P&S - what do you recommend?

[M like Leica M6]

I am looking for a camera for my girlfriend... I can tell you, this is difficult. It's like buying SHOES for her.

So, what sort of camera:

Analog, autofocus (yes, really), program exposure, sharp lens with at least 2.8 aperture. Flash? Not necessary. Automatic film advance? Not on the wishlist, but if it's there... Oh, it has to be cheap as she wants to buy it herself.

Any ideas?

 

[rover]

My R2🙂.

 

[M like Leica M6]

You have an R2 with autofocus?

 

[dogbunny]

I really feel you can't go wrong with a Hexar AF.
Any of the models. I am not sure what cheap is to you, but they can be had for under $500(more than she is looking to pay??) It has a great piece of glass, is pretty easy to use and has some nice features.

Here is a fairly well known link on it:

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/hexar.html

There are about 4 different models all with slight differences.

Hope you find it helpful.

 

[g0tr00t]

My R2🙂.

Is that the R2af? 😉

 

[pshinkaw]

My family has/had three Olympus Stylus cameras. The original model, no zoom, black clamshell front cover. We wore out two of them over about 5-7 years of very heavy use. I am planning on replacing them with used models beause they are so good and they are no longer in production. KEH is selling them in their catalog for less than the cost of repairing a broken one at Essex Camera repair.

Don't get the zoom models, the lens is not as good. I have one of those too. They are very small. I can easily drop one in a suit pocket with barely a bulge. My wife and daughters carry them in a purse. The fill flash feature is terrific. In fact We use them with 400 speed film exclusively and only use the fill-flash feature rather than the full power flash.

If size is not a problem, the Nikon Zoom-Touch 600 is also great. (no longer in production) It is however very large for a P&S. I think of it more as a vacation/ travel camera than one for social occassions like the Olympus. It has a lot of vacation features like switchable panaromic mode (really just a cropping switch) and autofocus overide (infinity focus) so you can shoot through an airplane window. However, besides being large (bigger than my Canonet GIII 17), it seemsto have a very slow max shutter speed. I have blurred daylight shots because of camera or subject motion when using slower than 400 speed films. Again, I only use 400 speed color negative in this one too.

-Paul

 

[FrankS]

I was going to suggest the Hexar AF too, but it is not cheap relative to other point and shoot type cameras. You may think about subsidizing some of the cost for her though, as you may end up using it!

 

[SolaresLarrave]

One vote for the Olympus, and another for the Minolta Freedom. Both are small cameras, extremely handy and with good flash systems.

The Minolta has a zoom, and therefore a slightly slower lens, though.

Now, if you want to be really classy, look for a Leica Minilux. It's easy to find them in the used market... but they may cost as much as a Konica Hexar AF. However, the non-zoom variety is a nice package: a Summarit 40/2.4 lens, fill flash, exposure compensation (2 stops + and -) but a 1/500 top shutter speed (which puts it with the Canonet in that using film faster than 400 is a bit of a problem on sunny days).

I was thinking about one for a while, hence my familiarity. Recently discontinued and replaced by the (recently recalled) CM.

Go for the Olympus, though...

 

[Nikon Bob]

If you can find a Yashica T4 you can't go wrong for a P&S camera. It has a fixed lens (35mm ) and a slower than you specified Carl Zeiss lens at F3.5. Our family sample has been great.

Bob

 

[Bill K.]

To M like M6

Take a look at this link.

http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/f_camera.html

I have had several of these and had great results. Simple to load, uses 2AA cells and you can probably find one on eBay.

I still have one and "lend it " to my wife on occasion.

Good Luck

Bill K.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

You said cheap. Does it have to be new?

For the P&S, F2.8 is on the fast end of things. The Nikon AF3 has a 35mm F2.8 lens. I bought one for my Father-in-Law 10 years ago and it is still going strong. I would expect under $25 on Ebay.

Film-based AF SLR's are going cheap these days. A nikon N70 is under $100 and a 50mm F1.8 AF-Nikkor can be had used for another $50 or so.

 

[JohnM]

Olympus Stylus Epic. Autofocus, autoflash with a 35mm/f2.8 lens and spotmeter.

It's cheap, too - $84 with a VidPro case, battery and a roll of film at BHphoto.com.

 

[Pherdinand]

Would go for the Olympus, or a Yashica T4. Or a second-hand contax T2 if your cheap is a bit more expensive than my cheap.

 

[iMacfan]

The olympus is the only decently priced camera currently available new. If you go high-end, of course the Leica CM and Contax T3 are sure to be superb, but are the same price as a new Bessa and Lens. I have the Ricoh GR1v, which is excellent but a bit pricey (about half the Leica and Contax, but still more than three times the price of the Olympus) - it is however discontinued. One option is the Ricoh GR10 - recently discontinued as well. This was a slightly larger camera, without Apeture priority, but the great benefit is that is has the same amazing 28/2.8 GR lens as the GR1 series. Maybe if you can find a minty one of these it would be the best value. That is if your girlfriend doesn't mind a 28mm lens...

David

 

[Laika]

I'd go for the Olympus Stylus Epic (Mju II) with the 35mm/f2.8 lens.

 

[d30gaijin]

Get her a LOMO! 32mm f/2.8 and don't even worry about focusing.

Actually I agree 100% with Nikon Bob. The Yashica T4 Super is a fabulous little camera with one of the best P&S lenses ever made (because it's a Zeiss lens). We have two in our family.

Don

 

[GeneW]

No contest. Olympus Sylus Epic, for all the reasons give above. It's a wonderful little cam.

Gene

 

[RML]

Indeed the Oly Mju II, which is the same thing as the Oly Stylus Epic. Great 35/2.8 lens,. Small and a great performing camera. I have the prime lens version; my wife has the 105mm zoom. Pretty decent camera too. My little girl claims it most of the time to shoot with it, and yes, she uses the zoom; it's that simple a camera. 🙂

 

[Roman]

Another vote for the Oly Mju II - currently available for around 90 Euros new from most German mail-orders!

Roman

 

[Stu :)]

Or if you're looking for something off the beaten track, so-to-say...

How about a Ricoh GR21?

I'm still kicking myself, passed up an REAL cheap offer for one last year.

Stu 🙂