How many camera "systems" do you have and why?

[robert blu]

Nikon (F100+FM2*lenses)
Bessa R (+ 3 lenses) it was my entry in the RF field, size and weight were important.
Leica M (7 + 35 + 50 + CV lenses with adaptor)

Next one ? not sure, maybe that OM-D or the Fujix1 pro...

I do not need all of them, but the amount of money I could receive by selling one of them is so low that I prefer to keep them.

robert

[rulnacco]

1) Leica M (2 bodies, five lenses)
2) Nikon SLR--I like to be able to use most of lenses interchangeably on both MF and AF bodies, film (FE and F4) and digital (D300).
3) Mamiya RB67 (one body, five lenses, various backs), for the studio and as needed
4) Mamiya TLR (one body, four lenses) for when the advantages of a TLR with interchangeable lenses is handy
5) Sinar F1 (one body, two lenses--need a wide-angle) for when I want to shoot 4x5
6) Rollei TLR, for when I want to have fun!

[taskoni]

Leica M2 (2 bodies, four lenses) - the most comfortable cameras I have, getting used every day
Leica R7 (2 bodies, four lenses) - my first Leicas, one with complete Lux set, other with cton glass - just I can't part with them
Super Ikonta C (6x9) - for night photography

Regards,

Boris

[Kavenzmann]

1) Minolta CLE incl. 3 Lenses (28,40 + 90mm) rarely used
2) Linhof Technika70 incl. 3 Schneider Kreuznach lenses, more than rarely used
3) ? Fuji X-E1 on order incl. 18+35mm lenses

99% I use the Fuji X100 - one to rule them all. But only until the X-E1 arrives. With the 27/2,8 Pancake, coming next year, my dream of the digital CLE will (hopefully) come true: Compact Viewfinder Camera (I call it CVC) incl. compact everyday lens around 40mm.

[Rangefinderfreak]

I ask myself: What I want to do? What I really want ? I have had most of them, Sinars, Pentaxes (6X7 and 6X4,5) Rollei, MANY nikons, film & digital. Now I have got rid of all those. I have kept hasselblads ( 500ELX, 2002F, Flexbody, SWC + lots of lenses & cassettes + CFV back) Leicas, M3-M4P rapidwinder, and M8 with leitz, Voigt and old canon lenses. Then I have invested in a Hasselblad Flextight scanner and a Multigrade Focomat IIC. That`s all. I do both Film & digital on most shoots all the time, just change the body with a diferent back. Some stuff looks good on CFV but terrible for some other subject. I hate Digital B&W, That has to be Film !

[Vics]

Originally Posted by Vics

"There is an urge within me to reduce the number of camera systems to one... anyone else have the urge to simplify?"
YES! I'd like to get it down to two systems, Leica M and Nikon F. I've sold one Rolleiflex and hope to sell the other one soon. That leaves me with three. If I could adapt the Sonnar 50/1.5 per Amadeo, then the Contax IIIa would become a shelf queen. It was my dad's so I must keep it. That would get me there.

Amadeo Contax to Leica M adaptor should arrive Tuesday! When I sell the Rollei MX and all its accessories, I'll be down to TWO, and that's my baseline.

[DougFord]

The only camera 'system' that I currently own is m-mount. (Minolta CL/CLE and a few lenses)
I prefer fixed focal length cameras like my contax t3 and ricoh gr1v.

[valdas]

more and more... why? good question...

[TheFlyingCamera]

Probably too many. To paraphrase El Guapo from The Three Amigos, "would you say I have a ... PLETHORA of cameras?"

Contax G1, G2
Kodak Retina IIa
Contax RTS III
Canon 5D Mk 1
Rolleiflex 2.8C, 2.8E
Mamiya RB67
RB Graflex 3 1/4 x 4 1/4
Canham 5x7 and 5x12
Seneca "Black Beauty" whole plate
Century Master studio portrait camera
Gundlach Wizard 11x14
W. Watson & Sons 12x15
Canham 14x17

Lately I have been simplifying and shooting primarily with the Rolleis - If I were forced at gunpoint to choose a single camera system it would be a toss-up between the Contax Gs and the Rolleis, although I love each of the other cameras in their own way.

[Greyscale]

M42 Screw mount - Yashica, Ricoh and Pentax
Nikon F mount - Nikomat FTN and Nikon EM
Canon FD mount - AE1 and FTBn
C/Y mount - Yashica FX-2 and FX-103
Minolta bayonet - X7-A
LTM RF - Canon IVF
Fixed-lens RF - Yashica YF and GSN
Polaroid - 440 Land
... and many, many 35mm point and shoot cameras.

I have a few MF folders and boxes that are mostly "dead format", shelf queens, or broken, a few 110s, and even a Zeiss-Ikon 126 camera. I think even an APS camera somewhere in the bunch. I like film cameras.

