Favorite fixed lens range finder?

[36cm2]

XA. It goes where I go.

 

[edtbjon]

My tiny Rollei 35S comes with me wherever I go. A bit quirky to operate, but very nice sharp lens.
Another fixed lens range finder favourite of mine is my Hasselblad SWC (black barrel T*). In similar league, but a much bigger camera is the Fuji GSW (65mm lens on 6x9cm film format.) All of the Fuji GS* cameras are very nice performers. There was a GSW for sale here in Sweden recently for only $500, but I hesitated too long. Anyhow, as soon as I see my SWC I feel happy again. It's a special feeling to know that every negative at least in theory could make a nice square meter enlargement. (I recon that goes for the Fuji cameras too. I never personally owned one, but a friend of mine had two, 65 and 90mm both 6x9cm. Nice cameras with really nice lenses.)

//Björn

 

[Sanjay Sen]

My dad's Yashica Electro 35 GSN, which I inherited! It's a wonderful machine.

 

[Vanishing Point Ent.]

I Love The Olympus XA & here's why...

O.K. I won't quote anybody, but my favorite fixed lens rangefinder camera is an Olympus XA,
with an A16 flash attached.

Here's the reason; this camera, uses a leaf-shutter. This means that it synchs at ALL shutter speeds.

The flash is ONLY f 4.0. This can be set on the aperture scale & even in bright sunlight, the flash
will synch.

Further, if you set the Hyperfocal focus to the orange focus # & the aperture scale to the orange
f 5.6 f stop, the lens will deliver -1 stop flash fill & the camera will be in focus from 3 ft - infinity.
It's better than A.F. & does all of this for you.

What's Not to LOVE !

 

[removed-user-1]

My favorite fixed lens rangefinder is the Fuji GS645s for that super-sharp 60mm and the compactness of the camera. The only thing not to like about this camera is the strange time-exposure switch. Why doesn't it have a good old-fashioned cable release socket?

 

[Edwardv]

Plaubel Makina 67 rangefinder.

 

[Bateleur]

Olympus XA

Now that my take everywhere XA is in for repairs. I have rediscovered the joy of the 35RC. Dare I say with its superior lens and override possibilities. But for convenience the XA is hard to beat, I'm looking forward to it's return.

 

[df cardwell]

Ste Chappelle

Olympus XA & Tri X​

.

 

[patawauke]

For compactness and lens sharpness, Minox 35GT, Rollei 35S, and the more recent Ricoh GR21v. Bigger but still about pocket-sized, the 6x9 Agfa Record III and the 6x6 Super Isolette. Of the big boys, Plaubel Makinon 67W, for its classic flat folder design allied to its sharp 55mm Nikkor lens.

 

[Sirius Glass]

In order of acquisition:

1. Voightlander Vito IIb - a wonderful folding 35mm camera that I attached a rangefinder to. It was never the same after it fell. Long gone.
2. Circa 1935 Certo Dolly SuperSport - a 120 folder with a 7,5 cm f/3.5 Zeiss lens. It still takes sharp photographs.
3. Hasselblad 903 CF SWC - not really a rangefinder. It takes marvelous rectilinear wide angle photographs.

Steve

 

[polka]

The Yashica Electro 35 was my first camera (the first model, back in 1967). I still have it, together with a twin (GSN, bought on a flee market) and a bunch of compact Yashica rangefinders inherited from my family with the rise of digicams (we were big Yashica fans).

I find the regular Electro 35 (in chrom version) the MOST BEAUTIFUL rangefinder ever designed. Besides, it has a fantastic lens and the automatism (first electronic shutter hitting the market, with priority to aperture) suited me very well. Later, I bought a Minox 35 because of the same type of shutter AND compactness (was always in my pocket, however had no telemeter).

Of course, I had to cure the "pad of death" problem for both of my classic Electro 35, but for the moment my compact models are OK, maybe they don't have this design flaw ?

Paul

 

[goodfood]

Minox 35GT, when people saw my pictures, they usually ask,are you use Leica 35mm lens? It is much light weight and compet.

 

[jimgalli]

Konica Hexar AF

The Yashica Electro 35

Of course, I had to cure the "pad of death" problem for both of my classic Electro 35, but for the moment my compact models are OK, maybe they don't have this design flaw ?

Paul

Paul, what is the "pad of death"?? Considering one of these. Thought I would shoot it side by side with the Konica Hexar AF to do a quality comparison of the 2 lenses.

BTW, I'm new to the Konica and having just looked at some 11X enlargements, I'm asonished at the quality of that lens. Anyone compared one to the Electro?

 

[Andrew Moxom]

My Balda Super Baldax coupled rangefinder with 80mm Baldenar lens. Works slick! Or my Minox 35GT and or my Olympus XA

 

[Blacknoise]

I like my Iskra, wonderful lens, and pretty compact for 6x6. The Konica Standard I have is lovely too.

 

[antimcd]

ricoh gx 1 becouse it's so small, yashica gtn with good lens, canonet ql17 cause it so quite for street photography


Dead Link Removed

 

[mablo]

Yashica G-series nuisance called pad of death or POD is explained here: http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/repair.html#nine

Other than the d***ed POD and corroded wires and battery adapter and mostly bad light seals it's a nice camera. Not very small and sort of clunky to use but the lens is really good. I use my G mostly as a low light camera. It's capable to calculate correct exposure times up to half a minute automatically.

--# mablo

 

[Dawes71]

Minolta Hi-matic 7sII and Ricoh 500G

 

[Vanishing Point Ent.]

35 mm is fine but what about Med-Format ?

O.K. I won't quote anybody, but my favorite fixed lens rangefinder camera is an Olympus XA,
with an A16 flash attached.

Here's the reason; this camera, uses a leaf-shutter. This means that it synchs at ALL shutter speeds.

The flash is ONLY f 4.0. This can be set on the aperture scale & even in bright sunlight, the flash
will synch.

Further, if you set the Hyper-focal focus to the orange focus # & the aperture scale to the orange
f 5.6 f stop, the lens will deliver ( -1 ) stop flash fill & the camera will be in focus from 3 ft - infinity.
It's better than A.F. & does all of this for you.

What's Not to LOVE !

I'm going to quote myself here, ( how narcissistic ),
In going through all of the postings so far,
there is one camera that's failed to be mentioned.

A camera that I think belongs in this category is the
Linhof 220.

No I've never owned one & I have a friend selling one, but for too much.
I've thought about it many times & thought that it at least deserves a mention.

 

[sangetsu]

I like this one:

It's a sweet camera. It's smaller than my M4, has a wonderful lens, uses a commonly available battery for the meter, and simply looks good. And it also takes great pictures.

 

[brian steinberger]

I just got my Fuji GW680III from KEH the other week. What an amazing beast! And the 6x8 format is so perfect for me. Plus it's unique!

 

[taiwest]

Plaubel Makina 67

Makina 67 because it's medium format, relatively portable, and the Nikor 80 2.8 lens.

 

[André E.C.]

Fuji GW690 'cause size does matter after all!

 

[beautgrainger147]

fixed lense.. Bessa II ..though I'm a bit biased