Oly RD, Minolta 7sII, Konica S3, Yashica CC

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bensyverson

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Decisions, decisions. :) I'm trying to figure out which of these I want to really go after. Here are the pros and cons as I see it:

Konica Auto S3:
+ 38mm instead of 40mm
+ AE lock
+ Highly rated lens
+ Highly rated VF/RF
+ Black finish standard
- No manual override

Minolta 7sII:
+ Black model is best looking camera of the bunch
+ AE lock
+ Manual override
+ No shutter lock
- Black model is expensive -- might as well get a CL? ;)

Olympus 35 RD:
+ AE lock
+ Manual override
+ 34" close focus
+ Nice build
- Shutter locks beyond limits
- No black model

Yashica Electro 35 CC:
+ 35mm instead of 40mm
+ Aperture priority
+ 31" close focus
+ Highly-rated VF/RF
+ Black is standard
- No real manual mode
- Selected shutter speed not in VF
- Tops out at ISO 500 (!)


I'm basically wanting a camera to take social snaps in low light -- at bars, restaurants, etc. In other words, I plan to shoot wide open 99% of the time. For that reason, the AP of the Electro CC is really appealing, but the ISO 500 limit is hard to swallow, especially with no manual mode. The Konica S3 is the current front-runner in my mind, but I haven't been able to figure out if the shutter release locks if the exposure is out of bounds. If it doesn't, I'll probably go with the S3 -- otherwise, I may splurge for the 7sII in black.

Anyone have some advice? I'm trying to avoid getting more than one of these FLRF, because I can already see how it could get addictive. :) Help me get the right one the first time!

- ben
 
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Canonet QL17 GIII.

Just as featured as the others and 10x more of them were made than all these combined so they are easier to find.

I am pretty sure the S3 will lock up if out of bounds, but it has been a couple years since I sold mine.

They are all very good cameras by the way. I would lean towards the Canonet and Minolta for manual override. I think the RD has that too, but is not easily found at all, as is the case with the CC. The 7sii is a little more common than those two, but the Canonet sold over 1,000,000 copies.
 
Ben, people who have used them seem to think the AutoS-3 is sine qua non among the 60's RFs. I can't speak for it but I do like its older sibling, the S-2. I'm not sure it's still there but Gandy used to have a veritable symphony of praise on the old Cameraquest site about the S-3, as did Davidde Stella.

dc3
 
Costwise the Konica S3s and Canonets in excellent condition are going up in price. The Yasica GSNs & Konica S2 are more stable in price. I would think that if you are going to shoot at night you would want ASA 800 or more. And, yes, most certainly they are addictive! (As far as the Yashica GSN the silver has more metal than the black and originally cost more.)
 
Thanks for the feedback, guys!

I think I'm going to steer clear of the S3 -- I want manual control, and if the shutter does lock up when the exposure is out of range, it's truly a deal breaker.

The Canonet QL17 does look interesting, but I'm not a big fan of the design. I may spring for the black 7sII. After all, the sexier a camera is, the more likely I am to grab it as I head out the door. :)
 
If you can, handle the cameras. I have both the Canonet and 7sii, I like both quite a bit, both have very good lenses, I love Rokkor glass, but ergonomically the Canonet is a little more natural for me. The shutter release button on the 7sii is in a little strange place for me. A tiny issue, but if you can handle them before buying that is always best.

Any way you go I don't think you can make a bad decision.
 
I have two of these cameras the Yashica Electro CC and the Konica Auto S3. Both are fine cameras. However, the Yashica CC caps film speed at 400 and its top shutter speed is 1/250. It is the only rangefinder with a 35/1.8 lens spec and has the great Yashica trademark aperture priority mode (which I prefer to shutter priority), is whisper quiet, solidly built (more so than the Konica but that's no slouch either), takes modern batteries. Yashicas also have excellent (uncanny) exposure meters and this one will leave its stepless 2-blade (only) shutter open up to 30 seconds or more. Great for low light still lifes and landscape photography on a tripod or effects-type shots. Its lens is very, very good. If this camera had a "red dot" on its name plate instead of the decidedly non-cachet name of Yashica people would be boasting of the innovative nature of the camera and the "signature" of the lens and fork over a grand for it (Same applies to the Konica). Oddly, the CC's shoe is not hot. Flash is triggered through the PC connection, which also (unfortunately) sets the flash to 1/30 and there's nothing you can do about it. However, it was designed to run on modern commonly available alkaline batteries. Even with film speed capped at 400 asa, it performs very well in low or ambient light situation imo.

