budget rangefinder options

[tkbslc]

Can anyone recommend a lower-priced rangefinder for me? I tried a Oly trip 35 and loved the form factor, but it had no manual controls (and it was faulty anyway).

Just need:
- smallish size
- f2.8 or faster
- 35-50mm lens
- Manual and semi-auto modes.

so basically a Trip 35 with manual controls (that works!). I'm not picky about brand, but I am fond of the older rangefinder styling.

Thanks.

[Sevo]

1. Yashica Electro 35CC - tack sharp 1.8/35 lens, good rangefinder, but all automatic (aperture priority though, with times up to at least 10s, which makes it the best night shooter of the bunch), finder display limited to out-of-range warning lights.

2. Revue 400SE/Vivitar 35ES/Minolta 7sII - even sharper 1.8/40 lens, but less contrasty finder patch. Time priority, which disqualifies it as a night camera. Aperture display in finder. Manual mode on 7sII only, sacrificed for GN flash on its siblings

3. Olympus 35RC - 2.8/42 lens, but as sharp as the above, unmetered manual operation, time and aperture in-finder display. The only compact RF south of the Leitz/Minolta CL whose manual mode has reasonable ergonomics. Time priority

4. Ricoh 500 GX - much like the Olympus in specs and size, Aperture display only, unique in that it can meter in manual, odd feature: Multi-exposure mode

5. Canonet 17/19 QL III - features quite similar to the 400SE/7sII, unmetered manual mode, more bulky

6. Yashica Electro 35 G[TS][N] - great lens, but anything but compact. All-automatic like the CC. Any Olympus SLR is smaller...

[alex]

Oly 35RC. You can spend years evaluating others, and still come back to this little diamond.

Go and get one. Do it now.

[Attila]

Yashica Electro 35

[kuuan]

[F16SUNSHINE]

They are much cheaper than most of your lenses.
Try a few one at a time
For lens quality and manual exposure. It is hard to brat the canonet17.
I have a spare if you want or take an ebayer.
The camera shows you aperture chosen for the shutter speed (tv) so, you can use the camera as a manual meter.
I usually would say go Yashica but it's big compared to the canon (or most anything).
The AE yashicas meter perfectly and you can xposure comp with your finger for backlight or the iso dial.
Another not so small choice but excellent is the konica s2.
Amazing leica-esk lens and meter that is spot on.
Try the canon first. It's tiny and a summicron Q lens

[tkbslc]

Thanks for the great recommendations so far.

What do people think about the Minolta Himatics?

[F16SUNSHINE]

Never tried one.
Skip friday night dinner out on the town and buy one.
I would love to hear your feedback

[Sevo]

[kuuan]

if manual is a must only a few cameras are left over,
and so are if it should be small

the Ricoh only really fits this bill, but it's lens is not that fast as that of most other mentioned here.
compact are the Olympus, the Revue400SE/Vivitar 35ES/ Hi Matic 7SII ? Konica S3, Yashica CCN / GX
the Canonets, other Yashica Electros and Konica S2 are quite big.

From what I have researched it is the lenses of the 2 Konica and the Revue400SE/Vivitar 35ES/ Hi Matic 7SII which really stand out, but those of all the other mentioned are of the best too.
The CCN and Konica S3 have wider lenses than the rest.

[Spotmatic]

The camera I always wanted to have is the Petri Color 35. Small as a Rollei 35 but much nicer. It's not a rangefinder though although it has a focusing scale in the viewfinder, as wel as an exposure scale.

[kuuan]

oh yes Spotmatic, it is very small but strongly built and very beautiful!
the scale focusing is the only drawback, maybe the rather slow lens, but it must be very fun to use, it is just the size I'd like and it's layout is fabulous

[Spotmatic]

[Sevo]

[Jieffe]

Yashica 35 GL : small, 40mm f1.7 lens (basically the same as the praised GS(N) but slighly wider)

[kuuan]

I love the GL I recently picked up.
Feature wise very similar to the GX which also has the same 1.7/40 lens. The GL has a ISO 1600 setting, quite unique for a rangefinder of that age, most others incl. the GX go up to ISO 800 only, the other difference to the GX is a bigger viewfinder magnification and bigger body.



However it is a quite rare camera, the GX less so. The GX is smaller, about the same size as Yashica CCN, Olympus RC, Revue 400SE / Vivitar 35ES/ Hi Matic 7SII / Konica S3.
The GL, though smaller than the earlier G(SN) is of about the same size as SLRs of this time ( when I was looking for a case I found that those meant for SLRs fit the body exactly )

the CCN

[alex]

Nice to see a recommendation for the Ricoh 500GX. I had always thought the Ricoh looked a bit larger than the Oly 35RC, but put them both side by side (which I can do as I have both), and there's hardly a millimetre in it. If you have big thumbs, the Ricoh won't be as fiddly as the Oly can be to those with larger hands than mine. The Ricoh does have one plus over the Oly, which is an extra slower speed, 1/8 to the Oly's 1/15. The Oly also has a fairly unusual filter size. I still love the Oly, it's such a peach.

Incidentally, the only difference between the Ricoh 500GX and the commoner 500G, is that the GX has a multiple exposure facility. There's a little lever that cocks the shutter without advancing the film. It's unlikely you're looking for a compact R/F for the purposes of trick photography, so if a 500G turns up at a good price, it's as desirable as the 500GX.

[cooltouch]

Regarding the Minolta Hi-matics, I've used one -- the Highmatic E. It's a solid camera, apparently well made, and takes good photos. What I don't like about it is that there is very little manual control: focus and ASA adjustments, that's it.

Based on your requirements, I'd have to go with the Canon QL17 GIII. Cheap, reliable, and a great picture taker.

[voytek]

Recently I've bought several rangefinders. Below two smallest - "budget".



But probably my best so far (not the cheapest) is



I will try also to buy some russian rangefinders with M39L mount

[Minolfan]

Yashica 35GX, smaller than GL - same size as 35CC - 40mm 1.7 but same problem as the other yashica's, you are not informed about the shuttertime. So I often prefer Canon QL 17 (40mm) or 19 (45mm). Somewhat bigger: Oly 35SP (great 42mm 1.7).

[JoeCool]

The Olympus XA is a very nice little camera. Have it since more than 20 years...aperture priority and rangefinder focus. Small and silent. 35mm/2.8 lens. It is the real pocket cam with the cover built in. You have to get used to its small size. It makes a little vignetting in blue sky and "wide open"

Gerd

[koji]

I vote for Olympus XA. It is affordable and very small to carry.

With Fuji Reala

[voytek]

Oly XA is the best "spy" camera ever. You can take photo everywhere, nobody notices it.

[Attila]

[Banjo]