Does this camera exist?

[redimp]

Hello RFF readers, I'm looking for a daily driver that shoots film and am in a bit of a puzzle.

I own a T2 and it's really nice, but the 1/500th is a very limiting factor for me, and I am looking for a cam that can do 1/2000. Also with the T2 that keeps moving the lens back and forth when I release shutter I never know when the shutter has fired.

I also own a G1 with a 45mm planar. It's a little too big for a daily camera (for me) and the viewfinder is a little upsetting. I got used to the fact it's small, but every time I lift the camera up my eye has to 'hunt' for a couple seconds to position itself right in the middle of the finder to be able to frame. Sometimes this makes me miss the shot.

I have looked at leica compacts, seems CM goes up to 1/1000 but that price tag is way too high for a daily cam that is always in a backpack and can get some occasional ding here and there.

40mm is my favorite focal length, 35 is OK as well. I don't care if it's manual or autofocus. I always shoot this focal length between 2.8 and 4, so it's ok if the cam has a 'slow' fixed 35mm lens at 3.5 or something.

But the thing is – I don't think such a cam exists. Did I miss any particular models? I'm OK with pretty much anything as long as it's small and is not a scale focus camera.

 

[littlemax]

Yashica T4 goes to 1/700 but aperture is only 3.5

I think only digital cameras can go above 1/1000. A used Ricoh GR 2 can be had for $250 and goes to 1/2500. I am not sure if second hand Ricohs are reliable though. The film ones were failure prone.
edit: Ricoh GR 2 is a 28mm lens.

 

[littleearth]

Canon Rebel T2 with 40mm pancake.
Better viewfinder than any compact, 1/4000 and better glass than 95% of 90's compacts.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Yep, any Canon Rebel and 40 mm EF pancake.
But it is photography camera, not statement camera 🙂

 

[shawn]

A 1/2000 speed shutter on a film compact is going to be tough. Most I know of stop at 1/500 or less due to having a leaf shutter. A Barnack Leica with a collapsible Elmar can do 1/1000 but it will be a slower camera to shoot with. A Pentax MX with the 40mm pancake is a fairly small camera with 1/1000 and a great viewfinder. For 1/2000 I think you would be looking at later SLRs. Pick up a Nikon 8008s for $25 or so and you get 1/8000 of a second shutter for example.

Shawn

 

[zenza]

Bessa rangefinders? They go to 1/2000th and can be quite small paired with certain lenses

There's also a well priced Hexar RF in the classifieds that goes to 1/4000. Slap a tiny color Skopar 35mm 2.5 on and call it a day.

 

[jsrockit]

If the Leica CM is too big and expensive, why would heavier, bigger and (sometimes) more expensive rangefinders be better for the OP?

The Contax T3 is expensive but has 1/1200th of a second...

 

[littlemax]

Good point with the T3.

I thought it would go only to 1/500 as per this article https://www.lomography.com/magazine/338939-lomopedia-contax-t3-camera but this article https://www.contaxcameras.co.uk/_html/tseries/t3/t3features.html confirms 1/1200

 

[redimp]

If the Leica CM is too big and expensive, why would heavier, bigger and (sometimes) more expensive rangefinders be better for the OP?

The Contax T3 is expensive but has 1/1200th of a second...

Indeed T3 is a valid option then, for some reason I thought it does 1/500th just like T2.

Does anyone know if the T3 moves the lens when you half-press the shutter, or does it do it same way as the T2, moves the lens when you release the shutter?

Thank you or the suggestion. I was indeed looking into SLRs, I do own a Fujica AX5 which I believe is one of the smallest SLRs out there, but it's a second body to die on me, meter gets unpredictable and shutter speeds as well. But it's nowhere near the size of a T2. I would go a little bigger, but don't want to go a lot bigger.

Hexar RF is the most tempting camera for me right now, but I know it's not going to be very practical since I won't carry it with me every day.

