Looking for a small 35mm camera for every day use.

[Markok765]

I'm looking for a camera I can take anywhere.
I need it to be small, manual exposure(or shutter or apeture priority)
and manual focus or zone focus.
I would like it to be under 100$
Please help, i dont want to go d*igital for this.


Marko

 

[clogz]

How about an Olympus XA?

Hans

 

[tony lockerbie]

Hans is probably on the right track with the Olly XA, I would also add their 35RC or even the Trip35.
The Rollei 35's are pretty special too but would probably blow your budget to pieces.
Tony

 

[Mick Fagan]

I also agree about the XA.

I have been using one of these since 1980 when I bought my first one.

I permanently carry one with 400 ASA film loaded. The film speed set to 320 ASA and I just fire away.

If you get a situation where you have backlight then you just flip the little lever on the base out and you have 1.5 stop more exposure to get a better exposure on your subject.

The accessory flash isn't that great, I don't use it any more, just change the film speed to 640 and process accordingly.

I get very good and useable negs under fleuro lights with a 2.8 aperture setting and the shutter running around 1/30 to 1/60 as it does.

The tripod socket is plastic, so check that the threads are still there.

Mick.

 

[Mike Kovacs]

Rollei 35

 

[firecracker]

A Kodak Retinette Ia or II with a cheap Sekonic light meter will do within your budget.

 

[Schlapp]

I agree, Retinette 1a - great little camera with sharp lens and cheap as chips

 

[elekm]

I'd probably find one of those 1970s Japanese rangefinders and then replace the foam seals.

 

[Mark Fisher]

I have a number of 70's rangefinders and any of them fit your criteria, but my Olympus XA is the one that goes everywhere with me.

 

[Paul Howell]

If you shoot color, and are looking for very large prints, then an APS camera, like a Cannon Elf, dirt cheap, and tiny.

 

[salamandrine]

I have a very small Kiev 35A. Fits in any pocket

 

[salamandrine]

APS it's way to expensive on developing :S

 

[Jack Lusted]

Or how about a Minox 35 G TE.

I love mine, never let me down and just slips in a pocket.

 

[PhotoJim]

As silly as it might sound, why not a good Soviet rangefinder with a collapsible lens? Not expensive... a little bigger and heavier but still small. Completely adjustable.

 

[Kevin Roach]

My walk-around camera has become the Voigtlander Vito II.

 

[ricksplace]

If you like manual, try a fed 5. The machining in it feels like it was done by the Leningrad Locomotive Works, but the optics are outstanding. Cheap like borscht (sp?).

 

[DannL]

I think you would love the original Olympus XA (not referring to the later XA versions). You would have a difficult time prying mine from my cold dead hands, should that become necessary. It's a rangefinder and is also a finely sculptured work of art. Fits in your shirt pocket. A real pleasure to drive. ;-)

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?OlympusXA.html~mainFrame

 

[FrankB]

My suggestions are Rollei 35 if you can afford it, Canonet QL17 or QL19 if you can't.

 

[salamandrine]

A FED5 is hardly portable.... at least to my muscles ehehehe

 

[hka]

Go for a Rollei 35 S. Razor sharp and independant shutter and diaphragm choices. Diaphragm at 1/3 f=stops. Superb picture quality.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Another vote for an Olympus XA (original version) or an Olympus RC. Nice, cheap camera, easy to use, easy to find on the used market. Another great one to hunt around for is a Kodak Retina IIa. It will be pushing the limits of your budget, but it makes for a great all-manual pocketable rangefinder.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I'm looking for a camera I can take anywhere. Marko

I use a Yashica T4, but it isn't manual. Only rarely have I found I wished for manual feautures on it, though. The price of used ones has been falling, I haven't checked but they should be available in the $100 range. There are other choices in ye' olde pointe and shootes.

Many people like Olympus' XA and Stylus Epic - I have had one of each and I must be unlucky, they were both miserable cameras.

Classic glass includes the Canon Canonette G17 QLIII [or some such numbers] and the Olympus SP 35. The SP has a wonderful lens on it.

For the best picture quality for the buck try a medium format folder like a Zeiss Nettar or Agfa Isolette [bellows on the Agfas can be a problem, as can 'green gunk' syndrome]. I enjoy walking the dog in the park with one of these in my jacket pocket, they really satisfy.

 

[DBP]

Easily pocketable:

Olympus XA, XA2, etc.
Minox 35/Kiev 35A
Retina II or IIa
Zeiss Contessa
Petri Color 35
(the Lomo LC-a and Cosina CX-2 should be on this list, but the Lomographers have bid them way out of any reasonable price range - really should sell mine)

Slightly larger, but still easy to carry all day:
Canonets
Olympus 35 RC, RD, SP
Olympus Pen
FED 1 & 2, Zorki 1 & c, Kievs
Universal Mercury II (a truly cool camera)
Konica C35
Petri 35
Petri 1.9 or 2.8 (great ergonomics)

 

[Markok765]

My current all day photography set up is:
A Pentax sp500
55mm
105mm
35mm
85-210F4
Pentax spotmeter V
Canon digital with 50mm lens
Holga
20 rolls of film, and some other stuff.
around 14 LB

 

[Whiteymorange]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Minox-35-EL-35m...161QQihZ011QQcategoryZ626QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem