Looking for a small pocket sized 35mm camera?

Regular Rod · Dec 15, 2013

If it's a jacket pocket that you want to put the camera into along with keys, coins, lint-spreading tissues, pocket knife and other battering impedimenta, you might consider a little folding camera like the Certo Super Dollina II. It protects itself by being a folder, no lens cap to lose or fall off in your pocket leaving the lens at the mercy of your pocket's contents and your greasy finger tips when you reach inside to get your camera out. The range finder is coupled and the view finder corrects itself for parallax when working close up. The lens is a Tessar 2.8/50 rendering sharp negatives good enough for a fair degree of enlargement. They are not expensive either. One went on eBay recently for $80...

RR

TheToadMen · Dec 15, 2013

I like the Olympus Mju II (also called: Stylus Epic in the USA).
See: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Olympus_mju_II
It has very good autofocus, trustworthy light meter and easy to handle. It is quick and waterproof.
And it fits right into any pocket. It has a fixed focus lens: 35mm, f/2.8.
It can be found as cheap as $30 sometimes.

I bought mine in 2007 and used it to shoot one image a day. Now I take it along whenever I can't or won't take a (larger) camera with me. I even use it as a real Point&Shoot without using the view finder for a quick shot, when the family is waiting, and with good results!
Especially in B&W.

Recommended.

Les Sarile · Dec 15, 2013

egemily said:
I want to find a small pocket sized 35mm film camera, that i can take everywhere with ease that is affordable. What are some camera I should look into?

(Preferably with the same styles like the Minoltas SRT and many other film camera of that time)

The SRT was typical SLR size - and weight, of that time. Olympus released the Pen series to address the size of the body and lenses but at the cost of cutting the already small film format in half. Olympus later released the full frame OM series that provided this small size with a huge viewfinder without sacrificing film size. Pentax M series followed suit and kept the more traditional control layout. The Olympus Epic was even smaller but of course it is as far away from the Minolta SRT style as you can get as it is only has autoexposure.

So if you're looking for a fully manual SLR like the SRT, I believe the Pentax MX with a 40mm f2.8 pancake lens is the smallest full frame all metal 35mm fully manual SLR combination that may fit a jacket pocket.

pen s · Dec 15, 2013

What, no Olympus 35RC!

Small, full manual or shutter priority auto, fine lens and affordable.

fotch · Dec 15, 2013

Got some great shots on my Minox 35, however, does not have the best reputation for reliability.

egemily · Dec 15, 2013

Astrozon said it best. Looking for a small camera with retro look. Great responses really looking into a lot of them.

I've seen the Minolta Hi-matic around a lot. The Hi-matic G seems to be smaller than the 7s, has anyone had any experience with it?

elcabezagrande · Dec 15, 2013

The Hi-Matic G is a viewfinder camera, not a rangefinder, and has a slower lens at f2.8 than does the 7S. If you want a compact rangefinder with a fast lens, look at the Hi-Matic 7SII, the Hi-Matic E, the Konica Auto S3, the Vivitar 35ES, or some of the Olympus 35 models.

Patrick Robert James · Dec 15, 2013

The two best POCKET size cameras I have used are the Ricoh GR-1 and the Minox 35. They have incredible lenses, but they are both getting old, so reliability is an issue. Other small cameras work fine but are not the greatest optically. The Yashica T-4 for example has a stellar reputation but I found that while the lens is high contrast, it isn't really very sharp. The contrast makes it look good though at the small enlargement sizes for which it was designed.

Black Dog · Dec 15, 2013

Olympus Trip! Also a big fan of the Pentax MX, with a 40mm pancake lens.

Rolfe Tessem · Dec 15, 2013

Minolta SRT looking and pocketable are probably contradictory requirements. If you just want a fine pocket 35mm, look no further than the Contax T3.

jwd722 · Dec 15, 2013

Black Dog said:
Olympus Trip! Also a big fan of the Pentax MX, with a 40mm pancake lens.

The only problem with the 40mm is that it will cost more than the camera...sure wish I had one though!

(hint hint) anyone?

Roger Cole · Dec 15, 2013

I love my MX. In fact I have both an MX and an LX and enjoy shooting with the MX more though the LX is undeniably more capable in some ways (excellent off the film AE including TTL flash.) But even though it's quite compact for an SLR I wouldn't consider it a pocket camera even with the pancake lens.

Christopher Walrath · Dec 15, 2013

Don't overlook older rangefinders that can be found on the cheap on eBay. I still have my old ZI Contina 35mm RF that I picked up about 11 years ago for $25 USD on eBay. Every once in a while I pull it out. Light meter still works like a charm. I love this camera. And it by far not the only example that either I or everyone else could come up with. It's a great conversation piece out in public when I want to be seen and inconspicuous enough when I do not.

elekm · Dec 15, 2013

Which model do you have? The only Contina with a rangefinder is the Contina II with the uncoupled rangefinder. But it didn't have a meter.

