I've long felt there is a need for the "glass case collector" and the
"user." As an owner (and user) of a 1950's vintage rangefinder (also
collectible) and a member of another list devoted to the company that made
them, there are two major groups of list members. The majority are "glass
case" collectors, however a number are "users" and a few do
both. Collecting is an investment for some, but for others it is simply
having an object of beauty (which is always in the eye of the beholder) and
whether value goes up or down matters little.
The advantage of having both around:
1. The users make images allowing those who view them to continue
celebrating the capabilities of the camera which gave it legendary status.
2. The collectors preserve pristine examples allowing those who view them
to continue celebrating the fine engineering, materials and workmanship
that were used to create an object of very high performance.
Actually, it's a combination of engineering, materials, workmanship,
styling, handling and the technical quality of resulting images that grant
a particular camera make/model legendary status. Some of the cameras that
fall into this status include:
1. Leica IIIg
2. Nikon SP
3. Contax II or III (prewar)
4. Contax IIa or IIIa "color dial" (postwar)
5. Rolleiflex 2.8F (with Carl Zeiss Planar)
6. Rollei 35, 35S and 35SE
There are undoubtedly others. If you look at this list, the legendary
status of these encompasses both aesthetics of the camera itself and its
technical performance in image making. I predict that one day the original
M-1 and OM-4T will both have a special status (just as the Rollei 35 and
35S or 35SE do) as they are the first model and the zenith of the same
camera line.
-- John
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