Dead Hand Camera List – Good luck prying them from me!

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Five Dead Hand Cameras

At this point you are probably wondering.  What in the world are dead hand cameras?  Are they cameras made out of dead peoples’ hands?  Are they cameras where spirits of long departed people are operating them with their dead hands?  

No, they are cameras you would have to pry out of my cold dead hands.  These are five cameras that I will never give up.  It is for various reasons, some emotional, some practical.

This all came about due to a chat I had with a bunch of other film photography bloggers from across the world.  I had recently mentioned an article I wrote about the Voigtländer Superb.  One of the bloggers joked about sending her the camera, to which I responded, “you’d have to pry it from my cold dead hands”.  From that, the idea was born for each of us to write a list of five cameras which we would never give up, call it Dead Hand Cameras and all post on the same day.

Firstly, these are the links to the others in the group with their list:

• Peggy at Camera go Camera
• Jim Grey at Down the Road
• Alex Luyckx at Alex Luyckx Photography
• Eric Enrico Jason at Aperture Preview
• Alan Duncan at Austerity Photo
• Stephen Dowling at Kosmo Foto
• Mike Eckman at Mike Eckman Dot Com

Now we can get to my list in which I have not included the said Voigtländer Superb.  The reason is not that I would ever give it up, but more to the fact I just posted a very recent article on it, allowing me to sneak in another camera.

So, let’s get going with my list.

Polaroid Land Camera 1000

This may seem like a strange choice from someone who has quite an extensive camera collection, but this Polaroid Land Camera 1000 has a very emotional connection for me.  This camera was my father’s and would always be the one pulled out at family pictures.  The sound it makes when making a picture, as the SX-70 photo is pushed through, is something that is permanently burned into my memories.

Not only was this used for family occasions but also for travel.  I remember as a thirteen-year-old, on a trip to Greece to meet the extended family for the first time, it was what came with us.  I now find the photos in old photo albums, stuck behind the plastic page covering (making it hard to scan!).  These days it needs a service, the metering is way off, and I believe it has a corrosion issue on the meter which is easy to fix.  Something on my list to be done.

Nikon F5

Any professional photographer from the 1990s through to the early 2000s will know why the Nikon F5 is one of the highest regarded modern film cameras.  While I was never a full-blown professional, I did get to use the F5 as one and it never let me down.  The experiences I had with it ranged from African wildlife, sports, news events and even some wedding photography.  Each time it performed perfectly, and it became a companion of mine for many years.  As such, based on these experiences, I would never let go of this camera, even if these days it does not get an outing as often as it deserves.

Not only did I really love shooting with this camera, but it has also given me some great highlights.  For instance, some of the photos I took in early 2000s when the Middle East wars became major conflicts, have been now taken by the Australian National War Memorial, and will be stored in the national archives for hundreds of years.  This is an honour I will always cherish.  I also had a photo progress well in what was the BBC Wildlife Awards over twenty years ago.   This camera has done it all for me!

Mamiya 7

Anyone that knows me will not be surprised with the Mamiya 7 being in the list.  This is at the top of the list of cameras which is more function rather than emotion.  For me, this really is the best camera in the world.  The quality of the Mamiya 7 lenses are legendary and are hard pressed to beat even today.  If there was a criticism of them, it would be that they are too clinical.  We do have to remember that character in a lens tends to be either a flaw or the lens has a specific look.  This set of lenses lets you decide afterwards what you think the photo should look like, just like photographers have been doing for eternity.

Combine this with the fact that you can also shoot 35mm panoramic photos which rival the Hasselblad Xpan, or in my opinion, better, and you have the ultimate photographic machine.

The camera came to me as a present from my family, as have most of the lenses and accessories, so this one is staying put.

Leica M2

In my collecting adventures I have found that I really am a rangefinder person.  When you mention rangefinders, invariably Leica is brought up.  For me personally, the Leica M2 fits in a perfect slot.  My preferred shooting focal lengths are 50mm and 35mm.  The M2 has those frame lines as standard, as well as the 90mm.  

I love looking through the viewfinder, advancing the film and the feel of the camera in my hands.  Finishing is as good as it gets, the camera does not ask for much but paired up with good quality Leica, Zeiss, Canon and Nikkor lenses, gives so much back.

Part of what really attracts me to the M2 is also the famous rangefinder patch.  With it being so clear and large, it allows me to get focus precisely where I want it.  If I had one thing I would have liked on the M2, it would be that it had a frame counter like the M3, but that is a very small gripe.

Nikon D800

The Nikon D800 is another camera which I am holding on to because of memories of it having been my main camera for a long time, like the F5.  I have used the D800 on many trips and it has never let me down.  This camera just performs.  Mounted with one of the wonderful AF-S lenses, gives me results every single time.

I remember purchasing this camera just before a photo trip to Cambodia and not even really having a chance to try it out first.  It was a baptism of fire, as this trip was specifically for photography and I was on the road for about 3 weeks straight.  I went through some rough country, stayed with some locals that lived on a water village inside a massive lake, and even carried it into flooded rice fields.

One of the highlights was photographing very rare and endangered freshwater dolphins on the Mekong on my birthday.  This was followed with one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen.  What a start with this wonderful camera.

Others

There are a few other notable cameras I will also not be willing to part with.  These are cameras which I really enjoy using and get to be used on a regular basis.  I have already mentioned the Voigtländer Superb, these are some others:

• Nikon F3 and Nikon FM2n, classic and iconic cameras.
• Plaubel Makina, the original folding version from the 1930s, one of the most beautiful cameras
• Leica R8, this is a recent acquisition, but is giving the F3 a run for its money
• Nikon L35AF, the results from the little sonar lens are just spectacular

I hope you enjoyed this list.  While these are my favourites, there are so many great cameras out there, everyone’s list would be so different.