Recommend a classic RF?

[FrankS]

Okay, I just want to come clean and go on record to state that I'd love an M2 or M3 too. There, I've said it. (twice)

 

[back alley]

the rc works without a battery. that's also how to get around that very annoying habit of locking up, just put it in manual.

read that cameraquest write up, hard to go wrong.

 

[Pherdinand]

OK, here's a "yashica guy". I have and use two GSN's, very good cameras in my oppinion. Great 45mm f/1.7 lens, shutter from 1/500s to 30 s (yes 30, not 1/30!!!) and very accurately metered aperture priority. No manual mode, but without a battery the camera fires at 1/500 s, so you can use it in lots of cases by varying only the aperture. ISO speed up to 1000. These are a few very nice features.
I also had a CC - much smaller body, and a wider 35mm f/1.8 lens. Very very good performer, impressed me by sharpness and flare resistance. Top sh speed is only 1/250 s; ISO goes not so high, meter is great above-the-lens type, without battery it works at 1/30 s. Battery chamber is made for the 4LR4 / 4SR4 type batteries, no need for physical adapters like the ones in the case of GSN's.
The GX version is also said to be very good; small body, better specs than the CC.
Be sure to check www.yashica-guy.com and www.photoetnography.com, besides the abovementioned cameraquest.

 

[RObert Budding]

I have a very nice Yashica MG-1 black body that is very clean that I've never used. I've never even put a battery in it, so I can't make any statment about shutter speeds. It needs new light seals and the meter needs to be calibrated to an alkaline battery. For more info see the following link.

http://www.photoethnography.com/equipment.html

It's yours for $10 plus shipping. If you find any major problems with it, or if it does not meet your expectatons, then I'll refund your $10.

Robert

 

[RObert Budding]

LilRedSpy - My Contax IIIa is very, very quiet. The shutter makes a very soft sound and the film advance, which is manual, is silent. And the lenses, oh, the lenses!

My understanding is that the G-series cameras are a bit noisy due to autofocus and powered film transport.

Robert.

 

[jamiewakeham]

Thanks for all the advice, guys. Much appreciated.

Not sure of which I'll go for yet; might try to find a shop that has both in stock and play with 'em for a while! Does the Canon tell you what aperture it has selected when you use it in shuter priority mode?

Galen Rowell; yes, but he's quite obviously harder than I am! Maybe I should just get on with lugging the EOS with a 28mm and 50mm...

Cheers,
Jamie

 

[jamiewakeham]

Robert - thanks for the offer, but with that big pond between us it might be easier if I try to find one over here! I'll get back to you if I can't.

Cheers,
Jamie

 

[RObert Budding]

Didn't notice your location. The only way to ship at a reasonable cost will take several weeks!

Anyone on this side of the pond interested? It's too nice a camera to just gather dust - even is the light seals remind me of taffy.

Robert

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Firing the Shutter on my M3SS compared with Contax IIIa:

The Contax IIIa gives a quiet and re-assuring "snippp".

BUT: I did not believe that the Leica shutter was really firing until I got back the first roll of film. The shutter on the M3SS is quieter than the one on the M3DS (85xxxx, 1957), which was CLA'd. I have had two M3SS, one an 114xxxx and the other 9xxxxx both shutters were equally quiet. It is quiter than my Retina IIIS with a leaflet shutter!

Denis now has my "ex" late model M3.

BUT: for the original question: If you do not mind the size, the Konica S2 is an underpriced top performer for fixed-lens RF's. Be mindful of the operating condition of the meter and automatic exposure; I have a good one now but have had ones before whose meter failed before their time. I have subsequently read that this is a common problem that can be fixed; check our repair forum or "google" it. The Canonet has a great finder, the lens is "average" (C on a scale A-F as per old test reports) wide-open and sharpens up at F4.

 

[Tim]

Well, I don't have an M3 loaner. But anyone is welcome to go on a day shooting with me and borrow the Leica IIIF and Contax IIa to compare.
Or try the M6......

only catch, you have to be in Sydney.....

tim

 

[thmk]

Does the Canon tell you what aperture it has selected when you use it in shuter priority mode?

Yes, the GIII has a needle in the viewfinder showing the used aperture.

 

[GeneW]

Re: Recommend a classic RF?

I've decided I'd like to buy a classic RF (rather than a compact, as Id like to try something different), and have tried to work out which one to go for, but can't quite find it.

