Help me buy a rangefinder

Shootar401 · Mar 5, 2012

So I'm selling my new digital rangefinder, a Canon G12, and am looking to buy a small rangefinder or similar film camera.

Right now I have no idea what I am doing. I've been traveling with a Nikon F4 and a 50mm /1.4 lens, but thats big a bulky. I want something smaller and lighter, and above all quieter. My only requirements are that it have...

1. Manual focus
2. a 35 or 50mm with /2.8 or larger
3. be able to accept a filter
5. Aperture priority or at least in camera metering.
6. Be less than $400
7. 35mm

I don't want to spend much since it will travel with me and get banged around, beat up and probably lost eventually. I'll be shooting Delta 400 full time. I'm not really shooing anything in particular, its a travel camera, so it will shoot whatever I feel is interesting at the time.

Thanks
Jim

Andrew Moxom · Mar 5, 2012

Get a Canon QL17 III. I got one for a steal. They have a 40mm f1.7 lens and are good performers. You can pick them up for less than a $100 often on here . They also have a cds meter, but its not necessary to use that as they are full manual cameras.

Jeff Kubach · Mar 5, 2012

Konica S-2 is a good choice.

Jeff

zsas · Mar 5, 2012

One of my dream RFs is a Oly 35 SP....built in center weighted meter AND a spot meter!! But never having owned one I can't recommend.....but wd love one based on what I have read...

Katie · Mar 5, 2012

Bessa R3A or R2A. They take any m mount or LTM mount lens with adapter and offer AE shooting. VERY light and quiet!

36cm2 · Mar 5, 2012

+1 for konica auto s2. Not fancy. Not sexy. Not very small. But it feels right, works right, and is fun to use. Has a great lens, nice finder, awesome parallax adjust and an easy to use meter. Plus they're so underpriced it's ridiculous. Sounds great for what you've described.

Enjoy,
Leo

Prof_Pixel · Mar 5, 2012

Get an Olympus XA

I'm not sure about using filters, but if you want a GREAT, small camera check out the Olympus XA. There is a thread in this forum about XAs.

dehk · Mar 5, 2012

How about an Olympus 35RC?

ic-racer · Mar 5, 2012

Ricoh 35 ZF

JohnMeadows · Mar 5, 2012

I just got an XA a few days ago, and love it! One could do a lot worse!

zsas · Mar 5, 2012

I love my XA, although it doesn't uphold #3 above but some gaffer tape could prob resolve that

Bill Burk · Mar 5, 2012

The Oly 35 SP in classifieds right now has had a CLA and conversion to alkaline/silver-oxide.

Looks like the camera you are looking for.

No relation to seller, just saw it and thought of this thread...

LunoLuno · Mar 6, 2012

If you prefer aperture priority, I think Yashica Electro 35CC/CCN is it.
It meets ALL your requirement.

stavrosk · Mar 6, 2012

Be less than 400$?
If we are talking about used camera doesn't that depend on the condition of the camera?
I would consider the Contax G system for the Zeiss lens.
Even if I had to wait a little more to spend maybe a little more.

Shootar401 · Mar 6, 2012

Wow! thanks for all the replies, looks like the rest of my day will be filled on looking up all these cameras.

thegman · Mar 6, 2012

$400? I'd be looking at a Bessa T or R2A or something like that. If you stick on maybe $200, you could get a beat up Leica M2 maybe.

36cm2 · Mar 6, 2012

I don't think anyone posted this yet, so look here first:

http://www.cameraquest.com/com35s.htm

I did a lot of research on this topic and my shortlist was:

Olympus SP (great by all accounts, good lens, spot meter)
Canon Canonet Giii17 (good by all accounts, good lens, good handling, compact)
Konica Auto S3 (didn't like shutter priority, great lens, slick)
Konica Auto S2 (bigger, great lens, see my post above)

As someone suggested, in the $400 range you may be happier with something more modern, like a Contax G. But I find that a fully manual camera with a good built in meter feels so good in operation and yields so much control in your photography that it's the way to go.

Best of luck,
Leo

fotch · Mar 6, 2012

36cm2 said:
I don't think anyone posted this yet, so look here first:

http://www.cameraquest.com/com35s.htm
......
Best of luck,
Leo

Going to need more than luck with that link, did not work for me. Maybe its their site? I tried Google, and the sites it had gave me the same error:
[h=2]HTTP ERROR: 504[/h]
Gateway Timeout RequestURI=http://www.cameraquest.com

Trakl · Mar 6, 2012

My first 35mm rangefinder was a Yashica Electro 35. Very straightforward, and very inexpensive. Google "Yashica Guy" for tons of good information.

pstake · Mar 6, 2012

I have a Fed 2 with an Industar-61 52mm f2.8 that works perfectly. My only beef with it is the tiny area available for focusing inside the rangefinder. I took some photos with it that turned out pretty well and fine, but I have a Contax system with some good lenses now and so the Fed just sits there (looking pretty.) I could let it go pretty reasonable or for trade if it's what you're looking for.

Or you could go with that Konica S2 that davela just posted in the classifieds for $75. That's a good camera with a great lens from what I've read.

36cm2 · Mar 6, 2012

fotch said:
Going to need more than luck with that link, did not work for me. Maybe its their site? I tried Google, and the sites it had gave me the same error:
HTTP ERROR: 504

Gateway Timeout RequestURI=http://www.cameraquest.com

Works for me, Fotch. Don't know what's up. Sorry.

BrianL · Mar 6, 2012

If you shop hard and carefully, you may be able to dig up a Leica CL with the fantastic Summicron-C. sot meter, all mechanical except the meter and though Leica fans love to degrade it since it is not a Leica M build, it is a very reliable camera compared to other makes. The 40mm Summicron-C os one of the best of the best and one of the best Leica lenses made. It also has framelines for the 50mm and 90mm lenses plus through the viewfinder the 35mm and 28mm lens views are available; the 35mm is equal to the outer edges of the 40mm frame and the 28mm is the edges of the viewfinder. So, the camera is not as limited to 2-3 lens focal lengths.

These cameras are being picked up by collectors who want ones in excellent condition with no wear showing. Showing wear and users can be had for much less.

Shootar401 · Mar 6, 2012

I'm leaning towards the Contax G series and the Leica CL. The Canon and Olympus are nicely priced and seem really good too. Too many decisions.

Will the CL work with the same lenses as the Leica M series? If so that might be the best choice.

fotch · Mar 6, 2012

36cm2 said:
Works for me, Fotch. Don't know what's up. Sorry.

Well, I just tried it again, a couple of hours later, and now it works. Must of been a server or routing problem.

zsas · Mar 6, 2012

Agree Fotch, I checked it at lunch and it was down, glad those neat cameras are back online

Help me buy a rangefinder

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