Early in 2022, on a whim, I wrote an article titled, My Favorite Film Cameras: 2022. I’m not sure what, exactly, prompted me to write it, apart from just obsessing over cameras — my passion running over as my collection of cameras continued to grow. Since then, the collection has only continued to grow, although now, in mid-2023, the pace of expansion has slowed nearly to a stop. In part, that’s because I’m focusing more attention on actually using my cameras, but moreover, it’s just getting to the point where I’ve experienced all the cameras I really ever sought to experience. Any remaining in the “yet-to-be-experienced” group are, at this point, simply too expensive to justify buying. This includes any Leica you care to name, a more recent Rolleiflex than the one I already own, a Mamiya 7, a Pentax 67, and maybe a handful of others.
As I thought about updating the list for 2023, the challenge of whittling-down and sorting it to just ten examples became became an impossible task. The more I thought about it, the more clear it became that my “favorites” can easily be segmented by type, and within each, there’s an obvious stratification.
Additionally, it feels like the resulting list isn’t likely to change in the future — hence the phrase in the title, “The Evergreen Edition?”. I did put a question mark at the end because, well, who knows. For the moment, I’ll just call this my 2023 list.
The Approach
As I mentioned above, to create this list, I segmented my favorites by type (or format if you prefer): large format, medium format, and the much-less-used term of small format. For me, small format is anything that uses film that’s smaller than 120, so that includes 127, 135 (what is more commonly referred to as 35mm), 110, and spy cameras with things like 16mm film.
In each of the formats, there’s a clear favorite. Under that are cameras that I enjoy using regularly. In some cases, there’s a tier under that with interesting or noteworthy cameras that just don’t get used much.
It’s not a Top 10 list, but the result seems to work rather nicely. So, here goes.
Large Format
The Favorite: Linhof Master Technika (Classic Style)
There are certain cameras (and camera brands) that I would refer to as “aspirational” as they command a premium in the market. I’m fortunate to have bought two such cameras early on, including my Hasselblad (see below) and my Rolleiflex. While I may never own a Leica (and don’t expect to), one aspirational camera did present itself in 2022, and leapt at the opportunity. That camera? The Linhof Master Technika.
Linhof has been referred to as “the Leica of large format,” and it’s probably for a number of good reasons. The design, engineering, and build quality of the cameras (both Leica and Linhof) are widely admired. New, or in properly refurbished condition, the cameras command a premium price. And the companies behind the cameras are still making them today — in Linhof’s case, in small numbers, by hand, in Munich.
The Technika has a very long history, stretching to the early part of the 20th century. The Master Technika that I have (the newest of which are now called Master Technika Classic) has had the same basic form and function since the Technika III, released in 1946. There have been improvements, of course, but to have anything produced continuously for over 75 years with only evolutionary (not revolutionary) changes is pretty remarkable — let alone a film camera being made for that long.
What makes this my favorite for large format? Largely, it’s the fact that I aspired to own one for a very long time, and now, having one, it’s met or exceeded every expectation that I had for it. You can use it like any other view camera, with a ground glass for composition and focusing, along with various “movements” (rise, fall, tilt, shift, etc.). Or, you can use its rangefinder to focus (with its rangefinder cams cut to match your lenses), and its excellent universal optical finder accessory up top to compose — compensated for lens focal length, and for parallax from subject distance. Or, you can scale focus by estimating subject distance and dialing that into the integrated focusing scales, then using the same optical finder mentioned earlier to compose.
It is this combination of conventional view camera with competent and capable handheld shooting that makes the traditional, or “classic style” (as I’ve come to call it) Technika so unique. (I call it that because the Master Technika 2000 and 3000 cameras don’t have rangefinders or anything else for handheld shooting; only the Master Technika Classic and its direct predecessors do this.) Some people may think it’s crazy to shoot large format handheld, but people did it for years with Graflex Graphics; the Master Technika is just a far better, far more flexible, far more interesting camera than the Graphic ever was.
About the only down side is that for handheld shooting, the focusing scales, rangefinder cams, and infinity stops (which provide a known position for infinity focus of each lens you use) have to be set-up by a Linhof technician to match your lenses, and to the best of my knowledge, there’s precisely one technician in the United States doing this work, and not many more globally (probably because so few people have any desire to shoot them handheld). Between those costs, and the cost of a decent example of the camera, the Linhof is a premium choice for serious large format photographers, but one that’s a true classic, and one that’s truly hard to beat.