But I agree that it's a very nice folding camera.

elcabezagrande · Dec 15, 2013

The Ansco Super Regent/Agfa Super Solinette are very nice compact 35mm folding rangefinders, especially when paired with the 2.8 Solinar lens, and they will not break the bank. The same could be said for their rigid cousins, the Super Memar and Super Silette.

Pioneer · Dec 15, 2013

The Super Regent is a wonderfully compact little 35. It really is a nice, pocket 35. It is great fun to shoot. But my lens is a 50/3.5 Solinar, not a 2.8, though one might have been made. The other potential issue is that they are getting older and it is becoming harder to find good, reliable examples.

AstroZon · Dec 16, 2013

egemily said:
Astrozon said it best. Looking for a small camera with retro look. Great responses really looking into a lot of them.

I've seen the Minolta Hi-matic around a lot. The Hi-matic G seems to be smaller than the 7s, has anyone had any experience with it?

The Olympus 35 RC is a nice rangefinder, smaller than most Minolta rangefinders of the same era: http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/olympus_35_rc.htm

Konica C35 is another: http://elekm.net/pages/cameras/konica_c35_auto.htm

A more modern camera, but with a retro look is the Canon Sure Shot Classic 120. The same camera is also named the Canon Prima Super 120.
These are 35mm film point & shoot cameras and were made in 1999 but have a very retro look: http://mattsclassiccameras.com/canon_classic120.html

jeffreyg · Dec 16, 2013

Contax TVS. Mine can be used auto or manual, built-in flash with a couple of modes and the lens can take screw-in filters.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

elcabezagrande · Dec 16, 2013

Pioneer said:
The Super Regent is a wonderfully compact little 35. It really is a nice, pocket 35. It is great fun to shoot. But my lens is a 50/3.5 Solinar, not a 2.8, though one might have been made. The other potential issue is that they are getting older and it is becoming harder to find good, reliable examples.

My mistake. It seems the 2.8 Solinar was available on the Memar and Silette, but not on the Agfa/Ansco 35mm folders.

elekm · Dec 16, 2013

The Agfa/Ansco Solinette/Regent cameras were available with either Apotar (triplet) or Solinar (four-element) lenses set in either a Pronto(r) or Compur shutter.

And I think you are correct in that they were all f/3.5.

The Apotar is a well-designed triplet, while the Solinar was offered as the "premium" lens. Both are very good performers.

Here's my review of the Agfa Super Solinette.

Always be aware that any Agfa camera might have pinholes in the bellows and/or extremely stiff or frozen focusing helicals. Plus, the usual issues with older cameras: Rangefinder calibration, viewfinder cleaning, shutter service.

Regular Rod · Dec 16, 2013

Agfa bellows...

I think there are at least two different materials that may have been used to make bellows for Agfa folding cameras. Certainly the ones with a fabric lining and a less "plasticky" outer surface are fine, heavy-duty items that, up to now, have been trouble free for me. The frozen focusing helical I have come across on an example bought for spares and I would dearly love to know the cause and cure...

As a user (and fan) of the Agfa Record III, I'd say a well looked after version takes some beating.

RR

elcabezagrande · Dec 16, 2013

Regular Rod said:
Agfa bellows...
The frozen focusing helical I have come across on an example bought for spares and I would dearly love to know the cause and cure...

RR

Read here:

http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00bJlu

And here is a photoset detailing the cleaning and repair of the Compur-Rapid shutter on my Agfa Jsorette (Isorette) currently being serviced by a friend:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157638711533396/with/11393033484/

And similar repairs being done on my Ansco B2 Speedex

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157638716527096/

Regular Rod · Dec 16, 2013

elcabezagrande said:
Read here:

http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00bJlu

And here is a photoset detailing the cleaning and repair of the Compur-Rapid shutter on my Agfa Jsorette (Isorette) currently being serviced by a friend:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157638711533396/with/11393033484/

And similar repairs being done on my Ansco B2 Speedex

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157638716527096/

Thank you! That is so helpful.

RR

alienmeatsack · Dec 16, 2013

Adding in my two cents to this...

When I carry pocketable cameras, I tend to go for my Lomo LC-A if I want a little control over the shots, my Olympus Stylus Infinity if I want it to do all the work, and my Leica MiniZoom if I want zoom and a little exposure control. The LMZ is a little bulky but it still fits in the pocket nicely. I think the easiest in and out of a pocket would be the Olympus Stylus Infinity but my fave of these is the LC-A. There's just something about shooting with it that is magical and it's tiny and light. SO it's my goto.

There are so many 35mm cameras out there from over the years, so many choices. I do not envy anyone trying to pick one specifically. I'd have to try a dozen or more to figure what works for my needs. Because, I need more cameras.

Steve Roberts · Dec 17, 2013

The Olympus mjuII is a great disappointment for me. Excellent lens, good exposures, weatherproof, compact ..... yet the two I've had both suffer badly from light leaks around the back seal.

Steve

Looking for a small pocket sized 35mm camera?

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