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What is / are your most memorable camera(s)?

FrantzM

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Lytro Illum
View attachment 159556
Its physical design was such a beautiful blend of aesthetics and ergonomics. The hardware/software UI, even beyond the big touchscreen, was way ahead of its time. The 40 megaray capture and whatnot, allowing near infinite focus points to choose from in editing with a super shallow depth of field, was really cool.
A shame its sensor was only 4 megapixels, as most other aspects of its image quality were great. It had a great lens, good signal to noise ratio, and very nice dynamic range. I can still prefer lower resolution photos if they are clean and have good, REAL contrast. It's one of the reasons why most high-res flagship smartphone imagery, while impressive, just isn't pleasant to me.
That said, the Illum's resolution was just too low. No matter how clean you make 4 megapixels, it's still 4 megapixels. I've used CRTs with a higher resolution...
View attachment 159569
Unedited pic of my gecko
View attachment 159566
Here's a shot that shows the interesting ways the light ray sensor can distort images. It's an unedited, out of focus shot of a window at night. It's difficult to explain without reference, but the the deep hues of the blurred night sky, light reflecting off the window, and silhouette of the outside treeline were impossible to recreate in the bokeh of any other camera I had.
Might add more shots later later if I find them.
This camera could well be one that came out too early. Hope the company and ideas survive. Could have been a true revolution in image capture, still or video.

Peace.
 

Kuppenbender

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BA376EFF-F145-459A-B0B7-0B0723F6BB8C.jpeg
Contax 139, my first camera purchase. I set off to Tottenham Court Rd (London’s old Camera/Hi-Fi Shop street) intending to buy a Yashica FX-D twin lens kit, but was swayed by the sexy Contax display. I ended up with what was essentially the same camera, but with a single Zeiss 50mm f1.7 lens instead of a pair of Yashicas.

Like all Contaxes and Yashicas of that period, the black cover disintegrated over time, hence the cobra skin.
Would still be in full working order if the mirror hadn’t slipped down a millimetre or two. Fixbable with a hairdryer and a steady hand, but those mirrors are fragile, so I’m trying the ‘leave it upside down for a few months’ fix first.
 

nobodynoz

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A shame the point and shoot market isn't that competitive anymore thanks to smartphones. Ever heard of the new Ricoh GRs? Seems like the best cameras you can fit in a pocket


I've written something about the RICOH GR in the thread "Post pictures of anything, with comment" page 46, October 3, 2021
This is probably the best APSC pocket camera ever made.

image, not mine - taken with RICOH GR...

Capture d’écran 2021-10-17 à 18.39.57.png
 
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xykreinov

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This camera could well be one that came out too early. Hope the company and ideas survive. Could have been a true revolution in image capture, still or video.

Peace.
They do make some crazy car priced studio models, but unfortunately I think they went belly up in the consumer market. Yeah, definitely too early.
 

Weeb Labs

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My favorite cameras are definitely the URSA Mini 4.6K (first generation) and Canon EOS M. I have owned the URSA for just over four years and could not have asked for a nicer sensor. The Alexa-like color science and 15 stops of dynamic range have not left me wanting. Well, perhaps for BRAW support.

This photo was taken in 2017, shorty after purchase. It is quite a large body.

2s77CERELBwvNZb0wOdNabzE2odM34Vy5KK0-2_APM3wGNFzruLuVolF-LZYVfHeKwYibhD-ltQJYF7xow1ssVwuB7tfnnlyRB0DtaBDCKZy4bFOgLzCvLuWnGaxlBki-61sYTR1t5FqfM9pd0Sygi_CLTo16SWk8iDDcG-iOaiRMFa9ho0T9SkcpTvaSDiU-OYTMk0dP9btbzyIWKjZkAEGNAmRjj125QttlMvXd_gFjh6g9Mce6jY5CnXCBpGsG4FRnvkl2lCRRLhE8omnsKm3rA7ZNlGkVyfcdU3a1uq7n_ZSNvMP0JiUvceUb7BCNljq7m41WGni_DZlyhm4SSg0GZwht7_aQNi9fWIDL7zAv4j-PiEot2H4a3GhuffgL39249CPFj0-bB0aoMcozQSYPTN3a69qLQaEjU_XtIjLFUqO8L7f4jy2HYnu1zM1639W3xUCjznjwhG9Sykd2d-Ll2Akk9RCN0NryTGDllHBHAH8zCC8kncxW-L95JaUG3NHJ04G8E8nuHQbqiXJzpFXblLfWjHboIJiU7US-n6wN3Ug_N0i96X7OXWZSaV3KIph7sI_ZAAM1B-0WcoortyCPjDhd94RKavOvUsSaD-5q7mBvTODiSTxkKQ6bD7nMUVULBFWFbO2vvQn2FrEcUQnxKxg0xiMZX5VvlFBTUr2d8WNNB8AyJYQor-ccIWVFLMvqRRVxB63J7ubAkr_14g=w1644-h925-no


