Pentax MX has a larger finder than the LX, but with less eye relief, less bright. Also, the shutter speed dial is hard to turn, and the LED meter readout less than ideal to see and fiddly to keep lit.</p>

<p>Arri and Panavision make fine 35 mm cameras.</p>

<p>It's fun reading about all these great cameras. Many that I have not had. I can only speak to the best ones I have had. In 35mm SLR, my Canon T-90 is king for three reasons. The design, comfort and ergonomics are superb; the automation is useful AND elegantly simple to use; and of course it uses AA batteries!</p>

<p>In 35mm pocket cameras (which I really love), the Olympus XA is just utterly timeless in simplicity and usefulness.</p>

<p>In rangefinders, I am really enjoying the Bessa R for simplicity and for having screw mount Leica compatibility at a low price. It might be a kind of "best bang for the buck" camera? And, I like the lightness of it. Would I like to trade up to a Leica? Well, of course!</p>

 

<p>If I had to take one out to use it would be Nikon F2AS preferably in black.</p>

<p>For me the number one camera is the EOS 1v(HS or non-HS), simply amazing in so many ways, followed by the F100. Both of these are cameras that I use alongside my digital gear on a daily basis and are both phenomenal cameras. My list of favorites after those two depends on my mood on any given day, but consistently favored are the F3HP, XD-11, Pentax LX, T90, F1n, and the FE2.</p>

<p>My #1, Leica M3 - #2 Leica R9. Its all about the lenses.</p>

<p>My #1, Leica M3 - #2 Leica R9. Its all about the lenses.</p>

<p>Canon T90, EOS 1V<br>

Nikon F4, F6<br>

There are loads of others, these are my favorites.</p>

<p><img src="http://hull534.smugmug.com/photos/849242096_ZPTvj-L.jpg" alt="" /><br>

The Nikon F with standard prism finder</p>

<p>I have bought and sold more cameras than you can shake a stick at and have found a few that are real winners. The old Canon F1, Canon FTBn, Konica T, T3, Pentax MX, LX, Nikon FE2, Nikkormat FT2, FT3, Leicaflex SL, SL2, R4, Leica M2 and M3ds. I have owned all of those and more, but the only one I near shed a tear over when I sold it was my beloved Nikon F2AS. I probably ran more film through the Nkon FE2, but the Nikon F2AS is my "all time favorite" film camera. Until you use one you just won't understand. You can meter, even in low candle light, with the DP12 head and the silky smooth gear train in that camera is beyond description. I like the Leicaflex SL I still own, but if I had a choice I'd take a F2AS over any 35mm film camera. Of course, that's just my opinion. JohnW</p>

<p>I don't know about best but My favorites In no particular order are:<br>

Canon T90<br>

Retina IIa<br>

Retina Ia<br>

Pentax Spotmatic<br>

Canon F1</p>

<p>Really should be the Leica M2/M3, or the Nikon F2.....or the original Spotmatic.....or....</p>

<p>Topcon RE system (Super D, RE Super, Super DM). The tank of tanks, beautiful and competent lenses 20 mm to 500 mm, meter on the mirror, interchangable finders, screens, and backs. I've used the big guns from Nikon and Canon, but there are none simpler and more rugged than the instruments from Topcon. (Just my opinion, of course.)</p>

<p><strong>Minolta XE-5. </strong><br>

...Next would be battery independent <strong>Minolta SRT 102.</strong></p>

<p>I agree that the best camera is the one that gets used, and in my case I can narrow things down to just a few:</p>

<p>Canon F-1n -- the original F-1 continues to be my overall favorite. Robust, accurate, comfortable.<br>

Nikon F2 -- Nikon's last hand built camera and my favorite Nikon of all.<br>

Leica M6 -- My favorite rangefinder.<br>

Olympus XA -- the best pocket 35mm camera that I can think of.</p>

<p>My seven favorites:<br>

Leica IIIf<br>

Leica CL<br>

Nicomat FTn<br>

Nikon F100<br>

Minolta XD11<br>

Olympus OM 3T<br>

Leica R4 S Mod P</p>

<p>PS Sometimes the camera you have with you sucks and infuriates you and you strongly wish you had a BETTER camera with you.</p>

<p>My personal favourite is the OM-1n. Although I had the impression that the Nikon F 2 is the best built SLR, I prefer the smaller and lighter OM-set (body and lenses). It is of an excellent design, does everything I need and is not a burden for my shoulders and back. I always wanted a Leica M 3, but they are overpriced, at least in germany. Another camera I like to use is the Voitglaender Vitomatic IIa. The Color-Skopar produces a nice glow and the viewfinder is very nice.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The Minolta XE-7 and Pentax ME Super ought to be on someone's list.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The Monolta XE-1 (European version of XE-7) is on my list.</p>

<p>Leica R8, best viewfinder I've ever looked through! Handles like it should, with access to all the important stuff. And best of all, it houses the R lenses!</p><div></div>

<p>Doesn't the self timer trick work on the F100 for MLU? I'm actually curious...<br>

This is one of those questions that really begs perspective. As much as I hate it, new cars are better than old ones - they just are: they go further, break less, are safer, etc - mind you, driving them feels like a coma and they all look the same shade of hideous. I doubt you could ask a 35mm camera to do anything any better than a F6 or an EOS1V, and despite the fanatical pleas to the contrary, neither Nikon nor Canon glass will put you at a disadvantage. Either one of those cameras will do everything any other 35mm can do and then some, do it in more adverse conditions and for much longer, and keep doing it long after the Leicas glow their way into the repair shops they need like the fine exotica that they truly are. Those two have an extremely extensive lineup of lenses and accessories and miles of real wold testing - both in their own model and in their storied lineage. <br>

I don't really aspire to own either one, even though its silly not to at the prices the digital epidemic has caused, so for me neither one is "the best". But I assure you that if I had to bring a picture back on 35mm film in order to put food on my table and a roof over my head, I would pick one of those every time. I would perhaps side with the Nikon simply because of the whole mount issue and ability to use older lenses IF (and that's a big if) I would do such a thing while shooting for a living.<br>

Generally speaking I think that cameras can be judged much like life preservers - the best one is the one you can reach when you need it.</p>

<p>The "Best camera" is the one you have with you.</p>

<p>I hardly think I am in the position to opine for the "best" 35mm camera.<br>

My favorite 35mm camera is most certainly the Nikon F2. I've used it more than any camera I've ever owned even more now than my geriatric Pentax Spotmatic.<br>

After all these years (about 30) the thing has performed perfectly click after noisy click, frame after perfect frame and the only thing I've done to it, is install a fresh meter battery every few years. Not bad.<br>

I kinda like my iiif as well, but for entirely different reasons.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Um, er, ah, all of the cameras mentioned are indeed worthy. </p>

<p>Contemplating the lot of them, though, doesn't suppress the memory of something I saw on a consulting gig in Nicaragua. There I was in the Managua Intercontental's lobby (the old one, now there are at least two) waiting for the people I was going to go out to dinner with. A couple of vans drove up, people emerged from them and emptied them. They stacked the contents up in the lobby, made a nice pyramid of aluminum-skinned cases topped with an Arri 535. I've never been so close to a quarter million dollar camera. One 535 would buy enough of the 35 mm still cameras mentioned here to make each of the contributors to this thread very happy. Yes, it is an SLR.</p>

<p>Gotta think big, folks. Mr. Kennedy, <em>really</em> serious acquisition is waiting for you.</p>