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Cameras we respect?

pnjmcc
Posted 21/07/2008 - 05:24 Link
HI All,

Being a bit of a newbie not to picture taking so much but to photography and photographic history, being mainly pentax influenced with the majority of my cameras, I dont really know much about what happend in the photographic world.

So I wondered if there where any makes and or models out there that we liked or respected or even acepted as milestones and what, if any, the reason was, (pentax or otherwise)

Other than the Pentax my Dad had (the ME Super I now have) there was two others. The first one I liked since I was a kid was the little Olympus trip, not for any other reason than I remember the adverts ! the second was the canon T90 because it looked (in my eyes) different and it was supposed to be full of all these technological advances inside it.

What about you guys n girls?
All cameras are equal but.....
Some are more equal than others
Edited by pnjmcc: 21/07/2008 - 05:33
hefty1
Posted 21/07/2008 - 10:41 Link
I think my "milestone" cameras would be the Kodak Brownie (introduced in 1900, it was the first camera to bring photography to the masses), the Leica I (the first practical 35mm camera, introduced in 1925 and still influencing camera design to this day) and the Rolleiflex (introduced in 1929 and still in production, it was the workhorse of professional photographers worldwide for decades).

There have been other great cameras (the Olympus Trip that you mention I believe holds the record for the biggest selling camera of all time and gave people the chance to use beautiful optics in a cheap and easy to master package - I've got a drawer full of these as I can't walk past one at a car boot sale without picking it up, normally for around a pound or so) but I don't think any have had such a profound impact on camera design and use as these three. If I were to add a fourth it would be the Rollei 35 due to its diminutive size more than anything else - something that was much copied at the time and still is to this day.

I might be a little biased as I'm an unashamed Rollei-phile so I'll be very interested to see what others think!
Joining the Q
Gwyn
Posted 21/07/2008 - 11:22 Link
Don't laugh but for me it was the Zenith SLR - it was my first SLR camera, bought for my 18th by my parents. It was the cheapest SLR there was at the time, which made it accessible to those of us without much money. Oh the joy of owning that camera. I loved it. Took thousands of photos with it until it died unexpectedly
Before that I used my Mum's old Box Brownie, so that was absolutely a milestone camera. My brother still has it - and it still works.

It took another 25 years before I owned another SLR and rediscovered my delight in photography.
Steve O
Posted 21/07/2008 - 12:42 Link
Mine is the Rollie 35S which I bought new in 1974. I used to find it a bit fiddly to use but my photos were much sharper than any I had taken before. It went just about everywhere with me. It's now safely packed away in it's original packaging and I will keep it forever.
Steve
-----
Keep your words soft and nice in case you have to eat them.
Edited by Steve O: 21/07/2008 - 12:45
lewism
Posted 21/07/2008 - 12:50 Link
There is nothing wrong with Zenith - my first SLR too! I still have a Rolleicord VB that does not get enough fresh air. For me the K100 was a milestone - simple and robust and made quality SLR become affordable. Launched in mid 70's and sold for 20 years
Edited by lewism: 21/07/2008 - 12:54
Hyram
Posted 21/07/2008 - 13:29 Link
Pentax Spotmatic - always wanted one as a teenager but could not afford one.

By the time I could afford one, the K series had arrived and I bought a KX.
Hyram

Bodies: K20D (2), K10D, Super A, ME Super, Auto 110 SLR, X70, Optio P70
Pentax Glass: DA* 300, DA* 60-250, DA* 50-135, DA* 16-50, DA 70 Ltd, FA 31 Ltd, DA 35 Ltd, DA 18-55 (2), DA 12-24, DA 10-17, M 200, A 35-70, M 40, M 28, Converter-A 2X-S, 1.4X-S, AF 1.7, Pentax-110 50, Pentax-110 24
Other Glass: Sigma 105 macro, Sigma-A APO 75-300
Flash: Metz 58 AF-1 P, Pentax AF160FC ringflash, Pentax AF280T
Don
Posted 21/07/2008 - 13:49 Link
I don't respect cameras. I use 'em and toss 'em aside when they start showing thier age.


seriously: we had this saying in maritial arts: "Steel is only as strong as the flesh that weilds it" (meaning if you break the guys arm, the knife he's carrying, is useless).

So I'd say a better question is "What photographer do you respect? Who's work inspires you?"
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
pnjmcc
Posted 24/07/2008 - 08:46 Link
Don wrote:
seriously: we had this saying in maritial arts: "Steel is only as strong as the flesh that weilds it" (meaning if you break the guys arm, the knife he's carrying, is useless).

So I'd say a better question is "What photographer do you respect? Who's work inspires you?"

A good point Don,
Maybe I should start a topic with that as the title, cause I dont really know of any

I was just interested in what we all thought of other brands and if any one particular brand / model had influenced or effected us either by techincal advancement or emotion though out our own personal photographic historys

Regards
PaulM

Also if there where no cameras there would be no photographers (but I am just playing devils advocate here !!
All cameras are equal but.....
Some are more equal than others
Mannesty
Posted 24/07/2008 - 10:25 Link
Kodak Brownie, Zenit E, Praktica LTL5, Petri 7 Rangefinder (I still have it and it still works - totally mechanical, not a battery to be found), Pentax Super-A, Pentax *istD, Pentax K10D. Pentax K20D hopefully to be added to my list shortly.