On the opposite end of the spectrum is my tiny Canon EOS M. In my opinion, this is a body that every photographer and cinematographer should own; especially in light of the fact that it can usually be found for less than EUR 80. In conjunction with the Magic Lantern firmware, this camera's capabilities are immense.

1634496739569.jpeg
 

Kal Rubinson

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In any case, much lighter than my Nikon 801s, here you would reckon the 8008s with a heavy Ikelite housing and even heavier Ikelite flash/strobe .
Yes. This is a handful.
8008s small.JPG
 

Puddingbuks

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My favourite is the iPhone 11. My first smartphone that makes great pictures even in low light. I can make pictures I could never make with my Sony A6300 in low light. When my kids (4&6) are asleep I check if everything is alright every evening. Even with very little light coming only from the hallway I can make a decent picture of them.

I took the A6300 with 18-105 F4 on a holiday this summer. First time I tried to use it - low battery (fully charged few days bedore), so after a few shots is was dead. Struggled with the weight. Made a few videos and when i was at home saw a few stains/spots in every video. You just don’t see that on that little screen in bright sunshine. Video quality is also nowhere near the iPhone.

So I probably will sell all my “real” photo gear.
 

mhardy6647

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#1 (my first 'real' camera)
mamiya sekor 500TL 55 mm f3.5 micro Nikkor by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

#2 (the Nikkormat below; was my wife's aunt's -- it's been "ours" since the early 1980s)
DSC_7465 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

When we took our first trip to Alaska in the 1990s, I believe we had four cameras with us: three then-modern automatic/electronic 35 mm rangefinders and the FtN. Halfway through the trip, the electronic cameras had all succumbd to the dampness of Alaskan (late) summer; only the FtN stayed working -- and it's still working).
 

xykreinov

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I've written something about the RICOH GR in the thread "Post pictures of anything, with comment" page 46, October 3, 2021
This is probably the best APSC pocket camera ever made.

image, not mine - taken with RICOH GR...

View attachment 159658
The APS-C really does set it apart. The GR III's main competitors seem to be the Sony RX100 VII and Canon G5 Mk II. From what I've seen, their little 1" sensors seldom compete.
I even like the GR's videos. Perhaps controversially, if not for lack of direct comparison, I may tend to like them better than the 1080p videos from the RX100 and G5.

Test scene extract from RTINGS:
fhd-test-scene-large (2).jpg

Canon G5 Mk II - Score 5.0
fhd-test-scene-large (1).jpg

Sony RX100 VII - Score 6.5
fhd-test-scene-large.jpg

Ricoh GR III - Score 4.8

The RX100 easily the sharpest, landing it that nice score. The G5 doesn't have much going for it over the other two. The GR is the least sharp, but it has way less noise in shadows. It's hard to describe, but even beyond the warmth, the GR's colors are just more pleasant.
Still, the GR III doesn't have comparable autofocus. The rolling shutter isn't that bad at 6ms, but it is worse than the other two. The GR still seems decently capable, otherwise.

There aren't many GR video samples on the web, let alone G5/RX100 comparisons. But I like these two
 
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Willem

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When we took our first trip to Alaska in the 1990s, I believe we had four cameras with us: three then-modern automatic/electronic 35 mm rangefinders and the FtN. Halfway through the trip, the electronic cameras had all succumbd to the dampness of Alaskan (late) summer; only the FtN stayed working -- and it's still working).
My experience with my Nikkormat FtN and Nikkor lenses on archaeological fieldwork is similar. I used Kodachrome so I would only know the result after I had returned home, hence the requirement of supreme reliability. And it just feels so right.
 
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mhardy6647

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My experience with my Nikormat FtN and Nikkor lenses on archaeological fieldwork is similar. I used Kodachrome so I would only know the result after I had returned home, hence the requirement of supreme reliability. And it just feels so right.

