a stroll through design

[condeesteso]

Excellent feedback... I accept design is a personal experience to a point, but there has to be the best, better, worst etc.
Re the E-Type, yes. However, I am convinced the true form was the fixed-head, the soft-top being an adaptation of the pure design. Just looking at the fixed head coupe from rear 3/4s is heaven. But nothing comes from nowhere, and well before that, the Bristol 401:

An interesting connection between planes and cars (til you get to Saab, or is it Vauxhall). Bristol, Dornier...

Chop the A2 and get a Fiesta? - in exactly the same way all chairs are the same. Hans Wenger and Ikea.
Yes, the Classic Leica is rangefinder, and beautiful in my opinion.

And the Spitfire is probably one of the finest planes to look at ever. Form and function co-existing perfectly.

That Yates bandsaw and lathe are both very fine too I think. The Americans have designed far more great things than they tend to get credit for.

And as a test... here's one of the pure old Auto-Unions... see the resemblance with the A2? (No, I am not joking.)

 

[Eric The Viking]

I quite like the Leica M5, but if you must do the ultimate SLR, I'm with Bailey: it's this:

It's the best camera I've ever owned - form with function, an absolute joy to use.

Mind you, had I ever been able to afford Hasselblad (and to run one!), I might have a different opinion. They are beautiful, and they're also really comfortable too.

 

[woodbloke]

it looks no different to any SLR that I could buy at Dixons

The M-series Leicas are rangefinder cameras, not SLRs.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Splitting hairs Paul :lol: they both takes pictures don't they and they look almost same...big round thing stuck on front of a box at the back - Rob

 

[barkwindjammer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrop_GZsp-U

 

[Jacob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrop_GZsp-U

:lol: :lol:

Hate to say it but you lot aren't talking about good design at all, but style. They often have little in common and style is basically a way of tarting something up to sell. :roll:
Sometimes they do hit it off together which is when things get interesting.

I recently parted with my last Peugeot 405 diesel estate. Cool style (Pininfarina) and the best designed (functional) vehicle I've ever had. Alan Partridge wouldn't be seen dead in one!

 

[Modernist]

I have some sympathy with that Jacob but for me the original un-tarted 306 was the classic and remains so. Clean simple flowing lines with no bling.

Top end a 246 Dino takes some beating but does now look dated which may disqualify it...........no not possible, just Ferrari's.

Cameras - original OM2 which, unusually was an upgrade on the classic OM1

70's Campag gear

Wegner stuff

No one's mentioned the Mini

 

[Paul Chapman]

No one's mentioned the Mini

Probably because they all disappeared in a cloud of rust. The few that are left are actually a composite of chicken wire and Isopon :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

70's Campag gear

+1

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Jacob]

Extreme modern design here i.e. no style at all but supremely functional.
Pontcysyllte pronounced? - something like Pont-ker-suthty.
Eric Gill - "...if you look after goodness and truth, beauty will take care of itself" perhaps substitute function and utility for goodness and truth. The Spitfire?
Sorry no car connection but it does involve transport.
Actually there is a little touch of styling - the bead moulding (not sure what you call it) where the masonry meets the cast iron. A little (redundant) flourish. Or maybe it does have a function?

 

[Jacob]

No one's mentioned the Mini

Probably because they all disappeared in a cloud of rust. The few that are left are actually a composite of chicken wire and Isopon :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

We had a neighbour who kept his mini going from the 60s. He virtually rebuilt it every year or so and parked it under an inflatable dome kept inflated with dry air.

 

[Jacob]

... for me the original un-tarted 306 was the classic and remains so. ...

Never had the pleasure. Had a 305 van though. I'd rate it even higher than the 405. Dead solid went like a rocket and a pleasure to drive. It went on (250k miles +) and on until I forgot to top up the oil (gauge stopped working) and it blew up. Luckily Pamela was driving at the time.

 

[condeesteso]

+1 for the Pelikan pens too. Definitely my favourites, I have two. And I think some Ferraris come close too: The Dino 206 / 246... and the awesome 330P3 / 365P4 (The ones that Ford finally beat at Le Mans using 7 litre iron engines...). Reminds me that finesse needs to feature in these things, and the Ferraris had buckets of that.
I once owned a Caddillac '61 Coupe de Ville, metallic pink. Does that qualify ?? =D>

 

[bugbear]

I quite like the Leica M5, but if you must do the ultimate SLR, I'm with Bailey: it's this:

It's the best camera I've ever owned - form with function, an absolute joy to use.

Due to the off the film metering, it works just fine with alternate viewfinders. I dearly love the waist level one I have. And mine has the super-fast f1.4 lens.

I know fans love the original Nikon 'F' but to me it looks like lego, and not in a good way.

BugBear (LX owner and fan)

 

[bugbear]

I recently parted with my last Peugeot 405 diesel estate. Cool style (Pininfarina) ...

Eye of the beholder, I feel.

I had one of these.

Very handy for transporting stuff.

Never thought it was cool.

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrop_GZsp-U

:lol: :lol:

Hate to say it but you lot aren't talking about good design at all, but style.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/design?view=uk

Humpty Dumpty again Jacob?

I think everybody's talking about design.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

The troll is following me about again.

 

[Eric The Viking]

(thread hijack alert!)

Due to the off the film metering, it works just fine with alternate viewfinders. I dearly love the waist level one I have. And mine has the super-fast f1.4 lens.

Ditto. I once owned two of those lenses - down to one now.

A burglary some years back means I'm 'stuck' with a Canon digital body, BUT a cheap far-eastern adaptor means I can mount the SMC 50mm f1.4 on it. It's a perfect focal length+aperture for portraiture, and it doesn't matter that the combination is fully manual !

+1 for Canon: the diameter of the lens mounting!

E.

PS: I meant the Leica R5, earlier, of course (the SLR) - typing error.

 

[condeesteso]

We have to add the IPod don't we. Any of 'em, doesn't really matter.
Yes I am an Apple 'fan' so it's a bit upsetting even though we knew it was coming (maybe not quite that soon).
But what upsets me is the World loses Steve Jobs at 56, yet hangs on doggedly to someone like Mugabe...