Olmypus 35 RD/SP vs. Canonet ql17 vs. Hi-matix 7sII vs. Konica auto s3 vs. Revue 400s

[johny]

I want a RF camera and this are my favourites:
Olmypus 35 RD/SP
Canonet ql17
Hi-matic 7sII
Konica auto s3
Revue 400se

Which one is better olympus rd or sp? And wich one of them all is better to buy?

 

[Solinar]

Welcome to rangefinderforum.com.

This has been covered on this web site many times before your first post: Essentially - Between the 35RD and 35SP - go with the 35SP for reliability.

I prefer the 35RD - but 9 out 10 of them need a shutter assembly overhaul.

I noticed that you didn't include the Canonet QL 17 GIII - on your list. If you are looking for a fixed-lens 35mm, it's a best buy in my book.

Best Regards,

 

[johny]

The Canonet gIII ql 17 is on my list. I dont know if i should buy a expensive canonet, Minolta, olympus or a cheap revue, kinica..

 

[btgc]

I'd skip ones fully AE models with no manual mode and those primary made for AE operation like KAS2, Canonet etc....for ergonomics reasons.

 

[johny]

But the Canonet gIII ql 17 has manuel mode!?

 

[Solinar]

A Canonet QL 17 GIII is one of the better fixed-lens 35mm cameras for fully manual photography - no batteries necessary either.

Keep in mind that there was two versions of the QL 17 which preceded the GIII QL 17. http://mattsclassiccameras.com/canonet_QL17.html

The GIII had a much longer production run. Canon must have sold at least a million of them.

Best Regards,

 

[Brian Legge]

I got obsessed with these lines of cameras and tried most of them over the last few years.

I found the Canonet 17 QL GIII one of the best compromises overall. There are a ton of them out there making them rather inexpensive. They have better finders than many of the other similar cameras. The lens doesn't have the prestige of some of the other cameras but is still very good - the difference between it and others isn't that big. The handling is solid.

The only other one I'd put at the same level personally is the Olympus 35 SP. Its a little bigger, louder and more likely to have meter issues but the lens is a bit better. Its the only one I'd buy over the GIII purely for the lens.

The RD would be up there but changing the aperture is a pain - buy it only if you use manual control as a last resort. And even after expensive repair to clean up the aperture, new lubricant leaked in and jammed it up 2 years later. Not worth the risk and maintenance cost. If you want the lens and don't need manual, buy a Olympus 35 DC. No aperture control issue, no sticky shutter problems, great lens. And cheap relative to the RD.

The 7sII is a great camera but has a mechanical issue which can cause the aperture to get 'stuck' at ~f11 even in manual. Ones that work are great and they are fun cameras but I'm always nervous using a working one that it has a higher chance of failure in the future.

...

In the end, find something that works and has ergonomics that work well for you. For me, the GIII and Olympus SP were the best compromises in the end.

 

[f16sunshine]

The canon has an excellent lens and IQ is superb. I have had problems with the shutter/aperture assembly.
The Aperture re-charging via advance is quirky.
My biggest complaint with that camera though is the very long shutter release action.
It's quite prone to camera motion at slower speeds as a result.
The Yashica GX with it's very accurate AE and sharp looking Black body has taken the Canons place for the few rolls a year I shoot with a fixed P+S.

 

[btgc]

But the Canonet gIII ql 17 has manuel mode!?

Right, but in my experience FL RF's with Auto mode have little bit too stiff and too long travel shutter release. Fully manual species feel much better - to me. Some may not bother about this nuance but I just prefer light and short travel snappy release.

Also AE-RF's, especially smaller ones, have too narrow aperture or speed rings as they were intended to be used mostly in Auto mode. Say, Yashica GSN has aperture ring of proper size because it is large camera. Olympus 35RC has very narrow and flush to body aperture ring as you had to set speed on top and leave aperture changed by camera. Konica Auto S2 has narrow and hard to grip aperture ring as it were AE camera with optional manual mode.

Again, some people even don't notice this and some nerds do 🙂

The Canonet gIII ql 17 is on my list. I dont know if i should buy a expensive canonet, Minolta, olympus or a cheap revue, kinica..

Konica S3 isn't that cheap, Revue 400SE also may fetch over what I think it is worth. But then there are lots of cameras capable of great results and going by mere change. And most of this old cameras need some work before they can be used as daily shooters so I better buy cheap and repair it myself than pay a lot and then anyway have to get it reworked before it performs up to specs.

 

[Brian Legge]

The hard to reach aperture issue is what drove me to the 7sII after trying a 35RD. Crazy how much the little nub at the bottom of the aperture ring solves the usability problem.

 

[Solinar]

Ditto on what Brian said regarding the aperture ring on the 35RD. If you aren't content to shoot in the shutter AE mode, then this is a camera to stay away from.

With regards to the shutter priority AE mode, I adjust the film speed lever to a slower ASA when shooting a back-lit subject. With a spot-lit subject, I'll move the lever to a faster ASA setting.

The above method works out to be much easier than trying to switch repeatedly between the AE metering mode and the non-metering manual mode on the little 35RD.

Best Regards,

 

[gavinlg]

QL17 GIII is the best out of these. Best ergonomics, best lens. IMO.

 

[johny]

Thank you for the reply. Is it possible to replace the Rangefinder glass by own? Is it easy and possible? Is there a tutorial?

 

[NeeZee]

The Revue 400SE aka Vivitar 35ES is not a bad camera (I've got both). Only difference is that the Vivitar has a better finder - the one in the Revue distorts quite a bit. Really good lenses on these cameras but all in all the built quality is not up there with the Canon or Olympus models. I have a soft spot for these 70s fixed lens RFs and owned quite a few of them but at the end of the day I don't think there are worth what they are selling for on ebay at the moment. Personally I wouldn't spend more than 30€ on any of those cameras (except the SP maybe). Here in Germany you always get good deals on this type of camera on flea markets etc. - don't know about your place. If you have to go the ebay route you might consider a model with a f2.8 lens as they're going for next to nothing compared to the f1.7/f1.8 ones.

 

[johny]

Wich of the f2.8 do oyu mean? Olympus 35 RC, Canonet gIII gl19? Which of them ar good?

 

[gavinlg]

The Olympus RC has quite a bit of pincushion distortion - can't stand it.

 

[NeeZee]

The Ricoh 500GX is one of my favourite f2.8 models. But I think there are slower lens versions of all the makers discussed here and condition is far more important than brand with cameras that age.

 

[Flood]

I have the 7sII and the Revue. Although they are extremely similar and many parts seem to be interchangable, the Minolta is definitely of higher quality. It also has full manual options, although the meter is off in manual mode. You can of course meter in AE mode and then switch to manual.

It's fairly easy to remove the top plate and clean the RF glasses (there are tutorials online). I put a strip of black adhesive over the VF glass in front of the meter needle to make it more visible.

 

[johny]

Picture
You think its possible to replace this first RF glass? I can buy 2 broken canonet, in this is the RF glass broken, but on pictures it seems that this first element is fussed to the Top plate.

 

[CliveC]

I'd like to add that the Olympus 35RD is relatively uncommon these days, perhaps because of their inherent shutter issues resulting in a lot of them getting tossed over the years.

That being said, the only QL17 I bought had a sporadic meter.

On the whole, I think I prefer my Yashicas. Electro GSN, Lynx 5000, Electro GX etc. I have yet to own an Olympus 35SP however.