Inexpensive RF?

[thuggins]

I got an OLYMPUS 35 SP two months ago and since then I carry it with me everywhere!
It's beautiful, feels great in my hands (tried the 35 RC before and cannonet and prefer the SP by a high margin). Its leaf shutter is very quiet (well probably not like a leica RF) and perfect for low light because it is very low vibration (even compared with an olympus OM-1 that I use for wide angle street photos). The lens is very good zuiko 42mm f1.7. Fixed lens but 42mm is just perfect for street photography. The shutter has such low vibration that I've made decent photos with 1/8 sec. the only thing I don't like from it is that the lens is SINGLE COATED (blue/amber reflections instead of dark green/red).
The viewfinder is just perfect for me. Easy to adjust by yourself with two simple screwdrivers. Easy to focus.
Perfect for discrete photos very close to subject.
Very common on ebay.

The SP is a wonderful camera. It has been described as the best rangefinder ever made and certainly has one of the best lenses ever mounted onto a camera. Although they are pretty common on the evil auction site, they are not exactly cheap. And my standards my be a skewed a bit as a life-long Oly guy, but the 35SP is a bit big for a "carry everywhere" camera. While it is not the biggest 35mm that Oly made (that distinction belongs to the 35LE and 35LC), it is a big camera (for an Olympus). Also, the shutter release takes a lot of getting used to. The trapped-needle mechanism creates a long, stiff release travel and it is hard to know the exact spot where the stutter will fire.

The 35RC is far more portable, or you could split the difference and go with the 35RD.

 

[elcabezagrande]

I have seen the Yashica Lynx 14 mentioned. Great choice, great lens, but also big and heavy, and hard to find under $100. Also, the Electro 35 G series cameras. Once again, a good choice, more likely within your price range, great lens, great in low light, but aperture priority only, and very prone to electrical problems, so figure in the cost of a CLA. So lets go off the beaten path a little, sticking with Yashica, but a little less known and more affordable. I suggest the Yashica Lynx 5000. Sturdy, well built, fully manual but with a Cds meter. Top shutter speed of 1000, Yashinon 50/1.8 lens, big contrasty viewfinder, soft shutter release, a really great camera.


Yashica Lynx 5000e by Mike Novak, on Flickr

Note the size comparison between the 5000 and the 14:


DSC_0058 by Mike Novak, on Flickr

Yes, the Lynx 14 has an impressive lens. But it comes at a price, both in dollars and weight. And the lens speed difference is not really all that great. In fact, I am considering selling the 14 in favor of the 5000, because I think that I will use the latter more.

 

[Vitoret]

Have you ever tried the Voigtlander Vitoret DR?

I've picked up this beauty at a flea market for 13 euros in near mint conditions. I'm really impressed by the built quality and especially by his lens quality!
It's a real gem that generally nobody talks about