An exercise: 1. Keepers; 2. Fave. 3. Bang for the $ ...

[daniel_iggers]

Exercise:

 

A suggested exercise:

 

List the following:

1. Keepers

2. Favourite.

3. Most bang for the buck.

4. Disappointing.

5. Wanna get.

 

Here is my list:

 

1. Keepers that you own:

 

o Rolleiflex SL35M with Zeiss Planar f/1.8 50mm

o Pentax Spotmatic with Super Multi Coated Takumar f/1.4 50mm

o Yashica FX-D with Zeiss Planar f/1.7 50mm

o Voigtlander Vito B with Color-Skopar f/3.5 50mm

o Voigtlander Vitessa with Color Skopar f/3.5 50mm

o Kodak Retina IIc

o FED RF with Jupiter 3 f/1.5 50mm

o Canonet QL17

o Olympus 35RC

o Zenit 3 with Helios 44 f/2 58mm

o Zenit S with Industar-50 f/3.5 50mm

o Agfaflex with Color-Solinar f/2.8 50mm

o Aka Rette w. f/2.8 50mm Xenon

o Aires IIIL RF

o Konica I RF w. f/3.5 50mm

o Exa 1c (with a Takumar)

 

2. Favourite camera:

 

o Rolleiflex SL35M with Zeiss Planar f/1.8 50mm : Excellent:

viewfinder/screen, lens, results. Meter dead.

[answer tomorrow may be different.]

 

 

3. Most bang for the buck: Gives you the most satisfying

results and / or user experience, and was (and is generally)

inexpensive. Not the Leica M5 that someone's ex sold to you for $20.

 

o Praktica MTL5B with PENTACON auto 1,8/50 Multicoating

 

o Chinon CE-5 with Chinon MC f/1.7 50mm

 

o Zenit EM with SMC Pentax f/1.8 55mm (banged-up rim)

 

 

4. A disappointing or over-rated (not bad) camera (that you own

(or owned). (Not just a camera that broke, but one that, though

apparently working, doesn?t deliver or doesn?t fulfill expectations.)

 

o Voigtlander / Cosina Bessa R with f/1.5 50mm Nokton. A

perfectly good camera and lens. My most expensive, in fact. But

somehow a disappointment.

 

o Rollei 35S. I?ve had some great results, but still, I don?t

know?

 

5. One that you?d still like to acquire:

 

o Agfa Ambi Silette with Color-Solinar f/2.8 50mm (One

actually is on the way, by slow boat.)

 

o Ricoh Automate RF with f/1.9 45mm

[mike_elek]

1. Most used because I like them:

-- Contax IIa

-- Mess Ikonta 6x6

-- Ikonta 6x9

-- Rollei 35

 

2. Same as 1, although the No. 1 list is ridiculously long.

 

3. Disappointing:

-- Voigtlander Prominent

-- Three digital cameras that cost me about $1,000

-- I'm disappointed that I can't find film for a Rollei 16.

[silent1]

Hmm...

 

Keepers: Kawee Camera, 9x12 cm plate camera, 13.5 cm f/4.5 Radionar in rim-set Compur (to 1/200), ground glass and three plate holders with film sheaths (though I'm still looking for a Tessar to fit this shutter); Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP w/ Auto Rikenon f/3.5 28 mm, Super Takumar (radioactive) f/1.4 50 mm, and Varexon f/4 135 mm; Moskva-5 6x9 (w/ 6x6 mask), Industar-24 coated Tessar copy, f/3.5 105 mm, couple rangefinder.

 

Favorite: Kodak Reflex II (just wish I could get the focus helix on the taking lens loosened up after bending it when removing the lens to clean the shutter) -- bright Fresnel finder, good magnifier and sports finder, dead-on (after 55 years) automatic frame counter, and takes trimmed 120 spools in supply side for ease of loading (got almost a dozen 620 spools for takeup).

 

Most bang for the buck: based on original cost, Ansco Speedex Jr. Fixed focus, I or T shutter (I is 1/30), f/11 to f/32, 6x6 on 120; amazingly little motion blur for the slow shutter, better quality images than some much "better" cameras I own, at least until I close down their lenses, and not only were they cheap when they were made 50+ years ago, they can still be had under $5 plus shipping on eBay and I can repair or clean the lens and shutter in 20 minutes.

 

Disappointing: Ansco Standard Speedex, f/4.5 85 mm Agnar. The Agnar is supposed to be just another triplet, but below f/8 it's so fuzzy it's hard to be sure if I got the focus right (except that *nothing* is sharp). The same camera with better lens and shutter (the three-speed Vario has 25, 50, and 200 with an awkward latch to turn B into a sorta T) might be very nice, though, so I'll keep my eyes open for a suitable lens/shutter combination that might fit...

