What would you buy?

[cosmonaut]

I have a Canon QL17 that I really love, but I find I would like an RF with a wider lens. 30mm or wider. 24mm would be great. Without me spending weeks searching around. I tought at least everyone here could narrow my search down to at least four or five RFs. I would like for it to stay under $100.00. I have been looking at Russian RF's but they seem like they may be more work than fun? Any suggestions? If there is a good Russian RF that is reliable and low maintenance I would like one of those. But I am open to anything?????/
Cosmo

 

[FrankS]

Finding one RF with 24mm for under $100 is likely impossible, let alone 4 or 5!

 

[v3cron]

if you're ok with zone focusing, you can get a cv 25mm skopar for about $200 or less, and then a bessa-l body for maybe $50 or so.

 

[payasam]

Russian/FSU RF cameras can be reliable, but you'll be stuck for a lens.

 

[BillBingham2]

Let me second Christophers suggestion. The CV 25/4 on a Bessa L is about as perfect (IMHO) as it gets for street photography or family shots.

B2 (;->

 

[bsdunek]

How about an Olympus XA4? Compact, 28mm lens, focuses fairly close (I don't call it "Macro" like they do!). Certainly an interesting camera. I love my original XA.
From a review:
The XA4 Macro uses the same body as the XA, but substitutes a zone focusing 28/3.5 lens and programmed exposure. It's "Macro" only focuses to 12," but that is a lot closer than the XA's 2.8 feet. While the XA was a best seller and easy to find today, the XA4 is hard to find. In place of the XA's aperture scale, on the XA4 you will find a focusing scale. Notice the large DX film setting label, something new for the time.

the XA4 is the classic 8 oz Olympus XA clamshell compact camera with

a 28/3.5 five element lens instead of the XA's 35/2.8
Programmed exposure from 2 seconds at f/3.5 to 1/750th at f/14
Scale Focusing as close as 12"
Full flash compatibility with the XA's A1L, A11, and A16.
Finder warning light when shutter speed is 1/30th or slower -- use tripod or flash.
DX or manual film speed setting (DX films automatically set)
Film speed range 25 to 1600
Self Timer 12 second delay
The XA4 is not well known today, since it was made only for about a year. Today it is quite hard to find and sells for more than any of its clamshell cousins. The only XA4 test I saw was published in Petersen's Photographic in August 1985. Some XA4's were made with a "Quartz Date" back to imprint date and time.

 

[shadowfox]

Your budget screams for an XA. 35mm is wide enough for most applications (unless you have a special need or style that requires really wide angle lens).

Bruce's suggestion of XA4 is also good, but you'd have to be really patient to get one at $100, they sell for more nowadays.

Strictly from budget perspective, if you're not hard set on an RF cameras, you can build a similarly compact manual SLR wide angle kit for $100. For example, a working chrome OM-2 will cost you $40-60, and a zuiko 28mm/3.5 is about $20-40, this combo is almost as compact as your Canonet and probably weigh less 🙂