Every-Day-Carry RF (again)

M

merciful

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Well, as usual, my latest EDC camera has failed to satisfy. I shot a roll of 24 with my XA at ISO 800 in a bar, and got one frame (attached) where motion blur or camera shake didn't kill the shot (not to mention the ridiculous exposures I got from the aperture-priority metering.) With my M3, Tri-X pushed as far as I want, and manual metering, I have, obviously, a significantly higher success rate: but I'm not able to carry the M3 and my big-ass Sekonic meter everywhere; I walk nearly everywhere I go, cover at least 10km a day in various harsh weather conditions, and the stuff takes up too much room in my bag with food and beer and other purchases.

So, I need a new EDC. It must focus manually, have complete manual exposure controls, and have a maximum aperture of no smaller than f2.8. These requirements eliminate the Contax T2, Nikon 35Ti, Yashica T4, Ricoh GR1s, Rollei 35, Olympus XA, and absolutely everything else that comes to mind. The only thing that occurs right now is to re-foam my Canonet, buy the littlest Sekonic, throw 'em in the bag and live with it. Is there some little-known miracle camera that I'm missing?
 
For myself, I'm thinking that the Leica CL with 40mm Summicron/Rokkor is the best solution to this need. It may be for you too. Fixing the Canon and buying a small meter (I can suggest the V/C Meter 2) would be cheaper, but the CL and lens would integrate perfectly with your M3 and it's lenses.
 
Thanks, Frank: for both confirming a suspicion and encouraging me to spend more money. I suppose my Canon 35/1.8 wouldn't be a bad companion for the CL if I decided not to buy a 40mm for a bit.
 
I use a Zorki 4 with a collapseable 1-50. The lens does not open as far as you wish, but I can keep the camera in a jacket pocket and my digisix on my keyring.
 
I was thinking the Canonet may be your best solution too. It has the "automatic" setting for the shutter speed you set it on if you want to guesstimate on that basis, and the lens of the QL17 is superb.

The CL is a nice compact camera, but I have my own reservations about it (repair-prone), which is besides the point. The f/1.7 in the QL17 is faster than the 40mm Summicron that is frequently paired with the CL. They are both as quiet.
 
gabrielma said:
I was thinking the Canonet may be your best solution too. It has the "automatic" setting for the shutter speed you set it on if you want to guesstimate on that basis, and the lens of the QL17 is superb.
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I really can't take mess around too much with guessing based on a reflected meter at the EI values I use; there's not too much latitude with TX at 3200-25,5600. So I'd have to have a little meter with me. But I think I will go that route, first, as a test. Off to the craft store for some foam, and eBay for a stripped-down Sekonic.

Thanks!
 
For several months I was using a Canonet and I highly recommend it. As gabrielma says the 1.7 lens is a cracker. I'm only not using it at the moment because I'm "running in" a new M7 - doing a lot of subway commuting and the AE is proving a real lifesaver. :)

 
I wouldn't give up on the XA.

The exposure was probably off because of all of the dark tones in the pub (meter assumes the average tone is 18% gray, which is a bad assumption in a pub). You need to subtract light from the exposure in that situation. Does the XA have exposure comp, or do you shoot in manual? For comp, try -1. In manual, shoot one shutter speed faster than the camera recommends. That will help with the motion blurr, too.

Robert
 
RObert Budding said:
I wouldn't give up on the XA.

The exposure was probably off because of all of the dark tones in the pub (meter assumes the average tone is 18% gray, which is a bad assumption in a pub). You need to subtract light from the exposure in that situation. Does the XA have exposure comp, or do you shoot in manual? For comp, try -1. In manual, shoot one shutter speed faster than the camera recommends. That will help with the motion blurr, too.

Robert
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The XA only has a +1.5 exp comp. as a dedicated function. It does also have manual ISO selection, but the range is only 25-800, which make underexposing 800 film impossible (and you've only got a -1 comp for 400 film, which is the limitation I find most annoying).

