Poll: Favorite Line of Classic Japanese FLRF

Poll: Favorite Line of Classic Japanese FLRF

  • Minolta Hi-Matic Line (Too Numberous to Mention)

    Votes: 31 9.5%

  • Yashica Lynx Line

    Votes: 21 6.5%

  • Yashica Electro Line (GT, GTN, CC, GX, GL)

    Votes: 72 22.2%

  • Konica Auto S Line (S2, S3)

    Votes: 32 9.8%

  • Fujica

    Votes: 9 2.8%

  • Canonet Series, including the GIII-17

    Votes: 60 18.5%

  • Olympus "35" (RD, SP, RD)

    Votes: 74 22.8%

  • Yashica Minsiter Line

    Votes: 4 1.2%

  • Olympus Trip

    Votes: 10 3.1%

  • Konica II, III, IIIa

    Votes: 12 3.7%
  • Total voters
    325
I voted yashica electro (gsn) just because I don't have any experience with another rangefinder. I just got mine, but after one roll I was really stunned by the perfect job of the light meter. I'm using it as a don't think-shoot-camera. Except for the focusing. And the aperture. :)

And, because it's the best looking camera by far. I'm not to much in to the GTN version, but that silver-black colour scheme and those rounded corners... Hmmmm.
 
I like to think I have a open mind.

The Wife came with her father's old Canonet QL 19 (the big one with speeds B,1 sec to 1/500 sec.) and I acquired from a local thrift store another QL 19 (the little one with speeds starting at 1/4 sec. to 1/500)
These appear to be typical 35mm rangefinder cameras from 30 or so years ago.
-I've checked them out with film and yep, they work.
-They are rangefinder cameras.
-They are quiet.
-They will in all likelyhood sync flash at 1/500 sec.(nice)
-The big one is cheaply made and quite ugly.
-The little one is cheaply made and a little crappy.

Are these things an acquired taste? How should I best use them?
 
Having only used a couple of these, the Oly (travelling camera project) and I own a Yashica, I had to vote for the Oly. As good as the Electro is it's hampered by it's size (bigger than it needs to be) and the focusing ergonomics don't gel with me!
 
I've not long aquired a Royal-35 P with a Tominar 1.9 45mm fixed lens and I'm liking it. It would have been made late 50's and the lens maker supplied all Yashica's lenses, being taken over by Yashica 10 years later. The C-Y lenses are made in this factory, no doubt.
I have had to do some minor repairs - like relubing the focus with lithium grease but it all works very satisfactorily
My experience with the others is limited - I bought my daughter a Lynx 30 years ago but the shutter soon failed and it was tossed out. I now know it could have been repaired. :-(

Murray
 
Nick, you've gotta be kidding me, I know you're not an Oly guy, but to say that Minolta's line is "too numberous to mention" and only mention *three* of Olympus' ???

The Olympus "line" of fixed rangefinder goes way back, look at this website.
The 35-series alone is as "numberous" if not more than Minolta's.

If you're going to only mention the "currently-famous" ones, then yes, probably the RC, RD, and SP are top dogs. But then again comparably, you should only mention the Minolta Hi-matic 7sII.

And, Olympus still make nice wallpapers from those old classic cameras of theirs, look here (for the benefit of newcomers to Fixed RF more than the oldcomers around here).
 
shadowfox said:
Nick, you've gotta be kidding me, I know you're not an Oly guy, but to say that Minolta's line is "too numberous to mention" and only mention *three* of Olympus' ???

The Olympus "line" of fixed rangefinder goes way back, look at this website.
The 35-series alone is as "numberous" if not more than Minolta's.

If you're going to only mention the "currently-famous" ones, then yes, probably the RC, RD, and SP are top dogs. But then again comparably, you should only mention the Minolta Hi-matic 7sII.

And, Olympus still make nice wallpapers from those old classic cameras of theirs, look here (for the benefit of newcomers to Fixed RF more than the oldcomers around here).
Click to expand...

Sorry - yes, did this in haste. Hence the "numberous" typo. I would have liked to have included more choices but you're limited to 12 on the poll.
 
Rather surprising results, to me. I would never trade a Yashica E35 for my Canonet. And I have 1 of each. I also almost never reach for my GT when I see my GIII GL17. I should just sell the Yash... (note to self)
 
I voted for the Konica IIIa not because I think it is the best (I haven't used most of the others) but because I recently got one and am really have fun with it. A nice high quality Rangefinder. I wish it took other lenses beside the 48mm F/2 Hexar.

Leo
 
pesphoto said:
I find it laughable that the Lynx line has so few votes. The 5000e is sooooooooo under rated.
Click to expand...

I'm sooooo happy that 5000 doesn't attract crowds like Canonet does. Let's just use 5000's and don't make a victim of too much attention from it :)
 
I'm very impressed with the Minolta 7's I picked up of the auction site for $19. A cosmetic beauty with a better finish than my Canonet QLIII. Hopefully I'll finish my first roll of Plus-x tomorrow and get some idea of lens quality.
 
I don't use my fixed lens rangefinders that much anymore, but when I was using them, my favorites were the Konical Auto S2 and the Olympus 35 SP. :rolleyes:
 
I voted for the Yashica (GSN), but like Tuolumne, would have liked to seen the XA on the list. It's so handy, and the one I actually use the most.
 
Canonet QL17 GIII is hard to beat, I think. But than again - Olympus 35 RD is great too. Love Konica Auto S - absolutely superb lens, as good as other two, but camera itself is bigger. Oly XA has a nice lens too, but just felt too small. So many nice FLRFs out there - I really cant pick just one!
 
If you want well built with a good lens the Topcon 35-L would be a good choice.

Bob
 
I voted just out of curiousity about what the people think. So Olympus, Yashicas G and Canonets.

Well, it is a hard question for me, like picking the best son among the family.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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