Topic: Your most unexpectedly wonderful camera

[zapsnaps]

Having shared our collective disappointments, I'd really like to know which cameras have been better than expected. Same rules apply as the most disappointing thread - please actually have owned the camera discussed, rather than simply lusting after some expensive kit.

I bought a Fuji Nexis Q1 for a few quid, in purple(!). It takes far better APS snaps than I had expected. Models love it, people stare at me in the street when using it and it's a wonderful thing to hold. Just one problem - having taken a few snaps, the model invariably asks to see the photos back. They can't believe that something so cute "isn't digital". As I try not to shout at models, I take this as a complement, rather than an attempt to damn me, my taste and my practice to pixelated oblivion.

Over to you...

[SLVR]

for 35mm - Olympus XA for me. Simply love that camera. Overpaid for mine, but after seeing results I wasn't too phased. Still carry it around every now and then. Great camera for quick street shooting. Stealth and very capable in most shooting conditions if you aren't afraid of scale focusing every now and then. Meter is great and lens is also wonderful.

My M2 is in there now as well. Rocky start but love shooting with it. My go to 35mm right now.

for 120 my Bronica SQ-A has been my one and only. Picked up with the help of some FW crew back last year the camera never disappoints. Fun to play around with my pola back (thanks Diane!) or shoot proper film when things get (semi) serious. Slowly but surely adding to the system with my new lens I mentioned. Will be seeing more of from camera a lot more in the coming months.

[Ordinal]

TinTin - XA for me as well. I got it at the start of my film shooting mood recently without knowing a lot, and was just stunned at what I got out of the end. In fact I think it was a major influence in my continuing with film. I shall be very sad if it breaks, though it shows no signs of doing so. I have a lot of pocket 35mms and it's only the XA that feels not like a snap camera but like a tiny art machine.

I was quite surprised by how good the Ricoh XR-X I got was. I only tried it when I was exploring different SLRs and saw it for cheap. Despite being an ugly 80s brick it's actually a great street shooter with everything set up how you need it, and the Rikenon 2/50 that came with it is a little pancake gem.

[02Pilot]

My FED-2 was my speculative entry into the rangefinder world, and even with the frequently-dismissed Industar-26 I have been nothing but pleased with the results, and it's very pleasant to use. I'm sure I paid a bit more than some, having bought it from a reputable supplier (Fedka), but getting a good example probably made all the difference given some of the horror stories.

The Kodak Brownie Flash Six-20 that I picked up for $15 turned out to be a great foundation for a pinhole camera. I can't complain at all - probably the best bang for the buck ever.

I had a little trepidation about the Rollei 35, knowing that the ergonomics are a bit unusual, but I warmed to it quickly and still think it's a great little camera for times when bigger kit would be obtrusive.

I can't say it's unexpected, but I have really enjoyed my Canon P in the short time I've had it. I bought it after careful assessment of how the features matched up with my needs and reading glowing review after glowing review, so there was some expectation, but it's at least everything I hoped it would be if not more.

[Paul Mitchell]

My Agfa Super Isolette was an impulse buy I must say, and not cheap either for a camera made in 1954! However the results never fail to amaze me, it's like having a Hassie that pops in your pocket.

[tkmedia]

Canon Prime Super 130u, one of the last few compact auto focus released on 2005. It has darn good intelligent focus detection, some of the best I've seen in a compact. Good travel zoom range.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Canon_Sure_Shot_130u_II_Date/Prima_Super_130u_Date/Autoboy_N130_II

[Late Developer]

Where to start......

If I'm being brutally honest, I must admit to having a very big soft spot for my Ricoh GR1s. At the time we went to Sri Lanka on holiday, my 35mm SLR was a Leica R3 + 28mm, 50mm and 90mm lenses. Great kit but built out of German and Canadian railway tracks. Unbelievably heavy. I was also warned that it wasn't the best in wet weather.

I took my Ricoh GR1s as an insurance policy and I'm glad I did. The Leica was faultless in operation but it rained TORRENTIALLY on a number of days and, as we were walking round various Buddhist temples, I refused to risk getting the camera saturated.

The Ricoh was absolutely bombproof. Maybe I was lucky? Maybe I just managed to keep the worst of the rain off it but that little camera never flinched. And what a lens. 

[Sandeha Lynch]

One has certainly been the VUWS, Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim - 22mm lens, /125 at f.11.  Cost less than a tenner, every roll a gamble that the winder won't break, but very difficult to spoil a shot if you have an eye to the light and compose for the width.  I can't really imagine a more satisfying toy camera.

