Just tossing around thoughts. 35mm RF

B-9

B-9

Devin Bro
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I’m in the heart of a one cam one lens challenge. It’s been fun and I’ve seriously shot a TON of film already.

My kit is great. Canon EOS1 w/501.8. It’s a beast that gets the shot every time.

My troubles and doubts have come on traveling with my kit. I sold my car this spring and have solely been biking or walking. It’s saved me a fair bit of money and I like spending more time in my head during the slower commutes.

The problem is. The darn EOS won’t fit in my panniers very well. It’s always nose out and one of these times I’m gonna smash that 50/1.8 into dust after a few drinks and a oops.

So I’m thinking of going back to a RF with a Collapsible 50.

Darn... thought I was out!

Anyhow, anyone have thoughts on a cheaper/ish kit that includes a light meter (either built in or attachable).

I was thinking Canon P, clip on meter, 50/1.9

Alternatively.

Bessa R/R2 with a cheap I-10

It’s gonna get roughed up and I’m thinking it should mostly live on my bike in a waterproof stuff sack (inside one of the panniers)

Tell me I’m silly and to get over it.. I don’t need another camera!
 
Consider a Screw mount.

I bought one just because its small and I like the old retro single coated glass for film.

Cal
 
The Canon P is a favorite but I don't think of it as particularly small. I'd think a Leica CL would do pretty well for something small?
 
There are smaller, cheap canon EOS bodies, right? That would hardly be cheating... and less worries about banging it around.
 
An EOS-1 and lens is a big heavy lump of a thing with a lot of shape to it.

I bicycle and walk far more than I drive my car these days. I've carried a bunch of different cameras when cycling ... the key is how to carry them comfortably. I don't shove them into bicycle panniers because I don't want road shock to damage them ... my body acts as a good shock absorber. I use a sling bag (Wotancraft Mini-Rider usually) that's fitted tightly so the camera sits on my back and doesn't move around as I ride. It's very comfortable too.

But the Canon is still a big heavy lump of a thing to carry. My Hasselblad 500CM with the 80mm lens on it is actually smaller and easier to carry than a big SLR like that, due to the simple boxy shape. The Fuji GS645S Wide 60 I bought recently is lighter and smaller, any of my Polaroid SX-70 cameras much smaller when folded, my Perkeo II smaller than that, and the Rollei 35 teeny. (I can put the little Rollei into my jersey's back pocket in a pinch, using a small padded case so it doesn't annoy me.) A Leica M or CL (film or digital on both) would do well too.

Good luck! :)

G
 
Thanks G!

Very true about the panniers. I tend to be “low and slow” as well as stuffing the camera tight with a extra layer for nightly commuting home. I tend to threw it around my neck when I need the layer on or let it roll around in my backpack if I have it with me.

It is surely a awkward mass to comfortably carry without a ton of padding to even out its shape.

Mostly just kicking the tire around.

Edit: Also staying away from anything Leica. I’m not going down that rabbit hole again.
 
Consider a Retina IIa. They're small enough to fit in a large pocket when folded, have a really good lens and can be had for not a lot of money. Fell off the Devin one camera one lens train, bought a M4.
 
I have a collapsible Canon Serenar 50/1.9. For its size, it's actually quite dense at 8.1 oz (230 g), but it does collapse down nicely. I have a handful of image samples on my flickr.

I never quite got on with it, but also haven't gotten around to selling it.
 
Mad! You devil you!

Are you channeling a voodoo RF energy all the way to me in Michigan!? Or what

Signal is loud and clear. Must.... refrain....

Got my Jobo tank worked out! I souped a roll in it last week. Nothing worth sharing just one of those rolls with cats and coffee....
 
B-9 said:
The problem is. The darn EOS won’t fit in my panniers very well. It’s always nose out and one of these times I’m gonna smash that 50/1.8 into dust after a few drinks and a oops.

So I’m thinking of going back to a RF with a Collapsible 50.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit skeptical of how a rangefinder will go living in a pannier.... That kind of high-frequency vibration/shock seems like an almost guaranteed way to throw out the RF mechanism?
 
Again true about the panniers with a RF. If it’s small enough to fit in the fanny then it can go there. I try not to ride with a backpack anymore (hence making the panniers) but I never really worry about the SLR other than it protruding. Maybe just a new bigger set of panniers and a camera cube will work... back to the sewing machine.
 
Canon P is bigger than regular M.
I-10 is very so-so lens. So-so on bw and who knows how bad it is on C-41.

Get EOS300 and 40 2.8 pancake. They sell rechargeable batteries for it now on eBay.
 
Crazy Fedya said:
How about Rollei 35? Great lens, no rf alignment issues, very pocketable or pannierable.
Click to expand...

Sam's on the right track here, I think. In addition to the Rollei 35, consider one of the many 60s/70s era compact RFs: Konica Auto S3 or C35; Olympus RD/RC; Minolta HiMatic 7; Canon QL17; etc. These cameras are all pretty durable and have superb lenses, primarily in the 40mm range. The primary decision is aperture: f1.7 or f2.8.
 
I wouldn't stow anything valuable in a pannier because it would be so vulnerable to damage in a fall.

Do you not have a bag or case on top of the rack? Unless something fell onto it from above (unlikely), it should be a safe place to stow whichever camera you decide to use.


- Murray
 
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