Most compact 50mm camera.

[paniolo]

Hi Guys,

I am on the look for the most compact 50mm lens + camera combo.
The Rollei 35 and Olympus 35RC are just great, but with ~40mm too wide for my general photography.

I look for something similar in the compact camera world but just have found the Vito B and Leica CL as alternatives.

A meter is not needed, but RF would be nice.

The Rollei 35 with 50mm would be the winner, is there something similar?

Best Regards
Tobi

 

[FrankS]

A Retina lla is pretty small but I'm not sure if it's the smallest.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Yashica GSN has a 45mm lens.

 

[NeeZee]

The problem is that a 50mm lens will always make a 35mm camera less compact because the lens has to be (physically) longer. That said, there are a few really compact 35mm folding cams with 50mm lenses:
- voigtländer vito iia http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3778101340_49f6d704d1.jpg
- the kodak retina series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodak_Retina

there are many more - i guess there will be someone more knowledgable with respect to 35mm folders than me on here...

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Diax IIb with 50mm Xenon.
A Barnack with a collapsible 50mm Elmar f/3.5
After that, a Barnack with 50mm Elmar f/2.8.
A Voigtlander Vitessa.
After that, maybe a CL/CLE with a new Summarit f/2.5 or the CV 50mm f/2.5.
Everything bigger than those that isn't a folding camera is almost the size of an M body and realistically, bigger than an OM-1 or Pentax MX with a pancake lens.

Phil Forrest

 

[NeeZee]

...and if you don't like folders and insist on having a rangefinder, the Braun Super Paxette might be the only option more compact than a barnack...

here's a nice rff thread of someone getting into that system: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93223

not more compact in all three dimensions, though.

 

[02Pilot]

Here's a dark horse: Certo Super Dollina II. 50/2.8 Tessar with rangefinder. 120x80x40mm vs. 95x65x40mm for the Rollei (both folded/lens compressed). That said, the Certo is a somewhat fussy camera to use (even by folder standards), but it is very capable if you're willing to put up with its idiosyncrasies.

 

[Bingley]

The problem is that there just weren't very many (any?) compact, fixed lens cameras made w/ 50mm lenses during the golden age of such cameras (the late 60s through the early 80s). They tended to have ~40mm lenses or wider.

When I want/need a compact 50mm camera, I use a Barnack Leica w/ either a CV Skopar 50/2.5 or an Elmar 50/3.5. That kit will fit in a coat pocket.

 

[Godfrey]

Leica CL + Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5 for me. Small enough...

G

 

[Brian Legge]

There were plenty of normal focal length medium format cameras made though, some of which are about the same size as a Retina. Perhaps something like a Perkeo?

 

[coelacanth]

Had same question/quest a couple years ago, my answer was Barnack Leica + Elmar 50 (very slim but heavy and a bit less intuitive to use compared to modern camera) or CL + Color-Skopar (Modern UI and very light but thicker to carry).

 

[Bingley]

Well, if an Olympus RC is compact enough, then a CL + CV50/2.5 should be fine; it's not much bigger. But you're not going to find a camera as compact as a Rollei 35 with a 50 lens.

 

[Greyscale]

Altix V with a CZJ Tessar 2,8/50 is a tiny little beautiful thing.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Altix_IV.jpg

I wish I could find a broken donor body for one, mine is missing the lens mount.

 

[Greyscale]

Oops, that was the fixed-lens Altix IV. Here is the V

Altix-V [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], by Alfred (originally posted to Flickr as Altix-V), from Wikimedia Commons

It is much smaller than my Olympus 35 RC, to give an indication.

 

[FrankS]

Voightlander Vito b.

 

[Ronald M]

Collapsible elmar on Leica body. 3.5 elmar is almost flat. 2.8 is around 1/2 "

Rollie 35 is a gem and would be my pick if only size matters.

 

[aoresteen]

How about a Minox 35 camera? You get a 35mm lens though.

http://www.submin.com/35mm/collection/minox/35mm_variations.htm

 

[besk]

I don't believe they get any smaller or more sleek that
the Voightlander Vito II. At least I have been impressed
with mine.

 

[kdemas]

Kodak Bantam Special Art Deco 828 camera. 45/2 lens.

 

[02Pilot]

I don't believe they get any smaller or more sleek that the Voightlander Vito II. At least I have been impressed
with mine.

If a rangefinder requirement is not critical, then I would agree with this. The Vito is really well-designed and pleasant to use.