[Ezzie]

Royal 35-M. Never heard of them, and then I saw one on our local version of Craigslist, for £100 with lens hood (very rare) and never ready case. A fixed lens RF with uncoupled still accurate selenium light meter. Very solidly built too. She works a treat and performs well too. And did I mention she is a looker?


Royal 35-M by Eirik0304, on Flickr

[kenny]

For me it's Zorki 4K. Built like a tank and surprisingly reliable despite all the bad things I heard from many others. The Jupiter-8 that comes with it renders pictures beautifully as well.

[zapsnaps]

Ezzie - what a looker! I've never heard of Royal either, but I might have a sniff around the Bay.

[David A-W]

I think it's probably my Harman Titan. Had no experience of pinhole cameras or 5x4 format before and didn't know what to expect.

I've spent a fair bit on some nice lenses in the past - Noctilux, Summilux, Sonnar, Planar etc - but have been unexpectedly impressed with this no-lens camera.

I think I've taken at least one of my top ten photos with this camera in the year I've had it.

[sapata]

It has got to be my both Smenas! They do have crap plastic body but the lens can put on shame any known brand...

[moominsean]

I was dubious about the Bronica S2A, having been using my Kowa Six for a few years. Didn't seem like it would be anything special. Borrowed Skorj's while I was in Japan and fell in love with it immediately. When I got home I bought one and sold my Kowa. I have a C and an S2 and they are the only non-toy 120 cameras I use.


Ashio, Tochigi by moominsean, on Flickr


Winslow, CA by moominsean, on Flickr

[KevinAllan]

I will nominate the Mamiya RZ67. It is true that there have been some irritating problems with electrical connections (mainly the metering prism which is unreliable, but I mainly use the waist level finder anyway) - and if I started again I might prefer the no-battery RB67 - but the joy of viewing an image on the big screen through the WLF, combined with the rotatable film back and close-focussing capability, is equalled only by seeing the resolution of the output, particularly when using the 110mm f2.8 standard lens.

I have a spare body too, mainly as an insurance policy, as I want to keep the system working for a long time. The only thing that might tempt me away is large format, eventually.

[Urban Hafner]

For me it's the Coronet Commander. Even thought I liked the images I saw from other people shooting with it here, I wouldn't have bought one. But a free on from Leon, why not? Now it's my favourite toy camera. I even reskinned it and now it looks even better.

[Terry]

As much as I love my Bronica ETRSi, I have to say I really enjoy shooting the Eastman 33A 5x7 more.  I'm still very much a novice with LF cameras; finding out what the different adjustments are good for and what sorts of shots I want to take, but I like the 5x7 format a lot.  I did pick up a Kodak 2D with an extension rail so I could shoot with long lenses, but the 33A is so light and easy to use that I think I like it better.

[Rafael Morales]

I love the Kodak Pony 135 Model C. I found one at a flea market and I bought it. It is light, simple and has a great little lens. I liked it so much when I found another one at another flea market I got that one as well. Mint In Box.

[Mab]

I'm a SLR user and always looking for good value SLR body+lens combinations. Earlier this year I swapped an old folder to a set of Konica Autoreflex T3 and 28mm/3.5 & 50mm/1.7 lenses that nobody wanted to buy. I'm glad I did. It's now my favourite camera. I think Hexanon AR lenses must be the best 35mm SLR lenses I've ever used.

[Ezzie]

Ezzie - what a looker! I've never heard of Royal either, but I might have a sniff around the Bay.

I'm moderator for a Flickr group concerning these cameras. Not very active, but there is still a bit of info to be had there. Royal made them, but were sold under many different brands (Hanimex, Wirgin, Brumberger, Hiyoca, Mansfield etc). Look for Colin Clarke's pics, he collects them all and is a living encyclopedia on the subject.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/royalcameras/

[jojonas~]

hands down, my lubitel 166. when I first loaned it from my friend I was ready for "teh lomo" and thought of it as a holga tlr. I was more than pleasantly surprised and the negs hold up against my best cameras.

though I'm starting to notice the build quality...

since then, I expect the world from every camera! haha~ nah, nut maybe I'm more humble with thinking badly of different cameras.

[Phil Bebbington]

My Hasselblad SWC/M. A friend told me about it and I bought it kind of on impulse with no experience of such things. Not the most economical of impulse buys, it has to be said, but, I love it. Jan says more than her and the cat combined, but, I won't be drawn on that

[Greg Bartley]

OK leica's and hasselblads aside the best 35mm camera has been the minolta cle which was a bit of a leica killer and the best roll film has to be the mamiya 7. Both of which had great reliability and great optics !

