Which modern film camera...

<p>I was thinking recently about which mfc I'd be using if the world hadn't turned digital and film bodies were still the tool of choice. I'm certain it would be my 1v, although life with an F100 has proven to be quite nice too! The Minolta Maxxum 7 is also a wonderfully nice camera, but just a little too 'plasticky' for my taste. I bought my 1v in September of 2002, but bought my first DSLR, a Canon 10D, in April '03, 7 months later or so. At that point I began to focus heavily on digital shooting and used my 10D far more than my 1v. As the years have passed I've grown to really appreciate the 1v and consider it one of the greatest cameras ever, and if digital had only been a passing fad, I'm pretty sure it's what I'd primarily be using now. What about you? What would be your main camera if digital wasn't around?</p>

<p>For manual focus, I am still using my Nikkormat EL and a Nikon F2. But there are lots of other worthy candidates like my Olympus OM-1MD, Canon T-90 (a spectacular camera!), to mention only a couple.<br /> And of course, there are all those lovely 'classics' from VEB Pentacon. :)</p>

<p>I really like my EOS 3 for film AF.</p>

<p>Probably my Linhof, F's and Nikkormats, which are still main cameras. Digital dropped the Pentax 645 and F3 down to "how can I not buy them affordable prices. " :-)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I have always used a variety of cameras. I would be shooting the Canon T90, Nikon F3 or Canon EOS 1N. Today I used the EOS 7E. I still sometimes select a film camera as the tool of choice even with the ton of digital gear I have. These days I tend to go with lighter gear which is a more important spec for me than film or digital.</p>

<p>A manual focus Minolta. If digital weren't around, the prices on my favorite modern SLRs wouldn't have fallen enough for me to buy them :)</p>

<p>I'd use my Canon T90, Nikon F4, and Leica M4 a lot more than I do these days.</p>

<p>Since I already have a lot of Maxxum gear I guess it'd be a Maxxum 9. For modern, but manual focus I'd go for the Nikon FE-3.</p>

<p>I would be getting a lot of mileage out of my Nikon F5 in this presumed scenario - instead of having sold it at a quite a loss. Might have replaced my beat-up F4 bodies with some nicer looking ones too. Also, the inherited Leica rangefinders would see a lot more use than they do now - to the point were I would consider adding one or two lenses two the existing.</p>

<p>Is the Leica M3 considered to be a „modern film camera”?<br>

It would be the last camera I would part with (after my Leicaflex SL and the 2000 FC/M) if I had to sell my film-cameras.</p>

<p>Modern, classic, or both? You decide. I can't pick just <em>one</em>.</p>

<p>Canon: EF<br>

Contax: 139<br>

Mamiya: NC1000<br>

Minolta: XD-11<br>

Nikon: Nikkormat<br>

Pentax: K2<br>

Petri: Color 35<br>

Yashica: FR I</p>

 

<p>Canon A2E followed by Nikon F2 (modern?) and Canon rebel.</p>

<p>I'm using my old Pentax MX a lot these days, and cursing my bandwagon-jumping tendencies for allowing me to sell off my MZ-S back in 2006 - a finely crafted AND hi-tech little beauty. Also, fond memories of the LX, Olympus OM2N and OM4Ti. Good luck with the 1v, Andy - it'll keep at least one bicep in shape.</p>

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

Contax RTS-III, RX;<br>

Nikon F6, F4 (the only ones on the list I don't have)<br>

Mamiya 645 Pro TL.<br>

These are the Chosen Ones.</p>

<p>Canon FD: New F-1, F-1, EF and the assorted FTbs. Maybe a T90.<br>

Canon EOS: 7E, Probably would have to buy an EOS 3 or 1V</p>

<p>Nikon N80, before I modernized to a Nikon D90.</p>

<p>But... digital explosion initially pushed me into medium-format, old Rolleiflexes and the like.</p>

"What would be your main camera if digital wasn't around?"

