What's a robust compact 35mm with good optics?

[andrewmoodie]

I need to carry around a compact with me all the time in a backpack or jacket pocket, it's a project I'm doing. It also needs to have a 28mm lens and a built in flash.

My wif'e loves the optics of her Ricoh GR1 (and she's prepared to sell it to me) but she says it's not a very tough camera. It's a serious project and I don't want to keep using these cheapies I've been getting off of ebay.

Any suggestions? And is the GR1 actually pretty robust?

Just wondering.

Andrew

 

[HolgaPhile]

If you can live without the built in flash then I would recommend the Leica M6. That's about as robust as they come!

If she is willing maybe she will loan the Ricoh to you.

 

[Jim Jones]

Any Leica in good condition with the 50mm f/2.8 Elmar, a very sharp and compact collapsible lens.

 

[MikeK]

I need to carry around a compact with me all the time in a backpack or jacket pocket, it's a project I'm doing. It also needs to have a 28mm lens and a built in flash.

My wif'e loves the optics of her Ricoh GR1 (and she's prepared to sell it to me) but she says it's not a very tough camera. It's a serious project and I don't want to keep using these cheapies I've been getting off of ebay.

Any suggestions? And is the GR1 actually pretty robust?

Just wondering.

Andrew

How about an Olympus XA. Very compact rangefinder, great optics. I have had mine for at least 15 years and still going strong.

Mike

 

[cdholden]

Rangefinder or SLR? You don't say what the project is, what environment you'll be in, what your budget is. Sure, you could get the M6 as others suggest, but you could get several bodies and a selection of nice glass for what that body costs.
I'm a big fan of Canon FD metal cameras. F1, F1n, F1N, FTb, EF. I own a FTbN and love it. It does all I need to do... doesn't even need a battery unless you want to use the meter. I've had a few of the F1's, but found I didn't really need the "system" so I sold all my accessories and kept my money for other things.
If you provide more details, folks can give you an answer better matching your needs.
Chris

 

[mgb74]

The combination of a 28mm lens and a built in flash eliminates a lot of contenders as well as many of the old classics (such as Canon GIII). Some info (although a bit dated) here: http://www.photo.net/equipment/point-and-shoot/intro

The only possibility that comes to mind is the Rollei Prego Micron (30mm lens). There must be others, but none come to my mind.

 

[Dave Parker]

Believe it or not, I have a nice little Samsung pocket model that has a 28mm to 165mm zoom lens, built in flash and takes exceptional pictures, I have been quite please with it and keep it with me in the car all of the time..

Nice little camera and I think I paid about $100 dollars for it a couple of years ago, by the way, the owners manual says it is Scheider optics in it, and with the images I have taken with it, I have no reason to doubt it.

Dave

 

[André E.C.]

Minolta TC-1!

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?MinoltaTC1.html~mainFrame

Cheers

André

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

A Nikon 28Ti compact. It has a titanium body with 28 mm f2.8 lens, and built in flash. I should warn you that these still sell for a good amount, despite many being over ten years old.

 

[firecracker]

Contax T3. The body is titanium.

 

[butterflydream]

Leica Summaron 28mm f5.6.
Expensive, slow and even vignetting lens, but very compact and unique result.

 

[zenrhino]

A Nikon 28Ti compact. It has a titanium body with 28 mm f2.8 lens, and built in flash. I should warn you that these still sell for a good amount, despite many being over ten years old.

Holy cow. The only one on eb*y is going for ~$900.

 

[zenrhino]

People seem to rave about the olympus epic stylus for a great pocket camera. Flash, reputed to have a very sharp f2.8 lens, and apparently bulletproof against weather.

 

[FrankB]

People seem to rave about the olympus epic stylus for a great pocket camera. Flash, reputed to have a very sharp f2.8 lens, and apparently bulletproof against weather.

Damn, beat me to it!

A.K.A. the Olympus Mju II, splash proof, tough, compact, f2.8, built-in flash with night mode and (very conspicuous!) strobing red-eye reduction (essential as the flash is so close to the lens)... ...even a (well-concealed) spotmeter!

But the lens is 35mm not 28mm, you have zero control over the shutter speed and aperture settings and no exposure compensation either.