 

One I'd like to acquire: Any model of 4x5 Speed Graphic (with working focal plane shutter, please). No money... :(

[jim bob]

I will try to answer the primary question, but it will take some soul searching. In the meantime, a question for Mike Elek. Why did you find the Voigtlander Prominent to be disappointing, and which lens(es) did you try? I have a Prominent but haven't had the time to thoroughly test it. Voigtlander mounted the 50 mm f2.0 Ultron on several of their cameras; Prominent, Vitessa, Vito III, and I think one of the Vitomatics. Should one expect similar performance regardless of body? Sorry to temporarily highjack the main thread...I promise a response.

[h._p.]

I'll play....

 

Keepers: Leica M3; Nikon F (plain prism); Rolleiflex 2.8E2; Hasselblad 500c; Retina IB

 

Favourite: Leica M3 by a very short nose

 

Best bang for the buck: Kiev 4. A lottery to buy but when you get a good one....

 

Most disappointing camera: Canon F1N. The original F1 was close to being on my list of keepers but its successor is horrible to hold (that nasty anodised finish: ugh!) and makes very odd noises even when it's working well. The viewfinder doesn't suit me anything like as well as the older model, either.

 

Still looking out for: Hmmm. I can't actually think of anything at the moment. I've pretty well got everything in the way of toys that I want in that department although I suppose I might be tempted by a Leicaflex SL snd the 19mm lens :-)))

[dave_s]

This is like one of those websites where a pimply kid (no doubt with AC/DC T-shirt and tape on his glasses) has a list of all the CDs he owns.

 

Harvey, I can't fathom your aversion to the F-1N. Brighter screen than the F-1, better meter, better shutter, no stinkin' Hg batteries. FWIW, there's a Canon tech who posted (on the FD forum about a year ago) that from an engineering standpoint the F-1N is much better. Only thing I wish it had was mirror lockup. There is no disputing taste I guess.

[tanya_clark1]

1. keepers - Yashica Mat 124 G, canon g-3 ql, agfa clack, bolsey b3<br>

2. fave - agfa clack, bolsey b3, Yashica Mat 124 G, canon g-3 ql, (in that order)<br>

3. bang for the buck - ricohflex model 3(came with filters, lens hood, etc..), miranda

(free)(great 1.9 lens)<br>

4. disappointing - ensign vue :)<br>

5. wanna get - horizon 202, robot star ;)<br>

<a href="http://tanyaclark.com/info.htm"> some of my cameras with samples shots</a>

[daniel_iggers]

Cool site, Tanya.

[tanya_clark1]

Thanks Daniel, it's a work in progress....

[kin_lau]

Keepers

1. Ziess Contaflex, Kiev 3m, Leica III, Zorki 2c, SRT101 w/ 58mm 1.4, Konica S2, Yashica GSN, Konica/Ward S 550 (bought from Dan :), Pentax SPII w/ 55mm f2 and a whole bunch of non-pre 70's, including numerous 70's & 80's models.

 

Fav

2. DReb :), SRT101, Leica III, and my other manual minolta's.

 

Most bang

3. SRT101 w 1.4, Zorki 2c

 

Disappointments

4. Mostly just camera's that don't always work properly.

Not having enough time to put a rolled thru every camera.

 

Wanted List

5. Canon GIII QL1.7 (on it's way), Kiev 60 and/or 88CM, Speed Graphic (any), Minolta XD11, Rollieflex (any medium format)... for now :)

[mike_elek]

I think I was really put off by the ergonomics of the Prominent. I really was expecting a lot, but I find the thing really tough to use, and I've always felt that I could adapt to almost any camera.

 

The focusing mechanism is so tightly sprung that it returns to infinity much too easily, making it too tough to hold focus, even as you try to steady the beast of a camera by gripping tightly with the left hand. Meanwhile, I'm trying to get to the viewfinder and find the access partially blocked by my right thumb because I need to grip the thing so darn hard -- lest I drop it on my foot. And then I have to hook my index finger above the film advance knob that sits unnecessarily high.

 

It's a very solid camera, though my experience has been less than pleasant.

 

To top it off, the first roll I tried was ripped in half mid-roll by the film advance. Can't recall exactly what happened, but that was the end result.

 

On the other hand, I just received a circa-1936 Voigtlander 6x9 Bessa (with the Helomar -- interested in seeing how well or not it performs). It's a very nice camera with some features that Zeiss-Ikon would have done well to emulate.

 

And the Bessamatic is a very nice SLR to use.

[mike_elek]

Tanya -- I see you're well on your way to joining the rest of us in our obsession for classic cameras. In fact, you're already there! (That's a good thing, by the way.)

[david_bedell]

<h4>Keepers:</h4>

<ul>

<li> Anything by Konica.

