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Camera I've most enjoyed using

RichA

New member
The Olympus E-1 was great, the most solid camera I ever used. The E-330 was really versatile with its articulated LCD and primordial live view. The E-410 was pocketable in a winter coat. The Pentax K10D was very well-specked for its cost and weatherproof. The K20D was even better and its resolution exceeded my D300. The Nikon D40 was a great compact, producing very nice images that stood up well to manipulation. The D300 is another tank, never fails to work, the best AF and image quality of any camera I've used yet. The Panasonic G1 is one of the most fun to use, mounting just about every lens you can imagine and with it's firmware upgrade, almost as good at focusing in dim light as the D300. However, the camera I can say I enjoyed using the most was my Olympus E-510. Produced very good images, had a terrific image stabilization function and when mounted with my adapted Contax 180mm f2.8 gave me some of the nicest looking shots I've taken. On top of that, its size was just about perfect for all day shooting, not heavy, but not small, so you never hit a button by mistake. I sold it some time ago, and stupidly passed up chance to buy a brand new E-520 at Christmas for $299 when Henrys Outlet store got a batch in. I should have kept the E-510.
 

JBurnett

Well-known member
Never had an Olympus digital. Until the G1 came along, the camera(s) I most enjoyed using (of the many cameras over the years) would have to be the Olympus OM1/OM2.
 

clay stewart

New member
You made me think a bit, about what digital camera I've most enjoyed. I've had a bunch (300D,20D,5D,XT,XTI,D90,D300,D700,E330,E420,EP1,GF1,GH1) then there are the small sensor ones a half a dozen or so. I really haven't bonded with any yet. It's sad to think that all of them have had some sort of glaring compromise, be it size, image quality, ergonomics, or strap lug in the wrong place. I really miss simple sturdy bodies like the FM2, OM1, and M6. If it wasn't for the size and weight, I would say the D700 was it and if it wasn't for the strap lug and the flimsy aperture dial, I'd say the E420. If I could have a D700 in a E420 body, without the strap lug poking my hand and some positive clicking control dials, then that might just be it, but I sort of like having a fast focusing LV from the GH1 too and the movie mode is interesting me lately. I seem to make do with what ever I have, but it's obvious by the amount of different bodies I've had in the last ten years, that no one has made what I really want yet. Maybe I'll get an M9 one of these days, just so I can rule that out.:)
 
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duckrider

Guest
USING?
The very most enjoyable cams were M-Leicas:
M4-2 was the camera with the highest quality feeling, touching it was ervery time a pleasure, wide lenses too.

PLAYING WITH?
Playing with my Nikon F2's is still a real treat: Changing all these different finders, winders & cute toys around the camera is fun. Sometimes I disassemble a F2 and rebuild it again.

TAKING PART IN OVERINDULGENCE?
Playing, focussing and listening to shutter noise of my Rolleiflex SL66SE, the grande complication of German camera manufacture is great fun for me!

JUST TAKING DISDAINFUL PICS?
...today my G1 & GF1 are the cams I use....:thumbup:

have fun
Thomas
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I pulled out my Minox EC and loaded it for the first time in seven years.

Anything the size of a pack of chewing gum that can take as good pictures as it does is worth processing and scanning film for, now and then. ];-)


The Tate Modern - London 2002

I just scanned 50 rolls of Minox film over the weekend. It inspired me.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Without a doubt, the tiny Panasonic G1.:thumbs:

Simply exceeded all of my expectations in terms of utility. It is beyond all the TLRs, SLRs, RF cams, etc.


I eagerly await the G3 with an improved sensor.:p
 

Paratom

Well-known member
from digital cameras the most enjoyable for me are the ones I use right now. D700 and M9. DLSR Cameras used before: D30, 1D, E1,d2h, d2x, d200, 5d (just for a short time),d300, d3, d3x,7d (just for a few weeks-didnt cut it for me), d700

The D700 is just right for me, right size, right speed, reliable AF and exp metering, and you can push the shaddows as much as you want. It is a camera that just works for nearly everything IMO.

The other one is the M9 (and the M8 IMO is quite close) for its IQ and for its simplicity.

I also enjoy MF, but lately I find it often too slow in handling for what I like to shoot.
 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
I had a Nikkormat for a very long time till the Olympus E-300 together with a Voigtländer R4A (I liked the design) and then the E-3.
After that the G1 which brings me the most pleasure of them all with its endless MF lens possibilitys and easy handling.

Michiel
 

m3photo

New member
Like Michiel, I started out with a Nikkormat then bought another one (one for colour slides the other for black and white negative). Then I switched to Canon, lured by the A1then on to a couple of T90's - along came EOS etc. then over to digital, bla, bla, bla and here we are singing the praises of the G1; I agree with Vivek entirely. Let's see what Panasonic can come up with next. I still drive a Nikon D700 and the Pentax K20D (both mentioned here) but as the OP wanted to know about the most enjoyable: you can't beat the G1; the live viewfinder does it for me.
 

greypilgrim

New member
Same experience here. Nikon F, F2A, 8008s, FM2n (all time favorite), D70, D200 and then the G1. The only one that compares to the level of fun I have had with the G1 was the FM2n; give me one of those with a digital back, yum. Right size, right weight, but the G1 of all things has come closest to that experience. I shoot more manual on the G1 than on either the D70 or D200...