For a film-in-brain-out fixed focal-length PAS compact its difficult to beat, and next to impossible given the silly prices that these are going for on ebay, but it depends what you want to do with it...

All the best with whatever you decide,

Frank

 

[Magnus]

for a carry around snapshot 28mm would be a trifle wide .... I would go for 35mm this is a perfect snapshot lens in which case I would try one of the leica fixed lens cameras, I don't the types but avoid the zoom ones. Contax G1 and 45mm comes pretty cheap these days which is an excellent camera too although autofocus sucks a bit, a fully manual solution would be a Leica M body and any lens you would fancy, but this would also be the most expensive solution. Perhaps a Leica CL with a 40 ... sturdy, great quality and to be had at a premium price....

 

[Paul Howell]

Konica made a auto focus auto exposure weather proof compact with a 28mm lens, I have one that I bought off eay last year. No manual override and limited shutter speeds but very usable.

 

[avandesande]

It's not everyone's cup of tea but the rollei 35s has quite a following.

 

[BradS]

What about the (non zoom) Yashica T4? Wasn't that a 28mm lens? What ever it was, it was a fine optic. Getting hard to find now though.

 

[FrankB]

Mju II's

Going in an hour, current asking = £27
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Olympus-mju-2...7604616881QQcategoryZ3333QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Going tomorrow, current asking = £10
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/olympus-mju-11_W0QQitemZ7604909546QQcategoryZ3333QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Going tomorrow, current asking = £2.50
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Olympus-mju-2...7605092206QQcategoryZ3333QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Going tomorrow, current asking = £0.99
Dead Link Removed

In total I counted 15 on ebay UK. If it is the sort of thing you're looking for (and I realise it might not be) then you're spoilt for choice!

 

[DBP]

I'm going to assume you really do need 28mm, which eliminates most little point and shoots, except for some Ricohs. If you are really looking for something durable, the Nikonos cameras are all fairly compact and very tough. I dropped my Nik IV in a parking garage and chipped the floor. They made a 28/2.8 for land use.

 

[edz]

I need to carry around a compact with me all the time in a backpack or jacket pocket, it's a project I'm doing. It also needs to have a 28mm lens and a built in flash.

Depends upon what you mean by "rugged" and if you really need a flash, if B&W or colour and what final quality is needed. The only "never left behind" camera is the MINOX 8x11. They are small, well made, extremely reliable, have excellent dept of field and have very sharp optics--- getting about as close to the defraction limits as they get. Using microfilm (such as Agfa Copex and SPUR Nanospeed) one can get quite reasonable enlargements.. even to 12x16"(!). There are flashes available but they are not that needed. Keep in mind that the lens is always opened to f3,5. I've hand-held @25 ASA a MINOX indoors and was shocked that I could get good results.

If you really need 35mm and want rugged and fast.. then you are also looking heavier and probably larger than any of the "compacts"..

 

[Ben Taylor]

How about an Olympus XA. Very compact rangefinder, great optics. I have had mine for at least 15 years and still going strong.

Mike

I'd second that! I have the original XA, which I had intended to carry with me at all times (but haven't yet quite got used to doing!). It quite rugged, mine has taken a fair few knocks and is still going strong.

You'd want to look out for an XA4 which has a 28mm lens, the flash is optional and screws neatly on to one side.

 

[alien]

Leica Minilux. Amazing optics!

Ansgar

 

[andrewmoodie]

Thanks for all your suggestions folks.

 

[df cardwell]

Robust is the tricky word here.

If you mean able to withstand a reasonable abuse, hard shock, and be dependable, you probably need to disqualify every electronic p&S camera made since 1985. Or so.

Regardless of the advertising hype, the NICE ones ( minilux, nikon TI, contax, and so on ) are not the hockey puck cameras one would wish them to be.

An XA or T4 are probably more reliable at a fraction of the price ( they set out to do less, and are far less dainty. ) The XA can take a bit of a whack, the T4 a well.

A Canonet GIII, or Konica/Olympus/Minolta of the same vintage, once CLA'd and re-sealed will be your best bet.

OR go with a Bessa + 28. Inexpensive, very high quality, small... and so simple it will likely outlast a GR1, Minilux, etc. when the going gets rough.

.