The quality of the images, in the end, is quite dependent on the lenses chosen. I’m fortunate to have a nice range of Schneider, Nikon, and Fuji lenses for mine, and the images that it and its lenses are capable of are truly amazing.
A full review of this camera is planned for later in 2023.
The Also-Rans
Other cameras I really enjoy in large format include, in order of preference:
- Graflex Pacemaker Crown Graphic 45
You can dig more deeply into my experience with this camera in my review, and while it doesn’t come anywhere close to the Linhof in terms of quality, performance, or features, it’s nevertheless a pretty fun vintage camera to use.
Medium Format
The Favorite: Hasselblad 503CW
When speaking with people about my cameras, I’ve said many times in the past that if I were forced to get rid of every camera I own except one, the camera left standing would be my Hasselblad 503CW. By an edge, that statement remains true today.
In truth, I spent more of my hard-earned money on the Linhof Master Technika mentioned above than I did on my Hasselblad, but interestingly, it’s the Hassy that remains (monetarily) the most valuable camera outfit in my collection — primarily because so many other people seem to feel the same way about Hasselblads, and of course, the company hasn’t made a film camera in years. (They’re also hardly the same company today, given that they’re now owned by a Chinese drone maker.)
For decades, the Hasselblad was pretty much the choice of many types of professional photographers, and in my younger years working in marketing, I remember attending dozens of photo shoots for ad layouts, collateral material layouts, and the like, and every single one of the photographers I encountered in my local area at that time used one in the studio. The distinctive sound of releasing the shutter, the sharpness of the resulting images, the precision of the entire system — it’s what makes a Hassy a Hassy.
That being said, I believe that easily 85% of what makes a Hasselblad so good has nothing to do with the camera itself — it’s the lenses. And the exceptional Carl Zeiss glass that Hasselblad sold for their cameras is the main reason they’re such incredibly good picture-takers. I mean, truly; what does the camera body do? It holds the lens in accurate alignment with the film plane, it keeps the film flat, and it operates a secondary shutter. (The primary shutter is in the lens itself on a Hasselblad.) Yes, the camera has more to it, but the resulting images are primarily the result of the lenses, not the camera.
But taken as an outfit, I won’t be letting go of my Hasselblad 503CW, its three lenses, or its three film backs, until someone pries each one from my cold, dead hands.
The Also-Rans
Other cameras I really enjoy in medium format include, in order of preference:
- Yashica-D
I own around a dozen Yashica TLRs, most of which I have repaired and/or restored myself on my workbench, and three of them are Yashica-D models, which I have reviewed. They’re cameras that outwardly look like a Rolleiflex, but inside, are almost laughably simple in design and engineering in comparison. Some of the Yashica TLR models have a Tessar-type (4 element, 3 group) taking lens, but the Yashica-D has a simple Cooke triplet design, but perhaps one of the best triplet lenses ever made; properly adjusted and maintained, these cameras take absolutely stellar photographs that are sharp edge-to-edge, and corner-to-corner. The Yashica-D uses a knob advance and manual shutter cocking (unlike the “Mat” models), and are thus less desirable, and less expensive. Many people are getting-in on the secret, however, given the rising prices for them. If you’re not, you should be. - Graflex Pacemaker 23 Speed Graphic
You can read all about this camera in my review of it, but this “baby Graflex” is little more than a petite version of its bigger Pacemaker 45 sibling. I have no issue referring to it as “cute,” because it is. But it’s also a good picture-taker, and great fun to use. - Mamiya 645 1000S
Another great camera, and another that I’ve reviewed. Unlike the RB67, the technical and industrial design of the M645 1000S is actually quite nice. High quality, durable, easy to use, not terribly bulky, and a great performer. Better still, unlike its newer siblings (such as the M645 Super), the 1000S doesn’t have any substantive electronics, and is likely to survive much longer as a result. (The newer, more electronic M645 cameras are beginning to suffer from some common ailments that can no longer be repaired.) For 6×4.5 format, I can think of no better camera. (Although truth be told, my first 6×4.5 camera, a Pentax 645, is a pretty decent camera as well.) - Mamiya RB67 Professional S
This camera is a classic I talk all about in my review, and highly regarded. I’ve used it to take some of my favorite film photographs of all time, and it’s a great performer. That said, it’s ungainly, it’s bulky, it’s heavy, it’s awkward, and it’s a great example of Mamiya’s bizarre technical and industrial design which is in a category of its own. I am no fan of 6×7, not because it’s a bad frame size, but because every roll of 6×7 requires two PrintFile sheets to hold the cut negative strips, making it a pain in the butt to catalog and store them. Not something I should hold against the camera, and I don’t — it just means I don’t shoot it as often as I should.
