The Most Important Ability A Camera Should Have 

Dear Alex. Yes! Finally someone said it out loud - you need a camera that makes you smile. I totally agree! For me it's my Yashica 12 and my Rolleicord III (I love TLR's). Every week I just wait for my free time to use it again. When it's on the shelf I like to look at it. Sometimes I just take it for a second in my hands to hold it for a moment or to look through the WLF. I really hope that you will find a camera that will make you want to use it with a smile. All the best!

This is always a popular topic. People always ask me what camera they should buy, I tell them that all the cameras today can deliver fantastic pictures. Choose the camera that makes you want to pick it up and go out shooting. Don't ignore the emotional input in your decision. In addition, before purchasing, put your hands on it. How does it feel in your hands, how accessible are the controls, how much does it weigh, etc. I've picked up some cameras that I just didn't like because of how they felt in my hands or the controls were just too hidden or funky.

The one thing I love about photography is that the less you have the more you think! It’s the person behind the camera that takes the picture! The camera that puts a smile in my face and gives my hands a feel good vibe is my Fuji X100. Great video! Thanks!

I once owned a Harley Davidson Roadking Classic...and it was a classic in every sense of the word. One day another owner sat on it and sat still for a very long time. Eventually he smiled and simply stated 'this bike has soul.' I think that is what you mean by those items that make you happy.

I use a D5500, my first and only DSLR. I often look at newer cameras, but 'm loath to change it because I know it intimately. Everything falls to hand without thinking, and shooting with it is like an extension of my hand. and It still surprises me with what it can do

Years ago I had a cheaper Chinese twin lens reflex and I absolutely loved taking photos with it. It was so basic and yet so cool. Today I have a Nikon D810 which has been out for years but the quality of this camera, the feel of it, make me love holding and using it. I bought it new, 4 years ago and still love it. Thanks Alex.

Totally agree. The camera that gets me excited to go out and shoot is my Fujifilm X-T1, lovely bit of kit to hold and use, and small enough to carry around!

My first camera was an A1 as well (when I was in the Navy in 1981). And it was stolen a few years later as well :(. After shooting with Canon for decades, I bought a Leica Q2 last year. This camera is the best thing that’s ever been put into my hands. I’ve never looked back and have never been happier. For me and my street photography, it’s all I e ever needed or wanted.

I walked into ‘Arthur’s Photography, Belfast’ in 1981 and bought my first slr. He sold me a Pentax K1000 and replaced the kit lens with a 40mm prime. Naturally over the years I wanted more, bigger and better but the truth is that the best camera I ever owned was that one.

I recently bought the Canon AE-1 Program with couple of lenses all for under $200; and I couldn't agree more with you; the way it feels in my hand, and how it makes me want to pick it up and go shoot photos is just incredible for me. I really do not get that feeling with my amazingly beautiful high-end camera. I thought I was crazy until I saw this video. I AM NOT ALONE! ;)

It's very reassuring to find people who think alike. I myself regret selling my Sony a37, which is very far from today's standards, but I liked it. I happen to be a moderator in a Facebook photography group, so when someone asks, "what camera should I buy?", I tell them "the one that feels right in your hands".

Hi Alex, fantastic video, totally agree with you, back in 1987 I saved up and purchased a Nikon FG, the feel of it and the sound of the shutter just made me feel good about my photography, stupidly, I sold it in 1991, fast forward to last year when I decided to buy another one, and the smile on my face now everytime I use it, 😊😊

Since I started to get into photography, I am using Fujifilm cameras. I have to thank the seller in our local store, who recommended me that system. I am still using Fujifilm cameras without exception and always enjoy going out with my gear. Sure there might be more capable cameras for certain situations, but I never came back from a trip or shooting disappointed about missed opportunities due to my gear. I now spend every free minute with photography and own a couple of bodies, even a medium format GFX 50R. But I also still have my first X-E1 here.

Ive owned a lot of cameras over the last 5 decades, from large format, medium formats, film and digital, but for the four digital cameras I currently own, its my old Fuji XPro1 that gives me pleasure whenever I pick it up. Good video today, thank you

Too many out there who think the best gear will make me the best. I know you don't say that and that's why I like this channel.

Best Gear Review I've seen yet. (After a few hundred reviews I've recently seen, oriented around vintage digital. (Nikon d200, 300, D3, 700, etc.) I have a d300 that I have lived a LOT of life behind. Getting back into photography for the joy, after 6 years out of it, I considered buying new gear (more mega's), mainly to run 2 bodies, one for my Nikon Glass, and one to run all of my Takumars from back in the day before I finally went digital. After weeks of agony, I bought another D300, which I already have .... Because it makes me want to go take pictures.

Enjoyed the video, excellent point. I sold all my Sony equipment a few months ago. Now I’m shooting with a Canon 5D Mark 1 and 2, with prime lenses. Enjoying it because it brings me back to what made me fall in love with photography originally. Also the tactile feel of the buttons, the shutter sound and the way that chunky body feels in my hand puts a smile on my face Every time.

I totally agree. Most of you would laugh at my "gear". I have a Fujica Flash S, I purchased at a thrift shop, nearing 20 years ago, for $1.95. For what it is, it takes fine photos. It was in pristine shape and lovingly cared for, and most likely the was the "family camera" for some folks. When I purchased it it had a roll of film in it half shot. I always smile when using it, as it was the the catalyst renewing my love of film photography. The Fujica is mostly retired now, but she is always with me at family gatherings. Good on you, Alex.

Agree so much, I love shooting with my 62 year old Hasselblad SWC and my Canon F1, both clunky cameras that make a lot of noise. I have a smile on my face when I use them. Love your analogy to cars 😀

My favourite camera of all time was the Olympus E-1, the DLSR. Great to hold in my hands, feels very reassuring, good ergonomics.

