Everyday RFs vs eLRs

[ruben]

Since the time I was a photojournalist I have been a two cameras shooter. Two cameras at least. One for daylight sunlit outdors (ISO 100/200}, the other for indoors, late evenings, night etc. (ISO 800/1600). Since 5 years ago I am a photo
amateur going to work at a printshop. Lately I have spent some time trying to arrange the best, cheapest, lightest and smallest 2 cameras RF gear, to pack everyday into my backpack and have at hand for whatever catches my eye. The gear should be unexpensive as it may be stolen or damaged.

Therefore I arrived to an Olympus RC for daylight and a Canonet QL GIII for indoors (f1.7). The Canonet is still on its way to me and meanwhile I have been using my Olympus 35SP. But for my somewhat astonishment, today I compared the pros and cons of the RC+Canonet vs a couple of Olympus SLRs I own too, the OM30 (same price and same weight including a single 50mm lens,as the RC+Canonet), and come to the conclusion the SLRs are better choice.

I made a list of the pros of each combination and afterwards I rated the value of each pro for me, from 1 to 10. Hereby the comparison

Olympus 35RC + Canonet GIII advantages:
- 40mm lens: better middle-of-the-way than the SLR standard 50mm (10 points)
- Less intimaditing camera (8 points)
- Quieter shutter (10 points)
- Faster personal time to get zero in focus (10 points)
TOTAL: 38 points

OM30 + OM30 with a single 50mm lens:
- Close focus capabitlity (6 points)
- SLR viewing (no parallax) (6 points) (The OM30 uses a Lumimicron bright screen)
- Exposure compensation dial (10 points)
- Focus aid (a green light at the viewfinder showing when the camera is in focus) (5 points)
- ISO 1600 capability (10 points)
- Lens exchange capability (10 points)
TOTAL: 47 points

Am I missing something ?

Cheers,

Ruben

 

[Trius]

How about weight?

 

[ruben]

Each OM30 weights 400 plus something, and the 50 mm some 150 grams = 1kg.
The RC is 400 and something, and the Canonet exactly 620 grams = ~1kg

 

[ErnestoJL]

IMO your choice seems to be convenient and inexpensive, as you already have the two SLRs. However my personal choice would be different:
For sunlit outdoors, I would use the Canonet. It is a shutter preferred auto then it´ll be faster to use, also a bit smaller and unobstrusive as well as less intimidating than the SLRs.
For indoor working I would choose a Yashica Electro 35 GSN. It is aperture preferred auto, lens is 45/1.7 and the automation would allow you to shoot in unavailable lght conditions at the expense of keeping the camera steady (up to 30 full sec.).
Of course, no lens exchange for both.
Benefits? No mirror noise and vibration especially for indoors, and also you are unable to be tempted to change lens (less bulk and weight).
Best regards and happy new year!

Ernesto

 

[MCTuomey]

Interesting choices, Ruben. My age and eyesight keeps me away from the Yashica (and the fixed lens RFs) for lowlight conditions - I need a brighter finder. But you've got a nice, inexpensive combo that covers most shooting opportunities. The small, manual SLRs are overlooked, no doubt. It's a matter of shooting preference more than objective comparison, IMHO.

 

[Trius]

Ernesto: The RC is shutter-preferred as well.

Mike: I don't get it. As bright as the OM-30 finder is, the RFs are bright. I prefer OMs for some situations, but the RFs have the advantage for handheld at lower shutter speeds.

 

[dostacos]

Since the time I was a photojournalist I have been a two cameras shooter. Two cameras at least. One for daylight sunlit outdors (ISO 100/200}, the other for indoors, late evenings, night etc. (ISO 800/1600). Since 5 years ago I am a photo
amateur going to work at a printshop. Lately I have spent some time trying to arrange the best, cheapest, lightest and smallest 2 cameras RF gear, to pack everyday into my backpack and have at hand for whatever catches my eye. The gear should be unexpensive as it may be stolen or damaged.

Therefore I arrived to an Olympus RC for daylight and a Canonet QL GIII for indoors (f1.7). The Canonet is still on its way to me and meanwhile I have been using my Olympus 35SP. But for my somewhat astonishment, today I compared the pros and cons of the RC+Canonet vs a couple of Olympus SLRs I own too, the OM30 (same price and same weight including a single 50mm lens,as the RC+Canonet), and come to the conclusion the SLRs are better choice.

