cheap fully manual rangefinders

[Nedgonaes]

I'm looking into getting an inexpensive rangefinder, but I want to be able to manually control aperture and shutter speed. I've been looking at the Canonet QL17, but are there any others I should also consider?

Edit: Just to be clear, what I mean by "fully manual" is that it has the ability to manually set aperture and shutter speed". Some below have taken that to mean "only cameras that do not have any type of automation", which is not what I meant. Indeed, I wouldn't mind having a camera that offered Av, Tv, both, a little gnome that just takes photos for me while I walk around, etc. Just as long as I can manually override it.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

It depends on budget. I quite like the Konica Auto S2. It can do aperture priority automatic exposure but maintains non-battery dependent manual control at all times with the ability to use the built meter manually if a battery is installed. If you can find a good one the Kiev rangefinders (a Soviet copy of the classic Contax II or III rangefinders) offer some great lenses and accurate rangefinders. Even Fujica made some very interesting (and very solid) 35mm rangefinders with sharp lenses. Whilst I have all the above my favourite 35mm rangefinders tend to be German made. Eg the Voigtlander Vito BR and Vitessa are both beautifully made with excellent lenses. Quite possibly not as cheap as you are after but "cheap" is a relative term. A dollar value can permit more specific suggestions!

You need to note that all of the above regardless of their country of origin are old enough that some maintenance is likely to be required before they can be pressed into regular service today. Cleaning of rangefinder optics and shutters are par for the course. In the case of the Vitessa there may be a few other issues to be sorted out but it's certainly worth it for the delights of imaging with one. There is a lot of information here at RFF and also on the web about the various options available. Providing you stick with the better known names and place condition as your most important criteria it's honestly hard to get a really bad imaging device.
Cheers
Brett

 

[btgc]

I suggest getting one without Tv exposure mode. If you want automation, get Yashica Electro with Av mode, if this doesn't break your vision. Other than that, pre-AE era fully mechanical fixed lens RFs are built to higher standard (not all and not day and night, but one can feel it), have feather smooth shutter release as they don't have to trigger metering linkage and mostly have OK finders. Uncoupled metering is acceptable as it's separated from release button.

 

[papaki]

The Canonet QL19 GIII is also a cheap great performing rangefinder camera. It may not have the 1.7 lens of its sibling, but that does not make a huge difference.

 

[ForestCap]

Olympus 35 RC is quite popular.

 

[AlexBG]

Minoltina or minolta al-s. Selenium meter but full controls and great little lens. A lot cheaper than what others have suggested,

 

[btgc]

Minoltina or minolta al-s. Selenium meter but full controls and great little lens. A lot cheaper than what others have suggested,

Long times haven't tracked prices, but agree that lots of sleepers are available. Canonet and 35RC got hyped and prices went up accordingly but I wouldn't pay premium for any old camera sold AS-IS unless seller knows camera works properly and can back his claim.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Interesting that you want fully manual and then look at the QL17 which is automatic and manual and all the others are too but I may be wrong. I guess you want it for the lens? Anyway, none of them are pure fully manual cameras.

But be warned, my experience of these auto and manual cameras goes back decades to my first love, meaning the Olympus-35 SP, and I'll advise you that regardless of the principles behind wanting fully manual, you'll soon leave it on fully auto and just now and then stop, think and over-ride the thing.

So have fun deciding and, in you shoes, I'd worry a little about batteries for these cameras; that can be fun and games.

Regards, David

 

[k__43]

A Fed or Zorki maybe ? The cameras can be annoying but the lenses are super nice.

 

[Roger Hicks]

There are scores available, so it comes down to condition and price. I have a weakness for Konicas (mechanical, no battery) because the lenses are so good, and I've much as I liked my Yashica Lynx 14 the RF patch was dim.

Cheers,

R.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Try the Fujica 35EE - great lens, great handling, excellent viewfinder/rangefinder, offers fully manual operation with the option of a selenium-cell-controlled shutter-priority autoexposure, pretty tough build, and usually pretty cheap to buy.

 

[bobby_novatron]

+1 for the Konica S2, it's slightly on the larger side but it's a well-made camera and renders colors beautifully.

