I have $500 for a rangefinder!

[streettrailpark]

Trying to decide what to get but I'm having trouble haha. Ideally i'd have an M3 or a ZM Ikon, but I won't have an extra grand coming any time soon. Right now I have a Walz Envoy 35 which I like very much, but the finder sucks (I just scale focus with it) and it's starting to fall apart. I'll be taking this camera out every day shooting street. It needs to be f2 or faster and I really do like 50mm, but could deal with something a bit wider too.

A few thoughts:

-Konica iiia:
-heard great things about the build quality, viewfinder and lens, plus its on the cheap side. I love cameras of this era but I'm worried about problems it could have or get after purchase.

-Hexar AF:
-again, heard great things. I want to love this camera. The silence is a big feature for me. Concerned about 35mm being a bit too wide for me( i like my subjects big but don't like to get THAT close), the af ( I never trusted the af on my d300, used old mf lenses) and I kinda like to advance the frame under my own power haha (Badass points)

-Contax ii/iii:
-a gorgeous camera that has interchangeable lenses, but the number of issues they have scares me

-Fuji 645:
-probably want a 35mm, but I'd love to print big, and the thing looks small enough for street duty and carrying around. Don't know much about it though other than it being in my price range.

REALLY looking for some more suggestions as well as input on what I'm looking at. I think I'm partial to something late 50's/60's rangefinder and solidly built, but open to anything that can shoot a good stealth street shot.

 

[jordan.dickinson]

Leica CL's occasionally sell around $500 for body and maybe a lens. Just a suggestion, but that is a great little camera and a great way into M-mount lenses.

 

[Roberto V.]

I would recommend you to look into the Canon RFs. A canon P with a 50mm would probably fall within your budget.

 

[raid]

I second the suggestion for a Canon RF plus lens.
Look for the Canon P with 50/1.8.

 

[gilpen123]

Canon P with 50 1.8 as well....

 

[Crazy Fedya]

If you are considering Contax rangefinders, look into IIa. It is a wonderful camera. You can have it with 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar for about $350. Plenty left for film.

I have Contax II and IIa, as well as Kiev 2a and 4a, and I love my IIa. It is my favorite 35mm camera.

 

[Frank Petronio]

A nice Canonet QL-17 with a CLA. And save up for a real Leica.

 

[umcelinho]

fast lens canonet or yashica with a clean viewfinder. not only you'll get a fantastic camera but also they'll have their use if you end up getting a leica. they are more silent, even!

 

[Brian Legge]

The Canon P does beat every other LTM I've used when it comes to the viewfinder. Second in that list would be a Zorki 4 I suppose.

At the same time, these are slightly larger bodies than many of the others. Easily into small to mid sized SLR sizes. Definitely try to handle one in person before a purchase to be sure it isn't too large for an everyday camera.

In the compact fixed lens camera domain, I think the best finder I've used is on a Canonet 17 GIII. I don't want to spark arguments about which is the best of its class but I think purely on rangefinder, its near the top.

If compact is more important than viewfinder, a Leica IIIc w/collapsible lens (or almost any other equivalent Leica or Canon body) or a Retina IIIc may be worth handling.

If you can stretch your budget a bit, M2s have been going for about $500 recently. Throw a FSU lens on it (or Canon 50mm 1.8 if you can stretch a bit more) and you've got some nice growth room.

 

[FrankS]

Retina IIa with 50mm f2 Xenon is a strong contender, lacking only interchangeable lenses and a meter.

 

[Neare]

Hey OP,

Have you ever used a prime that is wider than 50mm? When I started in RF's I would only ever consider using 50mm's, but RF's have since taught me the wonders of the 35mm's. Having to get closer and keeping it wide is a very good photography experience.

But also, it doesn't work for everyone I suppose.
🙂

 

[kknox]

Canon is a great camera. I sold one not to long back here on RFF. It was a Canon 7s that just had a full CLA, looked & worked like new, $249. You should be able to find a nice Canon & lens for $500.00. One of the best viewfinders you can find.

 

[typhillips]

Shameless plug for the Canon L1 I have for sale in the classifieds right now. You'd still have money left over for say... a Summitar.

Better yet, forget the Summitar and go for the Canon 50/1.8. An EXCELLENT lens that will not disappoint.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

actually, you can stretch quite a bit with 500. I like your idea of getting a Medium format RF for around that price. The Bronica RF65 goes between 500-700 with a 65mm lens. Ditto for the Fuji MFs.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Yeah, buy the L1 in the classifieds' those are great cameras. Many here on the forum would be jealous, I being one of them.
After that, you can get pretty much any focal length and within the 35-50mm range there are some extremely good lenses.
Remember that a wider lens need not have the faster aperture, so a 35mm f/3.5 could be just enough. Those are around all over the place.
The Canon 35mm f/2 is a top notch lens. Nothing that Canon made for RF is a dog, so you'll have a good lens regardless.
If not the L1 mentioned, a Canon RF of any kind or a Leica Barnack body would serve you well. You could get a IIIc or IIIf plus a lens for $500 pretty easily.
If you go with a Hexar AF, you'll have one of the best cameras ever made. Above all others, it's the one camera I wish I never sold.
Good luck!

Phil Forrest

 

[Steve M.]

The Fuji is bigger than you think. For street shooting I prefer a camera w/ auto exposure usually, or a fully manual one. A Bessa R wouldn't break the bank, the finder is excellent, as is the meter, and you'd have a lot of money left for a lens and film.

 

[keytarjunkie]

I have two recommendations for you.

#1, which is relatively in line with what you're looking at: a Nikon S2. In my opinion it's the best Nikon if you enjoy shooting 50 (just like the Leica M3, the widest frame is 50mm). I'm sure you could find one for under $500, and it's a real looker. The 50/1.4 has the beautiful Nikkor glow wide open, while the 50/2 is supposedly a little sharper? But I have only owned the 50/1.4. I will always miss my S2 (but I am done with all-manual cameras these days).

#2 is a little out of the box. A Contax G1. Aperture/manual priority, and pretty much just auto-everything else. I just got a G2 yesterday and I already love it more than my M2. The lenses for this system are all Zeiss and they're relatively cheap, yet comparable to Leica M glass (which you and I can't really afford, I'm with you there!). The AF system is the worst part of the camera unfortunately, but you can scale-focus it too (the G1 has a ring on the camera to set the focus, not on the lens!), I feel like with a proper distance scale for the lens you're using, it could be an extremely capable street camera. The 45mm and 28mm lenses are stellar. The 21mm will be out of your budget but it is of legendary quality. I hope to own one someday...hope that helps!

 

[maddoc]

A screwmount Leica (Barnack) with a 50mm Elmar lens should be easily available for that money. Check for a good copy, not one that is cosmetically nice but screams "service", same for the lens.

It is a very fine camera, pocketable with collapsed lens and teaches you photography. 🙂

 

[haempe]

My first RF was a used Bessa with Canon 50/1,8.
Recommendable.

 

[Vics]

I've had a Contax IIIa for eight years. First year I had it, I sent it to Henry for a complete overhaul (it had packed up completely.) Since then (2003) I haven't hit a single snag. Great shooter and the Sommar 1.5/50 is the best lens I own.
I tried out a Hexar AF for a couple of rolls and it was a great shooter, but I wanted all manual control. Really in both cases I wanted a Leica. Finally got an M3 w/Collapsible 'cron and 2.8/35 Summaron. NOW I'm happy.