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

<p>I know, we have addressed this before, but as the years pass, we acquire more cameras and learn more about them. The Nikon F6, still in production, may be the best but I have never held one. I have a lot of great cameras, and among those I own, I would consider the Nikon F5 and F100, the Kodak Retina IIIC (big C), the Canon T90 and F-1New, the Minolta XD-11, the Leica M6, and a few others. I love the workmanship on my Zeiss contax IIa. Considering all this, I guess the Nikon F100 is the best. It lacks mirror lock up and a built in viewfinder curtain, but it sure feels good in the hand and delivers great results. What say you and why?</p>

<p>Hi.<br>

The canon EOS 1V</p>

<p>Leica MP overall, among Nikons the FM3.</p>

<p>Like many others here I'm a camera collector as well as a photographer, so I can't easily give a single answer.<br>

Modern autofocus is a boon in many cases, but if you wish to use manual focus you either need a manual focus camera, or a manual focus lens on an autofocus camera - auto focus lenses used manually IMHO just don't cut it - so already we have a the possibility of two different cameras for two different situations.<br>

A similar situation might arise with built in or hand held/spot metering - horses for courses.<br>

Another issue could be the state of the camera today - is a new f6 a better camera than a 12 year old f100? I know that my Nikkormat is a superbly built camera that appears to have had hardly any use - while the newer f2s, though both still fully operational, are mechanically loose and cosmetic wrecks after long hard professional lives. Today the simpler camera is better!<br>

A someone who shares his life with far too many cameras (even in MY opinion, don't even ask my partner :-) IMHO there is no best camera, just my favourite one on the day.</p>

<p>Canon - F1 - Just really well built - did the job without a ton of flash. <br>

Nikon - F2 - Nikon fixed the few errors in F design and created a classic<br>

Konica - T4 - All the other Japanese makers had gone to electronic 1/60 sec sync speed shutters by the time the T4 was introduced - T4 had a mechanical shutter and a 1/125 flash sync. You could also shoot without a battery at any shutter speed. <br>

Minolta - Maximum 7000i (the one that you could put cards into to change default settings) - The only AF Film SLR that I'd recommend. Minolta did AF right. </p>

<p>Dave</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Count me in on the F100. Maybe it simply is the way it fits my hand! As much as I love my F and Nikkormat FTn ...these guys are a work of industrial art........My other favorite is my "lowly" FM....Light, simple, tough....takes all "F" lenses in a single bound!</p>

Any Pentax that uses Super-Multi-Coated optics.

<p>There is no one winner.<br>

Some of my favorites.<br>

Leica M6. superb build and lenses but rangefinders are a bit over rated and are limited.<br>

Nikon FM3a. A fine camera but does it really do that much more then an Fe2 does?<br>

Olympus OM1n, 2n and OM4t are all great.<br />Nikon's F3 is a legend.<br>

This is the Classic forum so i won't mention the f6 and f100 but my current favorite is the Nikon FE2. Just picked up a fine sample that has the smoothest advance I've ever used and that includes the Leica bodies i've owned. It's affordable well built, compact and does whatever I need to do when shooting B&W film.<br />Nik</p>

<p><a href="http://westfordcomp.com/toycameras/chocolatemilk/spycamera.html">click</a><br>

<a href="http://westfordcomp.com/toycameras/kermitcamera/feb09/index.html">click</a><br>

<a href="http://westfordcomp.com/toycameras/chicco/index.html">click</a></p>

<p>The "Best" camera is the one that gets used!<br>

Best for one person may - or not - be best for someone else.<br>

Best for one application may - or may not - be best for other applications.<br>

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

Thanks, Gene for putting things in perspective...</p>

<p>Always back to my favorite first: Canon EF, rugged, dependable and a silky smooth film advance.</p>

<p>But there truly isn't only one; the F-1 and New F-1 are right up there also as are the Olympus OM-1 and OM-2, Canon A-1 and Nikon FE-2.</p>

<p>For shear simplicity and durability the Canon FTbn.</p>

<p>Ed</p>

<p>Best depends for what purpose. The Topcon Unirex wasn't great camera and could mount very few lenses, but if you needed flash sync at 1/500 in a 35mm SLR it was hard to beat.</p>

