Smallest rangefinder camera?

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Matthew55000

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I like rangefinder cameras and one reason is that they are often smaller and more compact than SLR's. There are scalefocusing cameras, etc that that are really small as well but I like the ability to know what I am focusing on.

Which one is the smallest/most compact rangefinder camera out there (fixed lens is fine) under say $2-300?
 
Matthew55000 said:
I like rangefinder cameras and one reason is that they are often smaller and more compact than SLR's. There are scalefocusing cameras, etc that that are really small as well but I like the ability to know what I am focusing on.

Which one is the smallest/most compact rangefinder camera out there (fixed lens is fine) under say $2-300?
Click to expand...

I'd say Olympus XA.
 
Thanks I didn't think of the XA and I know I can get one of those for under 100-150 dollars. I will read up on them a bit online.

My only rangefinder is a Mamiya 7 and as good as it is it is also a too big for me to bring with me sometimes.
 
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I'm talking here about a film camera, but I have an Oly Stylus, and it's a little gem, as far as I'm concerned. It's auto-focus, not RF, but what I'm saying is that I think Olympus is a good bet. Mine has a quite sharp lens - I once took a picture in my kitchen, and you can read the print on a can of peanuts in a 4x6 in. print.

I once had an Olympus 35RC, bought back in the'70's. It was RF, and was also a dandy little camera. I still bristle at the fact that when I moved, I had the camera sitting on the couch ready to go to the car. The movers managed to 'lift' it, and I didn't realize it until they were on their way to my new place. Wish I still had that little camera.

If you're in the market for used, there was once a series of small cameras put out by Rollei. I've heard various pros and cons about those, but they did exist.
 
Stephen Gandy says of the XA "I am not sure if this is the smallest full frame 35 with a built in Rangefinder, but I think it is", here

I reckon the XA is a wonderful little camera - mine goes with me everywhere - and its 6-element 35/2.8 lens is very sharp indeed.
 
dll927 said:
I'm talking here about a film camera, but I have an Oly Stylus, and it's a little gem, as far as I'm concerned. It's auto-focus, not RF, but what I'm saying is that I think Olympus is a good bet. Mine has a quite sharp lens - I once took a picture in my kitchen, and you can read the print on a can of peanuts in a 4x6 in. print.
Click to expand...

Yes the Olympus Stylus (Mju in Europe and Asia) has a great lens, but I doubt you can evaluate sharpness on a 4x6 print 😀

Cheers,

Abbazz
 
If the XA isn't your cup of tea then I would say the:

Konica Auto S3
Minolta Hi-Matic 7S II
Vivitar 35 ES
Revue 400 SE (I think)

All of the above came out toward the end of the fixed lens
compact rangefinder era, and seem to share the same body,
the most compact of the compacts.

Other small ones -
Olympus RD
Olympus RC
Yashica Electro CC
Canon QL17 GIII
 
For 135 film, the Contax T (with real RF) must be a contender. Dimensions are 36x98x68 mm^3 when folded:

t.jpg

​
 
Oh brother. I've seen you mention the Contax T before. It is a beauty. It looks like a Minox, except that it is well-executed and has a fantastic lens... OK, just as little troll.

Can they be had for less than $300? I'd think they'd be quite collectible by now...

The lens on the XA is fantastic. The Zeiss Sonnar is a classic 5 element design. The XA has a F. Zuiko, which means 6 elements, but I believe it has one extra to account for the odd design for focusing. (in the XA, the center element or group moves to focus, which is why it is so compact compared to every other 35mm f/2.8 out there) Note that the Contax T, Rollei 35, etc. the lens has to stick out a bit. Not so with the XA.

Read the page linked above to the CameraQuest page. I would up getting a couple of those. The run away surprisees for me were the Olympus RC and the XA. The RC is small, yet it handles like a full size SLR. The lens on the XA was surprisingly sharp. I'd never guess those shots came from such a tiny camera.

Know which one I'm most curious about thought? The Petri Color 35. They're damned expensive on ebay though, as they apparently didn't make as many of them as they did of Rollei 35s.
 
I hate to be one of the usual suspects chiming in about the T, but it inspires love, while my XA, though nice, is just a camera.
I love the look that the sonnar captures, I have many examples in my gallery and on my blog.
 
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If an RF is your only criteria, I think the others are right, the Oly XA would probably be the smallest.

If you want an RF with full manual override, that would probably be the Oly RC. Might be the smallest, but not necessarily the lightest.

If you want RF, with full manual override, with fast lens, that would probably be the Minolta 7sII. Canon QL17 is a little bigger. The Olympus RD I have not seen in person, but I think also qualifies.

If you're willing to give up either manual override or fast lens, but keep the RF and the small size/light weight, there are, as previously suggested the ff: Konica S3, Vivitar ES/Revue 400SE, Ricoh 500g, Konica C35 and Yashica GX.
 
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I surfed some further figures. Ken Rockwell says the XA measures 2.567x4.123x1.572 in³, or 65x105x40 mm³, so Contax edges out Oly by volume (12% approx). XA wins for weight at 220g w/ battery versus 270g w/o battery.

As noted by steamer, the Sonnar is delightful, having a more moderate contrast. Despite a recent eBay sale, one can expect to pay under $300. Add $100 for collectible grade. Add $100 for black. My fully-operational beater cost $150. 🙂

Refs:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/olympus/xa.htm
http://brunerdog.tripod.com/t.html
 
As a Rollei fan it hurts me to say the Olympus XA is the smallest RF camera.

But if you want a small full metal camera and can live with guess-focussing of a 2.8/40mm lens, the very best small 35mm camera is the Rollei 35S/ SE. Rollei also made a autoexposure RF with a faster f/2.3 lens but this wasn't as small as the 35S.
 
Petrie Color 35 (guess focusing) or Oly mju II (USA-Stylus) is A/E, A/F. The best of the latter is the fixed focal length 35mm. I wish it was a 25 or 28.
 
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