Personally, I own an Olympus 35RC and I think it's fabulous. Tiny form-factor, easily pocketable, manual override and AUTO function if you want/need it. Plus, the IQ from the 35RC is stunning. Among the best of any 35mm camera I've used.

 

[jamin-b]

Hi,

Interesting that you want fully manual and then look at the QL17 which is automatic and manual and all the others are too but I may be wrong. I guess you want it for the lens? Anyway, none of them are pure fully manual cameras.

But be warned, my experience of these auto and manual cameras goes back decades to my first love, meaning the Olympus-35 SP, and I'll advise you that regardless of the principles behind wanting fully manual, you'll soon leave it on fully auto and just now and then stop, think and over-ride the thing.

So have fun deciding and, in you shoes, I'd worry a little about batteries for these cameras; that can be fun and games.

Regards, David

I TOTALLY agree - a working Olympus SP with autoexposure, spot and average metering AND half press AE lock is much much better than total manual control, machismo aside....

 

[Roger Hicks]

I TOTALLY agree - a working Olympus SP with autoexposure, spot and average metering AND half press AE lock is much much better than total manual control, machismo aside....

"Machismo" is a pretty lightweight insult, so here's a little question. What word would you use to describe someone who knew so little about what they were doing that they had to rely on a camera designer's opinion of what the exposure should be?

Cheers,

R.

 

[nongfuspring]

I think it's 99% about condition of camera. I tested out 10+ functional QL17 GIIIs before getting mine. Out of those there was a big variance in VF condition, shutter sound/feel etc, and even then with mine I still took off the top plate and cleaned the OVF/RF glass internally which gave a pretty dramatic improvement.

Great camera, makes a good default choice for compact manual RFs and in spite of what David Hughes says it is a fully manual camera capable of working without batteries. Other good options are the Oly RC and (one of my favorites, also one of the cheapest fixed lens RFs you can buy) the Ricoh 500g, which as far as I know is the only camera in its class that can meter in full manual mode.

 

[thawkins]

You can't go wrong with a QL17. Inexpensive, a superb lens and accurate meter are some of its many attributes. You can easily get one on line and a CLA in inexpensive.

 

[Nedgonaes]

Hi,

Interesting that you want fully manual and then look at the QL17 which is automatic and manual and all the others are too but I may be wrong. I guess you want it for the lens? Anyway, none of them are pure fully manual cameras.

But be warned, my experience of these auto and manual cameras goes back decades to my first love, meaning the Olympus-35 SP, and I'll advise you that regardless of the principles behind wanting fully manual, you'll soon leave it on fully auto and just now and then stop, think and over-ride the thing.

So have fun deciding and, in you shoes, I'd worry a little about batteries for these cameras; that can be fun and games.

Regards, David

Yes, I want it for the lens, and the price I guess. I don't care if it has automation, I just care that I can also manually adjust. By fully manual I mean has manual mode and not just Av or Tv.

 

[splitimageview]

Most of them will have manual but not necessarily metered manual.

All of the 1970s fixed lens RFs are quite good, but some are more good than others. 🙂

I like the QL17 GIII as it has a superior VF with parallax corrected framelines. Some of the others have reduced finder magnification and have obvious barrel distortion.

The Auto S2 is quite good but larger, as is the 35SP.

I've tried them all, pretty much. The Oly 35RD is a gem but many will need shutter work. The 35RC doesn't have this problem.

You can get them cheap on ebay but it's virtually certain all will need service, cleaning, seals. If you spring for the unknown condition model from the seller who admits they don't know anything about cameras, be prepared to send it off for service. Or just buy one that is already serviced including with modern battery...message me, I have several.

 

[harpofreely]

"Machismo" is a pretty lightweight insult, so here's a little question. What word would you use to describe someone who knew so little about what they were doing that they had to rely on a camera designer's opinion of what the exposure should be?

Cheers,

R.

"Beginner," hopefully. Less hopefully, "carefree," "indifferent," eventually shading to "incompetent" - you decide when that gets worse than "machismo."

 

[harpofreely]

I'm looking into getting an inexpensive rangefinder, but I want to be able to manually control aperture and shutter speed. I've been looking at the Canonet QL17, but are there any others I should also consider?

Koni-Omega Rapid.