Best fixed lens RF viewfinder?

Best fixed lens RF viewfinder?

  • Olympus 35SP

    Votes: 81 7.4%

  • Olympus 35RC

    Votes: 56 5.1%

  • Olympus 35RD

    Votes: 20 1.8%

  • Olympus XA

    Votes: 53 4.9%

  • Minolta 7s

    Votes: 30 2.8%

  • Minolta 7sII

    Votes: 40 3.7%

  • Canon QL17 GIII

    Votes: 206 18.9%

  • Konica Hexar fixed lens

    Votes: 201 18.5%

  • Konica S3

    Votes: 46 4.2%

  • Yashica GSN

    Votes: 162 14.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 193 17.7%
  • Total voters
    1,088
There are numerous fixed lens rangefinders that could make this list. They run from the Konica III of the 1950s to the folding Contessa and the Voigtlander Vito III to the Foca Sport II (which is pretty darn good although not often seen). Others might include the Contessa S 312/Voigtlander VF 101, Rollei XF 35 (although it's not a great camera) and possibly the Retina IIC.
 
I didn't vote...

However, all in all, if you're interested in taking fast pictures on the fly and in the dark my vote is...

Yashica Electro 35, Olympus XA4

Ya just can't beat 'em for a bright, fairly accurate viewfinder and fast focusing... SNAP !

Hey, are you that one time Chuck A "Chucky Cheese" that had that pizza palace in San Francisco ?

Best,
George
 
The Konica Hexar AF is the best I have seen...Great camera, the viewfinder is super bright and the lens is a 35 f/2 that is a leica copy and is as good if not better, no personal test here just what I have heard.
 
The one's Ive personally used. Konica S2, Yashica GSN, lynx 5000e, 14e, canonet. The GSN was the best one. Thought the lynx 14e is right there also.
 
I like the XA2

I like the XA2

I like the XA2 better than the XA. It's much easier to focus since it has zone and not split image focusing. But I also own the XA, and it is certainly nice, too.

Regards,
Ira
 
I'm a bit surprised by the negative comments about the Oly RC VF. You'll note that Stephen Gandy in his commentary on it, says:

"Rangefinder and Viewfinder are bright when it's cleaned, easily seen by eye glass wearers. These 70's cameras were comparatively modestly priced and not well sealed against dirt. After 30 years, the finders usually fog or haze up. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Do not use one of these on a regular basis without making sure the finder is as clean it gets. Case in point, I thought I had a relatively clean Olympus RC finder. I had it cleaned anyway when I was doing a shutter lubrication. It made ALL the difference, turning an OK finder into a bright very usable finder. .6 magnification."

Mine was cleaned by John Hermanson at Camtech Photo in NY. He used to work for Oly and really knows his stuff. Which may explain why mine is bright, clear and easy to focus.

That said, I voted for the Hexar AF because it's simply better, IMO.

ScottGee1
 
My 14e viewfinder is crisp and clear and easy to focus since the CLA by Mark Hama. Also like the viewfinder in my GSN's. For some reason I've always had problems focusing my XA. But my overall favorite is the viewfinder in my 35SP.
 
The lone fixed-lens RF I now own (and actually use) is a Konica Auto S3. I like the VF/RF well enough, although the framelines aren't the moveable sort. Of the cameras on the list, I've owned the Hexar AF (which, since it's not, strictly speaking, a rangefinder, puzzles me as to why it's on tihs list), Canon GIII (black...with matching lens hood; time to kick myself again?), Yashica GSN, and Olympus XA (twice). In addition, I've owned a Konica S2 and Yashica 5000E Lynx (used a lot, broke down a lot...sort of like an MGB, but a lot cheaper). The S3 fits my wants/needs very well, even with it being essentially a shutter-priority-AE-only camera (which can nevertheless be tweaked for exposure in a number of ways). Besides the RF/VF, there's that great lens, great flash system, good compact size, and reasonably quiet shutter. Makes a nice "silent partner" to my Hexar RFs.


- Barrett
 
Jeff: The XA patch is, IMO, too low contrast, so low-light situations give it fits. I have learned to live with that, but a bigger issue, I think, is that my eye position needs to be bang-on for best results.

I agree about the SP, though. It is the easiest to use of all my RFs in low light (though I admit I haven't taken the RC out at night, and I never used the Minolta 7s in low light before I sold it), and I think it is undoubedtly in the top 2-3 of all fixed lens RFs.
 
First off, I am excited because the 4 of the cameras in the poll are Olys 🙂

Secondly, I like the clarity and "snap" of my 35SPn viewfinder, but I find the dimmer one on my XA more useful (coz I don't have to do anything else besides tripping the shutter).

Interestingly, my little Konica C35 is a bit dodgy when it comes to the RF patch, but it produces amazingly sharp pictures.

I've tried a Yashica GSN at a Photo Fair and I'd say the viewfinder RF patch is about par with the 35SPn. I've yet to look at the much-talked-about Canon QL17 viewfinder.
 
I have a QL17 that is mid-CLA, but I have cleaned up the viewfinder so I could compare it directly to a well-cleaned SP. The C35 is very clear, but the patch is not as good as the 35SP. But that doesn't mean it's bad at all. Given the price of the camera, it is amazingly good!
 
I reckon my M2 has the best viewfinder of any rangefinder I own ... if I araldite the lens to the body would it qualify? 😀
 
shadowfox said:
.... I've yet to look at the much-talked-about Canon QL17 viewfinder.
Click to expand...

Hi Fox and everybody,
Where the QL 17 viewfinder has been much talked about ?
 
I have limited expirience with RF cameras - kiev, electro, oly 35sp in exactly this sequence. Next be THE best viewfinder RF camera? 😉 From those that I mentioned 35sp wins hands down. Btw, since most of the voting public don't have (or at least never played) with ALL mentioned cameras, this vote just specifies destribution of cameras on RFF., probably
 
The Yashica MG-1 that I have is clearer and larger in the viewfinder than my Canonet 28. The thing is amazing. I would love to find another one. 🙂
 
Igor.Burshteyn said:
I have limited expirience with RF cameras - kiev, electro, oly 35sp in exactly this sequence. Next be THE best viewfinder RF camera? 😉 From those that I mentioned 35sp wins hands down. Btw, since most of the voting public don't have (or at least never played) with ALL mentioned cameras, this vote just specifies destribution of cameras on RFF., probably
Click to expand...

In the trade where we count stuff for a living, we call this convenient, self-selection! :angel:
 
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