 

[alexmuir]

Nikon F75 with an AF 35mm lens is small, light and cheap. Shutter goes to at least 1/2000. Most expense would be the lens. Camera body is very cheap, but has similar metering to the F6. Downside is that it's DX, but so are most fancy compacts.
Alex

 

[retinax]

You don't need shorter than 1/500 to freeze action, right? But to keep the lens wide open in lots of light? If you really don't want to rethink that aperture preference, are you certain that you can't reach that with slow film? Most negative films also easily tolerate one or two stops of overexposure.
Or you could look for a compact that takes an ND filter.

 

[redimp]

You don't need shorter than 1/500 to freeze action, right? But to keep the lens wide open in lots of light? If you really don't want to rethink that aperture preference, are you certain that you can't reach that with slow film? Most negative films also easily tolerate one or two stops of overexposure.
Or you could look for a compact that takes an ND filter.

Well actually I would usually load it with portra 800, and just carry it around, take some pictures indoors, in the morning, evenings, and during a day, but in a bright daylight even completely stopped down the /500th would blink in the T2's finder, indicating it's overexposing.

I thought of manufacturing NDs for the tiny lens on the T2 (I rehouse lenses so it seems not to be a problem) but then attaching-detaching and carrying it around, having to slap it on, that would take effort and time.

 

[zenza]

If the Leica CM is too big and expensive, why would heavier, bigger and (sometimes) more expensive rangefinders be better for the OP?

The Contax T3 is expensive but has 1/1200th of a second...

They didn't say the CM was too big, only too expensive. The Leica CM is a $1k+ camera while you can get a Bessa R and lens for <$500. OP could sell the T2 and do a straight purchase of an R or even an R2 + lens.

Everyone else is suggesting SLRs...so why not suggest a 400g rangefinder like a Bessa? It's not a big camera and they're cheap enough (at least the R and R2) to not feel guilty about throwing into a backpack.

This is an R4 with a 35mm Skopar.

 

[shawn]

Well actually I would usually load it with portra 800, and just carry it around, take some pictures indoors, in the morning, evenings, and during a day, but in a bright daylight even completely stopped down the /500th would blink in the T2's finder, indicating it's overexposing.

I thought of manufacturing NDs for the tiny lens on the T2 (I rehouse lenses so it seems not to be a problem) but then attaching-detaching and carrying it around, having to slap it on, that would take effort and time.

A stick on ND filter would work but have you developed the film? That would be a little less than a stop overexposed. I'd think Portra should handle that easily.

Shawn

 

[Huss]

The Rollei QZ 35 P&S cameras go up to 1/8000 sec. From 16 sec manually set!
I have two of them - the wide and regular versions. Absolutely fantastic cameras but large - about the size of an M9. Built out of Ti, designed by Porsche.
Superb lenses - matches up to my Leica 28mm Asph 2.8 (I posted a comparison on this site).

Even my cat loves it:



Pics taken with it:

 

[fbf]

sounds like the t3 is the winner. Unfortunately, you can't get them for $500 any more

 

[tbhv55]

I was indeed looking into SLRs, I do own a Fujica AX5 which I believe is one of the smallest SLRs out there, but it's a second body to die on me, meter gets unpredictable and shutter speeds as well. But it's nowhere near the size of a T2. I would go a little bigger, but don't want to go a lot bigger.

Here's some information to assist with comparison between the AX5, and a couple of the suggestions (by others) above:

Fujica AX5 --- dimensions: 135mm x 86mm x 54mm weight: 500grams
Pentax MX --- dimensions: 135.5mm x 82.5mm x 49.5mm weight: 495grams
Bessa R --- dimensions: 135mm x 78.5mm x 33.5mm weight: 395grams

Hope this helps.

 

[tbhv55]

Even my cat loves it:

Your cat appears to be listening - very intently - to the Rollei, Huss. Makes me wonder if s/he is a camera connoisseur? 😉 😀

 

[littleearth]

The Contax TVS III does 1/1000 and it's the size of a T3.
I have used the T2, T3 and TVS III, the lens is amazing and tak sharp at 37,5mm and 45mm.

 

[Beemermark]

Ilford Pan F+, you won't ever worry about needing a faster shutter speed than 1/500th. And the little Rollei 35 cameras are very pocketable.