favorite compact 35mm

[Kirks518]

I have two favorites;

Minolta Hi-Matic 7SII and Canon QL17 GIII

I would have to say I'll reach for the Minolta first though. Sharp lens, good meter, and small.

 

[donkee]

I really like my Sears 35|rf (Ricoh 500g) and the recently acquired Canon Canonet QL17 (not GIII).

 

[Too old to care]

Another one for the Rollei 35.

 

[fotch]

Minox 35, I think mine is a GS, purchased new. Great quality photos, easy to take candid photos, however, poor reputation for reliability. I should look for a better quality replacement, maybe the Rollie.

 

[marcall]

Rollei 35, my favorite camera

 

[filmamigo]

Zeiss Ikonta 35

My favourite compact is the Zeiss Ikonta 35 (522/24.) The lens is really nice, the whole thing folds into a tiny package, and the construction seems bomb-proof.

My example looks like it was kept as a prize in someone's top drawer for most of its life, but amazingly the shutter and focus work as well as the day it was new. I didn't have to do any service on it at all.

 

[Peltigera]

I like my iKONTA 35 AS WELL, BUT i HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OF IT AS A COMPACT CAMERA.

 

[craigclu]

I've had the Contax T (nice but I had trouble with it), Leica Mini-Lux (Gave up after 2 electronic fails), Mini III (just a Minolta but decent grab shot rig/still have and use it), Hi-Matic E (great lens/wonky functionality), Konica A4 (super lens/bad electronics). My easy favorite is the Konica S3. It's got a great GN flash system, quick focus, as good of a lens as far more expensive cameras. The lens mounting/housing isn't confidence inspiring but it's just the housing that floats around, it appears.

I sent one of these with a friend on a mountain pack-horse hunting trip. He also packed his Canon F-1 gear and Canon optics. His favorite darkroom prints from the trip were from the Konica and he promptly bought a pair of them for himself and made many fine images over the years.

 

[Rolfe Tessem]

Contax T3

 

[Spicy]

Rollei 35 and XA are both pretty epic, just depends on how much automation you need/want... Exceeellllleeennnntttt

 

[mgb74]

My favorite is (was) the Olympus XA - because that was the one I always had with me when my kids were growing up. Not sure why I don't have one now.

I guess my favorite of what I do have is the Rollei 35. Crappy ergonomics - great images.

 

[EdSawyer]

Hexar af

 

[Snapshot]

My favourite is the Konica C35 rangefinder. As for an SLR, my Nikon FA with a 50mm 1.8 lens is great.

 

[Les Sarile]

Not only is the Pentax MX the most compact fully manual mechanical SLR, but it also has the biggest full info viewfinder.

The Olympus Epic is truly pocket size.

 

[alanrockwood]

Rollei 35

 

[ambaker]

Olympus XA.

Disclaimer... It is the only compact 35 I own. So I really do not have what one could call an "informed" opinion.

 

[mjs]

I can't decide. Olympus Stylus Epic DLX. Konica Big Mini. Excellent lenses, very compact and easy to use.

Mike

 

[BetterSense]

The XA2 and XA4 have the XA beat handily. I have all of them and the XA is my least favorite.

If the MX can be called a compact, then my Agfa Isolette surely qualifies as one.

 

[munz6869]

Rollei 35, because I can't put an orange filter on my XA...

Marc!

 

[Uncle Brian]

My XA4 I guess is the best compact camera I have used, my hands are large and the GSN is a much better fit but the ones I have owned have been nothing but electronic trouble.
With my XXL hands a F80 Nikon feels like a nice compact camera ... the OM series would also qualify as they are so tiny and beautiful & smaller than a GSN.

 

[DCB12]

[h=3]Olympus mju

Peace


[/h]

 

[GarageBoy]

My only issue with most AF P&S film cameras is that they're SOOOO SLOW. Spoiled by D*gital

 

[lancekingphoto]

I'd vote for my Olympus Stylus Zoom 70. It's an underrated little performer, and definitely pocketable. (The Zoom 80 is even smaller but it has issues with light reflecting inside the barrel and creating little crescent leaks on images.) They're quite cheap online, and you can even buy inexpensive remote controls that facilitate shooting in low light.

 

[K-G]

Rollei 35 , both S and T .

Karl-Gustaf

 

[klop]

Contax TVS