favorite compact 35mm

[Regular Rod]

Compact 35mm camera = Oxymoron

There's no such thing! They are all massive considering the size of the negatives they deliver...

Far better to carry a folding MF camera!

RR

 

[DCB12]

The size of the negative is the same size as a Nikon D610 or Canon 5D III. Just scan the negative and there ya go...but you don't have to spend $3000.00

I'll stick with film.

Peace

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Olympus XA2 is what I started with, but images are soft; should've got an XA. Good for harsh environments.

Ricoh GR-1 is my favorite. Had an issue where it would focus upon half-press, then lose focus when pressing further to release. If the camera was empty, it would work fine. Put film in, lose focus. Weird. Tried it again a few weeks ago and now it's fine. You can truly put this camera in a normal sized pocket.

Canonet 28, which I bought for one dollar - good quality images and fun to use.

Canon QL17GIII: a total classic; I should carry this everywhere.

 

[BradS]

I used to have an orphaned Olympus inifinity. I think that was my favorite compact 35mm.
Now I have and use a Nikon One touch AF zoom..definitely not my favorite but it was given to me and it works,

 

[Devlog]

Categories: compact & nice

Rangefinder: Canon QL17 GIII and Konica Auto S3
SLR: Pentax ME super
120-Format: Fujifilm GA645zi

Wishlist: Contax T2, Leica M6 or M7, Olympux XA & Yashica T4 or T5

 

[shuttergrinch]

Olympus XA-2
Olympus Stylus Epic
Minotla Freedom Escort QD

 

[RalphLambrecht]

What is your favorite compact 35mm?

By compact, I mean whatever you want it to mean...it's all relative. Compact, to me, is a camera that can easily fit in your jacket pocket without being too bulky or weighty.
My favorite compact is the Rollei 35, next is the Contax T, and then the Kodak Retina.

my choice may not fit everybodies criteria of compactbut,Nikon FE is as small as I like to go.everythink less is a toy to me.I had nothing but troule with the Rollei35.carving an image into stone would be simpler than putting up with that camera.

 

[JW PHOTO]

When I think "compact" I think small and when I think small I think Minox 35. Fits right where my pack of smokes used to fit and there's no reason to leave it home or in the car. I like it because I don't have to debate myself as to whether I should take it when I leave home or the car. No excuse not to have it with me. I do like my Rollei 35T, my Retina IIa, Canon QL17.................etc., etc., etc.. I guess you get the drift. None of those are as easy to lug around as my Minox 35 ML and none of them takes any better pictures either. Sometimes I'll carry the Minox ML with Fuji color negative film in one pocket and my Minox Touring 35 in the other pocket loaded with Acros. Excellent cameras when they work and I've had to tune the older shutters on the EL's to make them work again, but not the ML or Touring as they seem pretty trouble free. For a front-element focusing lens it's a crackerjack. JohnW

 

[MattKing]

my choice may not fit everybodies criteria of compactbut,Nikon FE is as small as I like to go.everythink less is a toy to me.I had nothing but troule with the Rollei35.carving an image into stone would be simpler than putting up with that camera.

When I used to play with one in a store I used to find it easies to hold it upside down.

I use my Olympus XA the same way.

I'm left handed.

 

[frank]

Nikon FG with series e 50f1.8 version 2. Best bang for the buck and totally capable.

 

[trythis]

Nikon FG with series e 50f1.8 version 2. Best bang for the buck and totally capable.

Me too! Me too!
I love everything about it except the lack of ae lock.

