Best manual camera, ever?

<p>Hello again <br>

I love this forum; i think i am addicted! <br>

Through the gentle and informed persuations of numerous members of Photo.net i am happily compelled to continue my basic photography education and learning with my FM3a ... But i started to wonder, with my camera being so beautifully manual ... What, in the opinion of the many others (more qualified and experienced than i'll likely ever be!), is the very best manual 35mm SLR camera that has ever been made? And why? I'm not wishing for anyone to feel restricted to just Nikon! Be honest from the heart! <br>

I am very interested!! <br>

Donald</p>

<p>Since this isn't restricted to just Nikon I'll move this to the Casual Photo Conversations Forum.</p>

<p>Over the years my favorite 35mm SLRs, in no particular order and based mostly on the intangible "Gee, I like this camera" impression rather than practicality:</p>

<ul>

<li>Nikon F3HP (does almost everything well despite a few quirks) </li>

<li>Olympus OM-1 (best all-around travel kit) </li>

<li>Miranda Sensorex (first SLR I ever owned, when it was new) </li>

<li>Pentax Spotmatic (first SLR I ever used, when it was new on the market) </li>

<li>Canon FTbn (almost everything you need, nothing you don't)</li>

</ul>

<p>I'd have to vote for Pentax K1000; or, any of the other Spotmatic or Pentax AP derivatives. That whole group of cameras from AP to Spotmatic to K2 to K1000, I think they were very sturdily built. I enjoy using them, and think they are pretty much a good investment for the user. Collectively, they are the '57 Chevy of cameras.</p>

<p>Nikon FM2</p>

<p>Tough, great MLU function, light, tough.</p>

<p>35 mm camera bodies are only light boxes. The things that made them any good are the film and lenses. To compare the best 35 mm SLR is harder than comparing which is the best digital DSLR. At least the DSLRs have different sensors and megapixels. Just use which ever one you are most comfortable with and forget about comparing them.<br>

You may be able to tell the difference between a Nikon D3X and a Nikon D60 with the same lens. I challenge any one to tell the difference between the Nikon F2a and the Nikon FM using the same film and the same lens.</p>

<p>I can't say I'm qualified to say which is the best but I sure loved and used my Canon F1n's for 10 years and they rocked. Metering was superb. </p>

<p>Pentax LX; Canon F1; Canon T-90; (I own all 3): who couldn't want or couldn't use a <em>waist level finder</em> w/ground glass focusing every once in a while... or multi-spot metering-or even -5 EV "low light" metering?<br>

Haven't heard of either? That may be, "<strong>may</strong>" being the operative word, because neither is a "cult" favorite <em>outside their own "cults</em>". </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Nikon F, Nikkormat FTN, all working for four decades and likely many more. :)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Canon F-1n and Canon T90. Fine pro level machines that use some of the world's best optics. There is a reason photonet devotes an entire forum to Canon FD.</p>

<p>Hi, Donald -</p>

<p>My all time favorite manual 35mm SLR camera and accessories system: Olympus OM-1n, followed VERY CLOSELY by Minolta SRT101.</p>

<p>Why? OM-1 was very compact, relatively light, reliable as an anvil, one of the quietest shutters I've used. SRT performed equally, image quality at least as good, but was just a bit larger and heavier. OM-1 had more of the lenses available that I found useful.</p>

<p>I'm quite sure Nikon had manual cameras that were considered among the very best, but I never bought one until my F-100, so can't speak to earlier models. Enjoy your FM3a.</p>

<p>Patrick </p>

<p>Nikon F, Olympus OM-1n, Nikon F2 with plain prism.</p>

<p>Kodak Retina IIc (my first 35mm camera). It did everything is was asked and able to do. I developed the first roll of film I shot with it, and have been hooked ever since. Definitely a sentimental favorite for me. I wish I still had it.</p>

<p>My other candidates: the Leica IIIf (my first interchangeable-lens camera...a hand-me-down that was several years older than me), and the Minolta SRT-101 (my second SLR, reliable as an anvil - got it in a trade deal for a Petri FT-EE).</p>

<p>I bought an FM3A when they first came out, but always disliked having no mirror lock-up. IMO, that was a serious design flaw for the Last Great Manual SLR, and that shortcoming made it into an eventual non-keeper for me. I truly liked it otherwise.</p>

<p>As a Nikon fan I like the FE2, the FM2N and the best combination the FM3A</p>

<p>RA</p>

<p>I really loved the Fe2 and the FM3a. Someone should mention the Blad 500 c/m.</p>