<li> Anything by Minolta.

<li> Anything by Konica Minolta. Just kidding. I don't own any of these yet. ;-)

<li> Yashica 12.

<li> Contaflex IV.

</ul>

<h4>Favorite:</h4>

<ul>

<li> Contaflex IV, though it's out of commission until I get shutter work. Great quality in every respect, plus I was immediately comfortable taking pictures with it. Note: Doesn't last long at the beach. ;-)

<li> Yashica 12, mainly for being a TLR, rather than anything particular to Yashica. Great quality photos, but the wind mechanism is beginning to feel really funky...

</ul>

<h4>Bang-for-Buck:</h4>

<ul>

<li> Konica III, $70. Though I'm still not that comfortable using rangefinders, I know this is a great camera. I prefer this camera's 48mm f/2.0 lens to the IIIA's 50mm f/1.8, directly contradicting Dante Stella's experience ;-), and prefer its implementation of the EV-lock thing to the IIIA's.

</ul>

<h4>Disappointed:</h4>

<ul>

<li> I've had very bad eBay luck lately. Everything I bought in the last three months. ;-)

</ul>

<h4>Wanted:</h4>

<ul>

<li> Rollei-Wide (or whatever it's called). I WILL own one some day!

<li> Any Linhof technical camera.

</ul>

[peter_chiappini]

1. Zeiss Orix (10x15cm film camera with 165mm tessar) I didn't get to use it yet but I am keeping it. Pentax S1a, partially because I sold my spotmatics, but also because I like the meter that clips to the top. KievIV because it works, and a Praktica FX2, because of the popup viewfinder and its charming good looks.<p>

2. Zeiss Orix, I really can't wait to use it. Pentax S1a or any spotmatic.<p>

3. I got my Zeiss Orix real cheaply off eBay, but even for whatever the going price must be its a great camera; any of the spotmatics which depending on the time of year go for about $40.00 and The Kiev IV.<p>

4. Pax M2 because I broke it; I went into a state of panic for days even though it only cost $12.00.<p>

5. Zeiss Juwala, a Contax rangefinder, any Leica, a Speed Graphic, a Nikon F.

[summitar]

1) Keepers that I own: Leica IIIc and IIIf with Elmar 35, 50 and 90, Summitar 50 and Summicron 50; Retina IIc, IIIc, IIa; Zeiss Contessa 35; Voigtlander Prominent, Vitessa L and T, Vito III, Vitomatic II and IIa, CLR, Vito B, Konica Auto S2; Canon FT-QL, FTb, F-1, and T90.

 

2) Favorites: Konica Auto S2, Leica LTMs, Zeiss Contessa 35, Retina IIIc, Vito III.

 

3) Most bang for the buck: Konica Auto S2 by far, Vitomatic II.

 

4) Disappointments: Voigtlander CLR.

 

5) Wanna get; Mint Leica M3.

[lex_jenkins]

1. Keeper - If I had to choose one it'd be my Rolleiflex 2.8C. A functional work of art. Can't ask for more.

 

2. Favorite - That's a tougher one. I don't always enjoy lugging my Rollei. Lately I've been carrying my Agfa Isolette a lot. I enjoy it not only for easy toting and good results but because I CLA'd it myself and didn't screw the thing up in the process.

 

3. Bang for Buck - Probably my Canonet GIII QL17. Got it for about twenty bucks before the things became trendy again and the prices skyrocketed. Just the ticket when discretion is important.

 

4. Biggest Disappointment - This is gonna seem contradictory but it's my Canonet GIII QL17. Mine had a dented filter ring when I bought it and that usually means trouble - decentered optical elements and compromised performance. Sure enough, my Canonet doesn't produce results as sharp as others I've seen. It's passable, just not great.

 

5. Wanna get? Easy - a Leica III-series. I've wanted one for years. I paw and drool over every one I see. They're the 35mm equivalent to the Rollei TLRs in terms of functional beauty. It'll hafta wait, tho', 'til I can afford not only to buy a good example but to pay for an expert CLA as well.

[h._p.]

"Harvey, I can't fathom your aversion to the F-1N"

 

First you insult everyone contributing to this thread, Dave, then you try to pick a fight with me. It would appear that the only "pimply kid (no doubt with AC/DC T-shirt and tape on his glasses)" around here is called Dave Sims.

[dave_s]

Woo! Well, I'm suitably chastened. No offence intended, it's just that I find these lists of stuff sort of weird, but I'm not a collector, and I don't get attached to cameras like some folks do. There's a guy on the internet who has a listing of every lightbulb in his house, by type and location-- now that's weird. I'll see if I can find the URL.

