I've considered myself a camera collector since I discovered a couple of old Argus C-3's in Binghamton, NY antique shops 15 years ago. I've bought and sold or traded many cameras since then, following my interests, what struck my fancy, and also what finds I "lucked" into.
I'm definitely a user/collector, as a camera that no longer works and isn't worth fixing (or, for that matter, cameras that take obselete film formats) isn't attractive to me. I love handling and playing with many of these fine examples of aesthetics, precision machinery and glass, but actually carrying them around, ~using~ them, is the ultimate reason for having them. Six years ago, I first put up a Web page dedicated to my camera collecting "philosophy" at http://people.clarityconnect.com/webpages/wilensky/camera.htm and it's due for some updating, but still reflects my approach. I found Pentax cameras to be perhaps the ultimate collectible, largely because of the backwards compatibility and nearly straight lines of descendancy (in the hand, the compact, beautiful ME Super paired with an SMC-M 50/1.7 lens truly feels like a grandchild of a meterless H2 with one of the small Auto-Takumar lenses, for instance). But I also appreciate American cameras (the wonderfully Art Deco original Argus Model A, the curved ends of the Argus Markfinder, the Kodak Signet); my Leica IIIc/f feels, in operation, like nothing else I own; I've had several Kodak Retinas, currently holding onto a IIa; I have a Kodak Stereo 35 camera that takes modern slide film but essentially gives me a completely new format in three dimensions; and compact rangefinders from the '70s definitely deserve their own cult -- and have them! Joe RE: > > > > Subject: Re: Whats your most used Camera? >> > > >> > > >> > > I have only two cameras a LX and MX. >> > > >> > > The LX is by far my most used camera. >> > > >> > > Christian >> > >> > Only 2? I have about 50. >> > >> >> 50 ?!! Wow! :) Do you have even more lenses ? > >Yeah I have at least 60 SLR lenses if you count m42, >K mounts, and 6X7. All my other cameras are fixed >mount lenses except for a screwmount Canon rangefinder >I picked up about 10 yrs ago. > >I used to have even more but I sold off about >25 "ugly" cheap cameras about 5 yrs ago. I really enjoy >buying and using many different cameras. Nearly all >of my cameras are fully functional. >JCO - - -- Joe Wilensky Staff Writer Media and Technology Services - Cornell University 1150 Comstock Hall Ithaca, NY 14853-0901 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] tel: 607-255-1575 fax: 607-255-9873 Please visit our Web site at http://www.mediasrv.cornell.edu - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