In the seventies, thats when I started photography, it was the competition between Nikon and Canon. It took me literally ages to understand, that a film camera is only a black box and picture quality depends on the lens and the film only. And as today, the picture was finalized in the development process. Its almost never depending on the black box itself (technical problems aside) which is just letting the light fall on the film for a defined time. Tools must fit into your hands, they must do the job, they should be fun to use. The rest is personal choice😊

Yesterday, I just took out my Canon FT from high school, cleaned it up, put new batteries in, and some color print film. It was so fun to take a couple pictures, but I am being more careful with my selections.

The instant I held the Leica M6 back in 1987, and the Mamiya 6 in 1990, I knew those were the cameras for me at that time. I currently shoot with a Canon 5D SR, because I project my images at 6’ x 8’ and the 50 MP sensor allows me to do that. I don’t see myself buying another dSLR ever again, unless this one breaks or gets stolen. But… the camera I got on a whim about 4 months ago, the Polaroid I-2, is the one that gets me excited to work with. Not so much because of the camera’s features or ergonomics, but because of the images it makes! That’s where the excitement, the quickening heart rate, the anticipation, the sense of wonder comes into play for me: the photographs I’m getting. They are unlike anything I’ve ever gotten from any camera I’ve ever used (and I had a SX-70 back in the early 80s). Regardless of make, or format, all the different cameras I’ve used over the past half century created variations of a theme: high image quality that faithfully record the world in front of my camera. I wanted something different. And boy does this camera deliver that! It was the only camera I took on my recent trip to Japan. The photographs I took with it are not at all what my dSLR would have given me. So, yes, that is an essential quality - use what gets you up and out, making photographs!

Hi Alex, i enjoyed this topic, i have an older DSLR and it makes me smile. If i buy a new camera i think i will lose my smile. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Cheers Alex. 😊

Alex, great video and I loved the car analogy. Another valid comparison, at least to me, is audio equipment. Many people think the most important aspect of the equipment is the specifications while others point out the specs don’t necessarily tell you if something sounds good. Similarly the music source is debated and many love albums because they think the analog sound is more pleasing as well as the tactile experience. So, those emotional responses are true in many of our hobbies. BTW, I own a 2023 Camaro SS convertible and it does put a smile on my face!

Every time I get my old MX and old box cameras down from the shelf I smile , can I afford film and developing if I could I’d smile more 😊. Thanks for the take on this aspect we all forget ,picture taking should be fun

I sold my old Nikon D7000, because I didn't enjoy photographing with it anymore. I now have a Fuji X-T5 with those glorious SLR dials and lenses with aperture rings and now I enjoy photographing again!

I have changed from full frame nikon to fujifilm crop . I did not gel with the nikon , and i am happy with the fujifilm now. I really like your vlogs😊

I'm sticking to Pentax, because the cameras just deliver to me everything I expect from a camera. It's weathersealed, buttons and dials are where I would place them. The camera literally sticks to my hand, that's how good the grip feels. The menu isn't fancy looking, but straight forward. Actually I can operate it in complete darkness with no problem. I absolutely agree with your points.

Totally agree. Im never getting rid of my X-Vario, my M3, my AE-1, my old Russian rangefinders, my early Pentax CCD digitals .... each broken in their own little ways, but each one fills me with joy, because I know all their quirks. I work in software development, (have been for 40+ years now) and the same thing / same problem is prevalent there as well. So many people flooding into the industry, and they are all focused on the tools and the specs and the money. They will go with whats perceived as the most popular, or what pays the most. They pump out vast quantities of junk, and complain about how much they hate the work. There are a few that slip through the cracks though, and pick up the tools that make them smile. They create works of art with them.

Alex, you never cease to amaze me with your ability to home in on the quintessential. Everyone here will laugh but the camera that puts a smile on my face is a zenit-e. I shot my first photo essay on that brick when I was 17. I still have the helios 44-2 that came with it. I still have the body in my museum, right beside my first photo school k-1000. I don't use it anymore but I do use the Helios.

I have the sony a7iv. I have been using a sony xperia for years, took thousands of photos with it, finally decided to make the move to my first camera and i get so excited to shoot. It feels so coherent and like a natural evolution of the phone i use daily. Its amazing how people can feel like with these different cameras and how they click differently with tech

Hi Alex, totally agree with you, always worked with a Rolliecord, loved the feeling, the viewfinder, you felt like a painter, that big screen under you eyes, and now I have these modern camera’s with endless possibilities, you lose yourself in all it’s functionality and there it became more of a technical approach. There is off course another side of the coin, you could say that photography was made more affordable for people cost wise, you can make a hundred or more pictures and trow the most away, which also makes you less concentrated to make the best out of it without concentrating so much and relay on you camera’s with there capacity of 50 shots per second. Always love your video’s which bring me back to where it’s all about, creativity.

The most important attachment for a camera is the photographer. ;-) There is something to be said about being excited by equipment. If you feel joy and satisfaction from using a piece of equipment then that equipment is likely to get used. Personally, I like variety. I like digital cameras and film cameras, but not just any camera. I like medium format TLR cameras. The feel of winding the film and the sound of the shutter. The look of the waist level finder. All very nice. I like 35mm SLR cameras that are capable. So Nikon f100, f4, f5. Canon 1N HS. I can use lens stabilization. I can auto-focus. Or I can tell the camera to do exactly what I want it to do. I have big hands and for whatever reason I feel much more comfortable with a battery grip. I also like Nikon and Canon full frame cameras (all with battery grips). I have Nikon d800e and D610, Canon 5D Mark II (regular and infra-red) and Canon 5Ds. I have no current desire for a mirrorless camera. Maybe some day in the future. I like special lenses. Vintage lenses, new lenses, telephoto lenses, portrait lenses. I like funny/unusual film like Lomo Purple, Ilford Delta 3200 and Adox II along with the more standard fare. I guess the bottom line is that I want to have fun when I am photographing. After a few years of experimenting to find out what I like, now I know. All that having been said, I think that equipment is the least important thing in photography. The most important thing is the light, and the eye of the photographer.

