Recommendations Please!

Thomas Keidan · Dec 10, 2017

Hi Everyone,

I currently have an Olympus 35 RC as well as an Olympus Mju II. I'm currently looking for a small pocketable camera that I can take out with me. The Mju is great but I would like something that is more manual. The Olympus 35 RC is small but not that small... I can fit it in a jacket pocket but it's not as convenient to carry around as the mju. So does anyone have any recommendations on what I could get for a similar price as the Mju and 35 RC (around £100-150). A couple of options I have seen are the Rollei 35 S and the Olympus XA but any other recommendations would be much appreciated! If anyone has any experience with either of these models and can let me know how they perform in relation to what I already have that would be great!

ic-racer · Dec 10, 2017

You are searching for the holy grail. I'm still looking. I don't think a tiny, metal , match-needle meter, 35mm full frame rangefinder with wide angle lens was ever made, yet I bet half the people on this forum would want one. I think I have seen it all, but sometimes I'm surprised by something posted here.
This Bessa satisfies most of my requirements, but it is still a full-size camera. It does, however, fit in the large pockets of my jacket.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 10, 2017

Retina IIa, 100% mechanical and manual, no meter, with a superb f:2 lens. But - it is an old camera, finding one which works as it should can be a challenge. Rollei 35s (I have one) has a stellar lens but oddly placed controls and isn't for everyone; also the meter may or may not work, and quite alot of them have impact damage from being dropped - read "avoid". I don't know the Olympus, I tend to avoid plastic.
Others will have many more excellent suggestions.

Thomas Keidan · Dec 10, 2017

ic-racer said:
You are searching for the holy grail. I'm still looking. I don't think a tiny, metal , match-needle meter, 35mm full frame rangefinder with wide angle lens was ever made, yet I bet half the people on this forum would want one. I think I have seen it all, but sometimes I'm surprised by something posted here.
This Bessa satisfies most of my requirements, but it is still a full-size camera. It does, however, fit in the large pockets of my jacket.

Thanks for the recommendation, unfortunately that appears to be way out of my budget! Looks amazing though!

Thomas Keidan · Dec 10, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
Retina IIa, 100% mechanical and manual, no meter, with a superb f:2 lens. But - it is an old camera, finding one which works as it should can be a challenge. Rollei 35s (I have one) has a stellar lens but oddly placed controls and isn't for everyone; also the meter may or may not work, and quite alot of them have impact damage from being dropped - read "avoid". I don't know the Olympus, I tend to avoid plastic.
Others will have many more excellent suggestions.

Thanks, the Rollei 35s looks a bid 'odd' but for it's size it looks like it could do a decent job. The Oympus XA looks tiny but looks a bit 'childish' in my opinion so i'll have to give that one some thought. In terms of plastic I absolutely love my Mju II for its light construction. Yes, I have to look after it a bit more than the 35 RC but in my opinion it's thoroughly worth it!

pentaxuser · Dec 10, 2017

Frankly a 645 or 66 folder might suit the bill better. Once folded these take up less space and fit the dimensions of a pocket better

pentaxuxer

E. von Hoegh · Dec 10, 2017

Thomas Keidan said:
Thanks, the Rollei 35s looks a bid 'odd' but for it's size it looks like it could do a decent job. The Oympus XA looks tiny but looks a bit 'childish' in my opinion so i'll have to give that one some thought. In terms of plastic I absolutely love my Mju II for its light construction. Yes, I have to look after it a bit more than the 35 RC but in my opinion it's thoroughly worth it!

Oh, the Rollei does a wonderful job, I really like mine. Be aware there is no rangefinder though.

macfred · Dec 10, 2017

+1 for a folder - my Super Ikonta III fits the inner pocket of my suit jacket.

Super Ikonta III - 531/16 by Andreas, on Flickr

Thomas Keidan · Dec 10, 2017

pentaxuser said:
Frankly a 645 or 66 folder might suit the bill better. Once folded these take up less space and fit the dimensions of a pocket better

pentaxuxer

Thanks, i'll take a look!

Thomas Keidan · Dec 10, 2017

macfred said:
+1 for a folder - my Super Ikonta III fits the inner pocket of my suit jacket.

Super Ikonta III - 531/16 by Andreas, on Flickr

Thanks

ic-racer · Dec 10, 2017

Or, if one has small pockets...I have used all of these from time to time. The Minolta 16II is fully metal, fully adjustable mechanical shutter speed and f-stop and focuses! The Minolta QT has all that and a fully adjustable settings wtih built-in meter. Non-automatic.

Gerry M · Dec 10, 2017

Maybe a bit hard to find, but the Zenobia 645 with Neo Hespar lens (Tessar type) is a very compact kit. Image quality is excellent. Jeans back pocket, or jacket pocket. Usually under $100 US $$.

Thomas Keidan · Dec 10, 2017

Gerry M said:
Maybe a bit hard to find, but the Zenobia 645 with Neo Hespar lens (Tessar type) is a very compact kit. Image quality is excellent. Jeans back pocket, or jacket pocket. Usually under $100 US $$.