[astrobeck]

One has certainly been the VUWS, Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim - 22mm lens, /125 at f.11.  Cost less than a tenner, every roll a gamble that the winder won't break, but very difficult to spoil a shot if you have an eye to the light and compose for the width.  I can't really imagine a more satisfying toy camera.

I agree with Sandeha all the way on this one.
Each roll out of it has been a treat!
 

[Fotoaday]

Hi,

I am new to the forum having been pointed this way by Paul Mitchell, who did an outstanding presentation at Thatcham Photo Club a week or so ago!

My unexpectedly wonderful camera would by the little Olympus Trip 35. I was fortunate enough to be given an mint example of an early chrome shutter button model.

 

[Erik]

It was a one-two punch about 12 years ago now, with the lomo LCA, and then the Holga.
Holga took some warming up to -- I didn't understand it at first and was so happy with the LCA and with my regular SLR (an old vivitar) but eventually the Holga became my go-to camera for everything, for better or for worse.
JoJonas -- I also was continue to be shocked about how good my lubitel photos came out. I have a very old, beat up model via eBay's garbage can, can't see any film numbers through the red viewer in back so never know where I am and can barely get the light guards to stay open to look down into the viewfinder, but danged if every photo I take with that thing comes out well. I also love looking into the viewer, just for fun. Interested some day to try out through -the-viewfinder photography like ndroo of "fuzzy eyeballs" does.
E

[Paul Mitchell]

Hi,

I am new to the forum having been pointed this way by Paul Mitchell, who did an outstanding presentation at Thatcham Photo Club a week or so ago!

My unexpectedly wonderful camera would by the little Olympus Trip 35. I was fortunate enough to be given an mint example of an early chrome shutter button model.

Hi Fotoaday

Glad you found us! I do remember you but for my life I cannot remember your name though... do you want to do a quick introduction in a new post?

Paul

[sapata]

Hey Jonas yes! well remembered!!
How could I forget the Lubitel??  Another great example on how to waste wonderful lens into crap camera bodies... the results are just amazing for that piece of junk!

Mine is the original and not the overpriced lomography one.

[Rafael Morales]

I liked my Lubitel until the lens came off. 

[Francois]

One of my biggest surprises was the Vivitar UW&S. I first thought it would be one more of those cheap plastic 35mm things. I was wrong.
I still wonder what the heck Vivitar used for their lenses that makes them so much better than other plastic lenses?

[John]

A second mention for the FED2. I got mine for £12, with lens, case and box with original receipt from 1958. Though I did send it to Oleg in Russia to CLA it for me. The FSU lenses are mostly good to superb in my experience.

I was out with it today and I haven't used it for a while, it felt good.

[Sandeha Lynch]

One of my biggest surprises was the Vivitar UW&S. I first thought it would be one more of those cheap plastic 35mm things. I was wrong.
I still wonder what the heck Vivitar used for their lenses that makes them so much better than other plastic lenses?

Yep, really superb.

[Alan]

yup me too the Lubitel is a great camera, the optics are brilliant for
a cheap bakelite camera.

I have to say that I looooooove me Mamiya 645 Super,
not 1 bit of hassle with it, even though I have read reports
of the super not being great and the winders giving trouble.

I also loooooooove my Holga 120pan, i have a soft spot for
panoramic formats anyway.

[DonkeyDave]

don't kill me...
If you cut me in half it would say FP4...
but
Panasonic GF1, is almost everything you need from a camera...very unexpectedly wonderful

problem is all my film kit I just expect to be wonderful

[JPC]

don't kill me...
If you cut me in half it would say FP4...
but
Panasonic GF1, is almost everything you need from a camera...very unexpectedly wonderful

problem is all my film kit I just expect to be wonderful

I love film photography too, but I have to admit to buying an Olympus OM-D kit recently, for college work. Unexpectedly, I have fallen in love, sorry 

[Adam Doe]

I'd have to say that my Mamiya C330. I wasn't planning on purchasing it. It was an impulse buy when my local camera shop had a 20% off sale on used medium format gear. It was my second TLR. the first being a Metarflex that I am not enamored with. I truly had no idea what to expect from it. Once I got past the disorienting feel of the viewfinder and saw the images produced I knew it would become my go to medium format camera.

[Nigel]

My Holga.

Pound for pound the best camera I own.

[Francois]

My Holga.

Pound for pound the best camera I own.