In the 1980s, Prakticas were routinely frowned upon as cheap eastern block rubbish based on old technology. However, the feel of my Praktica MTL 5B takes me back to the 1990s, when it was the only SLR I could afford. The epic slap of the mirror is the best sensation I know in photography.

Spot on. I started taking photography more seriously 10 years ago, when I dug up an old Olympus Trip 35 and from the first roll I was hooked. I quicky "upgraded" to a Canon FT QL SLR and many other film cameras since. Eventually, I thought that I needed a modern Sony, but never got on well with it. There was nothing wrong with the camera, but I just didn't like it. After it broke, I never replaced it and have only got film cameras now. Even printing was converted to a dark room. However, it's not just digital vs film as there are film cameras which I don't like that much. I've got some of the last film cameras from the early 2000's and don't really like them much. It's all about what you enjoy and gets you excited about taking photos.

The Canon A1 is also my favorite camera of all time! The Fuji X-T3 can only come close, but not exceed it in pride of use. A camera is like a wrist watch; a functional esthetic.

Thanks for the video, Alex! My first decent camera was an Olympus OM-1 that I got in 1977, used, when I was 16. I loved that car=mera but gave it to a charity shop about 10 or 15 years ago, when I went digital with a D40 and now a used D700. But now, I'm thinking of dabbling in 35mm film again and I absolutely kick myself for ever giving away that beautiful OM-1. I could operate the controls instinctively and felt it was a little jewel. I love my D700, but it doesn't bring me the same level of joy the OM-1 did. Cheers!

Nice to know us photographers have emotional attachments with our gears, for various reasons. For me, Michael Kenna's pohotos are the game changer that fascinate me with 6x6 format. It looks aesthetically balanced on my eyes (others may prefer rectangle/panoramic). Kenna is a well known Hasselblad guy, I'm happy with the much simpler Rolleicord. Of course, this is not the typical "mechanical film cameras are superior". Sometimes I pick something more modern like Nikon F100 because having AF is fun. What? I happily embrace modern tech 😬 Well in the end, it's not always about the fastest AF, biggest resolution, X-axis IBIS etc etc but what makes you happy when holding the camera and thus inspire you to make pictures.

1:30 „I don't really talk about equipment too much…” - and that's why I watch your channel. For example: one can find a whole lot of videos „why Panasonic Lumix GX9 is your best next camera” (a recollection of some campaign paid by Panasonic some 5 years ago?) - and indeed it is very fine camera, but how many times we'll be persuaded about this? Once-twice is enough, no need for more!

So much of what you say in this video resonates with me Alex. I have the Canon A-1 and I cannot quite bring myself to sell it because of what you describe here. It just feels good. This is also the reason why I enjoy shooting my D500 over my Z6II - because of that "mechanicalness" you describe. It feels like a precision mechanism that is gratifying to operate. This is way my Olympus M-1 (not OM-1) feels - like a jeweled mechanism. I could go on to compare and comment on other cameras I have but I won't bore you. I have to say that your reference to the BMW resonates with me too. My first one was an E39 manual transmission car that just transported me to another realm while behind the wheel. Failed miserably at trying to explain this to my wife since to her these are all just tools to get from point "A" to "B" (her words, not mine). For her it is a chore, for me (with the 525) it was a joy. No other vehicle (other than another E39) makes me feel this way. Yours is the first video that I have seen commenting on this. I see from some comments below that it strikes a cord with many. The fact that you touch on areas and topics like this that others do not is why I will subscribe as soon as I complete this comment!

My Olympus Tough TG-6 which is "even tougher than I myself" makes me adventurous, puts me into explorer mode, and with its macro and micro focus stacking modes, makes me dive deep into worlds of wonders which I usually would ignore. This one camera inspires me. And is so (relatively) inexpensive and rugged that I never am afraid to use it in "bad" conditions. Using it, I feel relaxed and "complete".

Surely this is pure nostalgia taking hold here? I remember being a teenager and buying books or records and the sheer excitement that brought. The excitement of paying £25 for a Thomas Joshua Cooper book, I'd never spent that much on a book before and the joy in looking at the images but no longer. I enjoy reading, I enjoy music I still buy photography books but I no longer get the same fission of excitement. And the same surely applies to the first cameras we ever used?

To some degree, this seems a function of age. I have not felt excited by a car since my 1983 Z28. Also, I keep thinking I’d like to buy back the 1960 Austin Healey I had in college - but not enough to actually do so.

I am I Nikon shooter and have had 8-9 digital bodies over the last 11 or so years, but the one film camera was an ae1 program found in a relatives basement. Shot my first roll of film on it. Learned a lot about photography in general. I bought a zf but I would absolutely buy a canon digital ae 1 retro camera in a heart beat as well

Shot my first wedding on a Minolta Autocord..always my “ go to” two and a quarter square with the lovely slide focus on the front and a joy to use.

A learning experience for me was when I changed camera brands! I am happy, but realised that this is a tool for expressing my vision. After 20 Years being loyal to one brand, I realised that it is a tool and the image is what is important and the process of making a photo! Thanks for this video Alex!

