Inexpensive excellent cameras

[Attila]

My hints are next:

Konica C35
Konica AF3
Werra 3
Franka
Konica Big Mini
Kiev, Fed, Zorki
Konica Pearl
Konica FC-1
Konica FT-1
Praktica MTL5B
etc

[rbelyell]

kodak retina
ricoh tls 401
konica tc-x
canon eos IX
yashica electro gx

[Excalibur]

erm this list could confuse people as everyone is going to add his/her selection

[Attila]

[luisalegria]

Do you have to consider what the reliability record of the cameras ?

Some cameras are both cheap and very well made but they are likely to require expert repair today, like the Retinas.
Others almost always work.

I agree with the Konicas - these seem to be made to last forever
Add
Konica S series
Yashica 1000/5000. The Lynx 1C almost always seem to need work but they are easy to fix.

[Excalibur]

Well my most used camera is a Canon T70 so my list starts:-

Canon T70 cheap and ugly but a very good camera
Canon A1 very good if it doesn't have Canon cough/squeak (easy to fix yourself though)
Konica TC Ok it takes 1.35v batteries but I've stuck a 1.5v in and it's only 1/2 stop out so have adjusted the ASA dial.
Minolta 101b nice old manual camera
and its super duper brothers X-300, X500 and X700 are very good.
If you are really broke then a MTL3, MTL5 can do the job.

For compact Point and shoots.......I must have about 10 lying around, but buying from boot sales or charity shops prices are from 50p to £5 and my selection would be:-

Konica C35
Nikon L35 and AF210 or any Nikon model
Olympus XA-II

[erkie]

Another vote for the Retinas and Lynx 1000/5000.
And I will add the pentax SV/H3v And the Minolta SRT 102 if you can find it.
And I will add the Iskra as well even if the frame counter no longer works many have a red window added and it seems to work ok.

[kansalliskala]

Yashica TLR:s

[martinsmith99]

Anything under 30gbp that works.

Simplistic I know, but FSU cameras have about a 1 in 5 chance of working correctly in my experience. Even my Canon RF arrived with a faulty shutter. Old kit is problematic.

[Katastrofo]

Ricoh FF-xx series point and shoots. The best being the Ricoh FF-1, I think Carsten is
the only one here that owns one.

[luisalegria]

"Old kit is problematic"

Indeed, thats the most important factor. Not just the probability of working correctly 30-60 years after it was made, but how easy it is to get it back in working order.

Some old kit is less problematic though, and these should be the things that get recommended.

For what its worth, the Zorki 4 I have worked for one roll, and then the shutter got wonky. I still haven't figured out how to fix it; I suspect dirt or lack of lubrication somewhere I can't get to yet.

If we are naming all sorts of old kit, not just rangefinders, the stuff I really like, for durability, are the Ricoh/Sears TLS, I have had five of these at least pass through my possession, and all worked great, no problems at all, not even bad seals. These seem to have been made to last. Built better than tanks; no tank I can think of would be starting after sitting for four decades. I have had bad Exaktas, Nikons, Nikkormats, Minoltas, Pentax K-mount cameras, Yashica SLR's, etc., but no bad Ricoh TLS.

Pentax Spotmatics and the Pentax S/H series are also very good. I likewise have had 6+ of these. The only serious problem I have seen is very easy to fix, the lack of lube on the mirror release. Just remove the bottom plate and all is well.

Kodak Retinas are at the opposite of the list, particularly the later rangefinders and the SLR's. Not only is nearly every one of these defective but they are nearly impossible for the amateur to fix.

[kansalliskala]

[peterqd]

[tikkathree]

[Excalibur]

[erkie]

Ooops I just realised that this is the rangefinder section so my Pentax Sv and minolta srt102 are not appropriate.

So I will nominate the old Kadak Signet 35. The Ektar lens is Very Very good and if you can feed your self with a knife and fork you will have no problem working on this one your self, Including the shutter. The only downside to this camera is the shutter release is on the front instead of where anyone with any sense would put it

[alex66]

Well ones I have enjoyed for silly low money:
Cosina 35e, 40mm(38?) 2.8 rangefinder that went with me every place and cost me 99p, sadly she got stolen with my bag.
A Prinz 35e that I picked up for roughly the same money as a replacement, and it is the exact same camera.
An Olympus MJu 1 for about £2 or so, its a very nice camera but I have to switch the flash off every time I use her.
I picked up a few 6x6 cameras off the bat for about a fiver each, a Zeiss Nettar, A Foika and an Agilux, but they all seem a little flakey though they do give a good photograph.
A Zorki 4k with a Jupiter 8 and a collapsable f3.5mm, it is very basic in use etc but the Jupiter 8 is a great lens and the collapsable is interesting.
The Olympus XA2 is another nice camera but I keep forgetting to set the zone focus on it.