(yeah, yeah, I know... Hasselblad... but Nikon, too! ;) )
 

thunderchicken

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View attachment 159613Contax 139, my first camera purchase. I set off to Tottenham Court Rd (London’s old Camera/Hi-Fi Shop street) intending to buy a Yashica FX-D twin lens kit, but was swayed by the sexy Contax display. I ended up with what was essentially the same camera, but with a single Zeiss 50mm f1.7 lens instead of a pair of Yashicas.

Like all Contaxes and Yashicas of that period, the black cover disintegrated over time, hence the cobra skin.
Would still be in full working order if the mirror hadn’t slipped down a millimetre or two. Fixbable with a hairdryer and a steady hand, but those mirrors are fragile, so I’m trying the ‘leave it upside down for a few months’ fix first.
Contax made some of the best cameras of all time, and yours is a beautiful example. The 645AF is probably the absolute best camera of all time (so far).
 

Kuppenbender

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Contax made some of the best cameras of all time, and yours is a beautiful example. The 645AF is probably the absolute best camera of all time (so far).
They certainly appealed to me. Lovely cameras with great ergonomics.
 

thewas

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Contax made some of the best cameras of all time, and yours is a beautiful example. The 645AF is probably the absolute best camera of all time (so far).
I am lucky to own a Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super which my beloved dad (RIP) bought new in the 60s and still works perfectly since then without any repair, the mechanical quality seem to be from a different planet.

Zeiss_ikon_contaflex_sst.jpg


Source of the photo: Sven Storbeck - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=266865
 

USER

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Favorites that I have owned include:

Sony A7 series and NEX micro four thirds cameras. I got into mirrorless cameras early as a good friend worked for Sony at the time and raved about those Minolta cameras on which Sony would build. Absolute winners from the get go and I am so glad they took over.

I do have some analog cameras that I still use. Among them:

Yashica Mat 124G: The most portable of my medium format cameras. (I recently inhereted my uncle-in-law's Mamiya Press.) In reality the only analog camera of mine whose picture quality can still be considered decent today. Processing is très cher tho. Good thing I have a decent scanner. This is a fun camera to bring to gatherings as everyone gets excited about it. There is something magical about getting a medium format photograph of yourself for the first time. It is worth owning just to be able to do this for a loved one.

(Images not my own.)
Yashica-Mat-124G-Camera-Review-by-Samantha-Stortecky-on-Shoot-It-With-Film-01.jpg


0251_Mamiya_Universal_100mm_f3.5_6x9_Polaroid_PANDA.jpg


Contax RTS II: My favorite 35mm because of the great contax lenses available for it. Its super heavy--basically a tank--and I rotate it with a Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 when I want to use something lighter.

DSF0439-1024x683.jpg


Olympus Pen FT: a fun 35mm half frame camera takes two shots for every frame!! The zuiko lenses were fabulous for their time. This is the perfect camera to lend a child that is interested in analog cameras.
olympus-pen-ft-review-11-of-14.jpg




Contax T2: the most infamous point and shoot today. (If you follow the NBA, Devin Booker was using one last week to the delight of twitter.) The prices are absolutely outrageous now but I was able to get in early. Great camera.
0997183f95ffe2c81d834bf1e9debdea.jpg
 
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thunderchicken

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Contax T2: the most infamous point and shoot today. (If you follow the NBA, Devin Booker was using one last week to the delight of twitter.) The prices are absolutely outrageous now but I was able to get in early. Great camera.
Terry Richardson was famous for using a T2. Cool little camera. Someone else posted the modern equivalent, the Ricoh GR.
 

Walter

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Mine would be the two Nikon F2s I was occasionally able to borrow from a pro photographer friend during the couple of years that I was a photojournalism major. Weighed a ton built like a tank, and they were far better cameras than the AE-1 I owned. Especially when I also had the motor drives and the 200mm f2.8 with a monopod.
 

JeffS7444

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Sony A7 series
My favorite "boring" choice: They simply deliver the goods without fuss, year after year. I think no other cameras have remained in service with me for as long as Sony's A7- and RX100-series cameras. If not for the film cameras that I buy cheaply, I'd have almost no new photographic equipment to talk about! To date I have owned 1 RX100 and 2 A7s, and unless a person needs 8K/10K/12K video or even-faster autofocus, I haven't a clue what the upgrade path is from an A7R4 - or whether there is one.
 

mhardy6647

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Apropos of (almost) nothing, but "inspired" by the Nikon F2 post above.
Our son has an F2 (well... maybe he has a couple by this point; I'm not sure)... but I've never actually used one.
DSC_9951s.jpg
 
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