The Notables
Some other noteworthy medium format cameras in my collection include, in no particular order:
- Rolleiflex Automat MX
This might have been in my Top 10 in 2022, but it’s slipped to this position because I’ve come to see all Rolleiflex TLRs as overrated. Don’t get me wrong, it takes nice photos; no question. (You can read my review to see how much I do actually like the thing.) But I think the Yashica TLRs take images just as good, cost less to acquire, and cost less to repair or maintain. Newer Rolleiflex cameras, like the E or F models, may well be “better” examples than the early ones like mine, but are even more ridiculously priced relative to the quality of the images they produce. - Mamiya C-Series TLRs
Also in my Top 10 in 2022, I’ve come to find the C-Series TLRs from Mamiya to be a little clunky and ungainly for regular use. Don’t get me wrong — I love them. It’s just that I tend to choose other cameras over them when push comes to shove. Indeed, my C220 (which I reviewed specifically), C33, and C330 are fun to use in their own way, and the fact that they have interchangeable (and generally quite nice) lenses is a plus. But like the RB67, they’re bulky and heavy, and not designed or built with much in the way of elegance or finesse in my view.
Small Format
The Favorite: Nikon F4S
I purchased my Nikon F4S on a bit of a whim, and was too hasty about it, initially getting an unsatisfactory example of the type. But after sorting that out, what I discovered is an aesthetically beautiful, extremely well designed, well engineered, enjoyable, and satisfying camera to use, which has become my favorite SLR, and one that I just keep shooting and shooting.
With the ability to use every full-frame F-mount lens ever manufactured, and with exceptionally well performing automated support (autoexposure, autofocus, etc.), it’s both practical and an utter joy to use, capturing incredibly high quality images for a 35mm camera. You can use full program mode, aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual exposure. You can use intelligent matrix metering, center-weighted metering, or spot metering. You can shoot one frame at a time, or multiples either fast or slow. You can choose manual focusing or either single or continuous autofocus. And you can choose what you want with actual, analog dials and buttons — not a cumbersome LCD menu, dials, and buttons — with all the usability tradeoffs that brings.
The only down side to the Nikon F4 is that it’s packed with late-1980s electronics technology, and if it fails, there are basically no parts available, and worse, essentially no one willing to repair them. Said another way, it’s a ticking time bomb that will very likely become an expensive door stop at some point. Until then, I plan to continuing using this camera as much and as often as I possibly can, and I’ll be savoring every moment of it. I’m even considering getting a second F4 body as a backup (or to have two different films available at once); I truly do love this camera that much.
The Also-Rans
Other cameras I really enjoy in small format include, in order of preference:
- Yashica FR I
In my first crack at updating this list in the form of a singular list (as I did in 2022), the FR I of 1977 was high up on the Top 10. With this new approach, it still deserves honors here. While the F4S comes out ahead for multiple reasons, when it comes to manual focus SLRs with a straightforward feature set, the Yashica FR I is hard to beat. The C/Y mount lenses from Zeiss and Yashica are universally excellent, and the FR I is one of those cameras that just works. The in-viewfinder display of aperture and shutter speed is a treat, and with manual or aperture priority exposure, it’s simple to use. Like others in the FR camera family, its frame counter is usually inoperative due to a tiny nylon gear that cracks and then slips, but a repair is possible, and I’ve undertaken it on all my examples (one FR, two FR I, and one FR II). Apart from that, all of them have been working, and reliable, with an excellent, accurate, and dependable vertical travel electronic shutter in each. (Which means they require batteries to operate, but that’s fine by me.) - Minolta X-700
Perhaps the best SLR that Minolta ever made before they — like all the other manufacturers — went all cheap, plasticky, and autofocus, was the X-700, made from 1981 clear until 1999. While the X-700 uses plastic quite a bit as well, it’s a compact, well-designed, well-made manual focus SLR with the ability to use decades worth of superb lenses from the Minolta SR-mount family (which includes the MC and MD lenses in their various flavors). Its full program mode works nicely (with compatible lenses), and the optional Minolta Motor Drive 1 makes it feel, handle, and function like a professional SLR. Its only shortcoming is that some of the capacitors in its electronics are prone to failure, and at least one of mine (I own three) has had some shutter capping issues which are being worked on as I write this article. (I hope it can be made to work.) Even better? They remain both plentiful in the used market, and fairly affordable as well — as are the Minolta lenses to use on them, generally, since they’re not as popular as those from Nikon, Pentax, etc. - Kodak Retina IIIS (Type 027)
Rangefinder 35mm cameras are an interesting breed, with both high-end and lower-end examples on the market in the 1950s, 1960s, and beyond. They have both some real advantages, as well as real disadvantages compared to the much more popular single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras most people use for shooting 135 roll film. While Leica 35mm rangefinders get all the love (and ridiculously overblown prices to match), the Japanese copies of the Leica from the post-war period provide a more affordable entry point (though decent lenses for them are scarce). But one rangefinder that you don’t hear much about was the German-made Kodak Retina IIIS (which to be clear was not a Leica clone). Only about 45,000 were made, according to one source, but with interchangeable lenses, automatic parallax correction, and automatic frame lines in the viewfinder for the common lens focal lengths, the usability of the Retina IIIS is superb. The only problem is that there is nobody left who services these cameras (see the Retina Reflex III entry below for more on that). The rise of the Japanese SLR when these cameras were on the market, coupled with a premium price point at the time, made them poor sellers — and they were the very last of the breed in Kodak Retina rangefinder cameras.
