New camera purchase advise

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keithslater

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Hi all,
Well taxes are coming, and I think my wife is going to "give me" $500 to spend on a new camera. What I am looking for is a point and shoot with a fast prime lens and aperture priority, also I would like the camera to be able to meter at least 800asa film. Manual or auto focus is fine. What I would really like is a Leica CM but at 1000 bucks thats not happening. Here are a few I've been thinking about.
Leica Minilux- brand new on ebay from seller captainbluesky $380 after shipping and a two year warrenty.
YASUHARA T012 from Lomography slower 2.8 lens $600 couple month warrenty
Bessa R not aperture priority, $400 with 35mm lens and one year warrenty (I do have a 50mm fsu lens that would fit, my 35mm fsu will not)
Any other cameras you can think of in my price range? I can not find anything from the big camera builders that fit.
Thanks,
Keith
 
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I'd go for the Bessa every time. The Yashuhara is famous for it's (ahem) agricultural build and far from light-tight shutter curtains (essential in a rangefinder). Not to mention the price, personally I'd just avoid the lomography crowd as everything they do smacks of pure profit motive IMO. 45 quid for a Holga?

OTOH the Bessa is a well built camera, I'm assuming it comes with the 35 Skopar-C which is a cracking lens. I used a Bessa R for two years before trading up to a Leica and would do it again if I needed the cash. My M6 wore a 35 Skopar PII for most of last year. No complaints with CV kit at all.

Mark
 
Oh yea, I've also thought about a used leica CL and maybe an adapter, could use my current lenses? Also I do not know if the CL can meter 800 speed film.
 
The YASUHARA T012 is the second fixed lens rangefinder aperture priority. I am unsure if there were problems with light leakes with this camera. I am really leaning toward the minilux.
 
keithslater said:
Hi all,
Well taxes are coming, and I think my wife is going to "give me" $500 to spend on a new camera. What I am looking for is a point and shoot with a fast prime lens and aperture priority, also I would like the camera to be able to meter at least 800asa film. Manual or auto focus is fine. What I would really like is a Leica CM but at 1000 bucks thats not happening. Here are a few I've been thinking about.
Leica Minilux- brand new on ebay from seller captainbluesky $380 after shipping and a two year warrenty.
YASUHARA T012 from Lomography slower 2.8 lens $600 couple month warrenty
Bessa R not aperture priority, $400 with 35mm lens and one year warrenty (I do have a 50mm fsu lens that would fit, my 35mm fsu will not)
Any other cameras you can think of in my price range? I can not find anything from the big camera builders that fit.
Thanks,
Keith
Click to expand...

Discontinued, but I think you can still get a Hexar AF, or a Ricoh GR1V for around that price, still new in box, and meets your prime lens, fast, ISO, and Aperture Priority requirements. Also a PnS, as you specified. Both these are well-regarded, though I have never owned either one (I'd like to, though).

http://www.ricoh.co.uk/35mmCameras/gr1v.htm

http://www.cameraquest.com/konhex.htm

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Try www.cameraquest.com for more RF info than you could possibly need. the CL has its own page there. The M and SM lens pages are great for compatibility info. No, your FSU 35 won't fit a CL either, it will foul the meter stalk. Also consider that CL is over 20 years old. Get one with the 40 Summicron-C in that budget and now you're talking.

Mark
 
Wild Card

Wild Card

It's a stretch from the others, but a Contax G1 with the 45 Planar is easily within your target price. I have no personal experience with the 45, but have read raves about it.

I like the description of the Yasuhara's build as "agricultural"--quite apt. There should be no light leak problem with the 1012 as it's a leaf shutter, but $600 is too strong for it.

I wish I'd guessed that the Hexar prices would soar the way they have. It was once
possible to find them for $300 or less.
 
keithslater said:
Bessa R not aperture priority, $400 with 35mm lens and one year warrenty
Click to expand...
That's the one I'd go for without a doubt. For the money it's a great camera and you can build a nice system around it with additional lenses. Is the aperture priority that important? I can't say I've ever missed a shot because I was without it.
 
Well,
Many of the cameras mentioned you can no longer buy new. I looked up the Ricoh and Konica, I don't think you can buy new ones. I kinda want a warrenty especially if it is not a mechanical camera. Why not the leica minilux? Nobody has recommened it. Is there something I'm missing? The only reason I kinda like the minilux over the bessa r is the better build. I have 5 kids and they are always knocking stuff over, sometimes I have a camera slung over one hip and a kid on the next. I believe the bessa is plastic? Plus without the built in flash, thats one more thing. I guess it is down to a minilux or a bessa r. I looked up the Ricoh and Konica, I don't think you can buy new ones.
Keith
 
keithslater said:
Well,
Many of the cameras mentioned you can no longer buy new. I looked up the Ricoh and Konica, I don't think you can buy new ones. I kinda want a warrenty especially if it is not a mechanical camera. Why not the leica minilux? Nobody has recommened it. Is there something I'm missing? The only reason I kinda like the minilux over the bessa r is the better build. I have 5 kids and they are always knocking stuff over, sometimes I have a camera slung over one hip and a kid on the next. I believe the bessa is plastic? Plus without the built in flash, thats one more thing. I guess it is down to a minilux or a bessa r. I looked up the Ricoh and Konica, I don't think you can buy new ones.
Keith
Click to expand...

Keith, I'm not sure I follow you. If you want to buy a Leica Minilux, then by all means I think you should. Frankly, the only of the cameras you mentioned that I've ever owned is the Bessa R, which is my favorite camera. I don't think it is plastic or badly constructed, but it is not a Leica. If you're looking for a fight over which is better, I'd rather not. Buy the one you like more.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Can't go wrong with the Bessa R and the 35mm Color Skopar. I have a number of point-and-shoots but ultimately I always find them lacking and think "Boy, I wish I'd brought my Bessa." In fact, I think that a lot no matter which camera I have in hand.
 
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Bill,
You are right. I re-read my original post, it does not make sense. I kinda want both cameras for different reasons, and they are different. I don't want a fight, just kinda brainstorming.
Keith
 
keithslater said:
Bill,
You are right. I re-read my original post, it does not make sense. I kinda want both cameras for different reasons, and they are different. I don't want a fight, just kinda brainstorming.
Keith
Click to expand...

Keith,

No problem, bud. I wasn't sure we weren't being baited.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
keithslater said:
Thanks for all your advice, I just bought a Bessa R on ebay. Somebody just put new ones on with Buy it now.
Keith
Click to expand...

Keith, I think you'll like it - and if you got a good price on it and decide you don't like it, you can always resell for very nearly what you paid. What lens are you planning to put on it? My favorite lens for that camera is the venerable Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Bill,
Got it for $199, the guy has 2 more. I am going to buy a 35mm 1.7 lens for it. Heck, I really dont want to use a flash anyway, thats the whole point for me. I see cameraquest has these lenses for $379 kinda pricy. I used some money that I had in Paypal for the camera so I will still have money for a lens. Maybe I will look around for a used canon 1.4
Have a couple days before the tax money comes anyway.
 
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