Fixed-lens cameras: 50mm or greater?

[hugivza]

The Minolta 7s is 45mm - why try the Kiev 4 or variant with the J3? I find the shutter quiet and ideal for informal street shots. The Retinas at 50mm are not a bad bet either.

 

[Pherdinand]

Maybe a medium format with a 35mm adapter if that exists? Otherwise, are you really really 35mm-restricted? You could use s superb super ikonta or similar with a 75-80-is lens and crop later as much as you want. Maybe a 6x4.5 model which wastes less film and better if you plan to crop - and cheaper too, usually.

 

[Pherdinand]

Or maybe the voigtlander vitessa's as Bill mentioned; i think they had 50mm lenses, f/2 and f/2.8 versions.

 

[Robin Harrison]

This is a good question. I've often wondered about this myself. Having a compact short-telephoto camera to complement a GR1 or XA, for instance, would make a really nice two pocket travel kit!

One thing I did come across was an early Leica compact (the AF-C1) with a 'dual range' lens. It was a 40mm f2.8, and a 80mm f5.6 at the flick of a switch. Not exactly a fixed lens, but not a zoom. And 5.6 is fast for 80mm in a compact 35mm.

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=008KNs

 

[Jacob]

A nice compact with a fixed 50+ lens? Guess what I've been looking for for two years!
Cameras I've looked for, or at, are the Voigtländer Vito III (folder with coupled rangefinder, often expensive), Canonet 19QL (45mm, cheap but not very compact) and the Retina IIa (old fashioned handling) and the Vitessa L (retro-futuristic but rather heavy).
I remember that i read somewhere here that Bronica made a 35mm compact with a fixed 50mm in the eighties. I haven't heard about it anywhere else though. It might have been a limited collectors serie for the japanese market. If someone knows anything about the mystic Bronica, please speak up!
Jacob

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Vitessa T has interchangeable lenses and does not collapse. The Vitessa N and L have 50mm lenses and have the folding barn doors. If you get one, make sure the RF is aligned. It has the worst-to-align mechanism of anything that I've seen. On top of that, you have to re-install the top plate everytime you make an adjustment. The original technicians Kit had a partial top plate that was used to align the RF. DIY'rs must either put the top plate back on, or buy a spare top plate and cut out a portion to align the mirror.

 

[FPjohn]

Retina

Retina

Hello:

May I second or third the suggestion of a Retina? A iic or C is very capable with a 50mm F2.8 Xenon. Look for one in good condition with a still robust film advance.

yours
Frank

 

[broadie]

Thanks for all the responses! All very interesting ideas... I'll just have to take a look at whats out there. Cheers

 

[caila77]

Konica III with 48/2 or 48/1.8, very nice and solid camera with very good lens