Most compact, OVF, non-Leica camera + lenses?

[Out to Lunch]

Shooting with a compact camera without a viewfinder is a big no-no in a tropical country: the screen glare will drive you crazy. I've looked at the GR's many times but it's a dealbreaker and so I'll continue shooting with the Fuji X-100 family. I also have an antique Canon PowerShot. It fits in a shirt pocket, has a decent output and I prefer it over using a phone. Cheers, OtL

 

[benlees]

Someone mentioned the Nikon Coolpix A. I got a beater a few months ago for $175 US and it is now my favorite camera. This thing is a real beater: broken battery door, dents and dings. Works perfectly. I would extrapolate from this that they are tough! Only problem is the lens vignettes a lot. Sometimes it adds to the photo and sometimes it doesn't; then a trip into PS is necessary. The lack of a VF can be annoying but I'm not tempted to get one. But... Adorama is currently offering Ricoh 21/28mm OVF at a very good deal.


Non-beater examples of the A can be had for around $250-$300 US

 

[Spluff]

Hi Ko.Fe. - you said non-Leica, would that exclude the Leica T? You can stick lots of legacy lenses on that, scale focus and an external OVF. As for the price of T, well not sure what your budget is, but I reckon for £500 (being based in the UK) you could get one with an adaptor and a old sir wide angle lens.

 

[helen.HH]

Hi Ko.Fe. - you said non-Leica, would that exclude the Leica T? .

+1 , Great Idea
what a Fantastic camera !
the LCD screen is big, touch, simple menu, sexy camera body, Yummy B&W

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Hi Ko.Fe. - you said non-Leica, would that exclude the Leica T? You can stick lots of legacy lenses on that, scale focus and an external OVF. As for the price of T, well not sure what your budget is, but I reckon for £500 (being based in the UK) you could get one with an adaptor and a old sir wide angle lens.

It is nice camera, but with zero local service. Are they durable enough for four season weather?

 

[agentlossing]

Someone mentioned the Nikon Coolpix A. I got a beater a few months ago for $175 US and it is now my favorite camera. This thing is a real beater: broken battery door, dents and dings. Works perfectly. I would extrapolate from this that they are tough! Only problem is the lens vignettes a lot. Sometimes it adds to the photo and sometimes it doesn't; then a trip into PS is necessary. The lack of a VF can be annoying but I'm not tempted to get one. But... Adorama is currently offering Ricoh 21/28mm OVF at a very good deal.


Non-beater examples of the A can be had for around $250-$300 US

Brand new (old stock, naturally) models were going for $400 on eBay a week or so ago, probably still are. That's cheaper than you'll find a Ricoh GR II, but, if you can live with slightly clunkier operation, a Fuji XF10 has a 24MP sensor with really good IQ.

 

[Archlich]

It is nice camera, but with zero local service. Are they durable enough for four season weather?

The X-U? Still pricey though.

 

[jsrockit]

Thinking about a GR3... even if it lasts for 20,000 shots (which is rare and on the super low end of shutter issues), that’s the equivalent of 555 rolls of film for $900. That’s $1.62 a roll too. It’s just another way of looking at how good of a deal this camera is even if a rare catastrophe occurred that early in the shutters life out of warranty.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thinking about a GR3... even if it lasts for 20,000 shots (which is rare and on the super low end of shutter issues), that’s the equivalent of 555 rolls of film for $900. That’s $1.62 a roll too. It’s just another way of looking at how good of a deal this camera is even if a rare catastrophe occurred that early in the shutters life out of warranty.

My Rebel 500D has around 150K and everything works. I’m too spoiled by Canon to measure digital camera cost in rolls of film. But. 500D was 1K USD. In 2009. It is ten 100 $ of these days film bulks. Each bulk is 36x20 rolls. Say 1000 frames. 2000.
20000 film frames for 1K usd or 150K film frames with quality build digital camera.
Nothing to compare, IMO 🙂

If get lens tube with filter for it and never take it off, plus tape mic holes, GR III might last longer.

 

[benlees]

Brand new (old stock, naturally) models were going for $400 on eBay a week or so ago, probably still are. That's cheaper than you'll find a Ricoh GR II, but, if you can live with slightly clunkier operation, a Fuji XF10 has a 24MP sensor with really good IQ.

I've noticed the Coolpix A sells very quickly when it is paired with an honest price.

I've looked at the XF10- there are a couple of 'open box' ones near me- they seem to be very good value. One thing that stopped me was the need for the lens cap: there are no threads for a filter.

 

[jsrockit]

My Rebel 500D has around 150K and everything works. I’m too spoiled by Canon to measure digital camera cost in rolls of film. But. 500D was 1K USD. In 2009. It is ten 100 $ of these days film bulks. Each bulk is 36x20 rolls. Say 1000 frames. 2000.
20000 film frames for 1K usd or 150K film frames with quality build digital camera.
Nothing to compare, IMO 🙂

If get lens tube with filter for it and never take it off, plus tape mic holes, GR III might last longer.

My friends GR lasted until 70,000 and the lens didn’t want to retract anymore. It happens. No doubt many cameras last longer. My point is that if you think of it as a picture making tool at a cost per shot, it’s not so horrible. Of course your rebel has costed you pennies per shot!

 

[sevres_babylone]

Shooting with a compact camera without a viewfinder is a big no-no in a tropical country: the screen glare will drive you crazy. I've looked at the GR's many times but it's a dealbreaker and so I'll continue shooting with the Fuji X-100 family. I also have an antique Canon PowerShot. It fits in a shirt pocket, has a decent output and I prefer it over using a phone. Cheers, OtL

I agree that when it's not the rainy season, that's the case. But I used my GRD3, the small sensor one, in Haiti. With the OVF and snap focus, it was fine to use. I got that OVF in a package from Popflash when I had bought the GRD2, around 2008. I've used that same viewfinder with GRD3, GR, GR2, and now the GR3.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

At the end of the previous page Funleader 18/8 was mentioned. On FF it is kind of meh lens.
But, it ring the bell this morning. New M version has making sense focus tab with good distances of 3, 2 and 1 meters.
And on mft it is 36 lens with its flaws cropped out. And I have tiny E-PL1 and matching VF-1!
This lens is not expensive, true pancake. So, I'm going to try it for sunny day and compact beater kit. (I have Oly 15/8 and results are marvelous, but no matching oVF.)
Don't mind to try it even on my M-E 220 with Russar's VF. I took photos with 28mm pinhole M cap on M-E after all 🙂.