<p>Wow - everybody is concentrating on SLRs! I think the rangefinders deserve some well earned praise...begining with the Argus C3 (the Brick), of course the various earlier Leicas (M3&4), and one of my favorites, the Ricoh 500 series of the late 1950s. In the SLRs, I'd give a nod to Nikons, Olympus OM1, and the Leicaflex SL2 (which cost more to manufacture than they could charge for it - the production only ran for 2 years).</p>

<blockquote>

<p>35 mm camera bodies are only light boxes.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Ah, if only that were true, Hansen. It would make things so much easier.</p>

<p>But the fact is these light tight boxes differ significantly in quality and reliability. Years ago on the CompuServe photo forum, in response to that very truism about all cameras being the same, Ctein mentioned some difficulties keeping the Pentax ME mirror aligned accurately for critical focus (I hope I'm remembering correctly, it's been more than 10 years ago).</p>

<p>Add to that the tendency of the flimsy plastic door latch on the Nikon N6006 to snap, leaving it a very <em>non</em> -light tight box. An otherwise very good camera, hampered by a stupid engineering decision to save a few cents.</p>

<p>Lens mount rings tend to loosen up on the Canon T50 and T70 bodies, both otherwise good cameras. Not so good for critical lens alignment on those light boxes. While I used and enjoyed both, they'd never rank among my list of best or favorites.</p>

<p>Resistor ring problems with some Nikon F2 metering prisms? Check. Not a deal killer for a light tight box, but a hassle for those who appreciate the convenience of TTL metering.</p>

<p>Some folks can't stand the unconventional location of the shutter speed ring on Olympus OM's and some Nikkormats. Lefty Exactas for right-handed photographers?</p>

<p>I could go on and on. There are very good reasons why we chatter about favorite cameras. Usually a little time and experience helps identify which particular light tight boxes won't drive you bonkers due to an unacceptable quirk.</p>

<p>My vote goes, as always, to the mighty and immortal Nikon F. If in fact, we mean manual in its purest form. I suppose the F2 could be considered as even better, but I have a soft spot for the F. If you've ever opened one up and played with its mechanism, you'll find that it's impressive all the way through. It's a mechanical masterpiece.</p>

<p>However, after a recent plunge into the later portion of the 20th century, I would add, if the "manual" designation is stretched a little, that the F3 is awfully nice too.</p>

<p>Of course, if we expand away from SLR's, one could consider something like my Leica IIIb, another clockwork marvel. How many other machines out there can work perfectly after 70 years without ever having been serviced?</p>

<p>Having used Pentax, Canon (F1), Leicaflex SLII, and Nikon over the years, I'd have to say the Nikon F2A is my all time favorite manual camera, followed closely by the F3HP. Nothing else comes close.</p>

<p>Nikon FM - Small and simple with a meter. No battteries - still works. Film advance silkly-smooth....</p>

<p>Ah yes, Lex you are correct and you did change the OP slightly. I understand there are "favorite" film camera. Unfortunately when I read the OP I read the question as the "best" 35 mm SLR camera. I love to discuss favorites but the word "best" is a pet peeve of mine.;-)</p>

<p>Everybody's stuck on 35 mm. Best manual camera/system I've owned is the Hasselblad 500CM. But my sentimental favorite is my first "real" camera which was a Kodak Retina IIIC (yep, a big C). Still have it, still works, still great. </p>

<p>Three favrourites:<br>

Nikon F2AS</p>

<p>Minolta SRT 101</p>

<p>Topcon Super D</p>

<p>/Clay</p>

<p>Lot's of old 35mm slr camera's out there that are very significant . Nikon F started it all really. A beast that worked. Many others also..I have never owned one but I think the FM2n is my favorite in the SLR. The Leica camera's are wonderful but they were not SLR bodies. Lot's of National Geographic photographers used the Nikon and Leica bodies back in the manual camera days. If you open up the rules a bit then you get into the Hassleblad bodies and then the large format camera's. Many wonder camera's out there. But now most of us are shooting digital point and shoot camera's like my D200.</p>

<p>"Everybody's stuck on 35 mm." OK, I'll vote for the Zeiss Super Ikonta A. A lot smaller than a Nikon F, with a lot larger negative.</p>

<p>It really depends on what you consider a "manual" SLR, but I'm pretty fond of my Canon F1 and EF. My favorite 35mm would probably be the Konica Auto S2 but then thats not an SLR, neither is my Argus C3 or Kodak Retina IIIc.</p>