 

[perkeleellinen]

I'm on a de-tox from these cameras. For me the promise is never realised. I've had these:

Olympus Mju II - tough camera, a friend dropped his into a toilet and kept on going. Annoying flash and a few too many missed focuses
Nikon AF600 - slim design but won't read ASA800 cassettes
Ricoh GR1s - Great camera with a fantastic lens, cost a bomb and I got rid of it before it broke.
Yashica T4 - over hyped. I bought it new and cannot see the difference between this and the Mju II negs.
Rollei 35 - bit fiddly and I missed a few shots with the zone focus.
Olympus 35RC - Almost perfect. Mine developed a problem with the aperture blades that couldn't be fixed (intermittent problem only occurred at crucial moments)
Konica Auto S3 - Getting big compared to the others.
Canon QL17 - Actually a big camera.

The promise of the small camera was always tempered by the inferior negatives and recently I've been forcing myself to carry a FM2 (hardly that big). Looking back, I got hundreds of P&S negatives but very few prints from them. I think the Ricoh was the best I ever had but what a price and I was always scared that it would fail. Back in the '90s I'd use a P&S in dodgy areas where an expensive SLR would get attention but I don't think film cameras are hot items for muggers any more.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

From the cameras that I've had and used for a period of time I would say my favorites are:

Olympus RC

Nikon EM with the 50mm E series lens

Bessa R with a collapsable 50mm

Olympus om4t

 

[blakedoyle]

XA can never be beat!

 

[pje56]

Depends the day

I have a few favorite. It all depends on the day.

Rollei 35 - compact, range focus, can be used as a weapon if necessary.
Olympus XA - liked it a lot but it broke and never replaced it
Minox 35GT - very compact, broke, meter was always screwy
Olympus 35RC - a little bigger, but sold it (re-skinned cobalt blue leather)
Nikon 35ti - not as compact as the Rollei or the XA, great lens 35mm f/2.8, manual override for everything, matrix metering
Nikon 28ti - Same as above but 28mm f/2.8 and in black, often it is this or the 35ti

Not a 35mm but I often carry an Agfa Isolette II 75mm f/3.5 Solinar, 6x6 folder. It fits in my jeans back pocket!

 

[OptiKen]

Bantam IS Special

Only sort of a 35mm, but my Bantam Special.

THAT is one gorgeous camera. I'm still looking for one I can afford.

Are you just shooting 35mm in it? Do you re-roll the film with a paper backing or...???

Right now my favorite compact 35mm is a Balda Baldinette

 

[frank]

Rollei af35m

 

[Bobkins]

just purchased my first compact - Olympus XA2,
great camera,
looking for Stylus Epic now...

 

[ToddB]

Stripped down Nikon FE or Canon QL17 GIII is always in my bag ready to go.

Todd

 

[Jim Jones]

No SLR is compact, although a Nikon with the 45mm GN Nikkor reduced camera size without loss of image quality. Leicas before the middle 1950s offered true compact size and fine performance.

 

[MartinP]

Rollei 35S, with a battery-adapter for a silver cell.

A couple of people have mentioned the handling, possibly they have one of the later "LED" versions where the exposure indicators are in the viewfinder, instead of the sensible place on top of the camera -- with the older models, in one glance you look down to the camera in your hand and see the aperture, shutter-speed, exposure-meter reading and the focus distance. So brilliantly simple.

 

[rutxer]

Nikon FG with Voigtlander 40mm f/2

Though... I wouldn't mind owning a Contax T3 and a Nikon 35Ti also...

 

[Iaeaix]

Contact T2, or hexar AF if larger size is acceptable

 

[GaryFlorida]

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

+1 for Sears 35|RF

 

[GaryFlorida]

I have 2, the most compact is my Pentax IQ zoom point and shoot, next in a larger pocket is Retina IIIC big. Then again a 3rd is my Minolta Weathermatic, with a 35mm and 80mm lens for shooting in the rain.

I have a broken Minolta Weathermatic. Got it at a thrift shop for a couple bucks. When I put the film in, it doesnt wind to the first frame. I mean sometimes it does but there is a delay of about 10 minutes or so and then all of a sudden I will hear it in the other room. Then it doesnt fire. The light stays on like its charging the flash but it never charges it up. I dont know whats wrong. Not like I need any more cameras.