Top three best cameras you have ever bought

A Centon C100 - I'd borrowed a OM-1, and after months of saving I managed to afford the Centon and 2 lenses - my first proper camera. Fully manual with a light meter built in - lasted me for about 5 years throughout university, shooting for the Uni paper.

A Fed3 - closest to a Leica I'll ever own.

A Chinese camera off eBay with an API for me to write my own transfer functions, camera taking matrices etc.

Best I've ever used - either the Alexa or the FT-one.
 
1. Nikon D90 - After owning a Sony A200 and Nikon D200 the D90 felt like a Godsend at the time. I could use ISO 800 and even above! :O Shot many gigs with that camera and a Tamron 17-50 2.8

2. Panasonic G80 - My current all-rounder, it's got more bells and whistles than a steam train, I find it more than capable enough and nice and teensy to boot

3. Nikon D800E - Beast, plain simple. But I had to give it up because it just started to feel overly bulky, esp with faster FF lenses, health reasons. But, also, I found processing the huge RAW files cumbersome. It was a bit of a love/hate affair.

Honorable mention: Fuji X-T1 - my first decent mirrorless, great little camera, not without it's flaws, but with the battery grip attached and the Fuji 35mm 1.4 I rarely felt I needed much more for general shooting.
 
In order of purchase:

Canon A1 - a 5 mode manual-focus 35mm masterpiece that I bought new in 1980 and still works as well as the day it was bought. The first 35mm SLR to give us P TV AV M (P S A M) and stopped down AE, which subsequently became the industry standard for SLR cameras.

Canon EOS-3 - a fantastically advanced 35mm auto-focus masterpiece that I bought new in 2001, with more features than I can remember including 45 zone eye-controlled focus points, which has got to be one of the most useful features Canon ever produced. I still have this camera too, and use it quite regularly.

Canon 6D - a fantastic bang-for-buck (at the time) full-frame digital camera, which consistently delivers lovely looking photos - a triumph of performance over on-paper specification. Bought in 2014 and still in regular use as my main (and only) DSLR camera.

Runner up - Canon EOS 30, which is like a simplified version of the EOS-3 but in a smaller, lighter package - including 7 point eye-controlled focusing system and a 35 zone metering system. A bit more lightweight and fragile than the semi-pro EOS-3, but great fun to use and delivers very good results.

was going to ask if you were my dopelganger until I got to the 6D... Substitute my original mk1 7D and we have a match - though I'd probably swap out the EOS30 for my Bronny if I'm 100% honest.

of the top three though - it HAS to be the EOS-3. I've two of them, one that I sourced on here, barely used, and the other that was passed onto me when my mate died. This one was one of a pair of single digit eos bodies that he used whilst doing a year as ships photographer on Canberra. 30+ rolls of film per night, 6 nights per week, plus maybe another 10 on afternoon excursions. call it 40x36x5x48 - that's well over 200,000 frames per body in a year. How worn is that Eos-3... well, the film guide plate in the back is a little shinier than the ostensibly brand new one, and, errr, that's it really. I honestly have to open the back or check the serial numbers to know which is which. Well over double the "benchmark" shutter life that Canon tested to...

Incidentally, the EOS-1V which was the EOS-3's partner body looked quite scruffy in comparison, both bought new, but the 1V being cast Magnesium Alloy had lost a little paint - the EOS-3 being "plastic" actually aged better.
 
fuji finepix s9600 bridge camera - the one that started me on the photography trail
nikon d90 - upgraded to this from a d60 and it was my main camera for the next 7 years or so, still love it and still use it from time to time
nikon d750 - current camera, the jump from the d90 to it has been a massive plus and it has taught me that high iso is ok on the right camera, opens up many more opportunities as a result
 
Nikon D700 was an unbelievable camera. I remember @f/2.8 got it before me and wound me up no end about it

Sony A9 is easily one of the best cameras I have ever owned. Dont think it ever missed focus a single time outside of user error

Sony A7III - This in my opinion is one of the most perfect wedding cameras ever. We shoot with 3 of them. Also know ALOT of local shooters that jumped to Sony with this one
 
Snip:
was going to ask if you were my dopelganger until I got to the 6D... Substitute my original mk1 7D and we have a match - though I'd probably swap out the EOS30 for my Bronny if I'm 100% honest. of the top three though - it HAS to be the EOS-3.

Great minds, and all that! :D Of the top 3, for me it would have to be my A1 that I'd save from the waves if I was on Desert Island Discs, on sentimental grounds as it's the first thing I saved up and bought when I first started work.

The EOS-3 would be my 35mm film camera of choice to use though, it works with the current L-series EF lenses and has so many features (many of which became standard features on today's top-spec DSLRs). Plus it's got eye controlled focus - spend a bit of time to 'tune' it to your eye and just look where you want to focus. No messing about aiming slightly off centre to get the focus to lock onto the point you want, or trying to select the point using dials and fingers, just point, look, achieve focus on that point and shoot.

If struggling to get it to work there's the option to use a custom function setting to reduce the number of AF points which will give a better chance of it tracking where your eye is looking, failing that then just turn it off and use the camera normally. I know ECF didn't suit everyone, but I really wish Canon would bring it back as a feature on the 5D range, as that would complete the incentive for me to buy one! :)
 
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Snip:

Great minds, and all that! :D Of the top 3, for me it would have to be my A1 that I'd save from the waves if I was on Desert Island Discs, on sentimental grounds as it's the first thing I saved up and bought when I first started work.

The EOS-3 would be my 35mm film camera of choice to use though, it works with the current L-series EF lenses and has so many features (many of which became standard features on today's top-spec DSLRs). Plus it's got eye controlled focus - spend a bit of time to 'tune' it to your eye and just look where you want to focus. No messing about aiming slightly off centre to get the focus to lock onto the point you want, or trying to select the point using dials and fingers, just point, look, achieve focus on that point and shoot.

If struggling to get it to work there's the option to use a custom function setting to reduce the number of AF points which will give a better chance of it tracking where your eye is looking, failing that then just turn it off and use the camera normally. I know ECF didn't suit everyone, but I really wish Canon would bring it back as a feature on the 5D range, as that would complete the incentive for me to buy one! :)
My 1st proper camera was the Eos3 also . The eye focus was great and acutally worked . I'm surprised it's not on more cameras now
 
Canon EOS 50E the eye focus system was awesome.
Canon A1 is my all time favorite camera
Olympus E-M1 MK2 which is like having the Canon A1 all over again for technology and sensible film camera size.
 
My 1st proper camera was the Eos3 also . The eye focus was great and acutally worked . I'm surprised it's not on more cameras now
I don't think it's on any DSLR cameras these days? Certainly not Canon ones anyway. Perhaps we should start a campaign to bring it back?! :)
 
Canon TX - the first camera my father bought me and got me into photography. Heavy and fully manual - loved it

Nikon D700 - sometimes still miss this beast - my first foray into full frame and was fantastic.

Mamiya C330 6x6 - awesome quality from the lenses and sold it for a song - regret that now.
 
It’s a bugger if you’ve got a squint
Use the other eye and/or try the custom function to reduce the number of eye-selectable AF points (increasing the space between them) and see if that helps. Or just turn it off. (y)
 
1: panasonic G80 which is my current camera and it does everything I need it to do and more.

2: Nikon D7000 as it's the camera I had when I started birding.

3: Minolta 9000 because it was my first decent camera.
Still have it, and the 35-70, 70-210 and the 4000af flash.
 
I'm still not sure why it "had" to be a 5x4 transparency,


Transparencies type and sizes were pres-
cribed then for offset printing end purposes.
 
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Not in any real order:

1. D800 - I still absolutely love this camera although I am also lucky enough to also have a D810. Take it just about everywhere and does everything I need it to.

2. Fuji X100 - when I want to take something a bit lighter but still with good image quality it is always this. I got it on this forum for a holiday thinking i might sell it when I got back and can't get rid of it as it is that good even though I appreciate that this is, old tech now. The display i with the spirit level and all the other helpful things in the viewfinder was like nothing I had seen before.

3. Sinar F - this is one I have not used as much as I should have and sadly may have to go shortly because of that, but to me in photography there is just nothing like seeing a properly exposed 5x4 Velvia 50 transparency on a lightbox. Apart from an 8x10 probably. And with me 'properly exposed' is an aspiration rather than a reality. A horrendous beast to take anywhere and I have had a fair few mistakes along the way with it but when it works it is amazing and the ability to tilt is also great.

Honourable mentions - Mamiya RB67, D700 (I was saving up for one when the D800 came out).

Would like to try - Sony A7RIII looks amazing.
 
Pentax ME Super - Used one of these for 13 years.

Sony A700 - I still use this. First DSLR I had with a CMOS sensor. It has a decent OVF and it feels good in the hand and it's not complicated.

Sigma DP2M - Not perfect. But I really like what it does when the situation lines up in its favour.
 
5D III - amazing kit, pretty much can't fault it
1Ds II - previous body and really good considering it was released in 2004 when every other digital SLR was utter piece of garbage. AF would still hold its own against many premium offerings.
The rest of what I've owned don't really deserve to make it on the list but let me speculate I will add a 5Ds R to this list by the end of the year.
 
Nikon D700 was an unbelievable camera. I remember @f/2.8 got it before me and wound me up no end about it

Sony A9 is easily one of the best cameras I have ever owned. Dont think it ever missed focus a single time outside of user error

Sony A7III - This in my opinion is one of the most perfect wedding cameras ever. We shoot with 3 of them. Also know ALOT of local shooters that jumped to Sony with this one
Are you F2.8’s half brother?:D
 
In no order of preference.
My first camera was a fuji st605n. That started my photography interest as a teenager.
Olympus EM1 loved that camera and still tempted to return and get EM1 mk2
Fuji XT2 really like the colours and functionality
 
Canon 5D - first full frame camera which ruined me forever more!
Nikon Df- not sure why I ever sold it!
Bronica ETRS - first foray into medium format film.
 
Sony A9 for speed and tracking
Leica Q for discreteness and joy to use
Hasselblad X1D for image quality and stylish body

I sold the Q, to buy the X1D - I might want both
 
1. Linhof Super Tech V: have this with cammed Rodenstock lenses and a viewfinder + handgrip, being able to shoot 4x5 handheld is just brilliant, although I do tend to use it on a tripod more. Heavy, but by far the most fun camera I have.
2. Rolleiflex 2.8F/3.5F: brilliant image quality in such a small and relatively light package. It's my go-to travel camera. I also have a Pentax 67 which is also as good (if not better in terms of IQ) but it's much more bulky.
3. Leica M4: This body, a classic 50mm Summicron, a roll of Tri-X and my Focomat for printing on fiber = perfect. Archaic, yes (like all of my top 3), but it beats dragging sliders about in Lightroom.
 
Nikon D3 - had to up my game in terms of technique and glass
Pentax K-1 - although I also have the D810 the K-1 is a joy to use
Nikon D500 - ultimate APS-C DSLR
 
Nikon F2 and FM (I still have them), then probably my Canon A640. I still prefer it in any ways to more modern digital compacts.
 
Going to go a bit mental here........This is based on the amount of fun I had with them

#3 on the Twigman chart is surprisingly a 1974 Polaroid Super Swinger b/w
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Polaroid_Super_Swinger
This was my first ever camera and I thought it was great fun. Pulling the picture out of the body, hanging it for the designated time then peeling it away from the developer.....instant pictures...no waiting for the chemist.
Cheap to buy, expensive (for a 9 year old kid) to run

#2 1990ish Nikon AF200 fun touch fixed lens compact 35mm.....went everywhere with me - was eventually destroyed when it escaped from my luggage and flew off the back of my motorbike coming up the M3 from Portsmouth, taking with it several rolls of film of my 2 week biking trip round Spain...

#1 My current Canon 80D - I've had more satisfaction with this camera than any prior - This is my 4th digital camera and I've really clicked (excuse the pun) with it - previous to this I had (still got) a 100D but that didn't excite me as much (prior digital offerings were Panasonic DMC-G3 stolen in burglary and a (still got!!) Fuji S602....
 
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d500
X100T
e-m1
 
Fuji X10 still use this a lot for product pics online. Love it to bits.

Huawei p10+ .ok not strictly a camera as such but is the most convenient walkabout shooter I've had in the last couple of years. The camera it has is lovely if your images are just ending up online.

Nikon D800. Total beast of a camera. Fabulous for studio shoots,fine art work and anything needing a big, top quality print. Can't wait till I can save up enough for an 810

For film, wista 5x4 large format which will be buried with me and my Mamiya 6 which I tearfully had to sell for house funds.
 
Are you F2.8’s half brother?:D
Surely his 1/4 brother?

As for the topic... in no particular order...
Canon AE-1 ... like many of us my first camera (well the Canon A* series generally); always fancied stepping up to an A-1 but it never happened. Was finally stollen by a group of ejits but thats a story for another day.

Next up I think I would have to plump for the Konica Minolta 5D (it was either that or the Canon 40D). Was a bit of a difficult time in my life, but reintroduced me to photography and had somewhat of a soul unlike (imo) the Nikon AF and Canon EOS models that I had between the AE-1 and that.

Finally I'd have to put my current D750 in the list. I can't see how that can be improved on - though obviously Nikon and Sony and others are trying to tempt me all the time. May be my last camera I buy ... but likely not :)

Perhaps another question for another day ... the camera (or cameras) you wished you had bought / owned?
 
So here's my list from quite a few good ones and some terrible ones, that I sold/dumped after trying them.
1. Olympus Pen-F
I'm curious (and someone else posted Olympus Pen-F too) ... do you mean the original half frame film camera, or the digital Pen-F?
 
In no particular order.

Hasselblad 503CW
Canon EOS 1Dx mk2
MPP Micro Technical VII
 
I'm curious (and someone else posted Olympus Pen-F too) ... do you mean the original half frame film camera, or the digital Pen-F?
The digital
 
Can’t easily rank cameras across different formats, like comparing apples with oranges.
My fave 35mm systems
- Leica MP
- Leica M7
. Contax RX

Fave Medium format :
- Blad 203FE
- Contax 645

Fave large format :
- Ebony 8x10 sv810E
- Ebony 4x5 sv45u2
 
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