new to rangefinders, want one to carry around

kenny12

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Oct 8, 2006
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Hello everyone, I've never owned a range finder but I have an assortment of DSLR gear, however its just too heavy to lug around everywhere so I wish to buy one to carry around.

I'm from Australia and I want to spend about 50-100 dollars on one. Can someone reccommend me models or even sell one to me?

Things I appreciate are
-large viewfinders
-easy to focus
-under F2 apature (the lower the better)
-quiet shutter speed

I will mainly be shooting in b/w and a in camera metering system is not necessary, although handy
 
Last edited:
Yashica GSN
Canonet 1.7

Both fixed lens and aperture of 1.7, also in your price range. Available on Ebay Aus. The canonet is very quiet a gem of a camera.

I have a Canonet GIII 1.7 that I MAY sell in the not so distant future (although the fungus needs a bit of fixing :S).
 
I own a Yashica GSN. You should be aware of the fact that it's not working without batteries, and that it's got no manual mode. Oh, and no iso above 500 is selectable.

All this apart, it's a nice cam with a very sharp lens. I just bought a M6 (because it has the things i mentioned that the yashica lacks), but i will keep the yashica.

Oh, it's also extremely quiet with the leaf shutter.
 
gewitterkind said:
I own a Yashica GSN. You should be aware of the fact that it's not working without batteries, and that it's got no manual mode. Oh, and no iso above 500 is selectable.

All this apart, it's a nice cam with a very sharp lens. I just bought a M6 (because it has the things i mentioned that the yashica lacks), but i will keep the yashica.

Oh, it's also extremely quiet with the leaf shutter.

Sorry gewitterkind but i think that GSN ISO is 1000 max and not 500.Is that correct?🙄
 
HFAISTIO said:
Sorry gewitterkind but i think that GSN ISO is 1000 max and not 500.Is that correct?🙄
oops, sorry. mine is a G, not a GSN. and yes, the GSN ISO is 1000 max, while the G ISO is 500 max. my fault.
 
kenny12 said:
Hello everyone, I've never owned a range finder but I have an assortment of DSLR gear, however its just too heavy to lug around everywhere so I wish to buy one to carry around.

I'm from Australia and I want to spend about 50-100 dollars on one. Can someone reccommend me models or even sell one to me?

Things I appreciate are
-large viewfinders
-easy to focus
-under F2 apature (the lower the better)
-quiet shutter speed

I will mainly be shooting in b/w and a in camera metering system is not necessary, although handy

As several have pointed out the Yashica Electro 35 GSN is a fine cameras but does lack any manual operation.
Another option would be a Yashica Lynx-14. It has manual operation with metering and has a 45mm f/1.4 len.
 
kenny12 said:
Hello everyone, I've never owned a range finder but I have an assortment of DSLR gear, however its just too heavy to lug around everywhere so I wish to buy one to carry around.

I'm from Australia and I want to spend about 50-100 dollars on one. Can someone reccommend me models or even sell one to me?

Things I appreciate are
-large viewfinders
-easy to focus
-under F2 apature (the lower the better)
-quiet shutter speed

I will mainly be shooting in b/w and a in camera metering system is not necessary, although handy


Well you can go with a fixed mount lens RF, but then you WILL get a serious GAS attack and thus begins that long road of deciding which camera REALLY works best for you.

I started with the Canonet 17 [still have it, my son uses the one I bought new] Liked it so much I got one off ebay [turned out to be never used😱 ]

on to Bessa Rs [the lust of interchangable lenses is really fed when you come from SLRs]

My current favorite is a Bessa R2 bayonet mount and either the 35/2.5 or the 28/1.9 [usually this lens]

Personally I have fumble fingers when I try to screw the CV lenses [I think it has to do with the RF coupling] and I like playing with lenses when I go out to shoot, so the bayonet is great. I do carry the R in my car with either that 35 or the non coupled 25 [ok, I think this lens SUCKS, but only because of the lack of coupling, I am looking for an L body to see if that will help🙁 ]

good thing for me I am a camera COLLECTOR as well as a shooter, so I do not have a problem with extra gear [with 2 sons very into photography, one trying to make money with cameras doing event {read weddin*** photography I always have a home for cameras that I may no longer use, but don't want to part with.

the point of all this is simple, do not rule out an interchangable lens camera, because of costs, buying the right one the first time [like that is possible 😀] is less expensive than going thru each step until you get to what you really wanted all the time.
 
sounds good

i guess the only way for me to learn is to buy a few and find out 🙂

also which rangefinders have replacable lenses?
 
yashica lynx

yashica lynx

Kenny
where in Oz are you?
the yashica lynx 14s are a nice camera ( i have three and might be persuaded to part with one) they are manual with a meter if you can find one that works, mine don't. the minolta 7s and 7sII are great buys too, i got one for $38Aus working with case and manual. you either need to check out ebay or hunt around at bric-a-brac shops. the canon 17 and 19s are a good bet too but tend to be a bit pricey. and finaly there are plenty of other brands of fixed lens to look out for olympus, ricoh, mamyia and various german makers and if you want try a fed, zorki or kiev. i think the kiev is the better one of the russians but thats just me.
 
i'm in sydney, but postage shouldn't be a problem right?

anyhow i got the minolta off ebay, i'll decide what to get after i've played around with that.
 
Konica auto s2 or a zorki 4 I believe you will find at a low price and like very much no need for a battery with either. Good low price ones are usually found on ebay. I have three auto s2 because I found them so cheap np more than 20 dollars us for anyone of them.
 
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