Choosing just one...

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Photon-hunter

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As I didn´t find a "general forum" I will post this in yashica, Olympus and Canon forums in hope of getting the different opinions...

If you had to choose just one of the folowing cameras to purchase AND USE in a regular basis, which one would it be, and why??:

Yashica Electro 35 GSN
Olympus 35 SP
Canonet QL17G III

???

Thanks for all the input.

E.
 
"general forum" could be "fixed lens rangefinders", but now I'd think if GSN is way to go as mine E35 underexposes in lighting conditions different from "daylight". Rest from list, as far as I know, offer manual exposure. GSN is cheaper generally, though. And batteries for GSN are readily available, but you can also build adapter for SP and GQ17 or use zinc-air batteries.
 
i think gsn its large enough to handle steadily even for my clumsy hands! feels like a camera should 😱 but i do suffer from shiny toy syndrome😀
 
GSN. It is the best tool for RF-style photography (along with the Lynx, Minster series) ever invented, regardless of manufacturer, era, or price - and not by a little bit. It is designed from the ground up for this style of photography and has capabilities which are unmatched for this purpose by any other camera including all makes and models of Leicas.

1. Pre-meter using the under/over lights on the top plate to get the exposure range for the scene/environment you're in.

2. Get a vision of what you what the scent to look like - maximum sharpness greatest DOF down to "bokeh" softer image - etc. Or even if you want to take a still-life in virtual darkness (you should carry a mini-tripod with you when using this camera).

3. Decide what aperture, within the range you predetermined in "1", is best suited to your vision. Set the aperture

4. Raise the camera to your eye, focus quickly, and silently fire.

The correct shutter speed will be automatically selected because the Electro has the proper master (aperture)-slave(stepless shutter) relationship/capabilities that all but a few cameras have. The scene will be 100% correctly metered because to have a 100% correctly metered scene either the aperture must not have discreet click-stops or the shutter must be stepless. One or the other must not have discreet increments. Otherwise, up to 1/2 stop of exposure inaccuracy will be introduced by the camera in addition to all the other factors independent of the camera that cause inaccurate exposure.

Only the GSN - not the Leicas, not the Minoltas, not the Canon 7's or the Canon Ps, or any of the Nikon RFs, certainly no SLRs, and no "digitals"(LOL at the very thought) and very few others, none at the price and availability of the GSN, enable you to do this at with the speed and accuracy REQUIRED for RF-style/"decisive moment" photography.

It is really the ONLY tool, along with the Lynx, that makes sense for RF photography.
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I have both the GS/GT and a QL17 GIII. If I could only have one, I would probably take the QL17. I like the Yashicas very much but the feature set on the Canon is almost perfect (for me). Also, it is a lot smaller than the GSN. It depends what you are shooting though. The QL17 is not a "great" low light performer. I think the slowest shutter speed is 1/4. The viewfinder on my samples of the Yashicas is better than the Canon and a GSN shutter goes to about 45 seconds. Both have fine shutters and meters and are quiet as a click. I also prefer aperture priority - so, it really depends on what you are going to shoot. Finally, total manual control is a big deal to me, and the guide number flash system is cool if you are going to use a lot of flash. I have taken great shots with both.
 
Nick,
I have a small reservation about what you say in your post and previous thread about "the best".

a) The Electros are fit aperture priority folks. (I am not there)

b) Even if you are an aperture priority folk, you don't know the approx. shutter speed, unless you make a series of calculations based on the "traffic lights" and the aperture ring. I don't understand why you think "the GSN, enable you to do this at with the speed and accuracy REQUIRED for RF-style/"decisive moment" photography".

c) The process you point to, is a lengthy one. I am not sure you are not speedy and better off with the Olympus SP and its abominable EV path. Because with the Oly you "pre-meter" by simple look through the viewfinder and alignmnent of one of the scales, and then you see the whole range of possibilities (Ok you don't have a stepless shutter, but you know the apertures AND speeds)

What do you think?

On the other hand the green dot and needle of the first generation Lynxes look to me much more efficient than the traffic lights. They enable you to set your preference, and furtermore to byas the exposure (compensation) with your eye at the viewfinder, by a simple byas of the needle to the left or right of the green dot.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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I agree with Ruben. All Electronic cameras are no match for a more "mechanical" type like the Canonet. I have 3 E35s and they seldom get much use any more. I never know what the shutter speed is! If you're out of batteries, you're SOOL, as it then defaults the shutter speed to 1/500.

A Canonet can work with or without batteries, have an outstanding lens, is much smaller and lighter than any E35, and the QL lets you load the film in about 5 nano seconds. Lastly, it's a CANON!

Your mileage, as they say, may vary. This is my opinion only.
 
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