I just got to wondering, if you could have your dream camera then what would it really be? We can all say "oh a Leica" off the top of our head or "oh a canon eos 1ds mk2" but is that really our dream camera or just a piece of expert marketing. I suppose I ought to say therefore 'which camera is the very essence of camera-hood? which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'

Hope this isn't a bit too theatrical :rolleyes: - Mat

I ought to say therefore 'which camera is the very essence of camera-hood? which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'

That would have to be my Toyo 45AII, with its complement of Schneider lenses.

BTW, when I hear Canon EOS Ds MkII, I think of doorstop.

easy: I got it.

Rolleiflex SL 66 E!

beat that!

......and of course the tiny Gandolfi.....

In 35mm, the Pentax LX, or a Contax. In MF a Hassie, or a mint 2.8 Rollie. In LF, hard to say really love to have a great 8x10 MasterView, or a Deardorff. A couple Leicas would be nice if I HAVE to take them.

. . .which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'


I can't limit it to one, as they're good at different things: Leica M6TTL for 35mm, the Hassy for MF, Toyo 45AX for 4x5 in the field, and the Tachihara for 8x10 field work.

easy: I got it.

Rolleiflex SL 66 E!

beat that!

......and of course the tiny Gandolfi.....


His!

My OM-1. For auto, an OM-4t. For RF, I'd love to have the new ZI, but if I could convert one of my Oly 35SPs to interchangeable lenses...

Earl

I just got to wondering, if you could have your dream camera then what would it really be? We can all say "oh a Leica" off the top of our head or "oh a canon eos 1ds mk2" but is that really our dream camera or just a piece of expert marketing. I suppose I ought to say therefore 'which camera is the very essence of camera-hood? which one comes to mind when you hear the word "camera" and which one has a special place in your heart?'

Hope this isn't a bit too theatrical :rolleyes: - Mat

Can't say I could choose just one, but I do know what I would not choose....

Canon 1DS MII would be at the very bottom of my list.

Dave

I saw a 20x24" Lotus recently that was pretty fancy, but I think I'd need to set up my dream darkroom first, and then there's the dream lens, and the dream filmholders.

......and of course the tiny Gandolfi.....
Sounds like some sort of sick euphemism, doesn't it? :D

I have a problem in that I have many, many dream cameras. In no particular order:

Nikon F6
Pentax LX
Mamiya RZ67
Ebony 4X5 and 8X10 and 11X14 etc
Rollei 35
Rolleiflex f/2.8
Voigtlander Bessa II 6X9 Folder
Pentax 110 SLR
Any Leica M series
Olympus XA
Pentax 67
Olympus OM 4Ti

I will likely think of a few more in a minute or two!

I am pretty darned happy with my Mamiya 645 and ersatz Shen Hao, however. In fact, I consider myself pretty lucky to have them.

My mamiya 6 is as close as I've found. I would like a shorter lens.

I have in my mind the thought of what I could do with a Plaubel SW pro shift but Ive never used one and the grass is often greener...

I love my sinar and need to add just one more lens and a 6x12 RFH and it is done. Unfortunately, it is 50% a studio camera and I gave mine up for a darkroom.

I would love a M3/4/6 and the lenses, but I hate the tiny neg.

For 35mm, a manual focus Nikon with interchangable viewfinders AND interchangable film backs - no more rewinding mid roll to change from neg to chromes.

Medium format, I have it already, my Bronica system.

Large format field camera, a Canham Traditional wood field with both 5X7 and 4X5 backs.

Large format studio camera... hmmmmm.... I need to think about that some more...

To approach this a different way:

A MF SLR camera, with:
- controls that can be operated with either hand;
- choice of replaceable backs, offering a choice of either 6x6 square format, or rotating 6x4.5 format, with easy to load inserts;
- choice of viewfinders and prisms, including a 45 degree prism, all with bright and contrasty screens, showing at least 97% of the image area, and automatically showing the size and orientation of the film back;
- built in (to the body) metering usable with all finders, including a spotmeter, and a centre-weighted meter, and averaging meter, all with manual and aperture preferred autonatic options, all with OTF capabilities, including for flash;
- focal plane shutter, with manual speeds between 16 seconds and 1/1000 second, with 1/250 flash synch speed;
- uses commonly available household type (AA??) batteries, and offers a range of useful manual shutter speeds if batteries fail;
- a variety of grip choices, for left and right hand options;
- a variety of winder choices, including power winders as well as winding cranks and speed grips (as in Bronica ETRSi) which can be set to operate from either side;
- a wide range of sharp, contrasty manual focus lenses, including specialty lenses such as macros, soft-focus, leaf shutter lenses (that maintain automatic operation) and zooms;
- an effective, add-on auto-focus option;
- a wide range of easy to use accessories that work well with each other;
- light weight, but robust build quality, that is easily maintained and serviced; and
- most importantly, owned by me.

You did say that this was to be my Dream camera :D

Matt

I have most of my dream cameras already!

35mm RF - Leica MP
MF - Hasselblad
LF - Ebony SV810U

Would still like: Linhof MT2000, OM-4T, and Nikon F2AS

in 35mm, a Minolta XK. For the 'dream'; a Minolta XK with a detachable motor drive...

LF 4x5 - Super Graphic.

LF 8x10 - Century Universal.

Titanium Nikon F2, F3, or F4s with an optional full-frame digital back

Titanium Leica MP with an optional full-frame digital back

Titanium Fuji 6x7cm, 6x8cm, or 6x9cm rangefinder with bulb setting, interchangeable lenses, and an optional full-frame digital back

Custom-made 8x10 inch Deardorff with an optional full-frame digital back

Gandolfi again. In particular the 5x7" Traditional.

In 35mm cameras the Bessa-L comes pretty close.

I'm a gearhead, I don't have A dreamcamera, Ill take anything :)
Regards Søren

i'd like something like a graflex superD 3x4 with a rollback and a POS portrait lens ...

How about a camera you made yourself? You cut your wood and machined your brass/steel? That will be my dream camera when I complete it.

Arca Swiss F-Line Metric 5x4, although my Tachi is quite suitable for what I do now.

Already have my dream 35mm system - Nikon F5.

... a camera that dreams, talks, and shoots like I do, so I can take a long nap in the afternoon.

zorki 1 - small , compact, with great lenses. can do anything that other cameras can if you know to use it.
:)

(also i would like to have some camera used in wwii- i like that feeling that someone in war was running around with camera and shooting and that i have it after him. )

Some interesting replies here folks! I have to agree with RichSBV though, the Minolta XK is a supreme camera (i'm a bit of a Minolta nut) and could only be improved with the addition of the 135mm (2)/85mm (2) or the 35mm (1.8) MD Rokkor.
Nostalgically though I reckon i'd like to get my hands on a mint Yashica FR1 with a collection of fine ML lenses (perhaps when i've finished my Minolta collection to my satisfaction) :D :D :D

Snip
(also i would like to have some camera used in wwii- i like that feeling that someone in war was running around with camera and shooting and that i have it after him. )

Sexist, it could be a female you know. Look here
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/wcf/wcf0001.html
:D
Regards Søren