The camera you can't break

[Bill Burk]

Seems the camera that surprises me and disappoints me is also the same camera that I can't kill.

A few examples: Kodak 35. This camera came into my life because my dad wouldn't let me have his Spotmatic II. I hated the dim viewfinder. I hated the shutter speed limitations. But man, that camera took great pictures.

Rollei 35. Bought as a user and beat it up by carrying in pants pocket. The lens wiggles when pulling it and pushing it because the rails are worn thin. Tried once to sell it on ebay but nobody would buy, so I calibrated the meter for alkaline, replaced the rails and kept it. Still working but I still don't take care of it.

Contax IIa. Another user purchase. Can't use 500 or 1250. Sometimes 1 second sluggish. I used to hate this camera so much I'd leave it hidden at my cabin, just so I would have a camera if I forgot to bring one along. All still same condition, as long as I stay on the working speeds.

Minox C. Almost tossed it because the shutter wasn't working. Then someone tipped me that you can roll 3 A76's and a watch battery (like 389) in sticker paper. Last night I took it out to a concert and it worked just like in the '70s.

[BrianShaw]

I once had a camera that was in that category -- a Canonet. No matter what, that camera worked and worked and worked. Then I sold it and the buyer seems to have broke the shutter in less than 10 minutes. Autopsy showed that it was manhandled and broke the shutter. I once thought I had a camera in that category, but alas... no more.

[altim]

Hmm, I picked up a mint condition (working) Canonet at a garage sale..when I got home it was nonworking in about 5 minutes. Leave it to me

[Bill Burk]

Ha, the Canonet is in my category too. Mine went inoperable twice. Then I learned this trick twice.

When the shutter gets stuck. Open the back. Fire the shutter, wind, repeat. The impact of firing over and over seems to break it loose of whatever happened to it.

[ColdEye]

A Nikkormat Ft2. Brassed all over and quite a lot of dings, viewfinder has a lot of dirt, and the meter is dead. BUT, the shutter speeds look really good, specially the slow ones. And it is one of the few cameras I can focus perfectly (failing eyesight).

[2F/2F]

Strangely enough, my 10D just won't break. It only has about 20,000 shots on it, but it has been through quite a lot, including several spills. Little things here and there act up (shutter button must be stabbed sometimes to take the picture), but the images are just as good as they were on day one.

[tomalophicon]

Strangely enough, my 10D just won't break. It only has about 20,000 shots on it, but it has been through quite a lot, including several spills. Little things here and there act up (shutter button must be stabbed sometimes to take the picture), but the images are just as good as they were on day one.

Is a 10D a digital camera? If so I proclaim your post off-topic.

[Bill Burk]

Is a 10D a digital camera? If so I proclaim your post off-topic.

I don't think it is off-topic to talk of trying to break a digital camera.....

[2F/2F]

I ain't asking how to work the thing or how to do a hybrid workflow with it, such as people in posts related to scanning.

Besides, it ain't a proper declaration without trumpets anyhow.

I simply found it odd, considering the normal outlooks on the durability of old cameras vs. new cameras, that I have killed or damaged several old cameras with far less than I have done to the new one. I would have expected the new one to have been one of the first to bite it, while my old ones would survive a nuclear blast. Not so in my case.

[tomalophicon]

I ain't asking how to work the thing or how to do a hybrid workflow with it, such as people in posts related to scanning.

Besides, it ain't a proper declaration without trumpets anyhow.

I simply found it odd, considering the normal outlooks on the durability of old cameras vs. new cameras, that I have killed or damaged several old cameras with far less than I have done to the new one. I would have expected the new one to have been one of the first to bite it, while my old ones would survive a nuclear blast. Not so in my case.

Yes, I knew my proclamation was missing something.

Damn those people asking questions about scanning, damn them all