Inexpensive, sturdy, mechanical rangefinder?

[Zuiko-logist]

If I were going into a war zone, I'd take an Argus C3. In 1940, a US War Department study found that a German helmet could be penetrated at 90 yards by the corner of a well thrown C3.

😁

 

[Zuiko-logist]

I have one. Same basic body as the P, but with a simpler viewfinder. Really like the auto-parallax correcting bright line viewfinders. No doubt one of my favorite rangefinders.

Jim B.

Agreed. I also like the P as well.

 

[The Spastic Image]

I'm surprised nobody has recommended a Canon Model P yet. It's the best RF in my book, but you'll need a light meter for it.

A P is excellent, but the viewfinder has aged a lot worse. A P was an economy V series, affordable.

 

[Zuiko-logist]

I find the P frame lines difficult to see but it is otherwise nice to use.

 

[wrs1145]

One more vote for the Canon Model P!

 

[gzisis69]

Does any of those cameras have 28mm framelines ? My favorite focal length is 28mm so if one cheap rangefinder makes 28mm photography a joy without external viewfinder id happily try it

 

[wlewisiii]

None that are cheap. The only ones that I know of with 28 mm frame lines are from Leica M4, the Nikon SP or certain Voigtlander Bessa models that looked at as collectables these days/

I did used to have a Leica CL that you can get semi-inexpensively, especially with an inoperable meter (say $400), that I would use the whole finder window for my Canon 28/3.5. It came very close to fully coverage.

 

[gzisis69]

None that are cheap. The only ones that I know of with 28 mm frame lines are from Leica M4, the Nikon SP or certain Voigtlander Bessa models that looked at as collectables these days/

I did used to have a Leica CL that you can get semi-inexpensively, especially with an inoperable meter (say $400), that I would use the whole finder window for my Canon 28/3.5. It came very close to fully coverage.

Thats a nice idea. I heard that the m2 which doesnt have 28mm framelines has a close coverage if one looks the whole viewfinder. How much would you estimate you get more with the leica cl ? Did you permanently have to crop afterwards ?

 

[Erik van Straten]

The best cheap rangefinder is the Leica lll. Easy to repair, never lets you down, many lenses etc.

gelatin silver print (summar 50mm f2) leica lll

Amsterdam, 2020

 

[gzisis69]

A leica iii costs a lot from what i see. A serviced one since we are talking about an 80 years old camera costs with a lens almost as much as a leica m2 which accepts m mount lenses and much more than a leica cl which is also a compromise( to me if someone goes to leica all in he should get one of the modern ones say after the m6 or if one doenst want lightmeter m4-p) but also accepts m lenses. For a very decent price say 200 body 150 lens id try a pretty old camera with everything fiddly on it. Dont take it negative i also really like the rollei 35 for example but the lack of rangefinder and the strange focal lenght are not things i can just swallow, especialy since film costs a lot at the time.

By the way i often visit amsterdam for some street photography so here is a photo with a pentax mx 28mm lens

 

[wlewisiii]

Thats a nice idea. I heard that the m2 which doesnt have 28mm framelines has a close coverage if one looks the whole viewfinder. How much would you estimate you get more with the leica cl ? Did you permanently have to crop afterwards ?

It was close enough I almost never cropped. Occasionally I'd get a wayward branch or the like on the edge but that was usually it. I found it worked well for me with Canon lens. Another lens with a different FOV (since every lens is slightly different) might not work as well.

 

[gzisis69]

It was close enough I almost never cropped. Occasionally I'd get a wayward branch or the like on the edge but that was usually it. I found it worked well for me with Canon lens. Another lens with a different FOV (since every lens is slightly different) might not work as well.

Thats very interesting. I may try the cl with the new 28mm 2.8 from voightländer which weigts 107gr for a very leightweight combo

 

[wlewisiii]

I'll mention, I'm a landscape guy - my tolerance for framing is ... generous. When I do decide to crop I generally seriously crop. I might end up with perhaps only 40% of the image left so I may not be the best example OTOH, the CL has been at it's price point for a long time. If you try it and don't like it, you'll sell it for what you bought it for easily. I'd say go for it. That VC lens is going to be a gem and will be worth no matter what you mount it on.

Good luck and good light!

 

[Erik van Straten]

A leica iii costs a lot from what i see. A serviced one since we are talking about an 80 years old camera costs with a lens almost as much as a leica m2 which accepts m mount lenses and much more than a leica cl which is also a compromise( to me if someone goes to leica all in he should get one of the modern ones say after the m6 or if one doenst want lightmeter m4-p) but also accepts m lenses. For a very decent price say 200 body 150 lens id try a pretty old camera with everything fiddly on it. Dont take it negative i also really like the rollei 35 for example but the lack of rangefinder and the strange focal lenght are not things i can just swallow, especialy since film costs a lot at the time.

By the way i often visit amsterdam for some street photography so here is a photo with a pentax mx 28mm lens

Hmm, I bought the one (black/nickel 1937) I used for the shot above on eBay from an Italian dealer some years ago for EUR 90. The dealer said that the camera was not functional: the second shutter curtain did not close fully. The problem was a small piece of grit that was stuck in the mechanism. After removal of that piece of grit (with a screwdriver) the camera was for 100% OK. You have to be a bit technical, yes, but the screw mount Leicas last forever.

 

[gzisis69]

Hmm, I bought the one (black/nickel 1937) I used for the shot above on eBay from an Italian dealer some years ago for EUR 90. The dealer said that the camera was not functional: the second shutter curtain did not close fully. The problem was a small piece of grit that was stuck in the mechanism. After removal of that piece of grit (with a screwdriver) the camera was for 100% OK. You have to be a bit technical, yes, but the screw mount Leicas last forever.

Yes ok for 90 euro id give it a shot, but for almost 1000 there are many options to consider. I only had such a luck once with a nikon f75 which costed 20 euro and i didnt know what to expect but came in fully working condition

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Does any of those cameras have 28mm framelines ? My favorite focal length is 28mm so if one cheap rangefinder makes 28mm photography a joy without external viewfinder id happily try it

The cheapest ones you'll find are fixed lens cameras typically with a 40ish mm lens. Canon, Yashica, Konica. By the time you start looking at interchangeable lens cameras they are no longer super cheap.

 

[Harry the K]

The FED3 would be super cheap. Just add a cla to the package.

 

[santino]

Isn‘t there a fixed lens 28mm Yashica rf camera?

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Isn‘t there a fixed lens 28mm Yashica rf camera?

There's likely a point and shoot, but maybe not a rangefinder....

 

[Darthfeeble]

I have two old Bessas, an L and an R, I love both of them. They get a bad rap about being plastic but I like that it makes them so light. Screw mount Leica lenses are the best bargains on ebay. If that isn't good enough there are some modern CV lenses in LTM as well.