Best (Overall) Compact RF for longevity

srtiwari

srtiwari

Daktari
Local time
2:28 PM
Joined
Oct 3, 2005
Messages
1,032
If you could only keep 1 (ONE) compact Fixed-lens RF FILM camera in this Digital age, and hoped to use it over the next few years, which would you Buy/Keep ? The camera, in your opinion, should be the best combination of Design, Optical quality of Lens, Durability, and Repairability (Possibly DIY ?), since I expect, that as these Machines start to become non-functional, it is also going to be increasingly difficult to get them fixed.
I own a Ricoh 500G, Olympus 35RC, Canonet QL17, a Minox, Konica IIIM, Minolta 7SII, and a few others. One by one, they are "dying". I would like to sell most (or all) and keep just one.
All ideas welcome !
 
Based on friends' use and what I see in shops, I'd expect the Minolta to be the last one standing, but these were designed as family snap-vacation cameras. They just aren't built to the same standard as an M3.
You don't mention the Vivitar ES, but a lot of those seem to be surviving.
 
srtiwari said:
One by one, they are "dying". I would like to sell most (or all) and keep just one. All ideas welcome !
Click to expand...

Mental note: do not buy a fix RF lens camera from srtiwari because he admits that they are all dying. . . :D
 
My choice does not qualify as "fixed lens", but I would choose a Barnack Leica, from a Leica II to a Leica IIIf, with a collapsible lens of your choice. I have a IIIa and 50/f3.5 Elmar that I have used for over 50 years, and, while it could do with a CLA, it is still functional.

Jim N.
 
Very Funny, NavillusPM !
"They are all dying"' in the same sense that every other 'living' thing is dying. We are talking about "Sudden, unexpected, Death", not passing away 'after a long debilitating illness'. That means, of course, that they may last a long time.;)
 
I bought a very nice QL17 GIII off of ebay for around $60, which worked perfectly until I dropped it. I had it repaired by Mark Hama, and now I have a camera that seems as good as new for less than the cost of many mid-range digital point and shoots.

Is it really true that these cameras are dying? I guess parts availability is the key to that, and perhaps the increasing cost of dwindling expertise in these old cameras. But Hama-sensei's expertise can still be had for a very reasonable cost.
 
I have a Minolta A from the 50s that still works fine... of course, it's a tank, and I never use it. Also have an Olympus XA that sees regular use - still one of the quietest of all cameras to use (both shutter and film advance). In the Barnack range, a Zorki 1d and 1e, both of which continue to perform flawlessly, and fit well as 'pocket' cameras.
 
OldNick said:
My choice does not qualify as "fixed lens", but I would choose a Barnack Leica, from a Leica II to a Leica IIIf, with a collapsible lens of your choice. I have a IIIa and 50/f3.5 Elmar that I have used for over 50 years, and, while it could do with a CLA, it is still functional.

Jim N.
Click to expand...

I'll bend the same rule as Jim. My main "user" at the moment is a 1930 Leica Model I factory upgraded to a IID in 1934. I had it CLA'd and use it with either a VC Colour Skopar, or a 5cm Elmar for true pocketability. If I can perform as well when I am 78 I shall be delighted...:D

Regards,

Bill
 
I´d choose a Voigtländer Vitomatic IIb /II Cs or a IIIb / IIICs.
Mine is 40 years old and still in very good shape. Lens is tack sharp and all mechanic, no electronics nor batteries in it. It´s made in the old tradition of Voigtländer, made to last.

Cheers

Ernesto
 
Vitomatic IIa, I don't like the IIb and IIIb because of the front shutter release that I find very uncomfortable, but you can find it right. If so, the more modern *b are a sure bet (better contrasty patch). If you have some cash to throw away, the Ultron lens is in the 50mm all time top 5 Lens Hall of Fame.
The build quality is superb. No wobbling of the lens, shiny chroming, black well aged skin. If you find a good vitomatic, often it is so good to look minty.
The 1:1 viewfinder is a solid one piece of glass, completely sealed, so no dust at all, and by the back side of the camera, is totally flat.
I had one IIb (fallen from my bicycle basket..., and two IIa (and I'm waiting for my third IIa..)..the first IIa I sold it on ebay...(stupid)...the second arrived with a very fainty yellow patch...after some month...I had the bad idea to grab the viewfinder assembly from my dead IIb to stick it on my IIa....Houston...we have a problem...the rangefinder patch is good now ..but the distance is off...so I use it as a scale camera and I'm waiting for a third.
ciao
Andrea
 
