What is a "manual" camera?

[rossb]

Old and functions without batteries.

[BeBu Lamar]

My definition for a manual camera.

The aperture, Shutter speed and focusing function can not be done by the camera the user must set them.

It can have the following features

It can have a meter

It can have a motor drive

it can be totally electronic that is not function at all without battery.

[ben_hutcherson]

I will also stick by defining it as a camera that does not require a battery to function. A battery for a light meter is okay. Just to hit some big ones, that gives us Leicas, most 1970s and earlier SLRs(including the big boys like the Canon F-1 and Nikon F/F2), Rolleiflexes, Hasselblads(500), Bronica Z/D/S cameras, and a huge laundry list of others.

 

There are some cameras that have limited functionality without a battery, or can take on functions like automatic exposure with one installed. For me to consider something manual, I'd want to look at the extent of battery-less functionality. I will say that I don't think having one "emergency" mechanical shutter speed(Nikon F3, Bronica SQ) makes a camera mechanical.

 

I can think of two Canons that meet the "limited functionality" criteria. With batteries installed, the EF is a shutter priority camera electronically timed speeds out to 30s. Take the batteries out and you have an all mechanical body that is fully functional from 1s to 1/1000. Similarly, the New F-1 is an aperture priority AE camera(without a motor drive) with a battery installed, and with electronically timed shutter speeds from 1/60 to 8s. With the battery physically removed from the camera(an important step) it is functional from 1/90 to 1/2000(and B). The contemporary Nikon F3 has one mechanical shutter speed that can be fired without batteries-1/80.

[BeBu Lamar]

I will also stick by defining it as a camera that does not require a battery to function. A battery for a light meter is okay. Just to hit some big ones, that gives us Leicas, most 1970s and earlier SLRs(including the big boys like the Canon F-1 and Nikon F/F2), Rolleiflexes, Hasselblads(500), Bronica Z/D/S cameras, and a huge laundry list of others.

 

There are some cameras that have limited functionality without a battery, or can take on functions like automatic exposure with one installed. For me to consider something manual, I'd want to look at the extent of battery-less functionality. I will say that I don't think having one "emergency" mechanical shutter speed(Nikon F3, Bronica SQ) makes a camera mechanical.

 

I can think of two Canons that meet the "limited functionality" criteria. With batteries installed, the EF is a shutter priority camera electronically timed speeds out to 30s. Take the batteries out and you have an all mechanical body that is fully functional from 1s to 1/1000. Similarly, the New F-1 is an aperture priority AE camera(without a motor drive) with a battery installed, and with electronically timed shutter speeds from 1/60 to 8s. With the battery physically removed from the camera(an important step) it is functional from 1/90 to 1/2000(and B). The contemporary Nikon F3 has one mechanical shutter speed that can be fired without batteries-1/80.

So the Hasselblad 2000F/C with the waist level finder isn't a manual camera?

[ben_hutcherson]

So the Hasselblad 2000F/C with the waist level finder isn't a manual camera?

 

My mention of cameras wasn't intended to be all inclusive-it most certainly is.

[rossb]

My comment is not meant to be all inclusive either. There are many old camera's with different configurations that I do not know about. What came to mind for me was the Leica M3. Classic because it's old, classic because it's loved and manually operated. However I participate in the Classic Camera weekly photo sharing and use a Medium Format with aperture priority. However the rules are film pictures from a film camera. Actually I asked before posting to make sure it was ok.