Every week, we ask newsletter subscribers a question about gear, creativity or life. Last week we asked readers: What’s a camera you used to own that you regret letting go of, and why?
Many wrote in to share thoughtful and surprising responses. It was curious to see just how many shout-outs we saw for older film cameras.
Many regretted leaving behind high-end SLRs when they moved to digital. In hindsight it seems a new appreciation has grown for the simplicity and engineering of classic cameras.
A strong subset of responses congregated around medium-format cameras as well (you can count me among that group), which tended to deliver a slower, more deliberate process than 35mm, in part because the cameras generally weren’t designed for moving quickly.
Here are three of our favorite responses:
1.Canon F1
 |
|
Canon’s first SLR designed for the professional market. Image credit: Steve H/DPReview |
Phil A: “I sold a Canon F1, some lenses and accessories to buy the first Nikon DSLR. Big mistake.”
2. NIKON F3P
 |
|
The Nikon F3P was a modified F3 created for photojournalists. It was made to be extra durable with special seals for dust and sand resistance and removed the film door release lock, self-timer and multiple-exposure lever. Image credit: Arne List/Wikipedia |
Stephen E Lawrence: “The NIKON F3P, as it’s a working Pro camera that never failed me as a NPS member using it was easy to use, felt like a precision piece that it was and took great pictures every time.”
3. NIKON F2
 |
|
The Nikon F2 was the company’s last all-metal mechanically-controlled professional-level Nikon SLR. Image credit: Photopath/Wikipedia |
A DPReview reader wrote: “NIKON F2. The F2 was the best looking 35mm film camera ever made. Also loved the sound of the F2 titanium shutter. Perfect. Such a satisfying camera to use and own.”
What’s your take? Let us know in the comments.
If you want to participate in the next question, sign up for the newsletter. It’s the best photography, camera and gear news, delivered right to your inbox.
Sign up for the free DPReview Newsletter
And we don’t just stop at the news. Newsletter subscriber benefits include behind-the-scenes articles, letters to the editor, exclusive contests, sneak peeks on what we’re working on, ways to share feedback directly with DPReview editors to help us shape future stories and more! There is no AI here, only real people writing the newsletters and reading your feedback (me!)
Author:
This article comes from DP Review and can be read on the original site.