srtiwari said:
If you could only keep 1 (ONE) compact Fixed-lens RF FILM camera in this Digital age, and hoped to use it over the next few years, which would you Buy/Keep ? The camera, in your opinion, should be the best combination of Design, Optical quality of Lens, Durability, and Repairability (Possibly DIY ?), since I expect, that as these Machines start to become non-functional, it is also going to be increasingly difficult to get them fixed.
I own a Ricoh 500G, Olympus 35RC, Canonet QL17, a Minox, Konica IIIM, Minolta 7SII, and a few others. One by one, they are "dying". I would like to sell most (or all) and keep just one.
All ideas welcome !
Click to expand...

Werramatic?

http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/werramatic/
 
I'd keep the Minolta 7sii as this is my favorite of the bunch, but then my first one died after a couple years of carry around use.

Eric
 
srtiwari said:
If you could only keep 1 (ONE) compact Fixed-lens RF FILM camera in this Digital age, and hoped to use it over the next few years, which would you Buy/Keep ? The camera, in your opinion, should be the best combination of Design, Optical quality of Lens, Durability, and Repairability (Possibly DIY ?), since I expect, that as these Machines start to become non-functional, it is also going to be increasingly difficult to get them fixed.
I own a Ricoh 500G, Olympus 35RC, Canonet QL17, a Minox, Konica IIIM, Minolta 7SII, and a few others. One by one, they are "dying". I would like to sell most (or all) and keep just one.
All ideas welcome !
Click to expand...

Are you killing them?

In all seriousness, anything 30 years old may not last under the kind of use those of use here intend. I'd say either buy four or five of whatever you like, or just by an old Leica and it will last you probably as long as we can still find and process film.
 
Funnily enough, I was NOT thinking of the LTMs at all, but rather of the Canonets, XAs, Rollei 35s, etc. I should have mentioned "metered", and some "Auto" features. The kind you can just "point & shoot" sometimes, but have known quality glass, and are sometimes worth repairing, depending on what's wrong with them.
 
The decision I made was the Konica III - built like a tank and with a great lens. And Dean Williams will fix them for less than the usual suspects charge to fix a Barnack Leica. I just clip on a VCII meter and go.
 
One of the things I like about the Canonet QL17 GIII is that a lot of them were manufactured. Hence parts are easy to come by. They're tough little cams and don't rely much on electronics -- you can shoot them manually if the meter goes. There are also a lot of people around with experience fixing them. And they have a very good lens.

Gene
 
^ I agree.

I've had a very nice CL, and I can't really say that it was better-built than my late-model Canonet. A fine camera, and just as useful as the G3 QL17 after the meter dies, given that both are fundamentally mechanical manual cameras. The CL wins for the ability to mount other lenses, but the Canonet wins for auto-exposure, so it's kind of a wash as long as both have meters. And still a close finish when the meters are dead, as the CL is a very slick machine with the 40/2 lens but not so slick with anything larger, i.e. probably the winner just for the lens flexibility, but not really that much better with the 40 mounted than the Canonet.
 
Ditto the last two posts. That was going to be my comment. I like my QL17 GIII the best. That said, this was a fully CLA'd camera (paid a premium) that got a stuck shutter into the 2nd roll. It was repaired, but hey...things happen. They're old and mechanical. Then there's my Canonet Junior I bought for $0.99. Flawless...and older than me. Same with my Bell and Howell Dial 35 that I fixed the light meter on which cost me $8.

Since I really like my QL17 GIII, I also have a QL17 GIII "parts camera". It was cheap, and I'll be able to repair it if needed.

These cameras are small enough to throw a spare in your suitcase when going on vacation. That way, if one acts up, you have a 2nd. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom