Topic: If a camera was a fashion statement.....

[Late Developer]

....which one would you wear?

This is a toughie for me as I really don't "do" fashionable - unless you regard an unmade bed as a fashion statement....? My choice would probably be either a Rolleiflex or my Hassy 500c/m. Both class acts and much better to look at than me!

Incidentally, how about this as an interesting bit of photo fashion....

http://charmadeyoulook.com/HOME/products-page/sweatshirts1/

[Skorj]

In the age of The Hipster, there is no doubt it is. Which, as has been said before, is a good thing...

[Late Developer]

Ain't that the truth, Skorj.

Thing is, since the late 80's (probably as a result of the advent of autofocus lenses) cameras have got hellish big and lumpy - and not in a good way.

Cameras like the Leica rangefinders, Contax, most Pentax, Olympus OM, Canon (up to and including the T90) and the F series Nikons (up to and including the F3) were as beautiful as they were superbly crafted cameras.

Since those days, the functionality has gone to stellar heights (if you like all that technology) but I'm struggling to think of many cameras (aside from Leica RFs) that really catch the eye for their elegance and style.

[LT]

... I'm struggling to think of many cameras (aside from Leica RFs) that really catch the eye for their elegance and style.

here are a few non-german specimens that I think meet your requirements LD (Ignore the one on the right - I've no idea how that got into the shot  )

[moominsean]

Fujipet, of course!

[Photo_Utopia]

Yes a camera can be a fashion statement I guess. Last week I went out and about with my Rolleiflex and it's amazing how many people come for a chat, probably over 20 people!
Of course this can be a double edged sword, but most people are positive and kind (possibly they humour the crazy old man using film) 'can you still get film for it?' or 'is that digital'?
One thing is for sure I get nicer comments when using the Rollei than any other camera.

On clothing I use a T-shirt design website and (I'm not sure if I should admit to this) I have designed several film based T's last one being a Zeiss Ikon logo which I vectorised in Illustrator...

Mark

[Late Developer]

@ Leon.

That big jobbie on the extreme left (Wista?) is a handsome brute. Not sure I'd be particulrly keen to walk round Chelmsford with it dangling round my neck but, in the right place, it would defintely make a statement...!

Funily enough, a camera club acquintance of mine was flashing her GF1 around the other evening. I was quite taken with its styling. Much less ugly than many such d*g*t*l cameras. I've got a Lumix LX3 which is a lovely and tiny point and shoot with an f2 vario-Summicron 24-60mm and shoots RAW. It's one of the few unobtrustive-but-well-specified ones of its type I've come across.

The Voigtlander is a classic and the RB67 / RZ67 are superb machines.

Sweet collection.

@Photo Utopia

Well, I've had a few admiring glances and positive comments whilst "wearing" my 500c/m. No one's asked me if it's digital but, if they did, I'd probably use the opportunity to explain that film is still alive and kicking. To paraphrase mark Twain "Reports of its death are greatly exaggerated".

[Francois]

Around here, I do get more than a few looks when I have my Instax around my neck...
Leicas and Rolleis are probably still top of the fashion line... my favorite camera store has in stock two Hermes edition Leica M7... only 13,999$ each... or the price of a small car.

[Thom Stone]

Yes a camera can be a fashion statement I guess. Last week I went out and about with my Rolleiflex and it's amazing how many people come for a chat, probably over 20 people!

I've had the same thing with my Rolleicord! lots of people wanna chat about it. mostly old blokes tho.... *not that theres anything wrong with that* would just be nice if it had the same affect on young female type filmwasters :-P

I've had loads of attention walking round with my Polaroid 320, and then people continue to stare intently as i pull the film out and get my thermometer and stopwatch on the go, everyone seems completely  baffled by it.

also get a bit of attention with my Yashica TL-super, which is probs my favourite SLR i have. and ofcourse theres the sx-70 which also confuses people (not just cuz of its insanley awesome and clever foldability *new word?* but my homemade skin)


home made skin top open by Thomo_Lomo, on Flickr

as for a camera i would love to wear proudly around town, its gotta be a few that have been on my wishlist for a while,

canon demi (so swish looking especially in blue!)
Ricoh auto half (retro and futuristic all at the same time)
olympus trip (and pen) are both stylish i think
as for medium format its gotta be the RB67 or RZ67 both wonderful looking things.

altho i have no experience of how any of these cameras actually handle. may have to put the fujipet on the list purely based on looks. soooo cool

[jojonas~]

pentax 67, with the wood handle ofcourse

but from the cameras I own, hm... probably the holga or yashica tlr make the most statement for me. though the tlr gets people more chatty and with the holga I get more weird looks

[Paul Mitchell]

What you need is nice bit of Mahogany and brass round your neck!



It's the one camera that I get asked the most about... I was once asked if it was one of those new Retro DAB radio's!  

[sapata]

So many to choose from...

[Urban Hafner]

Nice one Sapata! Ed would approve, I guess What my little research showed it's not that nice to use though. But as it's a fashion item it doesn't matter

If I had to choose one of the cameras I own it would have to be the PrimoJr. It's like a Rolleiflex but cuter   Just looking at pictures on the net my favourite fashion item right now would be the Canon Demi though.

Urban

[moominsean]

there is a company that built an empire based on the concept of camera as fashion statement...

[sapata]

there is a company that built an empire based on the concept of camera as fashion statement...

Very true... and this is one of the uggliest i've ever seen !

[Miller]

I remember when the limited aluminium O was 'the' statement in Japan for the fashion/media crowd. Would like one on my shelf but silly money now.

