Quality, pocketable 35mm travel camera?

Arvee · May 27, 2008

I am looking for suggestions for a 35mm camera that is pocketable, has a quality lens for making large B/W prints, and is to be used for travel. I am considering the Contax T2 but am thinking something more 'manual.' I have a Minox GT 35mm that does well but isn't the best build quality, however, the Tessar lens is excellent. I have never owned a Rollei 35 but I think it is a zone focus like the Minox.

When I say pocketable, I mean shirt pocket.

Is the Nikon 35TI still a viable camera?

All suggestions welcome and any comments about print quality too.

Thanks!

Fred

Ian Grant · May 27, 2008

I borrowed my mum's P35 AF Pentax, a few years ago, I think that's the right name, it was auto focus, auto everything and remarkably good, the negatives were outstanding, it did have a back-light over-ride. It was pocketable, it wasn't a camera I'd have thought of trying I just borrowed it for a holiday. I used to use a Canon Demi and that was brilliant, a half frame, unfortunately a friend borrowed it and dropped it, camera's fine but the meters dead, I have an Olympus half frame now instead.

Olympus made a great small camera, was it the XA, I want to switch off when I use these cameras, stick em on auto

Ian

Andrew Moxom · May 27, 2008

A Yashica T4 if you can find one, or an Olympus XA (version 1 is the rangefinder) if you want to get more involved

Ian Tindale · May 27, 2008

2F/2F · May 27, 2008

Yashica Electro 35. If that is too big (and I personally think it IS to big to be called "pocketable"), Leica thread mount. Not only one of my favorite cameras to use, but extremely small and extremely high quality. Of course, they are about $300, while an Electro 35 might be $5 to $10.

mrtoml · May 27, 2008

I have an XA, an XA2 and a T4. The T4 is the easiest to use (AF) and probably has the best lens. The XA has a pretty dim RF patch and is hard to focus, and the XA2 is a zone focus type camera. Using the XA I have blown up shots to 11x14 where its limits really start to show - I haven't blown up T4 shots that big.

I have also heard great things about the Ricoh GR series. I had a GRD (the digital version which has similar ergonomics) and it is a great little camera with a top notch lens (pity about the sensor). The film GRs seem to be very expensive used otherwise I probably would get one.

pentaxuser · May 27, 2008

In my shirt pocket I could only fit an Olympus Mju II which is one of the few cameras I know which can fit into a large hand and be completely covered. It has a superb lens, is very weatherproof but is auto everything. If you really mean a shirt pocket then unless your shirts have very large pockets, cameras which don't have a lens which is integral with the body are unlikely to fit. Jacket or even some trouser pockets such as you see on "safari" type trouser of course allow you much more scope.

Even with a good lens such as the Olympus MjuII has, prints above 8x10 are likely to show some grain with say ISO 400 film but no more so than big 35mm SLRs like the F5.

pentaxuser

fschifano · May 27, 2008

Make that another vote for either the Olympus MJU (aka Stylus Epic) with the fixed 35mm f/2.8 (fast) lens or the Yashica T4 Super with the 35 mm f/3.5 (a tiny bit slower) lens. I have and use both. The Olympus will fit in a shirt pocket. The Yashica needs a large shirt pocket. Both have good lenses. Both have good auto focus and auto exposure systems. Can't go wrong with either of them. The Olympus can be had new from B&H for $80! The Yashica, I believe, is out of production.

cmo · May 27, 2008

pentaxuser said:
In my shirt pocket I could only fit an Olympus Mju II which is one of the few cameras I know which can fit into a large hand and be completely covered. It has a superb lens, is very weatherproof but is auto everything. If you really mean a shirt pocket then unless your shirts have very large pockets, cameras which don't have a lens which is integral with the body are unlikely to fit. Jacket or even some trouser pockets such as you see on "safari" type trouser of course allow you much more scope.

Even with a good lens such as the Olympus MjuII has, prints above 8x10 are likely to show some grain with say ISO 400 film but no more so than big 35mm SLRs like the F5.

pentaxuser

I second that recommendation. The mju II is tiny, robust, has a great lens, is silent and well made. If you are on a budget you might find that a Yashica T3 is bigger than your shirt pocket, but shares all other benefits of the Mju II - and you get it on ebay for 5$ or so.

Mike Richards · May 27, 2008

Understand they are no longer in production, but the Leica CM/CM Zoom gets my vote in this category. The lens is superb, the autofocus and auto exposure work very well, and the whole camera has a solid quality feel to it. I posted some CM Zoom images of the 2007 Dead Link Removed.

Mike Crawford · May 27, 2008

Konica Hexar

Not sure what your price range is, but I do love my Konika Hexar which has a fixed 35mm lens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica_Hexar
I see there is one on ebay just now at;
http://cgi.ebay.com/Konica-Hexar-Bl...ryZ15234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They did make an interchangeable lens model later on but I've never tried one of those, but for a quiet, hand held 35mm, which also has a very nice dedicated (external) flash unit, the Hexar is great. I haven't used mine for about a month, and just writing about it makes me want to take it out tomorrow evening. (The meter is pretty good even in low light conditions.) The lens has been compared to Leica optics and it is f2.
I'll say no more!!
Mike

df cardwell · May 27, 2008

If you can be limited to no greater than a 16x20 from Tri X,
you'll be able to get along with the Yashica T4 Super D !