You could even say Pound for Pound for Pound

[Aksel]

Thus far,
my super ikonta iv - bought it cheep, not knowing much about it. Gave it a cla, now it just works like a charm.
Got loads of "personality", gives me beautiful negatives and it´s sooo compact. The Mju II is also high on my list - the flash exposures are spot on in any condition and it handles festivals and rain. Can´t live without it 

[rpmdrd]

i was hesitant to use point and shoots and would like to shoot film with rangefinders and slrs. however i found that these cameras also produces great or even better images than other cameras.

i am currently using a Minolta Freedom Escort QD 28mm with a 3.5 lens as my main p&s when not testing others. not really surprised by images from the olympus xa2.

also reasonably surprised with a couple of ansco panoramic point and shoots.

[jojonas~]

ohyeah, I shouldn't forget my battered up olympus EE-S with dead meter that I got through the forum trade thread (thanks Chris A Fraser!)
never thought I'd warm up to half frame so much! going panorama has proven more than just a little fun~

[Jack Johnson]

One of my biggest surprises was the Vivitar UW&S. I first thought it would be one more of those cheap plastic 35mm things. I was wrong.
I still wonder what the heck Vivitar used for their lenses that makes them so much better than other plastic lenses?

Absolutely. I have another plastic Vivitar (Eco35) that is equally charming but less consistent than the UWS. I've taken to packing the UWS whenever I'm out and about with the Great Wall.

My most unexpectedly wonderful camera has to be my Canon AE-1 Program, though. My one dollar garage sale find, I thought it would be mucked up, it has a cloth shutter, and I much prefer to shoot with rangefinders. But, it's been rock-solid (if not a bit loud), the meter is spot-on, and the 50/1.8 is a surprisingly nice lens. I like it so much it's made me look more closely at Canon in general and I'm picking up an EF-M on Monday, with mount adapters galore in the future.

[hookstrapped]

Gakkenflex and Vivitar UW&S

[Photostephen]

The most unexpectedly wonderful camera for me was the Praktica IV F that I bought not so long ago it has the most amazingly good viewfinder with split vision and Fresnel, it is brighter than any other SLR that I have ever seen including Canon and Pentax, and is remarkably easy to focus without having to wear glasses.

This is my first post here and shall get round to adding more info about self soon.

Stephen.

[Owlsflight]

I read through this whole thread the other day. I'll have to do some googling on some of the cameras here! Very interesting read.

About 8 months or so ago I picked up a great looking Kodak Brownie box camera Model F. Seller said they found it in a jar in the attic of an old house in Iowa. Didn't pay too much for it at all compared to what they were going for. Took it apart and cleaned everything, and put new finder mirrors in it. Over the winter I shot a roll of Fuji Acros in it and got it developed recently. I was blown away at how nice the images came out for a camera that's 80-90 something years old.

[zapsnaps]

Owlsflight - what a fantastic photo from your camera find.

[limr]

I have to agree that the Lubitel is really outstanding in a way that is totally unexpected from a plastic camera. It would absolutely be on my list of Top 5 Cameras to Have When Stranded on a Deserted Island.

The other camera I have to mention is my good old reliable no-frills Pentax K1000. She's nothing fancy, but she's been with me for 20 years, 8 countries (both living in and vacationing in), 15+ moves and countless rolls of film. I bought her in 1993 with a Takamur-a f3.5 28-80mm. At one point she had a flash but it broke and I never bothered replacing it as I found that I really hate the flash. She's served me so well with solid, dependable performance for as long as I've had her. Shooting with her just feels right.

And since I got a new Asahi f1.7 50mm lens for her, she's got a whole new spring in her step and she's even better! Pictures are sharp, metering is still accurate after 20 years, all parts are in perfect working order. She might need a bit of a tune-up (don't we all?), but it doesn't hinder her performance - just might bring back the sparkle in her viewfinder a bit.

[OkieRA29]

I have to say it is my Kiev 2.  It might be because it is a very early model(1949) or that it appears that it was actually used, but I have had none of the problems associated with the Kiev cameras.  Frame spacing is excellent, film advance is smooth, shutter speeds work well and I didn't really dig into it when I got it.  The 'Contaxt' grip took a bit of getting used to, but now it is second nature when I grab it.  I do need to get a strap of some sort for it, but that is small.

[johnha]

For me it was my Lubitel 166U, I enjoyed shooting my first roll with such a rudimentary camera but nothing prepared me for the prints I'd get. Having used Pentax 35mm gear with Ektar 25, the tonal graduation it produced on 10"x10" prints simply astonished me at the time (and started me on the medium format road).