Nicest-looking small, cheap rangefinder?

[retro]

When it comes to sexy rangefnders noting beats the Signet 35:

 

[Brennotdan]

When it comes to sexy rangefnders noting beats the Signet 35:

Oh sweet jesus.

 

[vbarniev]

OTOH; I just got a Yashica Lynxe IC with a 1.4 lens. US$100

 

[btgc]

OTOH; I just got a Yashica Lynxe IC with a 1.4 lens. US$100

Congratulations on Lynx! Though it's barely small 🙂 And not that cheap, if we talk about fiver-o-deal gems like Lynx 5000, Oly 35RC, Ricoh 500G.

But it's weight works like a monopod - easier to hadheld at slow speeds than smaller and lighter cameras.

 

[vbarniev]

I'm shooting my first roll and it's as steady as they come.

 

[ErnestoJL]

When it comes to sexy rangefnders noting beats the Signet 35:

I agree, simple, robust, rock solid and efficient for what it was designed for, with the plus of an excellent Tessar... sorry, Ektar 3.5/44. IMO, the best camera ever made by Kodak in the USA (the other decent Kodaks are Nagels, made and designed by).
But, more or less of the same size, what about the Voigtländer Vitomatics in their three incarnations?
The IIb comes with a superb Color Skopar 2.8/50, however for those who want a bigger lens in a same size camera, there is the excellent Ultron 2.0 fitted in the IIIb. If a better exposure meter is a must, there is a model named IIICs with a CdS meter in it.
Ahhh... forgot to say that the Vitomatics are more or less same size as the Signet 35.

Cheers

Ernesto

 

[FallisPhoto]

If you are just buying this camera for looks, get whatever you like and customize it. New leather or leatherette can be had in a variety of colors, types and finishes here: http://www.cameraleather.com/ http://aki-asahi.com/store/ or you can even get it on ebay, in anything from frog skin and lizard skin to fish leather. You can strip off the chrome and paint it any color, and so on. Just try not to do this with a rare collector's item.

 

[FallisPhoto]

I agree, simple, robust, rock solid and efficient for what it was designed for, with the plus of an excellent Tessar... sorry, Ektar 3.5/44. IMO, the best camera ever made by Kodak in the USA (the other decent Kodaks are Nagels, made and designed by).

Well, it has a nice lens, and the camera is built fairly well, but I think the Synchro 300 shutter sucks even by Kodak standards. Yes, I have one. When I look at it, I wonder "what the hell were they thinking?" With an even half decent shutter, it would have compared fairly well with some of the better cameras of the time. Fortunately, the shutter is easy to get into and work on. Unscrew the lens and the faceplate and shutter speed cam just lift off, exposing the gears for cleaning and unjamming. You'll need to know this, because in spite of it's simplicity, the 4-speed Synchro 300 jams pretty easily.

Incidentally, Kodak's best cameras were the Nagle Retinas and the Medallist. Of those, the Medallist was the only one they really had anything to do with designing though (they just bought the Nagle Camerawerk company and put the Kodak name on Nagle cameras).

 

[ZeissFan]

That's a Nagel camera.

The Kodak Medalist I and II are very nice cameras but simply too damn big. It's needlessly heavy although not surprising given the amount of metal that's used throughout the body. The lens is quite good.

I like the Signet 35. The shutter can be a real pain to revive. The triangular rangefinder patch is different, but you have to be careful to not block the window, especially if you have large hands.

Those 1960s and 1970s Japanese rangefinders are plentiful and seem decent enough. But if you've seen one, you've seen them all ... for the most part.

There also is the Rollei XF 35, a very average camera that seems to have acquired cult status -- somewhat undeserving, I think.

I've been impressed with the Vitomatic IIb, and of course I'm a fan of the folding Zeiss Ikon Contina and Contessa cameras -- both showcases for Hubert Nerwin designs. Small, but not inexpensive, is the Tenax II, which shoots 24x24, and the Ducati Sogno, a half-frame and possibly the most expensive half frame in the world at this time.

The later Balda with the focus-by-dial is a bit chunky, unique and very usable.

I love the folding Agfa Super Solinette (sold under the Ansco name as the Super Regent), as well as Retina IIa.

The Carl Zeiss Jena Werra 3 is outstanding, but it's easy to get the three dials confused.

 

[The Craw]

Werra IV

Werra IV

Another vote for the Werra, in my case a beloved model IV. Right up there with the classic good looks is a Leica Digilux 2: another brick-with-a-lens.

 

[wray]

Another vote for the Sears 35 RF. I much prefer it to my Olympus 35RC

 

[Drewus]

Leica III series!!! They aren't cheap, and there's smaller camera's out there, but they are definitely the sexiest of the bunch 😉

 

[btgc]

Another vote for the Sears 35 RF. I much prefer it to my Olympus 35RC

I hope your post don't do same to 35RF what happened to 35RC lately 🙂

 

[Keith]

Depends on your definition of small I guess but my blue Fed 2 rates highly for me ... and it was certainly cheap. Minimalist beauty IMO!

I realise the case, Canon lens and Gordy strap don't quite fit into the cheap equation ... just disregard them! 😛

 

[Sauli Särkkä]

I recently got a minty Canon Canonet 28 and I'm having a terribly difficult time trying to think of reasons NOT to customize in some nice skin. The basic black looks great, the camera feels nice in one's hands and this example is fully working, after a light service under the plates.. 😉

I bet it's look nice in an orange-tan skin..


-Sale

 

[myM8yogi]

They all look gorgeous!
How any of you can pick a favourite is completely beyond me.

 

[Cymro]

The Sears looks so like my Ricoh 35zf which is a great 'always at hand' camera.

 

[3 Olives]

I must admit I was surprised at the quality of the photos this camera produces.

 

[peterm1]

I am very partial to the Kodak Retina rangefinders. They are cheap, excellent looking with fine lenses that are capable of very good results.
http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?KodakRetina.html~mainFrame

 

[vmlopes]

My vote goes to..........