Focusing in darkness: Konica AF? Canon? Bessa R?

[teo]

Hi, I know that the topic has been already talken about, but I've often seen people suggesting Leicas due to long RF base and bright VF.
Ok, but for those who can't spend so much....?

Maybe I'm going to buy a decent RF in the near future, so I was wondering, what's the best camera (under 500$, better if under 300$) to focus after sunset?

I was tempted by bessa R, it's popular, screw mount, modern, but... has a short baselenght.... for an F2 lens will be enough in the dark?
Or: a Canon 7 or similar, longer baselenght, meter (mmm, old meter, probably useless in the dark) but I don't know about VF and RF brightness (it seems big...)
Finaly: Konica AF... why not? I've read that it meters via infrareds, and its considered very precise. Plus, even if its fixed lens, 35mm is my favourite lens.... (I like 50 sometimes, too).

decisions....

ah, now that I think about it: and a bessa T? used ones go for a song, and it has a long RF baselenght.... but is bright enough?

 

[ferider]

Leica M3. Fits your budget, too. And, in the dark, you need a hand-held
meter anyways.

The Bessa viewfinder is very bright, but for some reason harder
to use in the dark.

Roland.

 

[venchka]

Hmmmm...

A really good Leica VF/RF will probably be better than the Canon or Bessa. You have to get a really great deal on the Konica to meet your budget.

I own very good Canon VI-T bodies. I own very good M5 bodies. The M5 wins in the dark everytime.

 

[venchka]

Roland, are you stalking me????????? 😀 😱 😎

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Hi,

Rf base length has nothing to do with the amount of light.
The shorter the basel enght the less accurate the focusing will be at wider aperture, longer lenses and close ups.
The Bessa is capable enough to focus all the lenses made for it. You will get into trouble however with a noctilux, 135mm, 90/2. 75/1.4 etc.

Best regards,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[venchka]

Hand Held Meter

Hand Held Meter

...And, in the dark, you need a hand-held
meter anyways.

Roland.

Grinning. The camera was in my hand. The meter is in the camera. Does that qualify as a hand held meter?

Teo, is this the kind of darkness you mean? f=2.8 @ 1/150 with ASA 400 film.

 

[teo]

Thanks for fast replies.
ferider: M3 has the longest baselenght, I know, but linking the 35mm, would be the M2 ok too? (and... I'm a bit ashamed, but... I'd have no money to get a decent lens for it... well, I guess a russian lens is not a nice thing to be seen on a Leica 😉
)
venchka: I've seen Konicas AF go at 300-400 $, and was thinking that it was cheaper than a RF kit because of course it comes with lens 😀


So, I'm still left with my M2 dream... 😉

 

[ferider]

Teo: the M2 is great for your needs, too. If you are patient you can get one below US 500. One of the best (and currently most affordable) Leicas ever built. And forget 35mm, get a CV 40/1.4 🙂 (works well with full M3 finder as well). Unless you are ready to spend US 3000 on a Leica lens, it beats any Leica lens out there (going under cover now ...).

Wayne: stalking you ? 🙂 M5 meter is an exception of course. Also, in Texas, Leicas can just be a little bit bigger 😛

Roland.

 

[teo]

venchka, more like Neopan 1600, 1/50, f 1,4, 50mm lens (or 1/25 with 30mm f2) (with my Minolta SLR at the moment, of course...).
AKA: darker than my eyes can see 😀 (that's why I was thinking about Konica AF 😀 ).

 

[teo]

M5 meter is an exception of course. Also, in Texas, Leicas can just be a little bit bigger 😛

here in EU there's no room for those Leica SUVs 😀

I guess i'll spend my existence on ebay stalking for M2s 😉

 

[Pherdinand]

The Konica Hexar AF certainly will meet your budget, probably even the 300$ one.
Maybe venchka mixed it up with the Hexar RF?
I got mine for 200 euro, including a ND2 filter, extra batteries, two bags, two rolls of film.

Anyway. The hexar af has a fixed 35mm lens. If that's enough for you, it's a good choice.
I think the active AF on it stops working beyond ~7 meters (21 feet). From there till infinite you'll have to find a way to focus in the dark, like manual, or stop down.
neopan 1600 works fine with this camera. Handholding is no prob. I will post some examples later from home, that I just made in Barcelona, on neopan 1600 at EI2400 + Diafine (a bit underexposed).

 

[teo]

Probably he was thinking about RF, yes, the AF one is an heresy on RFF! 😉
Thanks, I'll go on searching for a bargain like your. (apart ebay, do you have any suggestion for EU?)

 

[Pherdinand]

teo: yes.
1: Rangefinderforum.
2: a dutch ebay-type website, marktplaats.nl... of course it is in dutch...
(i bought it there)
3: ask around here maybe someone has seen somewhere an online secondhand shop having the camera.

 

[teo]

Thanks, I'll ask in the forum. Before I have to decide if a new camera is really what I need 😉

My only doubt in marktplaas (translated automagically form NL to UK, so I can read only some parts) is that I don't understand when the bid is going to finish... I read 3 bidders on a Hexar AF (at 209 euro now) but nowhere the ending date...

 

[doitashimash1te]

Thanks, I'll ask in the forum. Before I have to decide if a new camera is really what I need 😉

My only doubt in marktplaas (translated automagically form NL to UK, so I can read only some parts) is that I don't understand when the bid is going to finish... I read 3 bidders on a Hexar AF (at 209 euro now) but nowhere the ending date...

There is no ending date on marktplaats. The auction ends when the seller sees a bid that he feels is high enough, and the highest bidder is still interested.

 

[Pherdinand]

that's he drawback on marktplaats. It might happen that a sale is dragged for a month (when the item is automatically removed from the site, but it can be prolonged!)

but i got a few good bargains on it, and in my case the owner of the hexar answered within two days of my bid.

If you need assistance, drop me a note.

 

[michaelging]

The konica AF has a very good meter , you can shoot manual or A-priority. The max shutter speed is only 1/250 which sucks for daylight ,but would be perfect for night. The Af is very good ,and there is no better 35mm lens in my opinion. I have the black stealth , which is so quiet that even I can't hear it when I am taking a photo.

 

[Pherdinand]

the hexar meter is not that good, in my experience. It was repeatedly fooled by bright but small spots (street lamps). Somehow it seems less good like the one on the yashica electro35 gsn. Unbelievable, i know.
No i did not block it w my finger 😀 (The error was on the underexpopsure side, anyway).
Or maybe i am spoiled by my incident handheld meter that i lately used?

 

[rbiemer]

Or you could get really crazy and try something like this:
"Random College Kids"
😀😀
I don't recall the specific exposure setting but it was something like 1/30@f2.
You ought to be able to get the gear for this and have some money left over for a good meter.
Rob

 

[teo]

There is no ending date on marktplaats. The auction ends when the seller sees a bid that he feels is high enough, and the highest bidder is still interested.

the opposite of ebay i'd say... how strange! 🙂





thanks again for the help, people