 

Actually, with regard to the incarnations of the F-1, I wasn't trying to pick a fight at all. I keep a beater F-1n around myself (second version), but I don't like the thing very much. Like I said, there's no disputing taste, and I'm not disputing your taste in cameras!

[paulh]

My favourites are my keepers, and both are better than I hoped for, so:

 

1. Iskra - lovely to use, sharp lens, excellent viewfinder and a nice intro to MF, especially with slide film. Can double as an offensive weapon :-)

 

2. Minox 35GT - small, light, accurate meter and stunning lens. Couldn't be bothered carrying my SLR after I bought this. A 6x4.5 version would have been very nice...

 

Both qualify on bang for the buck too.

[Andrew in Austin]

<p>Dave, I didn't catch the collecting bug until the "New Digital Order" lead to the unloading of way too many legacy cameras that are excellent image takers at bargain basement prices.</pb>

 

<p>1. <b>Keepers:</b>   Ansco Super Speedex, Isolette III w/75mm Solinar, Super Ikonta IV, Rollei 35 S and the Olympus 35SP.</p>

 

<p>2. <b>Favorites:</b>   Rollei 35 S, Super Speedex & Isolette III w/75mm Solinar.</p>

 

<p>3a. <b>Most Bang for under $50:</b>   Rolleicord V, Ansco Speedex Special "R" w/85 Solinar, Ansco Super Regent & the Olympus 35RC</p>

 

<p>3b. <b>Most Bang for under $100</b>   Olympus 35SP and an Olympus XA, (a camera that has survived 18 years of use on four continents).</p>

 

<p>4. <b>Disappointing/Overrated:</b>   Olympus 35RD, shutter problems & light meter problems, (both repaired, but I wish it were a more robust design. Great photo taker, easy to use).</p>

 

<p>5. <b>Wish list:</b>   Leica M3 and an Rolleiflex with a 3.5 Xenotar.</p>

[jonathan_bundick]

Keeper: Super Graphic, Agfa Isolette II Apotar f/4.5

 

Favourite: Super Graphic

 

Most Bang for the Buck: Super Graphic (Bought for $225!!)

 

Dissapointed: Yashica A (Not enough shutter range, but well built.)

 

Wanted: Deardorff V8

 

Did I mention I like my Super?

[sionnac]

<i>Keepers:</i> Canon A-1, Polaroid Land 350 with close-up and portrait kits, Yashica-mat, Rollei 35 LED, Ansco Shur-Flash, Falcon Miniature Deluxe.<br>

<i>Favourite:</i> Ansco Shur-Flash ties with the Canon. I'm not kidding.<br>

<i>Most bang for the buck:</i> Yashica-mat (and Yashica T4 D I found at thrift shop for $3.)<br>

<i>Disappointing:</i> Brownie Synchro-Reflex, Zeiss Ikon Box Tengor (changeable lenses - still having focus trouble)<br>

<i>Wanna get:</i> Maybe someday a digital camera :o

[daniel_iggers]

Ansco Shur-Flash, eh? Tell us more.

[gib]

1. KEEPERS

Leica IIIf, CV Bessa T101, Nikon F2, Bessamatic,Contaflex, Zeiss Ikon Contina IIa, Agfa

Record III Billy, Pentax Spotmatic (I have three models), Rolleicord V, Yashica D (bought

around 1978), Argus C3,

 

2. FAVOURITE.

Contaflex Super w. 50mm f2.8 Pro-Tessar, Nikkor AI 105mm f2.5 lens, Tamron SP 90mm

f2.5 Macro (have used it with Nikon, Yashica, Pentax K bodies)

 

3. MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK.

Konica Auto S2 (great lens), Kiev RF with Jupiter 12, Pentax screwmount lenses, Contina

IIa,

 

4. DISAPPOINTING :

Vitessa (film advance stop working after one roll), Canon Elan 7E (too much automation ?

sold it)

 

5. WANNA GET: nothing right now, a 4x5 Speed Graphic some day.

 

regret I let the Yashica D sit on the shelf for 15 years?have got some great shots out of it

in the past few years.

[jonathan_stark]

1. Pentax Spotmatic and Spotmatic F - Retina IIa - Retina IIIc - Leica IIIc - Zorki 6 - FED 2e - Kodak Signet 35 - Ansco Super Regent - Agfa Karat 36

 

2. Exakta VX with 50mm/f1.9 Schneider Xenon version 1 automatic, operation is quirky, results can be stunning. Retina I/126, reminds me of the Retina I/119 on which I learned photography, fits in the pocket.

 

3. Mamiya Sekor 500 DTL with Mamiya 50mm/f2.0 lens. Got it for free, it's a surprisingly effective picture taker.

 

4. Bolsey B - Graphic Graflex 35 - Exakta VX1000 - Ciroflex D

 

5. black Leica II - pre-war Kine Exakta