best RF of this selection... help me chose :)

[AlexMax]

So...

I have some cash to spend, and I am considering buying one of these :

Robot Royal 24 ( or 36 )
Konica III ( or IIIa )
Topcon 35 L
Bessa R3m
Olympus ace

What would be my best choice considering quality of build/ruggedness, optics/IQ?

Best regards,

Alex

 

[FrankS]

No brainer IMO: go with the newest from this group, the Bessa R3m.

Now, if there were an old Leica ...

 

[hipsterdufus]

I think the Robot Royal is the coolest of them. I've heard nothing but exemplary things about the build quality and lenses. Buy one so I can live vicariously through you. :angel:

 

[Crazy Fedya]

If you have $100-150 to spend, then buy Konica III.
If you have around$700-1000 to spend, then buy Robot Royal 24. It shoots 24x24, which is a great little format. I find it also very useful to shoot paired with Rolleiflex, this way you don't have to change the format in your head. 🙂

 

[AlexMax]

No brainer IMO: go with the newest from this group, the Bessa R3m.

Now, if there were an old Leica ...

I only did not include any Leica because I have them all ( or almost... 😀 )

M3, M4-p, M5, M6, M6-ttl ( bought it because of the 0.85 vf), and M7.

I do not like digital leicas ( had 2 of them), nor the M1 or the M2.

But I wish Leicas could be more up to the legend... My M6 ( bought used, no CLA afaik, about 2 yrs ago ) shot a few rolls with it... Last week loaded some adox cms20, for landscape, long exposure ( not B though) the roll was severely underexposed in some frames... I took a look at it... And... Slow shutter speeds are undistinguishable from the fast ones... No.... brrrrr... At 1s or 1/2s.... It just opens and closes like a snap... Clearly, the mechanism for slow speeds is disregulated.... Sent it to repair...


Only Leica fail so far....

:bang:

 

[Bill Clark]

My vote would be the Bessa.

Suggest consider purchasing from Camera Quest.

https://cameraquest.com/rangefinder_forum_welcome.htm

 

[RichL]

My vote is for the Robot Royal. Small, precision, high quality and tough cameras.

 

[FrankS]

I only did not include any Leica because I have them all ( or almost... 😀 )

M3, M4-p, M5, M6, M6-ttl ( bought it because of the 0.85 vf), and M7.

:bang:

Given that you have these other cameras already and your choice would not be your only rf camera, I switch my recommendation to the Robot. It's just different and would be fun to have.

 

[johannielscom]

The Robot 36!

Built like a tank and very nice, I might spring for one someday (hehe, dream on...)

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Bessa. For normal picture taking procedure with lens you could afford.
The rest is weird.

 

[shadowfox]

Another opinion:
Since you already have a bunch of M-bodies, getting a Bessa R3m would be ... redundant, to put it mildly.

I'd get a Konica III for the build quality and unique design. The lens is not bad either, that is, if you manage to get a well-serviced one.