Robin.
 
RObert Budding said:
Does the XA have exposure comp, or do you shoot in manual? For comp, try -1.
Click to expand...

No comp (save +1.5 for backlit situations). No manual. Just aperture-priority. I have given up already: it's just about useless for my purpose, which is almost exclusively low-light, candid portraiture. Even if the meter wasn't tricking me, f2.8 at 800 is far too slow for me.
 
What about a Bessa R2 with the CV 50mm 2.5? Bigger than the XA, but smaller than the M3, and has built in meter. Or the classic Leica III (a to f) with 50mm Elmar 2.8 (will need separate meter)?
 
gabrielma said:
I was thinking the Canonet may be your best solution too. It has the "automatic" setting for the shutter speed you set it on if you want to guesstimate on that basis, and the lens of the QL17 is superb.

The CL is a nice compact camera, but I have my own reservations about it (repair-prone), which is besides the point. The f/1.7 in the QL17 is faster than the 40mm Summicron that is frequently paired with the CL. They are both as quiet.
Click to expand...

I used the QL17 GIII a couple days last week as my carry-everywhere camera and during the day it worked fine. It was definitely small enough, light enough (??), well, maybe. I don't think I would prefer it for such things as bar shots, but it might be worth trying for that. :)
 
If you can find one, the XA3 or XA4 might be a good everyday camera as they can handle ISO 1600 but have a max aperture of f/3.5. The Fuji Natura S would be an interesting choice if you can afford it and like a 24mm lens; it has an f/1.9 max aperture.

EDIT: DOH! Just realized none of my selections were RFs... oops.
 
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For other high isos with the canonet buy a VC II meter. You can get good photos! The CL is one step more of camera. But the canonet is cheap, and have a fast lens (only 1/2 point yes). The viewfinder is worse than the CL, but is not comparable to the XA viewfinder. The canonet is infinitely better than the XA. Luck!
 
Thanks, guys. The XA3 and 4 are no use to me: ISO 1600 is still far too slow, and besides, full manual control is a requirement.

The Canonet is just about a perfect bar camera: acceptable viewfinder (yes, waaay better than the XA), fast lens, and so cheap that it's insignificant if lost.
 
muahahaha. you see why i sold the darn thing? the most convenient EDC is unfortunately just a full fledged body.
 
Evil monster.

aizan said:
muahahaha. you see why i sold the darn thing? the most convenient EDC is unfortunately just a full fledged body.
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You can control exposure on the XA with the film speed control, but that's not very intuitive.

The Rollei 35 is pretty much becoming my carry everywhere camera. Total manual control and superb 40mm lenses make up for the inconvenience of the flash shoe on the bottom and no rangefinder focussing. (I had to zone focus my XA anyhow.) When precission focus or flash is required I have much more appropriate tools. It would be absurd to expect a $200 camera to have all the features and convenience of a $2000 camera.
 
richard_l said:
You can control exposure on the XA with the film speed control, but that's not very intuitive.

.
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It's intuitive enough, just not at all extensive enough. There's no way to get film speed past 800.

I don't work with enough light for zone-focus to be acceptable; the Rollei 35 was nice save for that. Example attached.
 
I'd say that the Rollei 35S/35SE or the Konica Hexar AF are really good choices. I have a Rollei 35 (one of the Tessars), and a KHAF, and I will say that the KHAF is an outstanding lowlight camera. Manual focussing is an absolute pain, but the infrared focussing system focusses great in low light. KHAF + my Sekonic L-608 = a very good team. It helps that the lens is outstanding.

The Rollei 35s is a great little camera, with a 40 f/2.8 and maual everything. I carry my 35 as an everyday carry camera (alternating between it and my M6). It's also not too hard to make the rollei 35 into a RF camera... just buy an accessory rangefinder off of ebay or something.
 
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