Here's a strange and surprising thing that has happened to me. For Christmas, my son gave me a Camp Snap digital camera. If you're not familiar with it, it's an EXTREMELY limited camera. Two buttons, no screen, absolutely no control over exposure, aperture or shutter speed, not a great dynamic range. It has a most satisfying "click" when the shutter is released. But I have had the most fun keeping it with me wherever I go and freely shooting for the absolute FUN of shooting. It reminds me of when I first got interested in photography and just shot everything everywhere for the joy of shooting. When converted to B&W, the images can be quite striking and exciting to look at. These will be my next book project. I have been a long time film photographer, primarily B&W film, for over 60 years. And this camera reconnects me to those early days.

This is spot-on! I got my start as a kid with an old Minolta Super 'A' that my dad handed down (unless you count an old Brownie box camera that my mom had) which I had packed away with slides, negatives and old contact sheets until losing everything in a fire over a decade ago. I recall well spending hours loading film on racks for processing when he opened up a photo lab in the early 80s (funny how one remembers the smells of film canisters and chemicals) before he moved on to becoming an accomplished professional photographer. Now my perceptions have changed, for even when I buy a new body or lens, I might get excited briefly, but they've become tools and a means to an end. It really IS about getting out and shooting, for when I buy the gear, it's not for pixel peeping or "wow-value" (I shoot Olympus, just as my dad did for years, and chuckle when I see the "mine's bigger than yours" arguments at times lol), it's about being creative. Do I neeeeed an old 911 to go shoot my landscapes and wildlife in the middle of nowhere in western North Dakota or eastern Montana? Probably not (though it would be fun! lol)... My old GMC is probably the more logical choice. :) Thanks for sharing the creative philosophy that exists once one gets beyond the gear comparison and actually gets out to shoot what they envision.

Great video Alex, I know exactly where you are coming from, I only bought my first camera in July last year. It was a Canon 1300D, I upgraded that to a 70D in January, and now I know more about photography. However, I've always wanted an analogue camera, I now have a few including a A1, EF & AV1 but I get more pleasure from my EF than anything and when it stops working I can use it for hammering nails into walls. it's built like a tank and nearly as heavy, but I don't see any sign of it stopping working, I've dropped it once and it works fine. I could not imagine dropping my 70d and it not falling to bits.

Spot-on! I'm a person who rarely has the chance to pick up cameras in person, while getting all my info (and excitement) from the web and its data hype. How many times have I finally gotten into a store to handle my dream choice only to say, "Meh." There's no knowing what machine will click for you until you pick it up in person.

Hi Alex, For me, the enjoyment of actually taking photos emanates from the analog controls and having to think about and adjust the settings to try to capture the desired result. Manual focus is more satisfying than auto-focus. A tripod helps me slow down and gives me time to think. I don’t want to take snaps and super sharp images will never be a Monet. Fujifilm’s X-T & X100 series have been a winner for me. Thanks for a lovely coffee-break type ‘chat’ video.

When I look down into the huge, bright, sharp waist level finder of my Mamiya RB67, it makes me smile. The 6 7 images it produces make me smile. It weighs in at 6 lbs and is as ergonomic as a cinder block. But I carry it whenever I can for those 2 reasons. Now it's not for run and gun, or machine gunning away, but I can easily finish a roll in a short walk, not sometimes weeks with 35 mm. My mamiya 645 lets me print to 20x20, is lighter and with an elf and motor grip, also weighs in at 5 lbs but easily allows eye lever composing and with the winder lets me keep banging away. But the wlf on it is no match for the huge RB. After 10 years with the RB, I have up graded everything except the wlf, lenses, backs, viewing screen so much I have flame decals for the sides like hot rodders do. It's now reliable, and portable with a cross body strap so I love taking it out of studio and on a bright day, the viewfinder is a JOY.

Interesting discussion. When I got my MX it was a camera that I had been dreaming about. I read brochures and reviews and played with them on shop counters. When I passed my exams, my dad bought me one and it came with its 50mm f1.7 and I was off. It became something I carried all day and I enjoyed. I discovered Pentax Spotmatics and they had a magic and m42 Takumars were cheap and made great images. The Spotmatics have a feel and a sound and are really zen like photographers cameras. They made me want to take pictures and immersed me in the craft. The Pentax bodies were great in the field and in the studio. I discovered Pentax SVs and these were cool. I made exhibition prints and exhibited work I produced with them. They felt good and the controls were in the right positions. I could operate them without looking. New cameras are less friendly and you have to come to them on their terms. I don’t pick one up and wander about collecting images. I need a reason to pick one up and, I end up being purposeful and then I put it down. It demands charging and negotiating menus and thoughts about whether what I shot is good enough. I can make great images with it but the personal connection is less.

Getting the best deals and getting a camera that I like is why I have the Canon SL2, a EOS-M and the M6 mark II. I overcame my need for expensive cameras. I learned to get a lens system. Mainly Canon EF lenses. Canon has left me behind but MPB makes me happy.

Yep, you nailed it there. I use a Nikon D850 and to be honest it's just a tool that performs its job well. Doesn't bring a smile to my face when I use it though. However my old Olympus OM2n was an absolute delight as was my Mamiya 645. You faced an awkward situation when using either of these you had to be able to work round it, with the Nikon I just press a button here or there and no more awkward situation. The Nikon takes a lot of thought out of the process and thus some of the pleasure, sure it delivers but I feel like I'm missing something (a smile)

Cameras that make me smile 😀 Rolleiflex 2.8f. Hasselblad cm500. Beautiful action, sounds and feel. Had these in the 1980-90’s. Sold them. However, I still have my Nikon FM2n from new. Around 1988-9? Still going strong. Excellent camera. My latest addition being a barely used second hand Nikon D850. Great camera, but a big learning curve to get the most out of it. I still use it in manual mode often. Every now and then find out more of its tricks. But as I’m a Nikon user since 1985, having used many different models throughout the years, it feels intuitive to get round the camera and equipment. I got a few s.h. Nikon flashes to go with the D850. i.e. SB 800 x2 & SB910. £240 for all three. Bargain. Excellent flashes. Btw. I still use my old SB24 & SB25 flashes from the 1980’s. I mention this as I always get a smile when I’m using them. Good video. Very relevant subject. Thanks. May the Force be with you.🌀 Jim🌀 (-: :-)

I like to use my worn-out Canon EOS Rebel T3. it's the 1st camera I paid for, I bought it from another college student who realized they didn't like photography it had less than 1000 photos taken, and sitting here with it now it's at 73,268 shutter count its not used for wildlife anymore but when I do street photography or anything that won't be cropped I like to bring it out, its 12mp and most smartphones today take just as good if not better photos then it if you go around the 24mm focal length.