[FrankS]

More than 7, because most of them were acquired inexpensively and offer me the experience of using classic film cameras that I lusted over 20 to 30 years ago.

[bugmenot]

Too many.

I have lenses in the following mounts:

Pentax M42 and K-mount, Nikon F-mount, Canon FD mount and EF mount, Sony NEX E-mount, and Leica LTM mount and M mount.

I also have bodies that accept those lenses, both film and digital bodies.

I have many many fixed lens cameras, both old and new ... point and shoot and rangefinder and Rolleiflex and otherwise ...

Thus ... too many. Of course I have attempted the last 9 months to thin out a lot of this "collection". Hopefully I get down to a manageable size by the end of 2012.

[stip80]

guilty as charged..

somehow cant always cant resist those beautiful piece of film cameras and it keeps growing.

currently my system comprise of:
- nikon f analog n manual lenses
- canon dslr
- bronica rf645
- mamiya 6
- contax g
- leica m
- fuji x100
- contax T3 (does this considered to be a camera system?)

[jultou]

Canon EOS for digital
Contax G for analog

[raid]

I have added the SWC, M8, and M9. I also added the Tower 35 and the Retina IIIC.

[back alley]

2 systems as in bodies that take extra lenses...

[rco3]

Systems, huh? Shall I just count systems from which I've actually gotten images recently? In no particular order:

Mamiya 7: one body, 80 and 43
Mamiya TLR: two bodies, two lenses
Mamiya RB67: two bodies, six lenses, six backs (five?)
Mamiya M645: two bodies, two lenses, winder (ailing)
4x5: Speed graphic, Burke & James Press, Toyo View
Nikon DX: two bodies, two lenses
Nikon 35mm AF: >5 bodies, >10 lenses
Nikon 35mm MF: 2 bodies, > 10 lenses
Retina IIa
Zeiss Ikonta 35
Argus C3: 3 cameras

Add in a Century Graphic (red bellows), 2 Praktina bodies and 3 lenses, two incomplete Bender 4x5s in cherry, a wobbly QL17, and the wife's Pentax waterproof PnS digital in the list of systems I have but haven't/don't shoot.
I'm not counting iDevices. Oh, or the little Sony I keep in the office for extra-macro documentation photos. Mostly it's the 7, the Speed Graphic, and the D7000.

I've been kinda thinking about downsizing. Probly won't. That might be more cameras than I need, though.

[Benjamin Oliver]

It's hard for me to say but I'll list what I own:

Nikon F3
Canon 5d
Olympus XA
Fuji X100
Brownie
Polaroid SX-70

Nikon 105mm with a detachable adapter for canon eos mount
Contax/Zeiss 50mm permanently adapted to eos
2 Nikon Flashes

So i own 6 systems?

[filmtwit]

I'm down to 4 "systems" these days, but also own Fuji X100 (not really a "system in my book).
Leica (M) - M5, M6, M7
Canon EOS - 630, A2, 50D
Xpan
Mamiya M645

Why? Hmmm. M-sereis handles film, X100 and 50D handle digital, Xpan handles panorama and the mamiya handles details.

[palmerfralick]

35mm RF
35mm P&S
M digital (not full frame)
Nikon DSLR (not full frame)

[Mystyler]

Originally Posted by rohankent

A friend has offered me a Medium Format Bronica for free, which I'm yet to take him up on.

Do it, I paid $250 for an EC which is a bit of an orphan system now but in these parts it was a steal. Honestly, you've nothing to lose.


As for me, I guess you could say I have three "Systems". My E, OM and Bronica. Why? They all do different things better than the other!

[Addy101]

Well, I've got the following systems:
1) Sony/Minolta AF Alpha mount
2) Canon EOS mount
3) Minolta SR mount (MC/MD)
4) Sony E-mount (Nex)
Sometimes tempted to try something new (Pentax K-mount, Nikon F-mount) but I resisted untill now

[jsrockit]

I don't really have systems...currently.

Fuji X-Pro1 w/ 35mm (53mm equiv)
Fuji X100 (35mm equiv)
Sigma DP2 Merrill (45mm equiv)
Leica M8 with 35mm Summaron 2.8 (47mm equiv)
Voigtlander R4a with 35mm Summaron

I tend to only use lenses from 35mm to 50mm.

[Calzone]

I voted 4-5, but when I get a Leica Monochrome I will have 6 systems as I consider digital a separate medium.

I shoot 35mm RF, 35mm SLR, 120 SLR, 120 rangefinder, and TLR to cover 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9 formats.

Then add in a MM...

Cal

[willie_901]

Fuji X APS-C bodies for everyday carry and creative projects... essentially the same roll my analog rangefinders played.

Nikon D700s for commercial work, action, paid events, when high performance AF is critical and when clients expect to see a large camera with large lenses.