(Pro Quality) 35MM P&S

RedTownCats said:

If you a tempted by the suggestion of a small SLR you could look at the Nikon EM series:

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The EM/FG are known to have a lot of un-fixable electronic problems. Get a FE, its a lot better camera with a decent track record.

If $150 is the budget, why not get a Canon, Nikon or Olympus SLR with a couple of prime lenses to suit your shooting style. I have an Olymus XA and like it. I might not like it if it was my only camera. Bill Barber

thanks all for the replies, they are much appreciated

after talking with a dear friend of mine today, he and i came to the agreement that if I were to borrow one of his Leica m6 bodies(of his 3) and a lens, I let him borrow my rz kit for the duration of the period.

To me it sounded like a good proposition, and since he's a friend, we can trust each other 100% with each other's equipment.

so the close focus is kind of out now, but having that leica glass in my hands makes up for it somewhat.

thanks again and blessings,

-dan

Either of Nikon's Ti cameras or the Contax P&S would fill the bill except for The budget.
Yashica T4 also has a good reputation.

Used Leica minilux would be in the range of $150 - $200. I picked one up for about $150 a few years ago and find it to give contrasty, "punchy" photos but still with creamy OOF rendition that reminds me of the 50mm summicron.

I agree, also, that the Hexar AF is also a great fixed lens camera with terrific glass (although perhaps not exactly a point and shoot), if you can work around the limited shutter speeds. Super quiet as well.

DanielStone said:

I was wondering if any of you could recommend a real top-end 35mm p&s…

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Dan,

The Leica M6 is a top-end 35mm but it hardly falls into the category of Point & Shoot.

A Nikon 35Ti is an excellent P&S camera. The only one, I believe, with matrix metering.

Contax T, Minox 35GT - both are tiny, about as small as you can make a 35mm camera, but come with fabulous lenses. Neither are automated in the focus department though.

Probably smaller and lighter than the film backs for the RZ

I have used the Olympus Stylus Epic for years when I want a camera in my shirt pocket that can take excellent pictures.

For this budget, it's hard to beat the Yashica T5 (= T4 Super). That little T* Tessar is superb, and it's no wonder this camera has a cult following. Sharp and colourful, and I've found it hard to trick the metering. It really is a P&S, so there's no over-ride of any kind, except for the flash, and the downside is that the flash can only be put to 'Off' on a per-frame basis, otherwise it's Auto. For my use, that's never a problem, and this P&S goes everywhere with me, either as my camera of the day, or as my 35mm backup. No hotshoe (it's a P&S!).

The Contax T2 is fabulous, but probably beyond your budget.

For rangefinders, it's hard to beat the delicious little Olympus 35RC. Flash shoe, with ingenious GN coupling which makes sure you have the right flash aperture just by focussing. Lens is sharp enough to be a safety hazard. Takes naughty batteries or zinc-air cells, but they only power the meter, not the camera. Can't think of a bad thing to say about this peach.

Using a small SLR is an option, and though I'd stick with my earlier recommendations, I'd add a mention for a Yashica FX-3 with the 45/2.8 Zeiss 'Pancake' Tessar. Small enough to slip in a pocket, but big enough in performance to tackle almost anything.

I'd also add a vote to the recommendation for the Nikon EM/FG with a Series E 50/1.8. Beautifully petite and compact. The EM is an aperture priority auto exposure only camera with a two-stop compensation button. The FG adds full manual control and two Program modes.

I have had mine for more years than I can recall -- about twenty I think -- and never had any problems with the electrics. Well, there is an occasional but pretty rare thing found with the EM, which is when the meter needle showing the shutter speed appears to jump about. However, this is usually due to a built up of oxide on the resistor strip for the meter, and this is very easily fixed, by simply (and carefully) removing the lens mount flange. The resistor strip is easily visible, and is cleaned using something like the rubber on the end of a pencil. That's it.

However, the T5 is hard to beat ; it's a photographic gem.


Alex