Best and worst handing film worst

[F1.2]

Thought I would ask for opinions on this
My favourite body handling wise was a Nikon F90X , It felt good and comfortable in the hand , sort of fitted like a glove , Sold it years ago but it always brings fond memories , Must get another one day

Not so keen , I had a Pentax LX and it was tiny , not keen on this one

Also had 2 Canon EOS1n body that I liked , big strong heavy

What body do like the feel of most ( Keep it clean please )

 

[Andysnap]

Nikon F100, Rolleiflex (well most TLR's actually) and a Voigtlander R3A with a nice little 40mm f1.4 attached..... luvverly.

 

[excalibur2]

T70 is nice to handle with uncluttered front and a grip ..but I can get used to all my 35mm cameras and it's more down to annoyance of little things like pointers or dots for exposure in the viewfinder or changing the shutter speed on an Olympus etc etc that are more important to me.
As I don't mind using any camera it would easier to say the ones that don't impress me for handling and today using the Fuji STX-2 it didn't feel right.

 

[ChrisR]

My favourites are the two Pentax MX cameras that are my workaday tools. Smaller than the LX (which I want!), suits me nicely. I don't get on well with TLRs or those other MF cameras, big gallumphing things. I did enjoy my Bessa R3A, but sold it so I couldn't have loved it that much!

 

[john.margetts]

My Pentax MX is an excellent camera. I enjoy using it about equally with my Olympus OM10. The MX feels a bit more solid than the OM10 but in use I find little difference.

I also enjoy my Voigtlander Vito CLR which is an entirely different camera.

 

[Jao]

For 35mm it would be Nikon F3HP and Nikon F4, closely followed by the Contax RX. For MF my Pentax 645N

 

[Asha]

Nikon FE2 (without grip)

Simplistic in controls yet offers full control over its settings.

All of the FE and FM models feel "right" in my hands, however the convenience of the higher shutter speed and automated exposure/shutter of the FE2 put it top of the list above the other models.

 

[excalibur2]

Nikon FE2 (without grip)

Simplistic in controls yet offers full control over its settings.

All of the FE and FM models feel "right" in my hands, however the convenience of the higher shutter speed and automated exposure/shutter of the FE2 put it top of the list above the other models.

Well I don't get some of the replies as it would depend on the size of your hands and fingers and with the FM I like it but my finger keeps depressing the lens stop down button (it's in the way).......and IMO the T70 ranks at\near the top as the main body is only 2.75 inches wide with no clutter on the front and a grip...what more could you want in handling a camera. The Canon designers did a great job but in concentrating on handling made the camera looked ugly and out of proportion to other cameras.

 

[medwaygreen]

I have the F90X with the MB-10,very nice camera to hold,but,on the big side,about the same as my F5 with grip,followed by the F100 and F4 all with grips of course.The weighty body and grip hold well in big hands and feel secure and well balanced.

My favourite camera bodies for handling have to be the FM3a,the F3 and the FM2n and FM,I use these with and without grips without any problems,they just feel so good.

I have large hands and the smaller Nikon bodies are no problem with handling,in fact are better for long days.

 

[srichards]

The minolta dynax 9. It's idiot proof. It has to be Everything is in the right place. Loads film very easily. You can stop and start different rolls. I just set it onto AP and shoot away knowing it will turn out how I want pretty much as the metering seems to be fairly fool proof as well.

 

[excalibur2]

The minolta dynax 9. It's idiot proof. It has to be Everything is in the right place. Loads film very easily. You can stop and start different rolls. I just set it onto AP and shoot away knowing it will turn out how I want pretty much as the metering seems to be fairly fool proof as well.

If film loading is added then the Fuji STX-2 is excellent for the old ways, anyway was going to show how it engages the film so went to images for the STX-2 and among them were six of my shots which had nothing to do with the Fuji camera WTF

 

[medwaygreen]

I have some great APS camera,s both Nikon and Fuji together with a stock of some 50 films,very expensive now the film that is,camera,s are dirt cheap.. No trouble loading then at all.

 

[Sejanus Aelianus]

I'll mention that I started taking pictures in the 'sixties, just to put my comments in context. Up to the 'nineties, the least uncomfortable 35mm camera I used hand held was the Pentax Spotmatic, although the Praktica cameras with their inclined shutter release buttons were nice, if you could tolerate their unreliability. The Canon Eos introduced a whole new level of comfort with its built in handgrip but I was a Nikon user at the time and had to wait for the F4, which was ergonomically perfect for my hands but weighed too much for all day comfort. Then digital happened.

 

[excalibur2]

I have some great APS camera,s both Nikon and Fuji together with a stock of some 50 films,very expensive now the film that is,camera,s are dirt cheap.. No trouble loading then at all.

Have you tried the MT3 and the similar line..they are a PITA to load film esp if you are transferring the film from another camera and the end is not perfect (n)

 

[LCS]

I liked my Contas 139 Quartz; Still got it in one of the cupboards; very nice and classic thing.

 

[kendo1]

I'd have to go with the Contax 139 and RTSII. I find them just perfect- everything you need is in the right place and feel 'right'.

 

[excalibur2]

I'll mention that I started taking pictures in the 'sixties, just to put my comments in context. Up to the 'nineties, the least uncomfortable 35mm camera I used hand held was the Pentax Spotmatic, although the Praktica cameras with their inclined shutter release buttons were nice, if you could tolerate their unreliability. The Canon Eos introduced a whole new level of comfort with its built in handgrip but I was a Nikon user at the time and had to wait for the F4, which was ergonomically perfect for my hands but weighed too much for all day comfort. Then digital happened.

Surprised about your view on the Spotmatic as it doesn't look much different to my Pentax S3 and at the time (of the S3) the big advert from Pentax was "just hold a Pentax"........well it didn't impress you

 

[Sejanus Aelianus]

Surprised about your view on the Spotmatic as it doesn't look much different to my Pentax S3 and at the time (of the S3) the big advert from Pentax was "just hold a Pentax"........well it didn't impress you

Well, I did say it was the least uncomfortable camera I used up to that time.

 

[excalibur2]

I'd have to go with the Contax 139 and RTSII. I find them just perfect- everything you need is in the right place and feel 'right'.

Nice camera the 139 but for me the self timer is over engineered in that my finger has the rough feel over the the flasher bit and the bit above which is the self timer set lever pressing into my finger...anyway I'm bringing it at the meet so anyone can play with it.
Using the FM and Canon A1 today and the A1 is nice for handling as your fingers go around the grip and end up on a smooth surface i.e. no self timers etc in the way

 

[ChrisR]

The title also mentions worst handling bodies, although not in the first post. I've thought about this a bit, and the answer surprised me. The worst handling body for me is also one of the nicest, in its own way: the Olympus mju II. Although I really like its sleekness and pocketability, I find the opening of the clamshell somewhat awkward, the camera itself very small to hold, and keep pressing the top edge of the opening part of the clamshell instead of the shutter button! Plus not being able to permanently switch off the flash is really annoying; I'd rather an under-exposed shot than unexpected flash!

 

[medwaygreen]

Have you tried the MT3 and the similar line..they are a PITA to load film esp if you are transferring the film from another camera and the end is not perfect (n)

No Brian, Only Fuji and Nikon everything else was pants.

 

[andy1868]

I like the F90 too, it seems to handle and balance nicely with whatever lens i put on there. I'm loving using it with my 24-70 2.8 at the moment

Contax G1 was lovely to use too, I still wish i had never sold it

 

[NickT]

I think for ease of handling it's got to be the Olympus XA series, probably one of the zone focusing models such as the XA2 or XA3. Pull it out of your pocket, slide the cover back, frame the shot and press the button. That's it, nothing else to do apart from putting it back in your pocket.

 

[Morinaka]

It's hard to think of worst bodies as most cameras are made to be usable. Old box cameras or folders with tiny waist level finders are pretty crappy to use and handle.
I kind of agree with both ChrisR and NickT; the Mju-II can be pretty fiddly with its tiny rubber buttons, particularly when you have to turn the auto flash off a lot, and i re-bought an XA2 after i gave one away i missed using such a simple camera.

 

[excalibur2]

Stop press: The T70 with two AA batteries and FDN 50mm F1.8 weighs the same as an Om2 with Zuiko 50mm @ 820g

 

[RaglanSurf]

Stop press: The T70 with two AA batteries and FDN 50mm F1.8 weighs the same as an Om2 with Zuiko 50mm @ 820g

But carrying something that ugly would weigh far too heavily on my mind.

 

[excalibur2]

But carrying something that ugly would weigh far too heavily on my mind.

IncidentallyAAMOI in testing a battered 24mm Vivitar 24mm (made by Tokina) against the Nikon 24mm at f5.6.... It was impossible to see the difference for the general shots I took e.g. a distant shot of a church (erm without a drum scan )...I have quite a few 3rd part 24mms and they are very good stopped down, and unless the Nikon can show a difference in distortion e.g. inside a church or among buildings, I shall be disappointed with the Nikon...h'mm Asda should be pleased with more work

 

[Asha]

But carrying something that ugly would weigh far too heavily on my mind.

I wonder, like pets ( dogs in particular) often resemble their owners ( ugly, cute, crazed etc), do togs kinda get drawn ( subconciously) to kit that resembles their looks and attitudes.

It may offer an explanation why Brian is practically married to his T70

@excalibur No offence Bri, remember it's not what you've got, it's how you use it

 

[FujiLove]

I loved how my M3 felt in the hand. Very solid, a nice weight and beautiful to operate. I like the feel of a Rolleiflex, but my favourite is still my Rolleicord as it's just as solid, but lighter and I prefer how the shutter and film wind operates.

Worst handling for me are definitely the Bronica SQ and Hasselblad 503. I love both cameras and their results, but find them a little awkward to hold.

 

[ancient_mariner]

My favourite handling camera was probably my Pentax P30 and least favourite the old Practikas - all hard angles, overweight and awkward.

When AF was a new thing, a work colleague and I bought cameras around the same time, his being an EOS and mine a Minolta 7000. While the canon felt nicer, every time I asked him how to do something he'd have to read the manual before managing to work it out, whereas on the minolta it was immediately obvious without a need to go hunting behind flaps for tiny rubber buttons.

 

[excalibur2]

I wonder, like pets ( dogs in particular) often resemble their owners ( ugly, cute, crazed etc), do togs kinda get drawn ( subconciously) to kit that resembles their looks and attitudes.

It may offer an explanation why Brian is practically married to his T70

@excalibur No offence Bri, remember it's not what you've got, it's how you use it

..I heard the T70 body emits some sort of chemical that makes your hair grow.

 

[skysh4rk]

Worst handling for me are definitely the Bronica SQ and Hasselblad 503. I love both cameras and their results, but find them a little awkward to hold.

Ahh, but those are the best handling cameras. Well, the Hasselblad not quite as much.

 

[Kei]

Canon AT-1 was my favourite 35mm camera as it's so comfortable, light and easy to use. No excess features to get in the way, just the basics.

Mamiya RZ67 just pips the M645 1000S for me but it's close between them. Prefer the waist level finder on the RZ and the prism on the 645.

Worst would be a franka rollfix/voiglander bessa simply because they lack a built in rangefinder which makes focusing complete guess work without something like a watameter rangefinder. Otherwise they're quite nice cameras.

 

[abdoujaparov]

Ahh, but those are the best handling cameras. Well, the Hasselblad not quite as much.

I sold my SQ-A because I hated the combination of the weight and the handling. The images were lovely, and so was the WLF, but I never took it out.

 

[skysh4rk]

I sold my SQ-A because I hated the combination of the weight and the handling. The images were lovely, and so was the WLF, but I never took it out.

I could say the same thing about the Nikon F4 compared to a compact film camera or mobile phone. It's all relative.

If you need a medium format system camera, the SQ-A handles perfectly fine for what it is. I like that you never need to turn the darn thing, the WLF is great, and it's not even particularly heavy as medium format goes. If you don't require a medium format system camera though, then there are likely cameras much better suited to you, yes. Certainly, if you compare it to cameras outside its own category of cameras (e.g., medium format rangefinder, 35mm, etc.), then it would be heavy in relative terms and, possibly, more awkward to use, although I'd argue this wouldn't be the fairest comparison.

The question of best and worst handling film cameras is based far too much on personal preference for me, however, to seriously back or defend any camera. For me, basically all 135 format cameras would be thrown in the worst handling category, but I know that this would be far from a universal truth.

The best handling camera is just the one that best suits your needs.

 

[Asha]

The best handling camera is just the one that best suits your needs.

 

[excalibur2]

The best handling camera is just the one that best suits your needs.

Not quite true if you can choose from many camera to use, after all they can all take pictures But if you want to shoot over 1000/sec it narrows down the selection.

 

[skysh4rk]

Not quite true if you can choose from many camera to use, after all they can all take pictures But if you want to shoot over 1000/sec it narrows down the selection.

How is that not exactly what I just said?

 

[excalibur2]

How is that not exactly what I just said?

Well you could say "the best camera to use is the one you have with you" which is not the point of the thread.
All my cameras suit my needs unless I want to do something special...but some are nicer to handle than others, so the camera that best suited my need for a particular reason might not be the best at handling. But would add it's a pointless thread really as you can get used to any camera and if you have only owned a few cameras how would you know there are\are not better handling cameras around.

 

[skysh4rk]

All my cameras suit my needs unless I want to do something special...

Well, then the camera is not suiting your needs at that time, is it?

For me, the notion of best camera or best handling camera is completely fluid, not only across individuals, but within individuals as well. Just because I enjoy the handing of my Rolleiflex for many photographic situations doesn't mean that I think it handles well for all situations. These opinions of handling often change over time as well.