Your favourite non-Leica camera

[jagwar.jim]

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Hi guys,

 

I know this is a Leica forum, but I'm interested what the Leica community uses aside from their Leicas. I'm specifically thinking about film cameras here. What is your favourite non-Leica film camera? And why?

 

Thanks everyone!

[thomasw_]

I like portability and smashing image quality with various focal lengths; thus I'd have to go with a rollei sl 66, though because of portability and its image ratio, give a slight edge to a mamiya 7: the lenses for both are spectacular and 6x7/6x6 negatives are wonderful from which to print.

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[rpsawin]

Mamiya 7ii and a Toyo 45 Aii.

[StS]

Olympus OM4 and XA.

[wirat]

For me, Contax S2. Their lenses are superb.

[Peter_S]

Contax T3.

Still use it frequently. Other cameras came and went, that one will always stay. A true gem, the image quality in such a small package is stunning. I takes filters and I really like the rendering of the "Sonnar" (it is not a true Sonnar design, but much closer to a C-Biogon) lens.

It is my most successful (several images published) mountain camera.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Peter_S

[MarkP]

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I just saw this new thread and opened it to add the Contax T3.

 

So, I completely agree with Peter. Fantastic camera, a jewel of a lens, goes anywhere.

Have to work really hard not to take a good photo.

 

Mark

[MPerson]

XA, XA2, XA3 and a GR1v. All slip in a shirt pocket and one of them is always with me.

[otto.f]

This is a long time ago; I shot with a Nikon FE until 1990, when I stepped over to an M4 with a Hector 90/4.0 and a Summaron 35/3.5mm:

I really loved the

Nikkor 105mm/2.5 as a portrait lens, this has long been a lost love until I met the SAA 90mm/2.0

The

Nikkor 200/4.0

is still in my memory, even after having had the APO-Elmarit 180 for the R with great enthusiasm. Because it's light and compact and has a terrific color and bokeh

Also the 24mm from Nikon has long been more interesting than the Leica R 24's

 

Contax RTS III with Zeiss:

25mm

 

Hasselblad:

Macro-Planar 120mm

 

Rolleiflex Planar 80/2.8 or maybe better 80/3.5

If I would step over to film I would probably buy this one back. I would hesitate between this one and an M4 however.

Edited February 1, 2013 by otto.f

[Peter H]

Rolleicord Vb.

 

The first (photographic) love of my life.

[TomB_tx]

Pentax SV series. Bought an H1a in 1965, and still love the great "feel" and handling. The mechanical build of the Super Takumar lenses was wonderful. (My Leica-using friend at the time said he wished his Leica lenses felt as good.)

[smb]

Nikon S2, Canon P, Contax IIIa: Do you see a pattern here?

[sksaito]

Nikon FM3A

Contax T2

Nikon 35Ti

[pico]

The only SLR I have is a Hasselblad that I stopped using years ago. All the rest are rangefinder, viewfinder and ground-glass view cameras.

 

Linhof Super Technika 4x5

Linhof Color 4x5

Hand made super wide 4x5

Plaubel Veriwide

Brooks Veriwide

Horseman 6x12

Hasselblad SWC

Super Ikonta 6x9 (very late model with coatings and flash synch)

Super Ikonta 6x4.5

Deardorff 8x10

Century 1 8x10

Orbit 8x10

and a partridge ...

[wlaidlaw]

Hard choice for me between Rolleiflex 3.5E (Planar) and Contax IIA Colour Dial with 50/1.5 Opton Sonnar. In general I use the Rollei for black and white and the Contax for colour. They are both equally enjoyable to use.

 

The downside with the Rollei is that no sooner have you started to use it, that someone will bumble up and start wittering on about how their uncle used to use one. I don't mind the folks who used to use one themselves but getting second-hand and usually inaccurate information, while you are trying to take photos, can be wearing. Sometimes, I now pretend I am deaf and left my hearing aid at home.

 

Wilson

[thrid]

Original Nikon F with plain prism

Followed by the F2 and F3

 

Rolleiflex

 

Hasselblad 5xx

[ckli]

For 135 format, Minox 35's.

For Medium Format 6x7, Linhof 220.

[AB007]

Rolleiflex 2.8F, 2.8E and T

Rolleiflex 6008i2

Nikon F, F5 and 28Ti for Film and D300, 3DS and D800E for digital

Mamiya 7ii

Linhof Master Technika

Edited February 2, 2013 by AB007

[enboe]

Some of those images from the Hubble which exploit the phenomenon are quite amazing, and I doubt you'll find much larger for a lens than a cluster of galaxies.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Sandokan]

Hasselblad 2003 with 150/2.8.

Rolleiflex 2.8GX for my travel camera

T90 with 85/1.8

Nikon F90x with the 105/2.5

FE2 with Zeiss 25mm