A good travel camera

[vagab0nd]

Another vote for the Rollei 35/T/S. After a few uses, scale focusing becomes second nature.

If you want full automation, I prefer the size, speed, and lens of the Stylus Epic over the Yashica T's & Contax T's. Plus it's much cheaper.

 

[Swift1]

The Pentax PC35AF is on of the more underrated P&S film cameras there is (IMO).
They're well built, very compact, great 35/2.8 lens (better than Oly XA IMO), and they can be found for very little money.

And it takes AAA batteries.

 

[skibeerr]

If you are patient a Konica Hexar af might pop up close to 200 euro.

Best travel camera I found sofar.

 

[richard_l]

Rollei 35: small, dependable, convenient focal length (40mm), excellent IQ.

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

I just put a beautiful Olympus Stylus Epic on the Classifieds here....

If not that, i have a Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 that is quite nice. A very good lens. And, it doesn't have the problem with a flash that activates automatically like the Nikon L35AF.

Here's another idea: buy a Contax T2. More than $200, but consider it a rental. When you get back, sell it for what you paid.

 

[konicaman]

+1 for the Konica S3 - or a C35. Sturdy cameras and good glass.

 

[mfunnell]

In the pre-digital era, after I stopped being serious about photography for a while, I travelled with two Olympus P&S cameras: an mju-II (bought here in Oz, taking the place of an XA2) and a Stylus Zoom 105 (bought in the US). I'd put 100ISO film in the zoom for good light and 400ISO in the fixed 35mm for lower light (colour negative for both). I took a whole bunch of travel snaps I liked with those cameras. (I really should scan some of the negatives.)

If I wanted to do the same again I might well do the same again (I still have the cameras, which still work). Except these days I'd probably use B&W only, now that the almost-universal availability of fast, easy and cheap C-41 development is a thing of the past.

...Mike

 

[ChrisPlatt]

For convenience when traveling nothing beats a lightweight (mostly plastic) pocketable 35mm clamshell-type camera.
Some I use are Olympus XA2/3, Minox 35ML and Konica Big Mini.

Chris

 

[Ezzie]

I know this may not be of much help. But I've been thinking the same, but am at the same time trying to cut back on 135 film and concentrate on 120 and large format. A travel camera for me would therefore be one of the Fuji GA645 models. Maybe the ZI.

 

[Oscuro]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for a camera to take with me while i'm on vacation.
I already have a camera for my personal and more serious projects (a Mamiya 7), but I need a 35mm for the "travel snapshots".

I tried some digital compacts, but in the end I always edit them in PS to look like film. So I think I will just stick with film.

So far I'm between an Olympus Mju II (I had one not long ago, but the fact that the flash was always on when I turned on the camera was a PITA) and an Olympus OM-1N with 35mm. I don't need ultra high lens IQ, since I won't make prints larger than 8x10 and I will post them on Facebook and Tumblr most of the time.

I just need something small and convenient that won't let me down. A quiet shutter is appreciated too.

Any suggestions (under 200eur / $200)?

Just curious. Why wouldn't you take the Mamiya? You're familiar with it, presumably, and why wouldn't some of the photographs you take on vacation fall into the "personal" and "serious" category?

Had a 7 for years. Stellar camera.

 

[Rob-F]

The Minox 35 sounds tempting since the lens is so good. The Rollei 35 is a good camera too, but boxy and more awkward and slow to use compared to the Minox 35..

 

[anorak]

Just curious. Why wouldn't you take the Mamiya? You're familiar with it, presumably, and why wouldn't some of the photographs you take on vacation fall into the "personal" and "serious" category?

Had a 7 for years. Stellar camera.

I always take the Mamiya with me, but I want a small camera for the snapshots. More like a "diary" camera.

And I have more than 40 rolls of Superia 400 in my fridge. 🙂

 

[littleearth]

I would go for a Yashica T5 / T4 Super !

It's light, weatherproof and comes with a very sharp Zeiss lens plus that neat superscope.

 

[anorak]

I would go for a Yashica T5 / T4 Super !

It's light, weatherproof and comes with a very sharp Zeiss lens plus that neat superscope.

Would I need to turn off the flash everytime I turn the camera on?

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

With 400ASA is the flash going to fire every time?

I reckon most of us have a pretty good idea if when to turn it off, beforehand and when to leave it on because it's not going to fire...

Regards, David

 

[Bingley]

I agree with the Rollei 35 and Olympus XA suggestions. I've taken both on trips and they never let me down. Some of my favorite photos from past holidays in Europe were taken with an XA, loaded with Portra. I'm traveling in Europe right now and have an XA with me, in addition to a Leica IIIc.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

One that's not been mentioned is the Ricoh R1 with its 30mm lens, then there's the Leica mini 3, Konica A4, Yashica T3, Pentax ESPIO mini and a couple of small useful compact cameras with zoom lenses the Pentax ESPIO 928M and Nikon Zoom 90S. And an oldie the Olympus 35 ED, which will take a lens hood.

With a small SLR I'd pick the Tokina ATX 28-85mm zoom. It's a lens from the 80's but I've been very impressed by it and it has a good "macro" or close-up setting. (And you can pick them up dirt cheap these days for almost any classic SLR.)

As you may have guessed, after reading these posts I sat down and looked at all my travel pictures, mostly to re-assure myself about the XA2 and µ-I etc. They are still high on my list, as are all the above. But I'm aware that all of them will be old cameras and probably bought second or third hand, so YMMV...

Regards, David

 

[Gary Sandhu]

I'd suggest rethinking your reluctance to take a digital camera and edit in PS - you could have PS presets or LR presets or software to get a film-like look and have the benefits of a new camera; you can get olympus refurbished Tough cameras from the olympus websites gor under $200. Good enough did 8x10 and on-line posting.
I chose to spend more and mostly use a Ricoh GR.
For film, any of the old built in lens RF will be fine - the T4/5 still default to flash on when turned on. The leica CM remembers flash off, as does the Contax TVS 3 (2? ).

 

[Oscuro]

I always take the Mamiya with me, but I want a small camera for the snapshots. More like a "diary" camera. And I have more than 40 rolls of Superia 400 in my fridge. 🙂

Hmm. I see. Cool.
Just to be the devil's advocate, I'd say putting the funds toward more film and processing for the Mamiya might be an alternative. Sometimes you come across something in the edit that you thought was a snap but turns out to be something deeper. One camera and a couple of lenses and a lot of film is an easier thing to manage than two different systems.
Just a thought.

 

[RSilva]

If you are patient a Konica Hexar af might pop up close to 200 euro.

Best travel camera I found so far.

I totally agree, very silent and beautifull!