<p>To me, the best camera in the world is the one that the best photographer in the world used to take the best photograph in the world</p>

<p>"Best 35mm camera" covers too much ground. I don't think a Nikon F2 and an Olympus XA are really comparable in any meaningful way other than the quality of the resulting pictures. You don't buy them for the same purpose.</p>

<p>That said, if I could have only one 35mm camera, it would probably be the Nikon F2. It's really well-made, and as a system camera it offers more flexibility than cameras with fixed viewfinders or fixed lenses. It also works (aside from the meter) without batteries.</p>

<p>For fixed-viewfinder, interchangeable lens cameras, my favorites are the Nikon FE, Olympus OM-2N, and Minolta XE-7.</p>

<p>The one that works for you that you like the best.</p>

<p>Nikon FM! - Small, all manual (Battery operates the meter only), film advance silk smooth and most of all able to use non-ais as well as ais lenses.</p>

<p>In order of favoritism: 1959 Leica M3 SS with 1966 DR Summicron 50mm f2/ !976 Nikon F2 with DP-1 and 50 f2 Nikkor/ 1976 Canon F-1n with 50mm f1.4</p>

<p>My 4 greatest:<br>

Nikon F2AS<br>

Canon F1<br>

Minolta SR-T101<br>

Topcon Super D<br>

The best camera is the one you have with you, even my cell-phone will do.<br>

Best regards,<br>

/Clay</p>

<p>I give the nod to the F100. There are a lot of great 35mm camera's out there but some things I would use to rate the camera would be, availability for new or like new products, repairs, cost and power source (AA rechargeable batteries are good). The F100 excels in all of my requirements. </p>

<p>I'm with Gene!<br>

Although the Chicco looks more to belong to "Modern Film Cameras" than here.<br>

There's really no single "best" -what does <em>best</em> mean, anyhow?</p>

<p>Having said that, someone should mention the Canon T90, certainly for the non-AF category.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Nikon F6 for SLRs: metering, autofocus ( which you can turn off of course) accuracy and speed, viewfinder, craftsmanship, the way it feels in my hand, and sheer versatility.<br /> <br /> For rangefinders: The Leica M4-2. Reasons: simplicity, grace, handling.<br /> <br /> For panoramic work, the Seitz Roundshot.</p>

<p>Some great comments above. I'm on side with Jack Fisher and Nick Clarke. That being, that the best camera is the one that is used for the job.<br>

For actual preference though. I use a Canon EOS-3 for all of my AF film work, and would imagine that the EOS-1V is better than the 3, so I'll throw my hat in the ring for either of those camera. True work horses, and I've put my EOS-3 through its paces. However, the sucker is heavy, so it has a specific niche (auto-focus or complete weather sealing, or places where I can carry the load).<br>

For manual focus, I would lean towards a Pentax setup. I took a pair of Super Programs to Australia and the Philippines, with very harsh conditions in Australia, and they performed great. I've since upgraded to a pair of LXs, and except for the lack of a full-program or shutter-priority setting, the LXs are awesome.<br>

Keep in mind that the best film camera is only as good as the best <em>lenses</em> that you have. Pentax has an incredible line of MF lenses which are small, well built, and light. Similarly Canon has some superb AF zooms. If you can't find the lenses or accessories for your system, and <em>what you shoot</em>, the best body in the world won't help you. (For example, I see serious flaws with Pentax's flash system, but I don't shoot flash with my MF film gear, so it isn't really an issue).</p>

<p>Oh let's say there is a tie<br>

Nikon FM2, Pentax Spotmatic, Pentax Pz-1</p>

<p>1. The Contax RX.<br>

2. The Contax Aria.<br>

3. Konica Hexar AF.<br>

4 Voigtlander Bessa R.</p>

<p>I think I'm far to old and prejudiced by childhood dreams and middle aged habits to make an objective judgment, and anyone who recalls my variety of posts here would probably guess that the Nikon F is a sentimental favorite, whose shortcomings must be vigorously denied.</p>

<p>My wife, less influenced by this sort of thing, would second the F100. She has two, and last I heard she has no desire to replace them. As a fully-realized picture taking machine, it doesn't get much better.</p>