I definitely feel both sides of this. I have held on to my Nikon D5600 DSLR despite the introduction of mirrorless technology. Partially because I don't have the money to upgrade, but also because before I invest in a camera system and lenses I want to have them in my hands and see if they feel right. I'm afraid if I just order one from the internet that I won't spark that joy that my D5600 does. I love the way it feels in my hand on a photo walk. I also appreciate the flip side of the argument though. I've definitely felt the urge while in a rut to buy a new mirrorless camera and try to jump start my photography again. Not that new gear would instantly make me the perfect photographer or anything of the sort. But there is something to be said about being excited to play with your new toys!

My 1st SLR was the Canon A1 and that was very satisfying to use. However, the camera I most enjoyed using was a Mamiya C330 TLR. That has a waist level viewfinder with a flip up magnifier. I used it exclusively for weddings. Built like a wood burning stove, no batteries, everything manual. It was so 'mechanical' A beautiful instrument. I'm not tempted to buy another one but it was a joy for ever.

I know how you feel about that older car, I bought an old pickup truck 1971 GMC. I love it and although it's not like the new ones at all, I love my old pickup truck. I just feel good in it. Camera wise I have always used Nikon cameras. I was using a D5200 but my friend moved onto Mirrorless and had a D7100 for sale so I bought it. I like both so I will keep them. Shooting mostly with the D7100 and getting great shots, So much of this older gear is at a low price and I'm loving it, buying lenses at half the cost for them because they are used. Enjoyed your video again, thanks!

The car analogy is a good one. It is something called user engagement. And it can be hard to pin down to just one or two factors. The fastest car is not always the one that puts a smile on your face. Same with a camera or any electro-mechanical device. I have not found one phone camera that has excited me in any creative way. The awkward shape, the lack of an optical viewfinder, the absence of basic camera controls, just leaves me cold and wanting to get the shot out of the way as quickly as possible.

I started my photographic journey with a Yashica MG-1. I love that camera. Range finder cameras in general have a special place in my heart. Yes, I have had several SLR, DSLR, mirrorless cameras, but they just lack that special something. I found the Fuji X-100 series and that is my current "special" camera. The fixed lens, range finder style makes me want to take it everywhere.

Hi Alex, thank you for bringing this topic to the fore, 26 years ago I started with the famed canon A1, yes it did make me smile and with it I became a prolific photographer, snapping everything in sight, it cost me an arm and a leg in film and processing costs, but I had a lot of fun learning about photography. A few years later I got caught up in the digital age, and the ensuing "Camera arms race" and went through digital cameras like they were going to go out of fashion, always looking for the camera or lens that was going to make me a 'better photographer', well, that didn't work. 18 months ago I sold all my camera gear and decided I was going to re-learn photography and bought myself a Nikon D300, this camera has made me realise just how lazy and spoilt I had become from using digital cameras with all the bells n whistles. The Nikon D300 is a 12mp beast (with attitude) in my book. At first, it scared the beejeezus out of me, but it also forced me to 'think' about the technical approach to photography again, in much the same way that my Canon A1 did. Now I smile, and once again I am enjoying photography.

Excellent, excellent video. My camera has to make it a pleasure to take pictures. I have to feel a connection with my camera. It needs to be a partner with me not something that gets in the way. It is an important observation. It’s an observation that counters the often repeated fact that “the camera doesn’t matter”. If considering technical spec then no, the camera doesn’t matter. But how the camera fits your personal style, your methods, your emotional response…..then it does matter.

Alex, What a great video! Finally,… someone has the balls to tell it like it should be. Photography, and capturing images should not be drudgery. The camera(s) that got me really excited about photography turned out to be the first Fuji X100 (and I’ve owned every iteration since then). I loved to hold it, look through the viewfinder, and find and create images. I nearly wore the damn thing out. And then I purchased the next X100 series model and the excitement continued. I love its apparent simplicity, as I do not have to worry about carrying lenses, choosing a focal length, and wasting time NOT capturing images. Keep up the great work. Cheers!

I shot a Sony a6000 for a couple years and always loved it but was looking to spice things up so I got a D800 and I couldn’t stand how big it was! I returned it and got a little Olympus and that was great for a time but I could never get over the image quality. I’m a proud pixel peeper. So now I’m jumping back to the D800 and I can have enough fun with it until I can afford mirrorless FF or maybe medium format! I’m excited for the future.

Yes I think I know what you are trying to say. As I am in the digital world an in awe of their capability I still think of the first good camera I owned. It was a MINOLTA SRT101. It opened the whole world of photography to me. Remembering the feel and glee makes me happy!

