Good fixed lens rf?

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kzphoto

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I've been craving the use of a fixed lens RF. What are models worth looking into? Looking for a fast lens and manual controls. A nice VF would also help. Seems like the konica auto s3, canon g17 are solid. Anything else I should explore?
 
The Konica Hexar AF is one to look at... in fact there is one in classifieds LINK for a nice price. It has a fixed 35mm f2.
 
Retina IIa
Karat 36 or IV
Zeiss Contessa

I've owned these and kept the Retina even though it can be a bit fragile. The glass in it (50/2 Xenon) makes it worth it.

William
 
I've tried a XA, canon QL17 GIII, minolta himatic 7SII and 9 models, Konica auto S2, Hexar AF. Of the lot I still have the XA, canon and hexar cameras. The XA is a go everywhere camera while the hexar has a great lens (I just got one so can't comment a lot on it). But the canon has everything. Great lens, great handling, solid and best of all dirt cheap. For me it's the all round best of the RF cameras i've tried (not counting the Leica M's!!)
 
I had a Canonet QL17-GIII on the way to a Minolta 7sii on the way to a couple of Bessa Rs. Both the Canon and the Minolta are nice cameras among many nice cameras that you'll hear about here. Both of mine worked OK in bright light. Neither was easy to use in dim light. It didn't make economic sense to me to have the rangefinders cleaned and renewed when used Bessa Rs were so inexpensive and versatile and had such beautifully bright rangefinders.
 
Honestly, there are a lot of great options.'it mostly depends on what you are liking for in the camera. Small size? The Olympus XA or 35RC are worth checking out. Fast glass at the expense of size? Yashica Lynx 14 or 14e. All around camera? Canonet 17 GIII. Older all manual camera? I like the Ricoh 500 but there are lots of great options. I live the ergonomics of the Minolta 7sII of I could get one in good working condition. Best glass is very debatable from what I've seen; the state of the individual camera plays more of a part there.

And all of this misses great cameras like th S2 and GSN.

Frankly, feel in your hand and the instance of the camera trumps almost everything else
 
Konica auto S3 is a shutter priority camera only.

I just got a Yashica GX which is a Aperture priority and a good camera.

Also have my fathers Konica S2 with is a shutter priority or manual camera. Haven't tested it yet as I'm still testing the Yashica

If you go with a Yashica model. Stick with the GX as others have what's known as the POD (Pod Of Death) and if worn. Requires a replacement or camera won't work

DON
 
I've had and used most of the usual suspects and then some. Those that I've found subjectively to be better than the others and which I still have and intend to keep are:

-Yashica 35 GX: great 40mm/1.7 lens, 52mm filter size, metering within the filter (no exposure correction), great Cds-meter, smallish size, parallax corrected large viewfinder. ASA dial goes only up to 800 which is a big minus in otherwise almost perfect FL rangefinder. Needs a battery adaptor from the Yashica guy.

-Retina IIS: Lovely Xenar 45mm/2.8 lens. Meter usually works well enough (mine works perfectly), built like a tank, small but heavy mechanical wonder, great viewfinder and nice blue RF patch. Very retro looks.
 
I love threads of this kind :) any kind of preachers can advertize their own religion :)

Probably we can compile small list of FL RF's NOT worth engaging with, thus making whole task lots easier than listing good ones?
 
Sounds like the GX is the camera to look into. Thanks for the info guys!

btgc: Indeed! Horror stories will be remembered while praise will be forgotten.
 
Good fixed lens rf?

Ricoh Five One Nine
Zeiss Ikon Contessa 35 folder if you're retro. I just ran some Provia through mine, came out great without any filter on the lens. If you get one, don't whip the lens in and out quickly. Suction on film while it's in the gate. Of course you shouldn't whip anything around quickly with any old camera. Send it to Essex Camera Services for a CLA.
 
You're initial comment mentioned fast, manual and good VF.

The Yashica GX is aperture priority only. In fact, it is the camera to buy if you specifically want a small, aperture priority fixed lens rangefinder. There isn't much competition. If you want manual control though, it may not meet your needs.
 
Brian Legge said:
You're initial comment mentioned fast, manual and good VF.

The Yashica GX is aperture priority only. In fact, it is the camera to buy if you specifically want a small, aperture priority fixed lens rangefinder. There isn't much competition. If you want manual control though, it may not meet your needs.
Click to expand...

Brian,

It seems that most of the older RF's are AE or shutter priority. AE is okay, shutter priority is a deal breaker. Manual controls would be the best though. Still, for the prices these cameras cost, I could buy a few to try and sell whatever I don't end up keeping.
 
For me by this order:
Olympus 35 SP (best lens & Spot metering), but a little larger than the others
Olympus 35 RD (great camera, maybe the best overall in terms of lens and size)
Olympus 35 RC (i love this little camera, stunning photos, but only has an f2.8, and if you need more than this...) i think its the best considering its small size

PS:i have all these cameras, and also the Canon QL17 GIII & Yashica 35 CC
 
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