[Mareket]

50 Greatest Cameras of All Time

It's a pretty cool list, ranging from the Nikon V1/J1 and the 110 to large format cameras and the D3S. Worth a read!

[séamuis]

really surprised to see so many Pentax models to be honest. I'm very glad to see the 6x7. but I find it hard to believe that the Spotmatic couldn't be among them. it arguably did far more for photography than the K1000 ever did, and it certainly was a much bigger milestone than the K1000. not too sure how the K20D made the list, but the Spotmatic absolutely should have IMO.

[Nesster]

Shutterbug's take on a similar list:

Classic Cameras; The Top 20 Cameras Of All-Time Countdown; We Begin Schneider?s List?Do You Agree? | Shutterbug
Classic Cameras; The Top 20 Cameras Of All-Time Countdown; Schneider?s List, The Next Five?Do You Agree? | Shutterbug
Classic Cameras; The Top 20 Cameras Of All-Time Countdown; Schneider?s List, The Next Five?Do You Agree? | Shutterbug
Classic Cameras; The Final Countdown; The Top 20 Cameras Of All Time | Shutterbug
Classic Cameras; More Greatest Cameras Of All Time; Five More Nominations To The Top 20 List Offered By Shutterbug?s Knowledgeable Readers | Shutterbug

[JHD]

Good to see the Nikon J1 and V1 there... those are truly revolutionary and capable cameras!
Fuji didn't make the list! None of their cameras were even mentioned as a byword in passing...
I'm surprised that none of the NEX cameras were on that list.

[normhead]

I'm with you, on the Spotmatic thing. before the Spotmatic, we were still using hand held lightmeters. Every modern day exposure system is based on the Spotmatic's through the lens, coupled meter. Before the Spotmatic, more time was spent calculating exposure than taking pictures. The only reason you could miss it would be, you took it for granted because you're too young to remember before and after. For us old timers, there was pre-Spotmatic and post Spotmatic... really, it was the only big technical advance since the Brownie. The K1000 was just a Spotmatic with a K-mount... so really, unless you consider the K-mount an earthshaking advance... they just didn't realize what camera they were really referring to.

[jogiba]

The Pentax ME-F made the list but not the LX ! I guess being first at something beats quality.

[Nesster]

The LX might be the greatest Pentax 35mm camera ever, however it was not necessarily a significant Pentax... Significant may be a combination of market innovation and sales numbers.

The Asahiflex as the first instant return SLR
The Spotmatic as the first TTL SLR
(I'll argue the ES as an early successful auto exposure SLR)
(I'll also argure the F as the platform for which SMC lenses were introduced)
K1000 as the VW Bug of cameras
MX as the culmination of SLR miniaturization
ME as the SLR as Point n Shoot of the day (these seem to have sold by the boatload)
The 110 slr because it was a 110 slr
The 6x7
The digital 645 as doing something with medium format price/performance

I'm also discounting the ME-F as a market fail, and without my fanboy glasses, I can't really say much else stands out as different and significant in the marketplace, as Pentax lost its earlier positioning in the market. Still made/makes excellent cameras, but these are Pentaxian distillations/refinements of other people's innovations.

Am I forgetting some camera?

[séamuis]

The LX might be the greatest Pentax 35mm camera ever, however it was not necessarily a significant Pentax... Significant may be a combination of market innovation and sales numbers.

The Asahiflex as the first instant return SLR
The Spotmatic as the first TTL SLR
(I'll argue the ES as an early successful auto exposure SLR)
(I'll also argure the F as the platform for which SMC lenses were introduced)
K1000 as the VW Bug of cameras
MX as the culmination of SLR miniaturization
ME as the SLR as Point n Shoot of the day (these seem to have sold by the boatload)
The 110 slr because it was a 110 slr
The 6x7
The digital 645 as doing something with medium format price/performance

I'm also discounting the ME-F as a market fail, and without my fanboy glasses, I can't really say much else stands out as different and significant in the marketplace, as Pentax lost its earlier positioning in the market. Still made/makes excellent cameras, but these are Pentaxian distillations/refinements of other people's innovations.

Am I forgetting some camera?

yes. the SV, simply because its the greatest 35mm SLR ever made.

[westmill]

Not too many surprises in there. Im surprised no Minolta x700 or 9xi or Cannon EOS3 and amazed to see Nikon V1 and the 110 lol.... seriously lol

[Mareket]

I guess the key point is that it's impossible to sum up what made cameras what they are today with just 50 examples!

And I reckon the V1 and J1 deserve their low position on the list. They're not large sensor cameras, nor are they intelligently priced, but when I used one it felt VERY futuristic in terms of responsiveness. Design wise... Perhaps less successful, but definitely very cool cameras.

Then again, there are far more important cameras out there...

[JHD]

And I reckon the V1 and J1 deserve their low position on the list. They're not large sensor cameras, nor are they intelligently priced, but when I used one it felt VERY futuristic in terms of responsiveness. Design wise... Perhaps less successful, but definitely very cool cameras.

What's interesting about the Nikon 1 cameras is that many J1 and V1 owners also have either a D3, 200, 300, 700, 7000 etc. The J1 and V1 are innovative and have capabilities no other cameras have to date. That's why they are on the list. That's why people are buying them. Fuji on the other hand didn't even make the list.