My first "real" camera was a Zenit 12XP and I hear many people say here that's not a real camera. But I bought it soon after my elder daughter was born and I still have it now and when I pick it up it makes me think of the moments I caught with it through my young adulthood 30 or more years ago. Holidays, climbing events, family gatherings all with that cheap SLR and two lenses. I had it CLA'd once which was not that expensive and it works fine and I know I need to shoot it more again but it's a heavy beast so I find more often than not an excuse to grap a different camera. But I agree you need a connection with your gear you need to become a unit and if you pick it up after years that je-ne-sais-quoi is still there and wants you to shoot, just shoot and shoot. Thanks for another great insight and maybe my avatar puts a smile on someone's face whose camera does not 😇

With quality glass I can take the same stunning picture whether it’s my first camera a Pentax K1000 or my Nikon D70 or my Nikon D3X or D3S. Photography is and always will be defined by the skill and creativity of the photographer behind the lens. You can have the newest 400mp camera and if you don’t have the skills or the eye for creativity you’re going to take crummy photos no matter what kit you have. I love the feel and function of all my cameras and I only purchase new ones after feeling and using one first to make sure it feels right.

When I use one of my Nikon D700 bodies, I smile inside :) they were made in 2008-2012, but they still deliver !

It's a relationship, like a friendship. A camera has to 'share' your interests, passions and feelings and reflect them back to you in image form. It's a chemistry of ergonomics, reliability, durability, subtleties in technical elements. Lens combinations do play a part in that. I spend months researching new cameras exactly because I know how important it is to get that right. I have a new camera at the moment which I'm just not jelling with and it's reflected in the images. It's only a minor upgrade but, something is not right. I will persevere because sometimes it is just getting to know a new tool. It is similar to a hand made black and white print you have made vs a digital print, in the former you put in energy and time and there is a tangible energy difference between the two even though visually at a distance they are almost identical to look at.

So true, saying your camera should make you smile. The first 35 mm camera I shot was my father’s Ihagee Exa type 4. In the 80’s, I used a Contax 159MM with a winder and 3 Zeiss prime lens (25, 50 and 135 mm). Liked that combo quite a lot but as you can guess the infamous electronics on the Contax died on me. These days, I mostly use these lenses with an adapter on my Nikon D5200. Going out with my Yashica Mat 124G gets me smiling but on days I venture out with my father’s old Exa or his Wirgin Edixa-Stereo you’ll find me grinning like a darn fool. Thank's, Alex, for the work you put in your channel to keep us thinking and not only shooting out of habit.

"a grin on my dial" absolutely agree. I have been shooting with an OM systems Olympus OM-1 a great camera and I am happy with the results. BUT.... I recently looked at a Leica Q3, tried it out, bought it and it is a pure joy, my dial definitely has a stupid looking grin on it now. It is not as flexible as the OM-1 but the emotional gain from simply using the Q3 is for me so satisfying, and it is that satisfaction that I take photographs for.

I know what mean, I went professional, Canon F1, in 1971, just after it was released, I had an A1, the wife had an AE1, I loved the T90 because of the feel, and sound. I will admit, as someone who used medium format on weddings I tried, once, to do a motorsport event with a Mamiya C330f with a waist level viewfinder. I use an R5, but recently picked up a mint 5DsR. Using it with a Sigma 150-600 and 1.4x is brilliant, when I look at the images I feel good. A camera should be an extension to your body, you produce images almost without knowing it is there. It shouldn't matter what it is, as long as you feel it. There isn't such a thing as the best camera, only the best for you, technically you probably could not put a cigarette paper between most of them. Good video, your voice has a reassuring quality. I do feel a little jealous sometimes, my latest wildlife video so far has less than 30 views!

"A camera arms race," yesssss! Gear envy is real, man. There's the full-frame crowd and their whole "full-frame is better than crop if you're a REAL pro" trope that messes with me. And don't get me started on my conundrum over all the great, lightweight, high ISO-shooting mirrorless gear taking over the market, urrrgh. I'd love to hear a follow-up video specifically for when you are ready to upgrade your camera body. I'm shooting with an old Canon EOS Rebel SL1 crop sensor camera, and I can get some great images on it (due to my investment in lenses, but I'm sure if I bothered practicing with the kit lens I'd get some there too). I have a definite preference for low light and nighttime photography, so fast glass is essential for me. I find myself getting frustrated with the lack of wifi on this camera because it makes it harder to transfer images, but most of all the non-tilting LCD screen and the 9 autofocus points get to me. Otherwise, the camera's functions serves me fine. I've now dropped a bundle on not one, but two Sigma Art series f/1.4 prime lenses, some fun Lensbaby fx, and traded my Canon 18-35mm kit lens for the slightly better 18-135mm superzoom. I also have the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8. Is it time to swap out the body? I'd have to sell off lenses to do it right now.

We clicked for the thumbnail, we stayed for the wisdom. (Sorry about your original A-1)

Perceived quality is very much about materials, haptics, sounds/noises, vibrations, designer’s attention to details. That‘s why some products from yesterday seem to be far superior to today‘s products. Electronics eliminate a larger part of it (no noise, no vibration) and the obvious differences between high quality products and low quality products become less. I personally like products with very high quality. That‘s why my last acquisitions were a Hasselblad 503, some Nikomat bodies and several Leicaflex cameras. For me, they are much more appealing than the latest digital cameras.

It’s funny to run across this video because I was just thinking something really similar… that user experience (which is SOO different for each person) is a greatly under appreciated part of getting you excited enough to take photos that you actually go out and take photos. For me, the 35mm Contax G series. Why did I ever part with that one?? The thing you mention about the sound and the feel of shutter reminds me of my first camera, a Pentax K1000. Dead simple, rarely talked about, and by some people’s definition a throw away. Yet I had SOOO much fun shooting with it when I was first getting started. Thinking about where I took it, what experiences I had, and the way the shutter snap sounded, are irreplaceable. I really love my Fuji X30 and my Ricoh GRIII and GRIIIx. So many good memories. None are the “best” or anything, it’s just how they clicked with me at that time and place. It made me excited about photography. Kudos for reminding us about this.

