I've got the following rangefinders:
- Konica Auto S2
- Canonet GIII QL
- Yashica Electro 35
- Olympus 35RC
- Olympus XA
- Rollei 35
The ones that feels best in the hand and have the best viewfinders and focusing mechanisms are the Yashica and Konica. The others aren't even in the same league. They parallax-correct as I focus, and the finders are big & bright.
I like the feel of the Konica better, because it is fully mechanical. It feels a bit sturdier. Compared to the Yashica, which takes an oddball huge mercury battery, its PX625 battery is easy to find. Also, since it is full manual, I have the option of ignoring it and compensating for exposure.
The Yashica has a wonderful electronic shutter though. Smoother than the Konica's, and it goes down to 30 s pretty easily. The build quality is unrivaled.
Next down the list is the Canonet. It is smaller than either of the previous two, but feels just as sturdy. The finder's not quite as nice, to me, because it's smaller. The film winding mechanism doesn't feel as good to me; just not as even & smooth. But it works perfectly. Also, the quick film loading mechanism works great, but takes some of the fun out of film loading for me. The lens is good too, but not quite as nice as that of the Konica or Yashica. Those old school big boys are just really hard to beat.
The Olympus XA, believe it or not, has a sharper and more contrasty lens than any of the above three cameras. (though it is a f/2.8 instead of an f/1.8) The viewfinder is smaller, and a bit harder to use, but focus is not as critical. The thumbwheel film advance mechanism is not as satisfying to use as the ratcheted levers on the full size cameras. I always feel like I'm using a disposable camera when I wind it. But it works like a charm. The clamshell design is pure genius though. It covers not only the lens, but the focusing wheel, viewfinder, and ISO settings. I'm surprised that Olympus pretty much gave up on this and now others are using it more. (Sony) The 35mm focal length was also more useful for me. It isn't so wide that it distorts people pictures unless I get really close. But much more useful for landscapes and architecture. The X11 flash with it is also a work of art, and works especially well for vertical shots. It puts the flash far away from the lens. It has a nice electronic shutter too, but no provision for cable release that I know of. I think it only goes down to 1s or so, but I'm not sure. This is the only FLL that will fit in a shirt pocket; the first really compact camera.
The Olympus 35RC is like a small toy version of Canonet. Not the same build quality. I was excited about it because the Zuiko lenses are so damned good. (this is no exception) But the focusing feels cheap & plasticky by comparison to the others. It actually squeaks as it focuses. The viewfinder is not as good as the Canon's, it is only a little better than the XA's. Also, it only goes down to 1/15 +B.
The Rollei 35 is not really a rangefinder. For its size, it is quite easy to hold and use, and the viewfinder is very bright and the easiest to look through. The viewfinder is right at the edge of the camera (not on all models) so my nose just goes beside the camera body. It feels really good after smashing one's nose against rangefinder bodies for so long. Of course, the one drawback to this camera is that one has to guess-focus. Mechanically, it feels great. This also has more personality than any other compact 35mm camera, IMO. I had one years ago and sold it. It had the f/2.8 Sonnar lens. The one I have now has the Tessar. But the Triotar lens of the one my grandpa had was more contrasty, at the expense of some sharpness. Technically speaking, the XA is a more refined & capable compact camera, but it just doesn't have the same character.
I had an Olympus XP, but something was wrong with it, so I got rid of it right away. Focusing mechanism was off, I think. I couldn't even tell how sharp the lens was. In my general experience though, the Zuiko Olympus lenses are better than Canon lenses. I don't know if it is the coating, the optical design or what. But the lens on the XA is the best one of the bunch above. The XA was just so far ahead of its time. The Rollei is a thick, chunky brick with lots of protrusions, by comparison.
When it comes right down to it, these cameras are all inconvenient and bulky compared to today's higher end compact digitals. My Konica, Canonet, and Olympus 35RC and XA are all on ebay now to help pay for the Canon S9 that is on the way from Amazon. You've probably noticed that I don't post here much any more. As much as I love doing it, developing and printing film just takes too much time and doesn't look as good on-screen when converted to digital anyway. Homemade B&W prints look better when printed though. I just love that dynamic range & smoothness.
That's a little more than you asked for, but there it is. Viewfinder-wise, the the Yashica and Konica have it all over the rest. But result-wise, the XA wins.
