If you are looking for TTL metering, all modern rangefinder cameras have that. But if you are looking for TTL flash, only the Leica M7 offers it among RF cameras in current production. The only other RFs that offered it were the Contax G/2 & the Leica M6 TTL, neither of which are in current production although the Contax G2 can still be purchased new & service is now provided by ToCad. If you hunt, you may be able to find a new M6 TTL, but if you can't, there are plenty on the used market.
Besides Leica, which currently offers both the M7 with AE and the all mechanical MP - both with 3 choices of magnification, there are two other rangefinders currently in production, both of which use M-mount & can therefore use not only their own lenses but also each others' & Leica's.
The more recent is the Zeiss Ikon, which became available for sale a year ago. It is a Leica style camera with a long base rangefinder & with aperture priority autoexposure, designed by the Zeiss optics company & contracted for manufacture under Zeiss supervision & quality control to Cosina. It is warranteed & distributed by Zeiss except in Japan. It is accompanied by its own set of lenses & auxiliary viewfinders. You can find more information about it at
www.zeissikon.com, at
www.zeiss.de & at
www.elekm.net/zeiss_ikon/. The best prices in the USA are at
www.popflash.com where it sells for about $1250.
The other is the Bessa series of rangefinder cameras, also manufactured by Cosina but under their own Voigtlander label and with their own distribution & warranty. First introduced in 1999, the Bessa series today offers 3 variations each with a mechanical version & an AE version. The Bessas have a shorter base rangefinder than the Zeiss Ikon and the Leica M7 or MP. The R2 has standard magnification, the R3 high magnification for longer lenses, & the R4, newly announced for April, lower magnification for wide angle lenses. The Voigtlander Bessas are accompanied by a full line of lenses & other accessories. You can find more information at
www.cameraquest.com, a USA distributor. You will also find the best prices there as well as at
www.photovillage.com, also a USA distributor. They sell for about $550.
No longer in production but still available new is the Rollei 35 RF, designed & manufactured for Rollei by Cosina starting in 2003, & accompanied by two classic Rollei lenses. It is an M-mount clone of the Bessa R2 but with 40/50/80 frame lines rather than the 35/50/75/90 frame lines of the R2. For fans of 40 mm lenses it offers a viewfinder with standard magnification, making the frame lines easier to see than on the high magnification Bessa R3, the only Bessa camera to use 40 frame lines. It is available at
www.bhphotovideo.com for about $550.
The other modern rangefinder built within the last 10 years is the Konica Hexar RF, introduced in 1999. It is a Leica style long base rangefinder. It was only built in a low magnification version. It has AE & is the only manual focus rangefinder camera with motorized auto rewind. It comes with its own M-mount lenses. The Hexar RF is an excellent camera, but because Konica discontinued camera production after it merged with Minolta, there have been reports that it is a problem to obtain parts, so service may be a problem. If you want to inquire about the current status of service issues & parts availability, contact Greg Weber (
www.webercamera.com), who is the top service/repair tech in USA for this camera. It is available new at
www.photostop.net for $1999 in kit form with 50/2 lens, flash, & case & is occasionally available used. Konica also made a fixed lens Hexar AF, which is very highly regarded & is also available at Photostop for $950 new.
Best of luck with your search.
