Overconfidence
Member
So I borrowed a Fujica 35-SE from a friend and I enjoyed it a fair bit, and I think I've sorta narrowed down the criteria for what I would like to get myself. Here are the things I am interested in:
1. Wide lens. Most seem to be 40-50mm, are there any at 28 or 35mm? I could make do at 40, but then prefocusing is harder.
2. Quiet. I think most of these cameras have leaf shutters, right?
3. Manual controls. I like to be able to set my exposure.
4. A meter. Mostly just for low(er) light stuff.
5. Depth of field scale on lens/focus ring/whatever. I guess I could carve something into a focusing scale but it would be much nicer just to be able to prefocus accurately.
Does anything fit most of these criteria, if not all? I've been looking around but most stuff is missing some of these. I really like the canonet but it looks like it'd be a pain to prefocus.
1. Wide lens. Most seem to be 40-50mm, are there any at 28 or 35mm? I could make do at 40, but then prefocusing is harder.
2. Quiet. I think most of these cameras have leaf shutters, right?
3. Manual controls. I like to be able to set my exposure.
4. A meter. Mostly just for low(er) light stuff.
5. Depth of field scale on lens/focus ring/whatever. I guess I could carve something into a focusing scale but it would be much nicer just to be able to prefocus accurately.
Does anything fit most of these criteria, if not all? I've been looking around but most stuff is missing some of these. I really like the canonet but it looks like it'd be a pain to prefocus.
btgc
Veteran
Only FL RF wider than 40mm I'm aware is Yashica Electro 35 CC/CCN with it's 35mm f1.8 lens. No manual control usual to Electro RF series Av complemented with stepless shutter. No DOF scale on lens barrel. Otherwise should be very good candidate.
iamzip
Ambitious, but rubbish
I lack a comprehensive knowledge of fixed lens RFs, However, based on my own experience I would highly recommend you check out a Fujica Compact Deluxe, especially if you liked the 35-SE. While, at 45mm, the lens is not as wide as you would like, it is still worth a look. Do a quick search here on RFF and I believe you will only read good things about it. Quick rundown:
Leaf Shutter, Off the top of my head I think from 1/30 to 1/500 plus B
Aperture all the way from 1.8 to 22
Cds meter which takes readily available batteries
Shutter Priority of full manual, with a meter readout on top for manual use, and provision for film speed up to 400 although you can work around this for faster film.
Leaf Shutter, Off the top of my head I think from 1/30 to 1/500 plus B
Aperture all the way from 1.8 to 22
Cds meter which takes readily available batteries
Shutter Priority of full manual, with a meter readout on top for manual use, and provision for film speed up to 400 although you can work around this for faster film.
capitalK
Warrior Poet :P
Konica Auto S3? 38mm f/1.8 and manual operation.
oftheherd
Veteran
I think I remember mentione a couple of years ago of a 28mm fixed lens rf, but I don't remember anything else about it.
There are enough fixed lens afficionados in here that soon someone will come up and give you more information. The only two I really like are the Canonet QL17 III and the Olympus SP. At that, I am more likely to grab the Canonet if I want to carry a fixed lens non-foldng rf. Just me. Be patient.
Someone will give you the info you want.
There are enough fixed lens afficionados in here that soon someone will come up and give you more information. The only two I really like are the Canonet QL17 III and the Olympus SP. At that, I am more likely to grab the Canonet if I want to carry a fixed lens non-foldng rf. Just me. Be patient.
Someone will give you the info you want.
FPjohn
Well-known
The Nikon 28 and 35 Ti QD might meet your expectations though they are AF and only secondarily manual cameras. Fine lenses.
yours
FPJ
yours
FPJ
NickTrop
Veteran
If you insist on a wider focal length:
Yashica CC (35)
Hexar AF (35)
Konica Auto S3 (38mm)
Yashica GX (40 - good luck finding one)
Canon Canonette QLIII (40 + manual. Might be your best bet)
Olympus RD (40)
I think there are others that are 40mm, but drawing a blank. These are all fine cameras...
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Yashica CC (35)
Hexar AF (35)
Konica Auto S3 (38mm)
Yashica GX (40 - good luck finding one)
Canon Canonette QLIII (40 + manual. Might be your best bet)
Olympus RD (40)
I think there are others that are 40mm, but drawing a blank. These are all fine cameras...
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stuken
Established
Olympus SP is totally manual, with shutter priority as well, has a light meter, very quiet leaf shutter. It sports a very very sharp 42mm 1.7 lens. No depth of field scale.
retro
Well-known
The Olympus Wide cameras had 35mm lenses. I think some of
them were f/2.
them were f/2.
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
Natura PS 28mm/1.9 fixed lens. Recently discontinued. Throw some Kodachrome on that puppy.
daniel~
Established
Olympus XA should meet the criteria, too, if you can live with that dim focusing patch.
By the way, the 35/2.8 lens on mine does vignette, even when not shooting wide open.
By the way, the 35/2.8 lens on mine does vignette, even when not shooting wide open.
Welsh_Italian
Established
It's not fully manual or an RF, but an Olympus XA-4 has (I think, I'm someone can correct me if I'm wrong) a 28mm lens. As Daniel said, the XA is 35mm.
Meakin
Established
The XA-4 does indeed have a 28mm/3.5 lens - true it is not a rangefinder as such, but it has one heck of a lens in it, it´s quiet, small and can close focus down to 12"
I really really regret selling mine.
Cheers,
Meakin
btgc
Veteran
with 28mm lens it hardly needs rangefinder.
All in all, such a small cameras are just fine with scale focusing. Especially if used for candids like on street or some scenery. I find myself focusing with RF only when going wide open.
ZeissFan
Veteran
If you want to forget about focusing and exposure, there is the current cult favorite: Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim.
Load it with some 400 speed film and you'll be astounded at how good it is. It can vignette, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And you have to be careful not to photograph your knuckles.
The lens is 22mm. I read that the specs are a fixed f/16 aperture with a shutter speed of 1/125. Seems to work best with 400 speed film.
This little camera puts much more expensive cameras to shame.
I paid $1.95 for mine at a thrift shop.
Load it with some 400 speed film and you'll be astounded at how good it is. It can vignette, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And you have to be careful not to photograph your knuckles.
The lens is 22mm. I read that the specs are a fixed f/16 aperture with a shutter speed of 1/125. Seems to work best with 400 speed film.
This little camera puts much more expensive cameras to shame.
I paid $1.95 for mine at a thrift shop.
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Brennotdan
Established
ZeissFan
Veteran
And of course, that warning comes from experience. 