Three Cameras of 2022 for 2023

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Voigtländer Superb, Mamiya 7, Nikon Coolpix 995

By chance you may have noticed that a few vintage camera bloggers, and now including myself, are writing about three cameras used in 2022 but have not been reviewed.  We agreed between ourselves to give everyone a taste of what might be coming on our collective sites in 2023 or even just something we shot with and didn’t write about in 2022.  

I have chosen three cameras which will have reviews written in 2023 as a bit of a teaser.  So, without further delay, these are the chosen three cameras of 2022 for 2023 in age order.

Camera 1 – Voigtländer Superb

I picked up the Voigtländer Superb in an auction which was held in New Zealand.  In fact, I got two by accident.  This twin-lens-reflex (TLR) has to be one of my most beautiful cameras in my collection.   

While the original screen is dim for my liking, I am really enjoying shooting with this overly engineered camera.  It is easy to see how this 6×6 square format camera would have been a luxury item in its time in the 1930s and is today in the 2020s.

Camera 2 – Mamiya 7

The Mamiya 7 with the standard 80mm lens was given to me a few years ago as a combined birthday and Christmas present, as the dates are close enough to each other for me to have combined presents.  This has become one of my main cameras for my personal photography since then. 

Being a rangefinder, which I enjoy, shooting beautiful 6×7 negatives this camera is straight down my wheelhouse.  In my opinion, the lenses for this system are probably some of the best made lenses ever, in terms of quality.  It is also light and smaller than most medium format cameras of this quality, so something I enjoy taking with me for some travel and around town.  It is also a great camera to use infrared film with!

Since I got it, I have added the 65mm lens, borrowed the 150mm lens, and purchased the 35mm panoramic kit, which allows it to shoot xPan size negatives natively.  This year, again as a birthday present, I received the much-sought 43mm lens with viewfinder and a specialty Mamiya circular polariser for this camera.  Having entered Summer in the Southern Hemisphere, this will get further significant use in the coming months.

Here is an article I wrote when I first received it: Mamiya 7 – First Impressions

Camera 3 – Nikon Coolpix 995

Nikon wasn’t the earliest into the digital photography age, but they had something unique with the Nikon Coolpix 995 in 2001.  The usual form factor for cameras was redrawn and this 3.34mpx camera looks and feels quite different.

I’ve had a lot of fun with this camera in 2022 and will continue into the new year.  While the resolution is not anywhere near current digital cameras, or even mobile phones, it produces great results indicating Nikon did not scrimp on the lens tech.  

Featuring an optical viewfinder (which is great considering 23 year old LCD), twisty body allowing even a selfie shoot, and a very close macro mode shooting, it is versatile and very usable.  It also is a great talking point.

Others

I also have shot and will be shooting with a few others which may be reviewed in 2023, or later, and these include:

• Nikon FE
• Pentax PC35AF
• Rollei 35
• Nikon F5
• Mamiya RB67 ProSD
• Miranda Automex III
• Canon PowerShot S95
• Canon AF35M II
• Mamiya M
• Sony Mavica FD07

Other Bloggers Three of 2022

If any of these links come back with an error, they may have not been posted yet and will be soon. I will add other links as the next couple of weeks progress.

Stephen at Kosmo Foto, who instigated this idea: Three Cameras for 2022

Alan at Canny Cameras: The Three that went – 3 very different travel film cameras

Peggy at Camera Go Camera:  New for 2022 – My Favourite Film Camera Experiences This Year

Aly at Aly’s Camera Vintage Alley:  3 Cameras from 2022

Jim at Down the Road:  Three Cameras 2022

Alex Luyckx:  New for 2022

Mike at Mike Eckman Dot Com: 3 Outstanding Cameras from 2022

Eric at Aperture Preview: Three Other Cameras of 2022

Johnny Martyr: Trois Cameras de 2022

Jim Graves: My Top Three Cameras of 2022

Keith Devereux: Three Cameras from 2022: My favourite experiences this year

Dan at Going Lomo: My Top 3 Film Cameras of 2022

Shawn at Urban Adventure League: My top three film cameras of 2022, and why