Your favourite mechanical camera

<p>I guess there should be some requirements here (any other suggestions?):</p>

<p>-mechanically-operated shutter<br>

-camera can work without a battery</p>

<p>I'll start it off with my three favourites (is that even allowed in a question like this? -sorry, I couldn't just pick one!): </p>

<p>-<strong>Hasselblad 500C/M</strong><br>

-<strong>Olympus OM-1</strong><br>

-<strong>Nikon F2A </strong> (regret selling this beast)</p>

<p>Rolleiflex and Widelux FV. I've taken photos with both that really stayed with me. Nice emotional connection to both. Both are kinda weird mechanically, too. Birds of a feather, I guess...</p>

<p>Olympus OM-1</p>

<p>Olympus OM-1, Olympus Pen F and Pen viewfinder (not EE models). Small, light and beautifully smooth.<br>

Kodak Tourist II, the ones with the f4.5 lens, both the 3 element Anaston and the 4 element Anastar. Even though I have to respool 120 on to 620 spools.</p>

<p>Leica M2, I have never owned this camera but I really want one with a couple of lenses,</p>

<p>Contax IIa</p>

<p>Nikon F with plain prism</p>

<p>Nikkormat FT2</p>

<p>EXA II and my little Pax M-4 , might have to add a pentax or two .</p>

<p>john> my girlfriend's dad was a camera collector in his younger years and every time I go up to their house I gaze through his dry-box windows at all his Leica M2/M3/M4s and Contax I / IIa's. Heavenly.</p>

<p>Foca PF3, Retina IIc, Leotax K & Rolleiflex 3.5F.<br>

The 50's were probably the golden age of classic cameras.</p>

Mr. Maynard's Rolleiflex MX_F-1n_EF_FTbn_SP_Hawkeye

<p>Leica M3. Simple, elegant, quiet, compact, and quick-handling - it's my go-anywhere camera.</p>

<p> Leica M3, M6</p>

<p> Olympus OM-1n</p>

<p> Nikon F, F2</p>

<p>Pentax Spotmatic F,KX,MX and Olympus OM1n all dressed in Black.And a special mention for the Fed 2 and Zorki's 3c and 3M.</p>

<p>Canon F-1, Olympus OM-1n, Minolta SR-T 102, and my newly acquired Pentax MX; I can just tell it's going to be a favorite!</p>

<p>Leica M4<br>

Rolleiflex 3.5F<br>

8x10 Deardorff</p>

<p>Oh man...this is going to be tough! I'm still kind of new to classic, mechanical cameras...but I already have a BIG collection of vintage cameras and it would be hard to decide which is my favorite!</p>

<p>Maybe I'll have to list a <em>few</em> of my favorites.</p>

<p>In 35mm, right now, I seem to be using my Minolta SRT-101 a lot. I really like the feel of it...all-metal, very solid and reliable, but also easy to use. I really like working with an SLR because what you see in the viewfinder is what you get (at least as far as focus and framing goes). I don't have to worry about parallax, so I can be a little more creative and get in closer to the subject and do some other things that I can't do with a rangefinder. I just wish I could take multiple exposures with it.</p>

<p>My other favorite 35mm camera is my Argus C3. Yeah, it's boxy and heavy and kind of awkward to use. But it's also very simple and reliable, and it's easy to fix. AND I can easily take double exposures with it! ;)</p>

<p>In medium format, I'd say my favorite camera is my Yashica A. It takes beautifully sharp pictures, and it just kind of has a classy and "serious" look to it. I feel more like a real photographer when I use it. LOL</p>

<p>I'm also really liking one of my folding cameras, the Zeiss Ikon 515\16. It takes VERY sharp pictures...I just recently shot a color roll of 120 film in it for the first time and I was amazed at how the pictures came out.</p>

<p>So, here's my "list" if I had to say what might be my favorite cameras.</p>

<p>Minolta SRT-101<br /> Yashica A<br /> Argus C3<br /> Zeiss Ikon 515\16</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Rolleiflex 3.5 E and Leica M3</p>

<p>Leica III, IIIa, IIIc</p>

<p>In 1970 I bought 2 Nikon Fs new. Still going strong and so are the cameras.</p>

<p><img src="http://westfordcomp.com/classics/dicktracy/front.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="595" /></p>

<p>Leica M4</p>

<p>Nikon F and F2<br /> Canon F-1 and FTb</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Pentax MX<br>

Pentax K1000<br>

Canon F1<br>

Exakta VX</p>

<p>For me what is interesting is that the cameras I lusted after didn't turn out to be my favorites. I always wanted a Hassy, Leica, and Pentax 67. I saved up the money, and used those cameras for years. Nice cameras, but they never really got to me. They were easy to sell when I realized I wouldn't be using them anymore for business.</p>

<p>It was the cameras that came into my life by surprise that won me over, and I still keep, and I may even shoot again someday: Widelux F6, Rolleiflex 3.5E Planar, and Ansco Titan 20. The Rollei and Widelux aren't the kind of cameras I would have sought out and paid market prices for, but I ran into some amazing deals (I paid $150 for the both of them), and in the end they were the cameras I fell for. I found the Ansco Titan (6x6 folder) at an antique mall for $15. Turned out to be a favorite.</p>

<p> </p>

Retina IIa.

<p>Canon A-1<br>

Agfa Billy Record III</p>