 

I stopped using digital cameras three years ago after four years of trying. I've only owned one mfc. The reason is a simple physical one: I've got a bad right hand, especially the thumb. If I've got to press buttons, turn wheels, or stretch across a rh grip, then I can't use the camera, at least not successfully. That excludes just about all electronic slrs and dslrs. My work is almost all handheld, mostly with a Leica III or a Pentax Spotmatic. Neither is reknowned, though, for their bright, crisp finders, and I'm of an age where I can tell my eyesight isn't what it was. So, autofocus is now of interest.

 

Last month Mike Gammill posted here about the Pentax ZX-5 and I realized it might be a solution. It responds to the lens aperture ring, has shutter dial, so no thumb wheel turning or button pressing, and most importantly a shallow right hand grip with a shutter release button nearly straight up on the top plate. I only noticed the article this evening, as I was doing some research before posting here to ask about a solution. Thanks, Mike.

 

When the time comes I can't walk about town for hours, there's a 4x5 and big tripod in the closet waiting for the day. Despite the current retro body design trend in some digital cameras, I don't think it will lead to anything useful for me, at least not before the 4x5's time comes.

<p>Another vote for the Canon EOS 3, the best camera body I have ever used. But than again, my dslr is a humble 400D.</p>

<p>Film camera recommendations: SLR-Nikon F2 or Canon F-1n with HH Exposure meter, total functionality.<br>

Rangefinder cameras: Leica M3 or Rollei 35(no rfdr)<br>

TLR: Rolleiflex Automat or Rolleicord<br>

Folder: Zeiss Super Ikonta B prewar<br>

Field: Crown Graphic with international back for cut film or rollholder 120 film<br>

Medium format: Hasselblad 500 series</p>

<p>I'm still using my Nikons: F6, FE2 and FM3a. And I got an EL a little while ago, which I use with the autocompensating Nikkor 55 mm f/3.5. The F6 has the most functionality, especially the iTTL flash capability is great. For the FE2, I got a Voigtlander Ultron 40 mm f/2, which travelled to Scotland with me a few weeks ago.</p>

<p>Two really „modern” film camera-systems I would like to try out are the Contax 645 (handled one for a few moments and was really impressed) and the Rolleiflex 6008 integral. </p>

<p>Although I love to use my FD bodies (various F-1's, F-1n's, F-1N's, EF's, FTb's, T90's), the film camera I use by far the most these days is my EOS 1V.</p>

<p>The Olympus is a heck of a system camera, which is light and small and there is Pentax which has many camera's in their line from the fifties small and light also now there Nikon which also has cameras from that time , as well as other manufacturers from that time some have gone by the wayside since then but did produce quality cameras:<br>

It comes down you choice of what you think you would like to use :</p>

<p>Mike, when you write FE3 I assume you mean FM3A. For mechanical modern SLRs I like the Canon F-1, Nikon F2 and various Minolta SRTs. I prefer these to any of the Pentax screw mount of K mount film cameras. For electronic manual focus SLRs I like the Konica FT-1, Nikon FE and FE2, Minolta X-700 and X-570, Canon EF (hybrid shutter). I don't like AF very much but I enjoy using some AF cameras with manual focus lenses: Nikon N2020, Nikon N8008S, Nikon N90S. I don't have a Canon T90 and I don't really care for the Canon A-1 I do have. The Canon F-1N is, I think, a modern classic. The meter needle moves faster than that of an F-1 or F-1n but the lack of a meter lock button causes me to use it (with the AE finder) in match needle mode. Its finder isn't much brighter than those of my earlier F-1s with L screens.<br>

I recently shot a roll with a Nikon F2 and soon after that shot a roll with an N90S. They are both good cameras with a different feel. I find the focus assistance in the N90S very handy and with all of the exposure modes it's a lot of camera for the money. </p>

<p>Great responses, everyone! Andy L made a great point when he said that if digital hadn't come along, we wouldn't be enjoying the prices we are on a lot of our 'new' favorites. I'd love to hear more...</p>

Yes, FM3A is what I meant. Thanks.