The XA is wonderful as well.

Mike Crawford · May 27, 2008

PS. Konica Hexar

Having just re-read your original post, I have to admit it is not quite shirt pocket size, but it is very lightweight, and on the shoulder, you don't know it's there. More chance of finding a good quality 'shirt pocket sized' digital camera than a real 35mm one I reckon!

Arvee · May 27, 2008

Mike, I'm flexible and am now looking at other larger packages. I am not budget limited and want a quality camera but was hoping I had perhaps missed some of the smaller options. I have now expanded the search to slightly bigger fixed lens offerings. That Hexar looks interesting!

I do have a Domke photo vest which has monster pockets. Weight is also a consideration if I have to go larger to get the quality I need.

Fred

voceumana · May 27, 2008

Take a look at the new Voigtlander Bessa series (made by Cosina). I've got a couple of these, and find them to be very nice travel cameras. Use 800 speed color print film, and you can even do available light indoor shots. The interchangeable RF lenses are SMALL compared to SLR lenses. A 35 or 40 mm lens is a nice single lens travel setup. Well worth considering. They won't fit in a shirt pocket, but will fit in a large jacket pocket. These are mostly metal cameras, well built, and pretty affordable.

Charlie Strack

removed account4 · May 27, 2008

i loved our t4, but we used it so much the metering system stopped working.
it only focused 1 out of 3 zones so all of our photographs were blurry.
i don't mind blurry ... unless i want infocus

have you thought of a retina ?

dynachrome · May 27, 2008

Pocketable 35

Whether a camera is pocketable depends partly on the size of your pocket. A Kodak Trimlite 48 110 bar shaped camera is slim while a Pentax Auto 110 is thicker but smaller and lighter. My favorite small camera is the Minolta Hi-Matic 7SII. It has a sharp 40/1.7 lens with a coupled ragefinder and it allows you to set shutter speeds and f/stops manually. Other nice cameras in this size range include the Olympus RC and RD, the Canonet QL17 GIII, the Konica C35 and Auto S3. I like the Rollei 35 cameras I have but they are not as easy to use if you get too close. I don't like the Olympus XA. It's just not very sturdy. I also don't like the Minox 35 cameras very much. They're also not too sturdy.

benjiboy · May 27, 2008

Are you sure your Minox 35GT Has a Tessar lens Fred ?, I just got mine out and looked at it and it has a Colour -Minotar 35mm 2.8 lens.

removed account4 · May 27, 2008

SNIP

dynachrome said:
A Kodak Trimlite 48 110 bar shaped camera is slim while a Pentax Auto 110 is thicker but smaller and lighter.

i was going to suggest an auto 110 as well. i have one with 3 or lenses. it is a very nice camera. i travelled 2 times overseas with it, and was very happy with the results i got.

unfortunately, he wants a 35mm

john

DBP · May 27, 2008

Kodak Retina IIa
Zeiss Contessa

MMfoto · May 27, 2008

Minox 35's are crap, but also highly recommendable! Get a Minox 35 ML (the only one worth buying, as it's the only model that doesn't cost a fortune AND has exposure lock), have a backup camera, and check the shutter frequently. The lens is terrrific, as is the viewfinder(for such a small camera). Should cost about $100 or less. A Leica CM or a T4 is probably a more sensible recommendation, but I pine for the little ML I used to own. I end up using it in a way that doesn't happen with other cameras....

frotog · May 27, 2008

Contax T2. Retractable lens. Stout. Very sharp. Will fit in shirt pocket.

Michael W · May 27, 2008

I've been using a Nikon 28ti for ten years. It's quite similar to the 35ti in most respects. Lens quality is superb. It has a choice of exposure modes - full auto or aperture priority as well as exposure compensation 2 stops over or under the meter. You can also change from centre weighted to matrix metering. It is auto focus but you can select manual focus using the distance scale on the top panel.

The 28ti came with a leather pouch with a belt loop & that's where I wear mine. I don't think the 35 came with the pouch. they'd be too big for regular pockets but would easily fit a photo vest pocket. Neither model has been made for at least 10 years so you'd need to search the 2nd hand market. I've seen ones described as mint selling for around $500.

I'm very happy with my 28ti - it's the best I've seen of the high quality compacts.

Jersey Vic · May 27, 2008

Like many others, I'd go with the Stylus Epic. It has an excellent lens and metering and alot of flash options. Really tiny and cheap.

Anscojohn · May 27, 2008

Rollei Prego, with a 3.5 Rollei lens. And, like Jersey Vic says, the Ollie Stylus Epic. In fact, I might actually have one still in the box if anyone needs one.
Jaykhill@aol.com

Quality, pocketable 35mm travel camera?

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