The Notables
Some other noteworthy small format cameras in my collection include, in no particular order:
- Kodak Retina Reflex III (Type 041)
While this was on my Top 10 list in 2022, I have to place it lower now, as the last remaining willing and able technician for them, Chris Sherlock, retired since the 2022 list was published. These cameras always need maintenance when you find them, and now, with no known individuals capable of giving them a CLA, let alone to execute on any repairs, they’re destined to slowly become little more than a museum curiosity. I’m thankful that I was able to get both of mine (and one of its siblings, a Reflex IV) serviced by Mr. Sherlock before he exited the business, and consider myself fortunate to have three working examples of this series, as they are excellent picture-takers — despite being a needlessly over-engineered, over-complicated design that uses a leaf shutter and a secondary rear shutter that in the end, simply couldn’t compete with more conventional focal-plane-shutter SLRs. - Rolleiflex SL35
A camera that was too little, too late by the time it came to market, the original circa-1970 Rolleiflex SL35 like mine is a simple camera with a bland, student-grade-camera-like feature set that sold new for an uncompetitively high price. My example has something going for it: A set of three Carl Zeiss lenses. While simple, I enjoy shooting the SL35, and with those lenses? Well, it takes a pretty nice photo. Later SL35 models were made in Singapore, where Rollei moved production to save costs. The cost savings didn’t matter much; it wasn’t competitive in the market, neither was its successor, the SL350, nor the later SL35M series, which was based on a different foundational design. Various quality control issues along the way didn’t help matters much. Regardless, my German-made, early SL35 and its Zeiss lenses form a camera outfit I intend to enjoy for a long time to come. - Pentax Auto 110
It’d be remiss if my small format section had nothing other than 135 (35mm) cameras, so here’s an exception: The Pentax Auto 110 SLR, which has interchangeable lenses, and takes 110 film. It honestly looks like a novelty camera, something you’d fish out of a coin-operated crane skill game at a carnival. Many examples have failed, and to the best of my knowledge, no repair services are available for them. I’m lucky to have three working examples in my collection, along with at least one example of each of the various lenses that Pentax made for them. As 110 cameras go, it takes pretty amazing photos. - Goerz Minicord
The smallest TLR (twin-lens reflex) camera ever made, this Austrian wonder is an interesting little beast. It uses 16mm movie film for its images, which are surprisingly good, all things considered. Unfortunately, options in the requisite 16mm double-perf bulk film for loading vintage Minicord film cartridges are quite limited. Loading them is a real pain, too, but it’s nevertheless perhaps the most interesting, most unique camera I have in my collection.
Final Thoughts
As I finish-up this 2023 list, my film camera collection stands at over 200 in number, making it challenging to pick just a handful of favorites. There are a lot of other cameras that deserve to be represented here in some way, but there are just plain too many of them.
The thing about cameras, as I mentioned in last year’s list, is that some of them are all about sharpness and quality and perfection, while others are about a specific user experience, while still others don’t really stand-out on their own, but can nevertheless be delightful surprises.
Also as I said last year, there’s a lot to like in film photography gear, and at the end of the day, it’s really about picking something, shooting it, and getting the most out of it that you possibly can. And for that, pretty much anything that works properly deserves to be in a list of “favorite cameras.”
Happy shooting.
