My response to a recent Flickr discussion post asking for a list of “your top ten must-have film cameras”
- 35mm SLR
- 35mm rangefinder
- 35mm toy camera
- 35mm nonstandard format (half frame, square, panoramic, etc.)
- 120 645 format
- 120 6×6 or 6×7 format
- 120 6×9 format
- 120 toy camera
- 4×5 view camera
- some kind of pinhole
This was partially tongue-in-cheek. Lists like this, especially on a place like Flickr, quickly become a list of expensive, name-brand, “legendary” cameras.* And the resulting discussion turns to one of fanboyism. The alternate approach is the (equally silly) collect-them all list. I tried to address both extremes by going generic.
*Leica M3, Hasselblad 503CM, Mamiya 7, Plaubel Makina 67, Nikon F/F4/F6, etc.
At the same time, this list is pretty close to what I am looking for.* While I’m not a collect all standard film formats type, I have found that I like having my choice of different interfaces. I find myself really liking the different methods of using eye-level viewfinders, rangefinders, and waist-level viewfinders.
*Full disclosure, I currently own and use nine film cameras (plus two digitals)
So, in all honesty, my list of cameras to own really looks like this.
- 35mm SLR
- 35mm rangefinder
- 35mm toy camera
- 35mm nonstandard format (half frame, square, panoramic, etc.)
- 120 waist-level viewfinder
- 120 rangefinder
- 120 toy camera
I’m currently covered with #1 (Nikomat FTn), #2 (Kodak Retina IIa), #3 (Kodak Pony 135 Model C), #5 (YashicaMat 124G), and #7 (Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash). Since I refuse to invest in multiple camera systems and I’m already heavily invested in the Nikon F mount, anything else I get is going to have to be a fixed-lens camera.
Yes, I wouldn’t mind upgrading all of my non-toy cameras to newer/better versions. But that isn’t stopping me from shooting what I’ve got.
Adding to the list of 7 film cameras.
8. Digital SLR (same system as the 35mm SLR)
9. Digital Point and Shoot