Thanks i'll take a look at those! Currently also looking for some decent film to start shooting, thinking fuji superia 400 but can't find good bulk offers

Ko.Fe. · Dec 10, 2017

I was into small cameras for sometime. XA, Minox 35 are at the age now then they crap out after sometime, if in actual use and taken in and out from the pouch and in, out from the pocket all year around.
Next small, advanced and not dependant on electronics is Rolley 35. It is nowhere fast to get ready for image taking and heavy as grenade, but no S is needed for very good pictures.
IMO, real Minox and 16mm sub-minies are total exotic on film handling, developing and scanning, printing. Not worth it, if you need picture, not the process. IMO.

Thomas Keidan · Dec 10, 2017

Ko.Fe. said:
I was into small cameras for sometime. XA, Minox 35 are at the age now then they crap out after sometime, if in actual use and taken in and out from the pouch and in, out from the pocket all year around.
Next small, advanced and not dependant on electronics is Rolley 35. It is nowhere fast to get ready for image taking and heavy as grenade, but no S is needed for very good pictures.
IMO, real Minox and 16mm sub-minies are total exotic on film handling, developing and scanning, printing. Not worth it, if you need picture, not the process. IMO.

That's a shame about the XA, I was leaning towards that as an option but obviously would be using it a fair bit and not letting it gather dust!

R.Gould · Dec 10, 2017

From my own collection, Retina 11a, Zeiss Ikon Contina/contessa or ikonta 35mm, Voightlander vito 1,2 or 3,retina 2, just a few of the many folders that will fit your bill, all small enough to fit in your pocket, heavier than your others but smaller than most, also, any retina folder,will produce great images, I use them all, all the time,

ic-racer · Dec 10, 2017

Ko.Fe. said:
IMO, real Minox and 16mm sub-minies are total exotic on film handling, developing and scanning, printing. Not worth it, if you need picture, not the process. IMO.

Yes, very much so. Lots of work to use those. I lith print them; it is very time consuming 'process oriented' work.

MattKing · Dec 10, 2017

The XA is your best choice, if an Olympus Mju II is too large.

Chan Tran · Dec 10, 2017

I don't have the Mju but I do have the 35RC, the XA, the Rollei 35s and the Retina IIa. The Retina is very nice but I don't consider it as pocketable. Many years ago I though I may like the Rollei 35 but now I have one I don't like it. I do like both the 35RC and the XA so if you want a change I would recommend the XA.

georg16nik · Dec 10, 2017

Check out Cosina CX-2/Lomo LC-A or Barnack style FED/Zorki with collapsible 3,5/50;

tedr1 · Dec 10, 2017

I agree that the XA fits the bill perfectly, the trick is to find one that has been gently used and is not worn out (film advance, shutter, body clamshell).

Craig75 · Dec 10, 2017

ic-racer said:
Yes, very much so. Lots of work to use those. I lith print them; it is very time consuming 'process oriented' work.
View attachment 191642

Killing it there. Great image

Oh and to OP - shooting with full auto compact is a tricky skill. Does it have exposure lock? If it does then suddenly you have a lot of control. If not you could just hack dx code for more depth of field or denser negatives for example. Try and make friends with this camera first before getting a new one (would by my advice). Full auto compact is a lot harder than shooting manual in my experience and you have to shoot a few rolls before you understand what its doing in different situations.

guangong · Dec 10, 2017

I have and use Rollei 35 (bought day camera was first put on market), which is capable of magnificent pictures, an XA, which is much lighter than the Rollei but with (somewhat squinty) rangefinder, also capable of remarkable pictures. I like my Retinas and Contessa, but they are larger and not so convenient as to always carry around. I use Minox 8x11 and Minolta 16II regularly. I find that Minox 35 cameras always seem to die at the least opportune moment and that the “more advanced” Minolta 16 cameras are closer in size to a Rollei 35, so why not go Rollei 35? A Minox III is about as small as you can get and quite capable for an intimate style of photography. It is not for landscape but will allow pictures difficult to take with other cameras. For automatic Minox, get an LX. Sometimes a Minox can get lost in your pocket.
Having said all this, a handy little camera is a screw mount Leica or Canon with a collapsible lens.

E. von Hoegh · Dec 10, 2017

ic-racer said:
Or, if one has small pockets...I have used all of these from time to time. The Minolta 16II is fully metal, fully adjustable mechanical shutter speed and f-stop and focuses! The Minolta QT has all that and a fully adjustable settings wtih built-in meter. Non-automatic.
View attachment 191629

The Minolta 16II is fixed focus and has supplementary lenses for near and far (landscape) focus. The negative is tiny and is not great for enlargements.

John Koehrer · Dec 10, 2017

I didn't look at prices. It's just a bit larger than Dick Tracy's wrist radio. Can you say Tessina?

https://petapixel.com/2016/10/05/tessina-vintage-mini-35mm-camera-can-wear-like-watch

Recommendations Please!

Thomas Keidan

ic-racer

E. von Hoegh

Thomas Keidan

Thomas Keidan

pentaxuser

E. von Hoegh

macfred

Thomas Keidan

Thomas Keidan

ic-racer

Gerry M

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