[Miles]

Ooooooo Mr. Sapata I bought one of those Zorki 10's on the bay from a Ukrainian just because it looked like the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

Alas it was a dud and the shutter was jammed open.  Never got the return postage out of him ... Grrrrr 

ALL RF's with the selenium around the lens are dead saucy in my opinion 

[sapata]

Ooooooo Mr. Sapata I bought one of those Zorki 10's on the bay from a Ukrainian just because it looked like the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

Alas it was a dud and the shutter was jammed open.  Never got the return postage out of him ... Grrrrr  

ALL RF's with the selenium around the lens are dead saucy in my opinion  

It is one of the coolest camera I've ever seen as well...

Apart from the selenium that I think it's not working, mine is in great condition and operating. Just wondering how I'm going to use it without the meter since it's just got the automatic setting.

[Skorj]

This would be me:

[Ken B: eyes, I just do eyes.]

I am really into subtle fashion statements so this is the sort of thing I would discreetly accessoring my day outfit

http://www.nicovandijk.net/NIKF3MB.JPG

[jojonas~]

I am really into subtle fashion statements so this is the sort of thing I would discreetly accessoring my day outfit

http://www.nicovandijk.net/NIKF3MB.JPG

how do you even hold that thing?

[Ken B: eyes, I just do eyes.]

I am really into subtle fashion statements so this is the sort of thing I would discreetly accessoring my day outfit

http://www.nicovandijk.net/NIKF3MB.JPG

how do you even hold that thing?

With your hat tilted on a jaunty angle!

[DS]

Mine:

Home made wide-angle camera by Archaeobobalist, on Flickr

Because Duct tape is the height of sophistication. For some reason Leica don't offer it on their al la carte program though....

[roman]

my rolleiflex is a conversation starter, but f3hp gives me a lot of looks 

[sapata]

There's lomographic Diana "Wrangler" camera going on... it doesn't get more fashion than that !
http://wrangler.lomography.com/

[Nigel]

i know it's obvious but for me, if I had the money to spare, it would have to be ...

[Francois]

Well, if it was a money no object thing, I'd rather go for this M7 than an M6



Hermès leather, calfskin strap, silver chrome anodized cover, lens and hood, only 100 orange ones made (and 100 brown ones that are equipped with a Leicavit winder)... very posh.

[Phil Bebbington]

The Hasselblad SWC/M usually gets a few questions.

[astrobeck]

Does this mean we can expect a "Roper" and "Stetson"  model to follow? 

There's lomographic Diana "Wrangler" camera going on... it doesn't get more fashion than that !
http://wrangler.lomography.com/

[LT]

Phil - you have just made me swear profusely at you and your damn camera. Dont ever post this picture again.  I dont think the joint-mortgage account could cope with it (not to mention the resulting house repossession and ensuing divorce proceedings).

Of course, this is made all the more spiteful in the knowledge that you have a Flexbody that you dont even use.

grrr - sassen-frassen, glurble, fultching, mucking, smitting, grrrr
 

[Phil Bebbington]

Leon, only made possible by the double shifts down the mine that Jan does in addition to her day job!

I promise you I shall use the flexbody! 

[gregor]

funny when I'm out with a camera on my neck, people always want to talk when it's a TLR or Polaroid and then of course the gear-geek set when it's the leica. With the Hassy or RB67 - just gawking and little chatting...

[CarlRadford]

Waiting for M7 to arrive Unfortunately, not in orange

[Photo_Utopia]

Waiting for M7 to arrive Unfortunately, not in orange

How about a nice pink?
http://www.cameraleather.com/colors/G_coral.htm

Mark

[CarlRadford]

Waiting for M7 to arrive Unfortunately, not in orange

How about a nice pink?
http://www.cameraleather.com/colors/G_coral.htm

Mark

Wow - walnut or cobalt blue for me

[Francois]

The other day, a guy I know who deals in antiques managed to get me a Yashica SLR for cheap (5$ a camera). The lens was pretty bad but the body was in decent working order... but the leather they used was disintegrating big time. So my mom managed to get me an old purse at a rummage sale. I cut it up, put some double face tape on the back and fitted it to the camera. Here's what it looks like when you have a black paint camera with tan leather...

Total price: Camera 5$ + Purse 1$ + Tape 0$ = 6$ .... not too shabby.

[sapata]

The other day, a guy I know who deals in antiques managed to get me a Yashica SLR for cheap (5$ a camera). The lens was pretty bad but the body was in decent working order... but the leather they used was disintegrating big time. So my mom managed to get me an old purse at a rummage sale. I cut it up, put some double face tape on the back and fitted it to the camera. Here's what it looks like when you have a black paint camera with tan leather...

Total price: Camera 5$ + Purse 1$ + Tape 0$ = 6$ .... not too shabby.

I was just wondering if you had used the fur instead ?  It would've been unbeaten ...

[Photo_Utopia]

What a cracking idea Sapata a camera covered in fur would have been very good this morning in the UK with the heavy frost.

Why no camera maker ever offered it as an option I don't know 

You guys should go into production- Arctic cameras ltd.....

[sapata]

What a cracking idea Sapata a camera covered in fur would have been very good this morning in the UK with the heavy frost.

Why no camera maker ever offered it as an option I don't know 

You guys should go into production- Arctic cameras ltd.....

:DThat would be definitely good for days like today... not so good to keep the lens dust free though

[Francois]

I guess it would kind of tickle the nose 

The leather I used is very soft so it's nice to hold.