Help me buy a rangefinder

[Shootar401]

Forget the Leica CL, although the body is in my price range, the lenses will kill me.

 

[stradibarrius]

If you are open to another idea...I have a Nikon FE and with a 50mm f1.8 lens it is as small and light as several of the rangefinders I have had. They are tough, easy to find and not expensive. just a thought.

 

[LyleB]

Let me throw the Yashica Electro 35 into the mix. My particular flavor is the GSN (liked the first one so much, I bought a second), but all are well regarded. Excellent 45mm f:1.7 lens. Very quiet. Not the smallest camera, but incredibly sharp photos.

 

[zsas]

As a happy Yashica owner (Lynx 14E), I agree w Lyle, below is a great user review of the Yashica Electro series if you end up going that route....

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2011/05/06/is-the-yashica-electro-the-best-deal-in-rangefinder-photography-by-ricky-opaterny/

 

[jeffreyg]

While you are searching check for a Contax TVS. A nice looking titanium bodied small camera with a small degree of zoom with its Zeiss lens. It can be used manually or with a couple of programs and has a built-in flash and panoramic feature.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[BryceEsquerre]

You should get yourself a Bessa r2 with a color skopar 50mm (or whatever focal length you like) . If you look really hard you can get a good deal on one. I
Got this kit brand new in the box with a voigtlander adapter for 450 locally on craigslist. I am in love with it. It handles so beautifully. It is my first rangefinder and I rarely even use my slr's now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Shootar401]

So I ended up buying a Nikon FM with a Nikkor 50 ƒ/1.8 to hold me over while I devour all the great info everybody has been give me regarding the rangefinders. I'm really liking a few of the suggestions, I wish I could justify buying all of them.

 

[pstake]

That Nikkor 50 f1.8 is a quality normal prime, especially considering how inexpensive it is. It's a very underrated lens IMHO. This is coming from a lifetime Contax / Zeiss user. Enjoy!

 

[kivis]

You might just end keeping the FM.

 

[SafetyBob]

I was going to say FA or FE.....probably FE most of all, but I agree you will probably be keeping the FM for awhile. Lovely camera. Personally, I would like the built in metering of the FE. I do agree with you that when I haul around the old F4S I have, it can become a heavy load....sure does look cool though.....especially with the old Metz potato masher flash!! Makes you look like you know what your doing.

My favorite light weigh solution is an N75. You can use your old lenses or any of the AF lenses.......and it is feather light. If you have a bunch of AF lenses, I recommend you look into the N75......I believe you can still pick up good used one for next to nothing....I got both of my for around $50 per copy a couple of years ago. Certainly not as heavy duty as the F4 or your FM, but wonderful nice little consumer grade camera.


Bob E.