What's your most favorite and lest favorite film camera?

Wow.. I can't really say I agree with this review, because my favourite camera is.. my Minolta CLE! (together with my Mamiya 645, but for very different usecases) I like it because it's small, light, nimble, accurate and gives me great results with the 40mm f/2. And I also think it looks amazing, in a funky way. I owned an M3 single stroke with a 50mm Summicron V4 until recently but I sold it because it was not better than the CLE in any way except operation smoothness and viewfinder size (The film winder is amazingly smooth and the shutter is really quiet). It was cool in the beginning that it was really dense brass, gorgeus looking and of course Leica branded but the novelty got boring after just about 5 rolls. After that it felt like I was carrying dead weight when I could bring my CLE instead. This lead to it not being used for almost a year, which felt like a waste, so that's why I sold it. Anyway, goes to show how much you need to find a tool that works well for you individually. Not all cameras are fit for all people. Thank you for the well edited. It was interesting to listen to arguments basically exactly opposite to my opinions!

You know that you can shoot it in M mode, just turn the shutter speed dial to whatever shutter speed you want. The thing about the CLE is that is has one of the best viewfinder magnifications for 28mm. Better than any Leica M body other than the elusive/rare M6 with the 0.58x viewfinder. The thing about the CLE is that its electronics are prone to fail. It's difficult or impossible to repair. I added a Hexar RF to my setup as a replacement for shooting 28mm. Keeping the CLE makes sense if you value 40mm frame lines.

You made a good point, user experience with our camera is important, I remember selling my FM2 some 15 years ago to own an used Minilux and never regret it. The Minilux weight 300+ gram with its leaf shutter is steady. And now my M3 with a the Elmar 2.8/50mm weight close to a Kg. Subjectively, a good camera should not be too light.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I currently own the CLE because I wanted to get acquainted first with the whole rangefinder system before I invested any more money into something like the M6. After 2 years I feel like I'm ready to 'step up' by selling my CLE and upgrading to a M6, I pretty much shoot sunny 16 and manual so I wasn't really using all of the features on the CLE and from what I've heard the minimalism of the M6 will suit me just well!

I bought this camera in 1982 at my local camera dealer. The full set, in a nice box with three lenses, the flash, and bags for each item, and I paid 2,000 DM what is approx 2,100 USD in today's money). I sold it again in early 90s, and it's the only camera of the many I've sold over time that I truly regret to have sold.

Nice video Ryan

Most favorite Nikon FA. Least favorite Polaroid Now+. Awesome review btw.

My favorite film camera is… so hard, but probably my Leica M6! My least favorite camera is… well I don’t think I have any right now.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I just noticed that you listed the criteria when you were looking for a camera, you found this Minolta met all and then thought it was boring, does it mean that you didn't really know what you want? What would you say your criteria after using CLE? Personally I have the same ideas as you, I was looking for a camera which can meet: 1. Not too pricey. Leica in my opinion was designed to be a good and reliable tool, then they changed their mind to become a kind of luxury and got lazy with developing their technology. I am not very happy to pay the extra after knowing this. 2. M mount. Leica certainly has advantages, like being lightweight, and good optical quality. 3. Reliable but I do want a light meter. Shooting film is already so expensive now, I definitely want to have the meter so I can increase the chance of getting a good photo. I have digital cameras and I know exactly what I get after shooting a photo, but with film I won't know. Missing a good shot only because of the exposure can be tough for me. 4. Same as 3, I want to make sure the photo is in focus. I have a Konica Hexar AF, to be honest I love it. Maybe you will consider it another boring camera, but if I do street photography, auto focus and aperture priority can be super useful. However, sometimes I do want to have the option of checking if it's in focus, if I am not racing with the uncertainty. 5. Why I choose CLE rather than Hexar RF. I have a Hexar AF and I think it's good enough. RF is way too automatic, which makes me feel I might have less fun shooting with it. I consider myself as a photographer, rather than a camera collector. I do think the fun of using a camera is important, but the convenience plays an essential role in my experience. The only camera I will think can be a tool and a timeless art piece simultaneously is Rolleiflex 2.8F, other cameras are just tools in my mind. I might appreciate the design, but user experience is more important to me. That's why I choose CLE rather than M3.

If you still have it, I'll buy it.

Spoiler: You don‘t have to shoot in Aperture Priority :)

I have used Leica M2, M3, CL, and M7. Currently, I'm owning a M5. M7 has the same "boring" features and "questionable" designs that you mentioned. It makes me wonder what is your opinion on M7. Besides, all Leica Ms except M5 have that anti ergonomic design. I couldn't agree with your takes. M3 is a masterpiece for its era, but the most boring camera is the camera that I don't want to use because of the "bad" design. In this video, it seems like the M3.

can you do a review on the summiron

Which film processor roller do you use?

Hi Ryan, Have you sold the 28mm lense??

I picked up a Minolta CLE a few years ago and use it in conjunction with a Leica M6 that I've owned for more than two decades. Both are fine cameras and I enjoy each one for different reasons. Personally, I find much of the hype associated with Leica cameras to be really overstated these days. While I still appreciate the all-mechanical nature of the Leica, those who are new to shooting film would likely benefit from the Minolta's aperture-priority automatic mode, particularly for street photography use.

?? dude what