Doug
 

photoSmart42

New member
I love my GH1 - it's versatile, allows me to experiment with a bunch of different lenses, and it's a joy to use. Although I have to say there's nothing quite like the rugged feel of my chromed Canon FTb or my F-1 that I can pretty much take anywhere without fear of dropping or damaging them. There's just something about holding a piece of solid metal that's really, really cool. Oh, and shooting film is pretty cool as well.
 

M5-Guy

New member
I need to go back a few decades....
My 1st 35mm was a Voigtlander Prominent (V1) with a 50mm f/1.5 Nokton... ($50.00)
My next camera I enjoyed was a Canon F1 (V1) with a 50mm f/1.4. had this for a few years and then I moved on.
Olympus OM1, 2s, 4 were my next cameras I used a lot.
Than I tried others... Canon EOS 630, Nikon FM/FE, and even a Rollie 35..
I did enjoy a Robot Royal 36 for a year or two and a Leica M5 with a 35 Cron (Watzlar)...I always said I'd get an M5 again... I did with a quiver of lenses. It just took 35 years :ROTFL:

On More modern cameras....
Canon Rebel 400 (after trying a Canon D60)
Olympus E-520 was a a great camera too..to down size...
Now a Pentax K20d and Leica M5 are two cameras. Both are great to use, and both deliver great results.....

In my Dreams.......
Pany G2 to replace K20d down the road. (or Sony NX ?? If they will make M adapter).
Leica M9 (I Hope I can keep the M5 along with M9...and not sell it to help pay for the M9)
 
Like Godfrey I go back to the Minox.

I'm 70 now. I was lucky enough to have one at school. Smaller but heavier than the present ones. Smuggled out of eastern Europe I think.

No metering. But one soon learnt to guess the exposure just as one learnt how to expose a darkroom enlargement. And focus. Well who cared with that depth. Even at its fixed fully wide aperture (was it one point something?).

It was in my pocket. With my penknife. My conker. My compass. The dirty hanky I'd used to clean my bike with. All essential kit for a growing lad.

My best pictures are those I took secretly in class.

Over the subsequent years - Cameras, you name them and I had them. But they got bigger and bigger and more and more complicated.

Now I have Canons 1Ds, 5d and 350d. But most of the time they stay on the shelf because the G1, especially with the pancake, is so portable and so user friendly.

Two favourite cameras. The Minox and the G1.

Tony
 
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duckrider

Guest
Like Godfrey I go back to the Minox.

It was in my pocket. With my penknife. My conker. My compass. The dirty hanky I'd used to clean my bike with. All essential kit for a growing lad.

My best pictures are those I took secretly in class.
...
Tony
aaaah You guys, i'ts quite real fun & enjoyment to read here and to remember past times!
Most of Your posts I do absolutely agree, go on!:clap:


@Tony: Classic Riga Minox was build from 1938 - 1948 in Riga / Lettland, it was build of brass, newer generation where made from aluminium.

Want a brass one again?
take a look:
http://www.minox.com/index.php?id=80&L=02

best regards
Thomas

kind regards
Thomas
 

Jonathon Delacour

Subscriber Member
Nikkormat FTn
Nikon F Photomic Tn
Leica M2
Nikon F2 Photomic
Nikkormat EL2
Mamiya RB67
Linhof Super-Technica IV
Canon AE-1
Canon F1
Fujica GW690
Hasselblad 500 C/M
Fuji GS645W
Ricoh GR D
Panasonic FZ-50
Nikon D300
Nikon D700
Panasonic G1

Favorite three: Leica M2, Hasselblad 500 C/M, Panasonic G1

Favorite: Panasonic G1 (like Vivek):

Without a doubt, the tiny Panasonic G1.:thumbs:

Simply exceeded all of my expectations in terms of utility. It is beyond all the TLRs, SLRs, RF cams, etc.

I eagerly await the G3 with an improved sensor.:p
I eagerly await a full-frame successor to the Pansonic G1.

Hopefully Panasonic, with some prodding from Leica, has already decided that m4/3 is a format, not a religion, and will announce a full-frame EVIL system at Photokina. Perhaps it won't need to be much larger than the Panasonic LC1.
 
Yes, Thomas,

My Minox was one of the brass ones. Really solid. I even started to process my own films and there was a rather neat tank system that I seem to remember was daylight loading.

Tony
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Olympus XA. Tiny, perfectly formed and capable of producing lovely, sharp A3 sized prints if required. Travelled with me around the world until I fell out of love with film.

LouisB
 

peterb

Member
My history:

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, Kodak Instamatic 100, Yashica Electro G, Canon FTb, Olympus OM-1, Nikon EM, Nikon FA, Nikon N2000, Nikon N2020, Contax 139, Leica Rs4P, Exacta 66 (WAY COOL roll film camera), Mamiya 6, Leica M6, Leica Digilux 2, Contax digital, Lumix LX1 and now the Lumix G1.

By far the most enjoyable cameras were the Yashica Electro G, Leica M6, Contax 139 and now the G1 (whose EVF is waaaay better than the EVF in the Digilux 2 along with it's incredibly useful articulating LCD and compact size).
 
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