Film If you could only have one (film) camera for the rest of your life?

If you could only have one camera for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

  • Leica M6

    Votes: 8 27.6%
  • Leica M5

    Votes: 1 3.4%
  • Hasselblad 500 C/M (any one of the 500 series)

    Votes: 2 6.9%
  • Hasselblad Xpan

    Votes: 2 6.9%
  • Widelux (35mm)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Widelux 1500

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Rolleiflex TLR 2.8

    Votes: 5 17.2%
  • Any one large format camera (which one?)

    Votes: 1 3.4%
  • Any one SLR (which one?)

    Votes: 10 34.5%

  • Total voters
    29
I'm completely happy with the black Pentax MX I've had since I was a teen - got it in 1979 (40 years ago, yikes!). Small but robust, easy to use but very capable. Great optics available inexpensively today. I had it CLA'd recently and expect it will last *another* 40 years. I do have another broken one that I keep as a parts camera, but so far I've never needed it.
 
I'm completely happy with the black Pentax MX I've had since I was a teen - got it in 1979 (40 years ago, yikes!)

You know what I like about this forum - it's that many of you have had these cameras for decades, pre-digital.

I had a conversation with someone last year who said he knew a guy who was a lifelong pro photographer who continues to walk around town with his old film Leica over his shoulder. He described him as being "edgy" because he's sticking with film in spite of all the advantages (and modern technological progression) of going digital.

I didn't say it at the time but I was screaming inside that that guy with his old film Leica isn't being edgy. This guy had shot with film all his life and felt no need to adopt digital. This guy isn't being edgy to be cool, he is just ... being. Being who he wants to be and using the media that he knows like the back of his hand to create his art, full stop. He transcends the concept of 'edgy'.
 
Edgy.

One time one of the other Dad's at the playground told me I was living in the age of the dinosaurs because I was shooting with my Nikon F.
I told him one EMP would take out his digital camera and the computers with his images on it.
His rebuttal- "Oh Yeah! It'll take out your camera too!".
He obviously understood nothing about EMP's, Film, and mechanical devices.
 
That is a nice question, makes us think about our gear.

Assuming OPs question spirit allows me to still keep a digital system like Fujifilm X-Pro that replaces 35mm for convenience, I'd keep a medium format mechanical camera. From what I currently own:
The Pentax 6x7 that I love and use the most would be out, due to electronics;
Bronica S2a, it is just too heavy to have as single camera;
Hasselblad 503cx, that I consider the Pentax 6x7 backup. Much lighter than Bronica S2a, but still a bit bothersome to carry regularly;
Folders, a Seagull 203 or the Super Ikonta 534 (or 531, but don't own one) are contenders but not as sturdy as I'd like;
Minolta Autocord RG3, looks almost perfect choice, but the focus lever is a risky bet for a lifelong choice;
So.... Rolleicord Vb? Light, bright screen, pretty good build quality, great results.

Actually, the perfect answer would probably be a Rolleiflex 3.5F [Edit: that I’ve in the meantime bought]), since Rolleicord quality is a bit lacking (referring to the mechanical side), comparing for instance with the Autocord (exception for the focus lever) and ergonomically is also not great.

If I'd gone for 35mm, easier choice: Nikon S2 (or SP, but I don't own one).
 
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Contax G2 surely. Or this Olympus camera from an advert

Hah, never seen that ad before but I love it.

It kinda reminds me of one time years ago when I was one of two photographers hired to snap a big event. I was there with a just-released Sony A7 (the first one!). The other photographer was an old school Canon shooter who was completely unaware of the oncoming mirrorless revolution. He was fascinated by the A7 because he was under the impression that mirrorless cameras were cheap, tiny-sensor gadgets completely unsuitable for photographing events with difficult lighting (like we were assigned to do).
 
Hah, never seen that ad before but I love it.

It kinda reminds me of one time years ago when I was one of two photographers hired to snap a big event. I was there with a just-released Sony A7 (the first one!). The other photographer was an old school Canon shooter who was completely unaware of the oncoming mirrorless revolution. He was fascinated by the A7 because he was under the impression that mirrorless cameras were cheap, tiny-sensor gadgets completely unsuitable for photographing events with difficult lighting (like we were assigned to do).
😂. It also reminds me of more than a few characters that are on the photography forums I frequent.
 
I think I would go for a Olympus OM-1(n), in black with refreshed light-seals, CLA and that battery modification for proper light-metering with todays batteries. For a PS somewhat in the same lane, either a Rollei35 or a Minox of sorts with the same maintenance done. Add to that, the Oly 50 f1.4 pluss the others for the classical prime kit, the 35-70 kit zoom and something for both longer and shorter end, to round it off. I actually have the cameras, non-serviced from back in the day, as well as my fathers OM-1MD.
 
No no, film cameras! I was asking about film cameras.

Speaking of the S95, I had a crush on it for a long time. I owned the Panasonic LX5 but it was chunky and fiddly. I liked the S95's sleek, minimalist, pocket-fitting look.
Mucked it up, the post should have gone in the small sensor tread so deleted it now. :(
 
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