The Konica is smaller, and indeed has exposure lock. It has an outstanding 38mm lens has a center resolution of 62-84 lpm across all apertures, including 1.8. It too has a whisper quiet shutter, a top shutter speed of 1/640. It also has a unique and simple to use GN-based flash system and also a cool system for fill flash, especially with the X-14 and X-20 Konica flash made for the system. However, it works with all flash units. You just have to set the GN manually. This Konica has a top film speed rating of 800 but the meter is not nearly as powerful as the Yash in low light at 4.5EV sensitivity. This - to me anyway, has never served as a problem as the shutter will simply open to full aperture, which is probably where it would open to anyway if the meter's sensitivity was not surpassed. The Konica was designed for mercury cells, so you'll either have to have the camera adjusted when you CLA it, use comparable but somewhat pricey Wein cells, or adjust the film speed rating. My camera's meter was recalibrated at a camera shop. Also, it should be noted that the camera does not lock the trigger if light is too low as someone said. The Canons do this, and for me this engineering imposition is a deal breaker.

Of the two, I think the Konica is a somewhat better camera than the Yashica. However, I shoot more with the Yashica. Don't ask me why. Maybe I just like the aperture priority over shutter priority, I paid more for the Konica an excellent CLA'd sample and don't want to damage it, and like the slightly larger body of the Yashica. Both are fine cameras for street photography with excellent quality glass.

You can't go wrong with either of these. Short of a Leica they're about the best you can get for street photography and in some ways even better.
 
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GIII versus 7SII?
Take the GIII. The 7SII is no way in the same build league as the Canonet.
 
You can shoot the GIII in manual mode with no meter though, same as the 7sii. They simply become fully manual unmetered cameras when not in A mode.
 
I don't even consider metering in my assessment of build quality.
The 7SII has twice the plastic of a Canonet.
 
Eh - they're all the creme de la creme of the fixed lens rangefinder era. If manual is a must, get the Canon, the RD, or the Hi-Matic. If you must have a 35mm lens and prefer aperture priority (I do because it's fast and have more control over DOF) get the Yash. If you want the camera with the best verified resolution, get the Konica. I know both I own are very fine cameras, near perfect quiet inconspicuous street shooters, quick on the draw. I'm sure the others are just as good. I have other all-manual cameras I shoot with when I want that capability. Street shooters - imo, are point and shoots with control over what matters, more important to be fast in operation so I don't mind not having manual control with these.

But I'm sure you can't go wrong with any of these. All fine cameras. But they're old so my advice would be to go for the one in the best, film-test condition, CLA'd and adjusted, fully ready to shoot and last for several decades with care. They're all similarly spec'd fine cameras just with different features.
 
LOL. I know your cameras Nick. ;)

The weight difference is not the defining spec. It's where they used the plastic.
 
yankeedoll said:
LOL. I know your cameras Nick. ;)

The weight difference is not the defining spec. It's where they used the plastic.
Click to expand...

The Himatic has the exact same (rumor has it, Cosina-built) body as the Konica. There isn't any plastic on the exterior of the body as far as I can tell.
 
It is almost all plastic in the lens barrel area.
But for the average user it will be just fine.
Great lens, compact, light.
 
yankeedoll said:
It is almost all plastic in the lens barrel area.
But for the average user it will be just fine.
Great lens, compact, light.
Click to expand...

You might be right - too tired/lazy to go to the other room and dig it out of its bag to take a look. Right about the lens though. Worth it just for that. It certainly isn't cheaply made though, especially when compared to modern cameras.
 
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