The Itch

[joshuasbones]

I'd like to add another camera to my collection, to complement my two current main cameras (an Olympus XA2 and a Pentax K100). I'm having trouble deciding between an Olympus 35 RC or a Cannon Canonet QL 17 GIII. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions?

(Also, does anyone have suggestions for film? I'd like to break away from the standard Kodak or Fuji for a little bit.)

 

[reellis67]

It may sound odd, but I love my Zorki I - it's got a wonderful look and feel and it's just plain fun to use. Sadly, I expose very little miniature film these days, but man is that camera fun to use. I can't make any suggestions on film though. It's a little too much like wine and women - everyone has different tastes...

- Randy

 

[spark]

I have a 35RD (f1.7)and QL19- Olympus is smaller and a bit more quirky but lens is amazing. You'll be happy with either, depends on how big your hands are.

 

[thebanana]

Buy them both

 

[Chaplain Jeff]

Hello,

You might want to check out the Minolta 35 Model II.

They are tough little RF's that use the LTM and you can usually pick them up with the very desirable Rokkor 45mm lens on them.

One of the advantages of this all manual camera is that the film door is a "modern" design, hinged with a pressure plate.

Another is that it is very affordable - usually under $100 on ebay - and affordable to have CLA'ed or totally rebuilt. I purchased a nice one for $140 and spent another $90 to have it brought back to LN condition. My RF repairman says they are the best built of the non-Leica LTM's.

Great camera that I really enjoy shooting. Not much for collecting - not worth much and there's plenty of them out there if you take your time and look around - but great pieces of machinery that will last at least another lifetime if treated properly.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

Jeff M

 

[Nick Merritt]

Both the 35RC and the GIII QL17 have deservedly fine reputations. There are tons of Canonets out there; fewer of the Olympus, it seems. The Canonet has the faster lens, which can be very useful. The Olympus is so darn small that I have to be careful to not get a finger into the frame, which, because the lens is thin and has a traditional focusing ring, is easy to do. No such issues with the Canonet.

If you want to use filters, both cameras have real oddball sizes -- 43.5mm for the Olympus and 48mm for the Canonet. I think it's easier to find 48-->X stepup rings than 43.5-->X.

Both cameras take the 625 mercury battery, so you have those issues to deal with. Both can be used without a battery.

Regarding film, you didn't say what Kodak and Fuji you were using. But those are more or less the only game in town, if you want color. For black and white, you really should try Ilford. HP5+ is great film, similar to Tri-X.

 

[AshenLight]

I have a Canonet GIII Q17 that I'm just as likely to use as any of my Leicas or FSUs. I took it with me to Sweden last month and ended up using it more than the F100 or the DSLR I brought with me. Its very inconspicuous and fairly quiet which works well on city streets.

Ash

 

[Claire Senft]

I recommend that you get some ointment.

 

[Ralph Javins]

Good morning, Claire (or is it Anne?);

In one of my counseling sessions with a Professional Board Certified Camera Merchant (if I continue making progress, I might be able to drop back to biweekly sessions), I asked about something like that, and he assured me that there is no really effective salve or balm that can calm the overpowering primordial urge to buy another camera or lens.

 

[leicarfcam]

If you are looking for build quality go with the Olympus. However both cameras are capable performers..

 

[elekm]

I have the Olympus 35 RC, and the one nice thing is that it has a decent range of manual shutter speeds. The body is small. The lens is very good. You'll need to replace the foam seals, unless someone else has done the work for you.

If you want something different and fun, try a Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim.

It's a very inexpensive camera ($10 or less) with a 22mm lens. Google it, and you'll find plenty of photos. It's about as simple as they come: Serrated film-advance wheel. Tiny rewind crank. Single shutter speed. Single aperture. No flash. Tiny rewind knob that's built for someone with tiny, tiny hands. Awesome camera. Works best with a 400-speed film.

Regarding film, check out Freestyle (freestylephoto.biz). They have a lot of different films, especially black and white.

Some is rebadged Kodak, Ilford and Agfa. Others are emulsions from Eastern Europe, such as Maco, Efke or Adox.

I'm currently trying some Fomapan 200. I've also been very pleased with Ilford Pan F and FP4. Rollei has jumped into the film game -- some is rebadged Maco, I believe.

Anyway, they have a lot of different offerings, and you can buy just two or three rolls to give it a try. I like trying different b/w films, because each often has its own character.