Keppler's Vault 71 revisits Modern Photography's December 1984 year-end roundup, which this time expanded to 48 cameras after four consecutive years of listing exactly 47. The article examines how the list is broken into categories such as "Automatic 35mm SLRs," "35mm Focal-Plane Shutter Reflex," and "2 1/4 Single Lens Reflex," noting that Modern's categorization is inconsistent and confusing. For example, the "Automatic" SLR category includes cameras like the Canon A-1, Minolta X-700, Nikon FE2, and Olympus OM-4, none of which have autofocus or automatic film advance, while the fully manual Olympus OM-3 is oddly placed alongside the auto-exposure OM-4. Similarly, a Programmed AE camera (Olympus OM-2s Program) appears outside the "Automatic" section, and a twin-lens Mamiya C300 Pro S is mistakenly grouped under "Single Lens Reflex."
The author also points out a shrinking presence of rangefinders (just the Leica M6 and Contax T35) and TLRs (the Yashica-Mat 124G and the misplaced Mamiya), along with several holdover designs from the 1970s—like the Plaubel Makina 67, Canon A-1, and Minolta XK—suggesting either a lack of enthusiasm for newer releases or diminished editorial effort. Notably absent are most autofocus SLRs and point-and-shoots; the only AF entries are the unusual Polaroid 680 SLR (with sonar focusing) and the clunky Nikon F3AF, while popular contemporary AF compacts like the Nikon L35, Canon Autoboy, and Canon T80 are left off despite the inclusion of the manual-focus Canon T70.
Comparing this list to Modern's 1979 "Top 47," the author notes having personally used only 11 of the 48 cameras here, down from 19 previously, attributing this partly to redundant model variations (e.g., Mamiya M645 vs. M645 Super, Pentax ME Super vs. Super Program). While critical of the selection and categorization, the author still finds plenty of gear-acquisition-worthy machines in the list and imagines the appeal such a magazine issue would have had for a young photography enthusiast in 1984. The piece ends without a definitive verdict beyond this mixed but nostalgic critique, inviting reader discussion, and closes with a bonus link to Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" music video from their 1984 album.
AI-generated summary. May not capture every detail — read the full article below for the complete picture.
In each of the past four year end wrap ups of those year’s top cameras, Modern Photography selected 47 cameras each time. For the first time since I’ve been looking back to these articles, the number gets rounded up a “less odd” 48. Why 48 and not 47 again or even 50? The top 50 cameras has a better ring than top 47 or 48, but 48 it is this time around.
As they did in years past, in their December 1984 issue, Modern breaks down the cameras into specific categories, starting off with what they call “Automatic 35mm SLRs”. Looking through the list, I can’t quite understand what qualifies these cameras as “Automatic” other than featuring some levels of automation.
With models like the Canon A-1, Minolta X-700, Nikon FE2, and Olympus OM-4, none of these cameras have auto focus or even automatic film advance. Most of these models do have some level of auto exposure, but next to the OM-4 is the fully manual Olympus OM-3. It has a meter for making an exposure recommendation, but no auto exposure and certainly not what I would call an automatic camera.
Strangely, in the next grouping of what they call “35mm Focal-Plane Shutter Reflex”, we have the Olympus OM-2s Program, which as the same suggests, has Programmed AE like many of the others in the Automatic section.
Modern’s quality control also takes a hit in the “2 1/4 Single Lens Reflex” section where they have the Twin Lens Mamiya C300 Pro S. What were they thinking?!
Following 35mm SLRs, we see that the number of 35mm rangefinders is down to only two, the excellent Leica M6, and Contax T35. TLRs have also dwindled down to two with the only entries being the YashicaMat 124G and previously mentioned Mamiya. While I have no beef with the 124G, it being first released in 1970, fourteen years before this list, I wonder if the editors of Modern included it as some sort of obligation to the Rolleiflex days of yore.
The Yashica isn’t the only camera on this list with a design dating from the 1970s as the Plaubel Makina 67, Canon A1, and Minolta XK were all designs a bit long in the tooth by December 1984, suggesting that either Modern wasn’t as impressed with newer cameras being released as their earlier counterparts, or that less effort was being put into these lists. Not having access to issues past 1984, I am unsure of how much longer Modern did these year end wrap ups, but the overarching feeling of “phoning this one in” suggests this might have been the last time.
Adding to my speculation about Modern’s apprehension of newer technologies is the absence of many auto focus models. The only two on the list with this feature is the Polaroid 680 SLR with it’s unique sonar focusing system and the ungainly Nikon F3AF which uses an external focus motor attached to a proprietary lens. While the Nikon F3 in any guise is worthy of being on this list, to select the one-off oddity as one of only two representatives to what was already a popular sub genre of cameras is strange. Certainly, auto focus SLRs like the Maxxum 7000 and Canon EOS 650 hadn’t yet made their debuts, but there were some pretty terrific cameras in the auto focus point and shoot segment, like Nikon’s L35 and the Canon Autoboy series or even Canon’s T80 which was pretty cutting edge with it’s three auto focus lenses, and the same programmed AE models and lens support as the Canon T70 which did make the list.
Compared to Modern’s Top 47 list from 1979, the number of cameras from this list which I have personally used, has dropped to 11 from 19 on the previous list. I don’t know if that’s a sign of my preference away from mid 1980s cameras, or whether it’s just that there were too many variations on the same thing, for example the Mamiya M645 vs M645 super, Pentax ME Super vs Super Program, etc.
As always, I don’t agree with this entire list, either in model selection or categorization, but there’s certainly enough GAS worthy gear here that I can see myself as a young lad, picking up this issue in December 1984 and salivating over it’s pages (although to be fair, I would have only been six years old!) What do you think? Let me know in the comments section below.
Once again, an added bonus is the music video for Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” off their album, 1984.
All scans used with permission by Marc Bergman, 2020.