Of all the camera's you've used/owned what's your favorite?

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Stephen Berger

Stephen Berger

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not necessarily the best but your favorite. Maybe for sentimental reasons or cause it was so much fun, etc.

The camera's I've owned...

in the early 70's a Kodak instamatic as a kid (I got a shot of Evel Knievel popping a wheelie during the Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC when I was 9).

MANY years later (1995) a Canon EOS (don't remember which but entry level) film camera which I took on trips to Nepal, Tibet and India

A Pentax K1000 which I bought for a photography class in 1996

Then from 2006 through last May a Nikon D70, D200, D7000, D600, D800, D810, D500 and 2 x D850's

And now an A7RIV and A1

The Kodak stands out for being the first, the Canon for the trips I took with it. The Pentax because I loved that photography class. The D800 onward because that's when I started getting into wildlife. The Sony's because I love shooting mirrorless and the A1 is the bomb.

But the winner for me would be the D200. That's when I went from someone who was curious about photography to someone who started carrying a camera much of the time and more importantly really started seeing the world in terms of shape and light, etc.

Yours?
 
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Stephen Berger said:
But the winner for me would be the D200. That's when I went from someone who was curious about photography to someone who started carrying a camera much of the time and more importantly really started seeing the world in terms of shape and light, etc.
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Similar curve for me with an Instamatic, a bellows type press camera (120 roll film), a dual lens reflex, an Argus C3 (still have that one) and then a Pentax Spotmatic which changed everything. Lot's of SLRs from Olympus, Canon, Pentax and Nikon followed and each had their strong and weak points.

I started digital with a D1H I purchased used from Moose Peterson and I agree the D200 was a beauty (in the capable hands of my niece now).

Really hard to pick a favorite. Sentimentally it's probably the Argus C3, Nikon FM or N90S that are still on the shelf but functionally it's either the D2X which I shot many of my favorite images with or my D5 as it's just so capable for many of my favorite subjects. That said I probably pick up my Z6 II more than any other camera for day to day uses and I expect if and when I move to a Z9, Sony A1 or similar it will likely become my new favorite but at the moment if I think I'll be shooting serious sports or wildlife I'll pick up my D5.
 
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My favorite for a specific reason is the Minolta A9 I had in 1968-1969 timeframe. I used it to take a series of B&W photos of my girlfriend. To this day they may be the best portrait shots I have ever done. My sister lost the camera, but I got the photos and the girl. We will celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary on December 23.

In modern days it is my most recent purchase - the Nikon D850 because it is the first SLR I have owned that actually fits my hands - great ergonomics. We will see how the Z9 feels when it arrives. In between there were many P&S and other SLRs and a Z6, but the first and the most recent are the ones I like the most.
 
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My first camera, a Brownie that I had around the age of 10. I still have some of those photos.

And then a fully manual Miranda SLR that I bought in 1968 when I really wanted but couldn't afford a Nikon F. (You could get the Miranda and a 50mm lens for the same price as just the Nikon body.) But I kept that Miranda for 25 years, and took many of my most treasured photos with it.
 
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From my film days, my FA, 8008, and N90.

From my DSLR days (you know, like last week), the D850, D5/6, and D500

All time favorite, Sony a1 - nothing else is even close. The camera feels like it's working with you to get the shot and if I do my job, it does its job. I don't think I've ever has more fun with any camera.
 
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That’s a tough one.
‘Canon Eos 1v has to be up there in film days, what a workhorse, never failed.
‘Leica M6 for street photography. The rangefinder, the silky smooth manual focus, the 50mm sumilux…
‘And the Sony A1 - the first do it all camera that morphs to you.
 
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DRwyoming said:
Similar curve for me with an Instamatic, a bellows type press camera (120 roll film), a dual lens reflex, an Argus C3 (still have that one) and then a Pentax Spotmatic which changed everything. Lot's of SLRs from Olympus, Canon, Pentax and Nikon followed and each had their strong and weak points.

I started digital with a D1H I purchased used from Moose Peterson and I agree the D200 was a beauty (in the capable hands of my niece now).

Really hard to pick a favorite. Sentimentally it's probably the Argus C3, Nikon FM or N90S that are still on the shelf but functionally it's either the D2X which I shot many of my favorite images with or my D5 as it's just so capable for many of my favorite subjects. That said I probably pick up my Z6 II more than any other camera for day to day uses and I expect if and when I move to a Z9, Sony A1 or similar it will likely become my new favorite but at the moment if I think I'll be shooting serious sports or wildlife I'll pick up my D5.
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Nice to know there's a fellow D200 fan (and that it's still doing its job).
 
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jeffnles1 said:
Most nostalgic was my Minolta XG7. It was my first decent interchangeable lens camera. I used it hard. Replaced after a few years with Nikon FE2. Have been Nikon shooter since.

My favorite camera so far; however, would have to be my Nikon D500. What a piece of equipment.
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I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that outside of the D850 the D500 might be the pound for pound DSLR champ of all time.
 
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Butlerkid said:
D850......hands down!
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JAS said:
My favorite for a specific reason is the Minolta A9 I had in 1968-1969 timeframe. I used it to take a series of B&W photos of my girlfriend. To this day they may be the best portrait shots I have ever done. My sister lost the camera, but I got the photos and the girl. We will celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary on December 23.

In modern days it is my most recent purchase - the Nikon D850 because it is the first SLR I have owned that actually fits my hands - great ergonomics. We will see how the Z9 feels when it arrives. In between there were many P&S and other SLRs and a Z6, but the first and the most recent are the ones I like the most.
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pnbarne said:
D850, Voigtlander, FM2
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Darrellhar said:
Mine too. Even now that I purchased a Z9 I just can’t see myself selling it anytime soon. It is such a great camera to shoot with.
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I think the D850 is the pound for pound (or dollar for dollar) DSLR champ of all time and was hands down the best camera I ever used... before the A1
 
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In my film years my first serious camera was the Konica T4. (1977). Then I progressed to the Canon F-1N. When digital arrived I moved to Canon All-One Super Zooms . Could’t afford to get a DSLR. Other priorities. Marriage, kids, house, life. Everything on hold until retirement when I finally decided that it was time to pull the trigger. 2019 Nikon D500. My sentimental favorite was the Konica T4. But obviously my best camera is the D500.
 
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Hermann said:
Back in the film days - Leica IIIf, Leica M2 and Nikon FM 2. Still got the IIIf and one of my Nikon FM2s.

Digital - D300. That camera was a revelation when I got it.

Hermann
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I coveted a D300 for a while before umping to full frame and then dipping back to APS-C for the D500, which I loved shooting with.
 
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