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?
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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Our DPREVIEW Tribute:
After nearly 25 years of operation, DPReview closed on 10 April 2023. This difficult decision was part of the annual operating plan review that parent company, Amazon, shared earlier this year.
Over the course of 25 years, DP Review built up a reputation as being one of the most informative places to go for information about that new camera or lens you’re after. DP Review began as an independent reviews site based in the UK in 1998, the brainchild of Philip and Joanna Askey, but it was eventually purchased by Amazon in 2007 and relocated over to Seattle in the USA in 2010.
Cheers DPReview – thanks for the great work and content that guided photographers, videographers and techno junkies the world over!