I've always wanted a late 60s model Chevelle SS. There is nothing like the sound of vintage American Muscle. I'm an engineer and loved my BMWs as well, but they were so different than the visceral feeling of a rumbling V8 that produced enough torque to roll the vehicle a little when it was revved. ;) I picked up a Nikon F2DS a few weeks ago. It's a brick but is all mechanical. I need more time with it to determine if it's a fit or not. But I love that it is a mechanical camera. Good video, my friend.

My Fujifilm X-Pro3 makes me happy. When I was a kid, I had a Hanimex Practica Super TL. It also made me happy.

The struggle is real for so many artist. What kind of photographer am I? So many choices. One month I'm a fitness photographer, next month it might be fashion, the next it might be fine art and on it goes. The same with my cameras. Canon 5D MKIV, Sony A7, Mimiya RZ67, Leica M3, Leica M6, NikonF3, Rollieflex 2.8. Trying to decide between digital or film. The truth is at one point or another I love them all. I can't seem to settle with one camera or one style of photography. That may be the reason I've never experienced much success in photography as a career. In the book, The War of Art, Steven Pressfield writes "Its more about the act of doing it, than the result you are getting from it" more or less. It tells me, I'm a photographer, and I must take photos. It doesn't matter of what, or with what ultimately. That need to have a camera in my hands is real. True photographers will understand. Sorry for the long comment :). I love your channel.

Being a short bloke with small hands, it seems to me that most cameras have their controls in the wrong place! Compounding this, I don't take photos of people or do street photography. I'm more likely to be found laying on the ground getting shots of insects and small plants, although as I get old I get asked by strangers if I'm OK and need a helping hand. And in reality I'm not far off that. My Olympus EM5III fits my hand best, but of course I read that OM System are on the decline so I suppose my photos will get worse from year to year. But I still get excited as the seasons change and I find time to go out and record all of this.

This is very odd, as a coincidence. Back in the day a group of friends I used to hang with were into photography in a big way, and after months of pontificating I went for the Canon A1 too. I used that beautiful thing for many years until I sold it. There was a good 15-20 year gap in my interest and the Canon lay idle for months, years at a time, until the kids got older and I had more time. I revisited photography and it was a horror show. Software editing, raw files, and camera settings drove me crazy but I followed the Nikon path. I had 4 different APS-C models, the D5100 being my favourite of them all, and later, I sold my D5500 to dip my toe into full frame. The D810 was a camera that finally made my heart sing again. It was like revisiting my A1 days all over again. By now I had become proficient in post processing and had a very good grasp of everything, the timing was great, and I love that camera. Then the D850 came out. I live in a rural spot so trying cameras out is well nigh impossible, unlike a big city like London or Birmingham etc. I did manage to try one breifly, and decided to make the change. Its been 3 joyous years with the D850 and, I have looked at the mirrorless range, but they just leave me cold. I have no doubts that the amazing images I have managed to nail on the D850 are for the very reason I stopped considering any more upgrades. This one is the one they'll be prising out of my cold, still hands when I expire one day. If I had stuck with the D810 the same thing could be said, it, too, is a marvellous camera and the resolution on both is more than most of us would need. How odd we both started on the A1. I thought i would never find another camera that made me feel like that did, but after many many years, I found two that do. Great idea for the blog, really enjoyed it, thanks.

My Nikon collection is my film nostalgia. When I get tired of pure digital, I reach for one and go out with a few rolls of film and remember my first years with an SLR. It's all subjective.

Good points! My R3 makes me smile, probably because I'm such a geek and love the technology side of it. The car analogy is good, some will like a Mini, others a Ferrari, others a Bentley. If you put 5000 people in a room and asked them what car makes them happy, it would be a huge range of cars, some old, some new, some fast, some luxurious, some classic, some out there. Camera's in general have lost their personality and become very clinical, possibly because the designs are being developed more by technology people that are used to designing laptops or mobile phones, but there are some retro designs around like the Olympus and Hasselblad that have a bit more personality.

I think choosing a camera that is really engaging is a very personal choice. I for myself found that camera in my trusty Fujifilm XPro2 and Fujifilm X100s, Both give me that enjoyment and mechanical feel I really miss from my old cameras like the Nikon FE2. But as I said it's personal and everyone is different. I tried a Leica M10 for a day and it didn't connect with me. The comparison is like: Does a Porsche 911 is giving you more joy and excitement to drive it then a Mazda MX5 Miata? Two different people have two different answers.

My first camera was the canon ae-1. Also long stolen. Sadly. I ended up with Nikon when I jumped back into photography 10 years ago. I find your videos excite me about wanting to get out more than gear. If gear was my primary motivation I’d have a “new” Nikon zf retro body. But I accept the limits of my budget and my current gear

As some here say, a camera changes the way I photograph. I work differently with an optical view finder as opposed to an electronic one, to a screen, to a display, to a 6x6 cube. Also the max aperture, the max ISO, the size of the cam, the weight, interchangeable lenses - they all influence the pic I take. Walter Schels, I believe, had more than 100 cameras... it's not if it makes you smile but if it inspires 😎

Decades ago I started photography with a Praktica MTL5B with a 50mm lens that was about as crisp as an uncooked tortilla, but I loved using it. Subsequently I moved onto Contax gear but they didn't make me a star. My digital Nikons now are quite old but I love using them. They fit. They work and I want to go out and do photography. That's the important thing.

I love the Canon A-1. What a great camera to start with!

Thank you for that wonderful video. I think that any outcome centric activity having of course a competitive bias or mood will disintegrate anybody from the process of creativity. Only the stale lust of having outplayed somebody will remain instigating for another stale round. I remember hours on a canal when I was so engaged in looking and photopraphing that I missed to recognize that I had forgotten to put an SD-card into the camera. But it was one of my most beautiful time taking images....