The Canon-A1 spec influenced my decision to buy the Super-A, which was similar in capabilities but a Pentax, back in the 80's. The Canon was a well respected and very capapble tool in it's time but I'm not sure it had TTL flash, the Pentax Super-A did.

I also used some Gandolfi 10x8 monorail sheet film cameras at college. Beautiful pieces of furniture, let alone a superb camera.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
pentaxian450
Posted 24/07/2008 - 13:00 Link
I started with a Kodak 35mm rangefinder. Then,I graduated to the ZenitB. When money was more avalable, I bought a Konica Autoreflex T3. Konica was the first camera manufacturer to have auto exposure (Tv mode only). Not happy enough with all that, I bought an Olympus OM-2n. Loved that one for compactness and night work. After getting involved in wedding photography and wanting to "look" THE pro I thaught I was, I bought two Nikon F3. I used the Nikons for over 20 years, and they are still going. Got involved in digital (with Pentax K10D, then K20D) when my darkroom (set for color) was flooded and the insurance guy convinced me to go digital, since the cost of replacement for everything was to high, and next to impossible to find anymore. So far I don't regret the change, but I still use all my film equipment once in a while.
Yves (another one of those crazy Canucks)
Don
Posted 24/07/2008 - 14:04 Link
ok then, my very, very first camera....
when I was about four years old.
I got a quarter, and bought a camera from a second hand store. (Good ol' Sally Ann, for those that know what that is).
It was an old, folding Polariod.
Nobody was ever able to get me film for my camera....
So I'd open it up, put in peices of paper. Making sure to get one sticking through the rollers.
Then when I took a photo, I'd pull out a piece of paper, and draw it myself.
I also used to hide candy in it.
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
yelvertoft
Posted 24/07/2008 - 20:33 Link
Don wrote:
So I'd say a better question is "What photographer do you respect? Who's work inspires you?"

It's got to be the late Bob Carlos Clarke, a troubled genius.

Moving article for those that care to read it:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2007/03/21/efcarlos21...
GivingTree
Posted 24/07/2008 - 20:56 Link
This is embarrassing: Pentax K100Ds is my first camera. Sad but true.

I've been borrowing cameras and using (sigh) disposables until I got fed up and asked for the K100 for Christmas. I've never admitted (sniff) that to anyone, you guys are (sniff) so great, I just (sniff) feel so free to be (snuffle) honest.
"Just put your eye to the camera and push the button-thingy."
Flickr page:
link
Gwyn
Posted 24/07/2008 - 21:15 Link
Hey at least your first camera is a Pentax! Nothing to be embarrassed about there.
Road_Dancer
Posted 25/07/2008 - 21:21 Link
Well, I have to say, my Milestone cameras are largely influenced by my personal experience.

I don't really remember what they were, but I started getting into photography with 110's.

But my first 'proper' camera was a Zenit 35mm SLR. A lot of great photo's taken with that camera. I took it to Africa with me, when everyone else had fancy automatic SLRs from Canon, Nikon and the like. I'll tell you one thing, having a completely mechanical SLR is great when you're anywhere near Victoria/Livingstone Falls. Everyone else on the truck found their camera's packed up for a couple of days until they dried out. Mine was still snapping away! Ended up with 2 of them, and still have one of them, the other donated for use as a prop.

But, they did influence me, those fancy SLRs, so I got I looked around, compared cameras, and for some reason, the Penta MZ-7 called to me. I've always had a soft spot for Pentax's, so on return to the UK, left over holiday money went on that with a Sigma 28mm-300mm lens that had just won What Camera's Best Lense award.

Loved the camera, but never really had an excuse to use it, as not long after my misus and I got into Digital photography, and taking piccies on film just got hard to justify. The Panasonic Lumix FX-8 is a lovely compact, and goes with me all the time.

But... I've always hankered after a Digital SLR, and I love Pentax. Given that the Pentax Digital SLR's would work with my existing lense added to the appeal, so I hankered some more, and pinned a bit.

Then came this thread. https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/Please-Help--What-camera-6866

And now, I have to say, that I think I have found a Camera that has overtaken from my love of my dear Zenit. The K10d is an amazing camera, and so much more then the Canon's or Nikon's that other folk I know have. While I doubt it's going to have such a great impact in the world as large, to me, the Pentax K10, with weather sealing, backwards lense compatibility, and the amazing features blow me away.I grew up with a completely manual SLR, so having so much control over the camera is like a dream come true.

So thanks to my now Wife, and all of the advice from you on the forum for bringing me to one of my milestone cameras!
Pentax K10d; Metz mecablitz 48 AF-1; Pentax A 50mm F2; Pentax 18-55mm DAII; Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-5.6; Koboron 24-70mm F3.5-4.8. Pentax MZ-7, Zenit 35mm
My Flickr Photos
Edited by Road_Dancer: 25/07/2008 - 21:30

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