Topic: What is a "Classic" camera / lens?

[Late Developer]

This question works on a few levels:

1) How do you define a "classic" camera / lens?
2) Which film cameras / lenses are, in your opinion, classics?
3) Are there any "classic" combos.....?

I'll refrain from offering my own view of the definition for 1) and 3) so as not to try to steer people in a particular direction. However, as far as 2) is concerned, I'd have to put the Hasselblad 500c/m at the top of my list for MF and suggest that the Nikon F2 would be my choice as a classic 35mm SLR body.  As far as lenses go, I love my 35mm/f2 AIS Nikkor and also the Canadian 50mm/f2 non-ASPH Summicron I had when I owned my M6.

It's a tough one but there's so many options: i.e. toy, instant, miniature, half-frame, 35mm, MF, large format, rangefinder, SLR, prime, zoom, wide, telephoto, home made, etc, etc.....

Of course, there's no right or wrong, but it'll be interesting to see the list. 

[02Pilot]

The combination that immediately leaps to mind is the Barnack Leica with the collapsible 50/3.5 Elmar. Rolleiflexes could be considered a class of classics, but picking one out of the range seems problematic. The Leica M3 is probably up there, along with the Nikon F, Speed Graphic, and maybe the Diana.

Really hard to quantify this one.

[SLVR]

Personally I don't get too hung up on classics or classifying cameras. I just shoot what I want and don't really look into it much further.

[mcduff]

My 2¢: One way I would define a classic camera is that it is not always the best camera or the most ground breaking camera but one that inspired people to shoot and believe in photography.

An example for me is a camera I just got for my daughter that I have never owned, the Pentax K1000. By many standards it is lowly and everyday. But I think its charms and significance are partly because of that. I did not get it for her because it is cheap (and they are) but because I thought it would be an awesome first camera, which it is turning out to be.

By this definition, a classic camera was likely produced in reasonably large numbers. A pleasant consequence of this is that many of the cameras that I would consider classics are quite affordable.

[astrobeck]

I also think of the Pentax K1000 as a classic.
Lens for the Pentax is a F/1.7 SmC A Pentax.

The Nikon F2 also comes to mind.

Nothing fancy about either one of them, just nice lines and good build quality.

[gsgary]

My 70 year anniversary M4P with 35mm Boigon

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[Paul Mitchell]

A Zero 2000 with a ................ errr it doesn't have a lens??....... 

[DonkeyDave]

iphone

 

[Late Developer]

Some interesting takes on the question. 

I know what McDuff means as my first camera was an Edixa with a WLF. Not exactly the best or most expensive camera in the world but it was the camera that really got me into photography.  However, a "dictionary" definition of classic suggests that the item is widely regarded as the best / most attractive / most popular, etc....

Dave's rather cheecky reference to iPhone might not be far off the mark a few years down the line as Sinclair Spectrum, Amstrad and Commodore computers are now fetching serious money as "classics" of their day. 

As for Mr Mitchell's response, there's always one, isn't there....? 

[LT]

I'm with Monsieur TinTin.

I just work with what I've got.

[mcduff]

Ya Leon, at the end of the day I agree with my pal TinTin, I shoot with what I've got, but I know I LOVE the stuff I've got^* -- And for me the stuff I love is stuff that I think is classic. 

^*This is not me bragging about rolling in the dough, it is me being grateful that I like affordable cameras 

[Francois]

There's classic in the sense of popular and classic in the sense that it was used by someone famous.
It just depends on your camp.

As for me, classic just means old... pretty much everything in the pre-autofocus era gets close to classic. Pre-lightmeter is even more classic.
If it has bellows and was made before the 1970's, you're pretty much guaranteed it's going to be in classic territory.

[mcduff]

haha if I am honest 'classic' for me probably means 'shit I like that I think you guys are crazy for not liking' 

[gsgary]

What about my Zorki 4 with a Jupiter 8 50F2



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[Bryan]

To me a "Classic" camera could be one that is well known and had an influence on the industry.  It may or may not be what we would consider a great camera but one that was widely used like an Argus C3 or a Kodak Box camera.  A camera well known for it's quality like a Rolleiflex or a Hasselbad.  An innovative design like an Olympus OM-1 or a Canon AE-1. 

[jojonas~]

this reminds me of toycamera.com

I think mcduff is spot on though but bryan is starting to make sense.

[charles binns]

Holga.  End of story.

[Francois]

this reminds me of toycamera.com

That was definitely a sour story...