I totally hear you and you're so right! A Camera or any other product you buy with the intention of using it often should put that smile on ones face. I Used to love Nikon Dxx cameras but when i switched to Sony it won't leave my hands (I Still fiddle with it while i'm in my home office even if I'm not taking pictures). Fun thing for me is that it's the same with computers and keyboards, I'm currently writing my second novel and for some reason I can't write a single word on my desktop computer but the words fly through my fingers on my old second hand laptop that gives me the freedom of writing where ever I am (as long as there's a power outlet close buy) :D

I understand everything you said here and agree with all of it. Well, except for the '69 SS. I want a '71 with the split front bumper, other then that... But yes, cameras and cars are very equitable and similar. They do have souls and I believe its those "souls" that give you the smile you are talking about. But lets not pretend here that just because it was made in the late 60's or early 70's that its better and doesn't also have a soul. Two examples, first the car, I currently own a 2020 Subaru WRX. This car absolutely has a soul. A lot of it is based on the previous cars and all the history of Subaru, The WRX and STi as well as Colin McRae and other famous Subaru Rally car drivers. This car has a lot of soul, super tight, stiff suspension, agile handling and loads of power and history... The fact is that Subaru has just been distilling that same soul and refining it. Much like Canon has. My first SLR that I bought with my own money was a Canon AE-1. I so wanted the A-1 but back then I couldn't afford it and I had to make due with what I had. But I remember the sound of that camera, the texture of the body and FD lens. And some of the photos I took with it. To the point of me staying up way too late into the night looking at online auctions of those cameras. But why? Especially when I have a very, very nice Canon R7 sitting right there next to me. If the modern WRX has a soul, then so too does the R7. It doesn't make the sounds, it feels way better in the hand, its more accurate and it does make me smile for some of the same reasons why the 2020 WRX makes me smile. Modern performance also has soul. And both of these things will be considered old soon enough. But the difference between cars and cameras is that camera bodies come and go. This is probably the 6th or 7th Canon body that I've owned (I tend to hang onto cameras for a while now after letting my Canon AE-1 get sold) and with each camera body, they have gotten better. But not all have or had souls. The R7 does though. But what I find interesting is that maybe its not the actual camera, but the lenses that have the soul. I'm not sure here. Or maybe they all have it. But I do look forward to picking up my R7 and a small waist bag/fanny pack full of lenses (all vintage manual focus lenses) and going on a walk-about. Using a lens that was manufactured in 1959 on a camera body that was made in 2023 is a lot of fun to me. I'm currently doing some of my best work ever mixing these two different things. And without the R7, I would have to have a huge cabinet full of camera bodies to use all the different lens brands that I now own. Now I have one mirrorless body and a group of adapters and a lot of old lenses. And I look forward to seeing what I can shoot next with what I have. The point is, the R7 is just a gateway through which all of these lenses can do what they were built to do again. And I'm having fun experiences both old and new.

I also loved my A-1 a lot. I took it all over the world. Manual focusing and than That shuttersound! I started with a zoom, but once I got the 50/1.4 I never used my other lenses anymore. Apart from the ‘hardware’ the biggest difference with todays photograpy is the fact that you only had 36 frames on a roll. I remember that I was in Berlin during the fall of the Wall in 1989 and for Some reason I only had 3 rolls of Tri-X with me! You better be sure that every shot is a good one then! 35 years later I use a X100F most of the time. Very nice camera, but you are right: it doesn’t give me that smile I got everytime I shot my A-1 back then.

Totally agree, I shoot with 12 year old Fujifilm A1 and a cheap 7artisans 35mm 1.4 and Im happy as I can be :)

A particular camera nearly extinguished my passion for photography, and it took me about a decade to reignite it. Now, with the convenience of a smartphone, I've found a renewed interest. Remember this: when trying out new equipment, give it a fair chance, but if it doesn't click with you, don't hesitate to sell it and search for something better suited to your style.

In my years as an amateur I tried a few cameras and I have to say this: I mainly use an x-t30 because it's a swiss army knife: for my video work, for street, for aviation, and it's also good looking, and it's impossible to mess up a shot with it. But it took me so long to get used to it and I don't care about it. Before Fuji I had a d3200 which introduced me to the technicalities of photography, and I sold it because of many issues by I loved it so much, it was really like driving a reliable car. Then recently, after I gave my film camera to a friend because I can't afford film😢, I decided to get a photo-only dslr, with no fuss, and I went for a d200. Now I know what mattered for me, the optical viewfinder, the simplicity and straightforwardness of photography with no distractions, so that I can focus back on it! Even with some point and shoot cameras I get the same feeling: no fuss, you're free to make mistakes and enjoy yourself.

For me, it isn't how a camera let's me feel, it's how it allows me to be. The reality is that the features in the camera move me to bring those features forward creating an image I might not have without that particular feature. For the first time I have been using in camera HDR in the rainy old growth forests of British Columbia. Or, using Velvia sim produces a vibrant JPEG. Film sim bracketing challenges me to experiment. Active tracking encourages and informs my bird photographs, high ISO improves night time drama in street photography. Having a camera simple, light, small physical footprint, fixed lens, encourages me to a quicker "vision to image" with street photography. For me it isn't the feeling but the chase, the convoluted experimentation, the unlocking of a feature in my photographic skills vocabulary that brings a camera to life for me. Some have felt like an old friend, others have been a struggle and others I've been slow to warm up to but all have brought their own unique vision.

have a Z8 now but still very fond of my D750 ... first of all I like an OVF but beyond that something just right about it for me ... great sensor that I trust ... quick focus, meter is so good it can nearly be ignored ... I put it in full screen average ... Not a video camera by modern standards which suits me ... lovely to hold and just the right size ... I have a 700 too, but it's the 750 that sticks with me.