I made a list of the pros of each combination and afterwards I rated the value of each pro for me, from 1 to 10. Hereby the comparison

Olympus 35RC + Canonet GIII advantages:
- 40mm lens: better middle-of-the-way than the SLR standard 50mm (10 points)
- Less intimaditing camera (8 points)
- Quieter shutter (10 points)
- Faster personal time to get zero in focus (10 points)
TOTAL: 38 points

OM30 + OM30 with a single 50mm lens:
- Close focus capabitlity (6 points)
- SLR viewing (no parallax) (6 points) (The OM30 uses a Lumimicron bright screen)
- Exposure compensation dial (10 points)
- Focus aid (a green light at the viewfinder showing when the camera is in focus) (5 points)
- ISO 1600 capability (10 points)
- Lens exchange capability (10 points)
TOTAL: 47 points

Am I missing something ?

Cheers,

Ruben

outdoors, SLR [I use spotmatics and ME SUPERs] 200 points for the availability of 300+mm lenses game over.

indoors and NIGHT/LOW light shooting Bessa R [$250 new and under $200 used body] bright finder and great lenses for a single lens "kit" the R with the 35mm f2.5 is nice OR go with the 28MM 1.9 without the mirror slap this camera can be hand held at a 15th of a second without too much trouble and sand bag or braced and really slow it down this would get lot of points and tip the scale to the RF

If you do not do low light/night no flash shots this will not be as critical

your milage may vary, some settling may occur, sold by weight not volume, plus tax, license and all carring charges....

Dan

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

This is silly.

He judges his RF on 4 criteria and his SLR on 6 different criteria, each marked out of 10. And because the SLR gets more he thinks it's better.

 

[Nikon Bob]

No you are not missing much and that is why SLRs took over from RFs. I still like my RFs for most general shooting but for long lenses I go to my SLRs because there is no other convenient choice in RFs. Nice to have a choice and use what you like.

Bob

 

[MCTuomey]

Ernesto and Earl, I was responding to Ruben's perspective about what seems to be a economical approach to shooting with two camera bodies. I think he's got a solution that's workable, sensible, and economical.

It isn't my solution, but that's because I prefer RFs.

If I could not have my Bessa or Leica RFs for lowlight conditions (with my aging eyesight), I'd consider an SLR over the fixed-leaf RFs, sure. Why? Because I personally can't focus the fixed-lens RFs reliably any longer in low light. Don't get me wrong, I've owned a Canonet 17 GIII. Great camera, as is my little black Hi-Matic. But I need a brighter finder than most of them offer when the light drops.

I think Dan makes a great case for the Bessa R, btw. Excellent finder, low price, LTM interchangeability. If I were Ruben, I'd probably buy two R bodies and simplify things with a CV 35, a LTM Cron, and a CV 75/2.5 ...

 

[ruben]

Hellow everybody again,

Kindly note that I didn't compare the best SLRs against the best RFs. From all RFs I know, I took 2 winners within the CHEAPEST, SMALLEST and LIGHTEST, to throw into my backpack. If I could, I would select two Olympus 35RC, but for indoors, shadow and night shots, the maximum f2.8 of the Oly sends me to the Canonet GIII.

Now, after my RF selection was done, at around u$a 50~70 per piece, I compare it against two cheap, small and light SLRs, also around u$a 50~70 per piece (the OM30) and find that overall, the SLR package along the stated frame lines is more convenient.

I also could opt on behalf of two OM4Ti bodies, but obviously I would not "throw", such bellies into my backpack alonside my sandwich for everyday. Dear friend Bryan, if in order to beat a 50 bucks OM30 I have to climb to a Leica M3 and Summarit, then you are either over estimating the OM30 or underestimating the Leica.

Dear friend Jon: I have found only 4 advantages of the selected RF package not found at the OM30 package. Viceversa I found 6 advantages on the OM30 package over the RF mentioned package. But are the 4 advantages more weighty than the 6 ? To clarify it to myself I gave each advantage a personal rating and summed it up. Any body is free to claim for example that the silent RF shutter alone is of bigger value than anything else. In my opinion it would be one-sided.

I still maintain as in other threads, that the most important is to have fun, and I am truly delighted with my many and different RFs, specially the oldish Kievs. But so far in this thread, at the CHEAPEST, SMALLEST and LIGHTEST category, the SLRs are winning the convenience race.

I am still hoping someone convince me otherwise.

Cheers,

Ruben

 

[Trius]

Well, there's nothing wrong with a couple of OM bodies with 50s! Add to that, as you noted, Ruben, interchangeable lenses. The 28/3.5 or 28/2.8 would work nicely and you can find them cheap with a little effort.

The other RF option for more speed is the RD; but you won't likely find a good example for cheap unless you get lucky.

As for me, I am happy to give up a bit of size to the SP to gain an extra stop over the RC and get spot metering. The SP feels better in my hand; the controls are easier to use than the RC, IMO. I can't comment on the Canon.

Earl