A Rugged Fixed Lens RF, Opinions Please

[splitimageview]

Canonet QL17. Probably the most robustly built fixed lens RF. Don't know about glasses but the viewfinder is tops, with parallax correction unlike most others.

I have a few of these, some not so gently used. Pretty much all of them cleaned up and work great. Cameras of this era will usually need seals if you don't buy one that's already serviced. I set mine up to use 1.5v silver oxides.

 

[zuikologist]

Does it have to be a rangefinder? If not, one of the tough mid-80s slrs such as an F3 with pancake 50mm might do the job.

 

[michaelwj]

looking for something i don't have treat nicely. the Ms are too nice to beat on or use in crazy weather. funny enough, i own a 40 m-rokkor and canon 35/2.

A used Bessa then will be less "pretty" than your Ms, and fits the criteria. You could even get 40mm framelines, or a screw mount for the canon.

 

[sevo]

Well, the Olympus XA might be somewhat close - no manual mode, though, and very low eyepoint. And while it is fairly resilient to knocks, many have failing electronics after all these years...

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

olympus 35rc, I've used mine since 89 and it still works 🙂

 

[splitimageview]

I put on some sunglasses and can see just outside the framelines on the QL17.

Love the 35RC, 35SP and 35RD also, but haven't checked those viewfinders yet. 🙂 Later today...

 

[zuiko85]

With glasses on! I cannot even use my M4-2 with glasses on. Hard enough with glasses off to put my eye close enough to see the whole 35mm frame. With 35mm RF and a slightly wide lens I 'see' a frame hanging in mid air around the the subject, after a quick peak in the VF.

 

[WJJ3]

this is the camera you want

might not look like much, but the Zuiko on the half frame is very capable

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

this is the camera you want
[…]
might not look like much, but the Zuiko on the half frame is very capable

Good idea! [edit: If it were a 22.5mm lens] That's equivalent to a 31.5 mm lens on 24*36 mm, I guess?

edit: 22.5mm is the filter diameter, not the focal length 🙁

 

[oftheherd]

I try to protect my cameras in use as I am sure everyone does. My Canon QL 17 has held up well as has my Olympus XA. Some have complained about the RF image, and on my XA the RF image seems a little off center, but knowing that, it is easy to use. With glasses, I can't compare either since I don't wear glasses for photography, only reading. The XA can be useful for its 35mm lens, and I think the XA3 has a 28mm lens.

 

[splitimageview]

35RC: can see the entire frameline with my sunglasses (these don't fit very close to my face so it's probably a worst-case test)

35SP: have to move the eyeball around or reposition to see the entire frameline

 

[Calzone]

Does it have to be a rangefinder? If not, one of the tough mid-80s slrs such as an F3 with pancake 50mm might do the job.

I use a F3 with the 45/2.8P AIS.

The 45/2.8P is a simple Tessar and works great on a F2 also with DE-1 prism. There are no "Rabbit Ears" so for use on a F2 or "F" the eye level prism is the way to go.

The F2 with DE-1 is actually slighty smaller in (I forget) width or height than a M-body if you discount the small hump of the eye level prism.

Also another compact lens to consider is the highly regarded 28/2.8 AIS that can be found for under $300.00. It offers compactness, and a macro like close focusing of one foot with CRC, and is Nikon's most highly corrected lenses.

The F, F2 and F3 are all on the cheap and are known for legendary durability. In my case I use a F3P and F3 HP as my "throw away" camera that I would use for street fighting.

A Nikon allows for flexability: a wide and a normal.

Cal

 

[unixrevolution]

RFs are not rugged. They are somewhat fragile.

I don't know what the OP expects there to be, but this thread has given me Nikonos V GAS.

 

[majid]

The Contax T (original RF model, not the AF T2, T3 or TVS) is pretty tough, but it won't handle a fall.

The Olympus Mju / Stylus Epic is probably the best bet: fairly robust, and inexpensive to replace.

 

[Calzone]

I don't know what the OP expects there to be, but this thread has given me Nikonos V GAS.

Me too.

All I need is a Nikonos with an amphibious 28mm lens.

As far as Rangefinders go maybe consider a MD or MD2 like I have and go with an ultrawide like a 21 SEM or 24/3.8 Elmar.

On my MD2 I currently have a black Canon 28/3.5 that has the distance scale marked in feet only. The way I use it is at either F5.6 or F8.0 with Tri-X at 800 ISO. I currently use a Zeiss 25/28 VF'er that offers a mucho bright view. Scale focus, Zone focus and use as a point and shoot.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

this is the camera you want

might not look like much, but the Zuiko on the half frame is very capable

The Pen "F" is a very capable camera. Very discreet.

Cal

 

[Ko.Fe.]

How often you are getting knocked to your chest? Use camera bag, not hipster bag to carry on camera in it. Use neck stripe to use camera. Slide it on the side or on the back if it is going to be rough.
Or get Oly XA. It is true RF (just have to find one with fine RF patch) and very small, easy to be protected.

Personally, for though and rough I prefer Konica-Off road camera. Which was specifically designed for off-road, construction sites use. It looks like slightly large classic fixed lens film P&S.
Mine has grey color body. Using available at regular stores battery.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85496

 

[Pioneer]

The toughness of true rangefinder cameras will be limited by the very focusing system from which they get their name.

The toughest is probably the old Contax II rangefinder. Even better would probably be a Kiev 4, since the rangefinder design used in those cameras was probably a little more resistant to damage from small dings and or drops. Maybe not 4 foot drops but the Contax II (the predecessor of the Kiev) was regularly used by photojournalists back in their hey day. Kiev 4 cameras are a Russian version of the Contax and they are far cheaper to buy in usable condition.

I have used a number of the old metal, mechanical slr cameras that could absorb quite a bit of punishment, but when traveling, hiking, skiing or boating it may make just as much sense to just pack an inexpensive camera that can easily be replaced if they succumb to the abuse.

I currently use the GA645i for hiking because I prefer the 6x4.5 negative to 35mm. I know it has worked quite well in hiking situatioins including cold weather (keep the batteries warm), snow, rain, dust/dirt, etc. It is fixed lens and it works in a similar fashion to a rangefinder. I have not yet taken it to the beach so I'm not too sure how well it would work in that environment. It is also not as inexpensive to replace as the older metal slr cameras or the Kiev would be.

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

The toughness of true rangefinder cameras will be limited by the very focusing system from which they get their name.

The toughest is probably the old Contax II rangefinder. Even better would probably be a Kiev 4, since the rangefinder design used in those cameras was probably a little more resistant to damage from small dings and or drops. Maybe not 4 foot drops but the Contax II (the predecessor of the Kiev) was regularly used by photojournalists back in their hey day. Kiev 4 cameras are a Russian version of the Contax and they are far cheaper to buy in usable condition.

Not sure if it's toughest, but I must say, my Kiev 4a seems to be a tank. Haven't tried bashing it around, but I bet it could be used as a weapon at least as effectively as my Nikon F2 / F5.. Have been trying to sell one actually, now that I found a earlier copy to keep. But there doesn't seem to be too much markets for these anymore. Then again, it's not fixed lens camera, so bit out of the OP:s needs.

 

[BillBingham2]

An alternative approach (though not my favorite) is to find a low cost fixed lens camera and by a half dozen of them.

When you get to two left working buy another half dozen (odds are at a lower cost then).

Rinse and repeat........

B2 (;->