Jamie, not quite sure what you mean by 'compact' but for a little 35mm cam for carrying on hikes, the Olympus Stylus Epic is dandy. Literally fits in your pants pocket, has good auto metering, making it fast to use, and it's weather proofed. Best part of it is the lens -- a very sharp Zuiko 35mm/2.8

FWIW, Gene

 

[rbiemer]

Jamie,
Welcome aboard!
As much as I like the russian cameras-- I will also suggest the Canon G-III.
In my opinion its only down side is the battery issue. The one I'm using came to me with the correct battery and I haven't quite figured out which of the "fixes" I'm going to use when it goes flat. I am leaning towards the Wein air cell as that seems to be the easiest option.
Of course my Kiev 4a and Zorki 3m are both "aperture priorty" when I shoot that way and totally battery free!😀
You probably will find that hanging out here will lead to more RF cameras than you thought you ever needed:bang:

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

After reading this thread, I think I want one of them Oly 35 RC cameras.
Dang!
Rob

 

[Natalia]

Well, I don't have an M3 loaner. But anyone is welcome to go on a day shooting with me and borrow the Leica IIIF and Contax IIa to compare.
Or try the M6......

only catch, you have to be in Sydney.....

tim

:bang: darn!

 

[jamiewakeham]

Rob - I was indeed tempted by Russian cameras, if only for the fantastic names! I think I'd prefer something metered, though.

Gene - sorry, by 'compact' I meant 'point & shoot'. I'd rather have something with control over the focus and DoF. I suppose I'm looking for a 'compact RF', in that sense. And the Epic, lovely camera as it seems to be, has a min aperture of f/11; not quite enough for those massive DoF mountainscapes. This is probably the same reason I'm less tempted by the Oly RC; 1/15th isn't really long enough. ANd anyway, the 35 RD has an f/1.7 40mm lens. Or maybe I should just be carrying my SLR. Choices...

Cheers,
Jamie

 

[Huck Finn]

Yes, the GIII has a needle in the viewfinder showing the used aperture.

Jamie, As thmk says here, the Canonet has match needle metering in the viewfinder when set in shutter priority mode. Many people effectively achieve aperture priority priority by working the shutter priority in reverse, i.e. rotate the shutter speed collar on the lens until you have the aperture you want. Then look & see what shutter speed you've stumble into or just snap the picture & don't even look at all since you're looking through the viewfinder while you're doing this. The aperture settings in this process are stepless.

For your purposes, the Canonet GIII is a good choice because it is the smallest of the Canonet models & it is ruggedly built. It his heavy compared to today's P&S cameras. Top speed is 1/500 sec, which places some restriction on the film speed you can use since you're talking about shooting outdoors in daylight - unless you use filters, which you may have to dig a little to find to fit it. Probably best used at ISO 100.

Cheers

 

[Huck Finn]

The Canonet has a great finder, the lens is "average" (C on a scale A-F as per old test reports) wide-open and sharpens up at F4.

The Canonet came with a several different lenses, ranging in focl lengths from 40 to 48 and in maximum aperture from f/1.7 to f/2.8. The most highly regarded of these lenses among user reports is the 40/1.7 on the last model the GIII QL17. (QL stands for quick loading - which it is! nice feature when you're hiking.) To elaborate on Brian's comment about the lens, here is the "Modern Photography" report on the sharpness of this lens from July, 1970:

Center/Edge

f/1.7 - Good/Acceptable
f/2.0 - Very Good/Acceptable
f/2.8 - Excellent/Acceptable
f/4.0 - Excellent/Good
f/5.6 - Excellent/Excellent
f/8.0 - Excellent/Excellent
f/11. - Excellent/Excellent
f/16. - Excellent/Excellent

I would think that the strengths of this lens should match nicely your intended use on those "massive mountain landscapes."

By the way, it came with a nice compact flash which functions very well with this camera in AE. Worth asking for if you can get it with a camera.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I scanned in some results from the Konica S2. Of course the "Jpeg'd decimated images on a computer monitor" cannot capture the sharpness of this lens. At least my Sample of it appears to be sharper than the Canonet QL17's that I have, sharper than my Yashica GT and (ex) LYNX 14, Sharper than my Minolta Hi-Matic E, and along side my one-owner (me) Minolta Hi-Matic 9.

Konica S2, Wide-Open

Another

My Impression after looking at the 5x7's is that it is as sharp wide-open as the QL17 is at F4.

Canonet at F4

Another, Canonet at F4

 

[Russ]

I scanned in some results from the Konica S2. Of course the "Jpeg'd decimated images on a computer monitor" cannot capture the sharpness of this lens. At least my Sample of it appears to be sharper than the Canonet QL17's that I have had, sharper than my Yashica GT and LYNX 14, and along side my one-owner (me) Minolta Hi-Matic 9.

Konica S2, Wide-Open

Another

My Impression after looking at the 5x7's is that it is as sharp wide-open as the QL17 is at F4.

Canonet at F4

Another, Canonet at F4

Brian

Thanks for the test snaps. My tests concur with yours. I've even glassed the negs themselves. I've been saying for months now that the GIII QL-17 lens is overrated. It's a fine camera with a decent lens. But my Viv ES (same lens as your Konica S2 and Himatic 7sII, built by Cosina) and Oly RC lenses are considerably better. I'm not bashing the GIII QL-17, it's a fine camera. But if I read one more time, that it's the "poor man's Leica...."

Have you glassed the negs yet?

Russ

 

[doubs43]

Brian, those are very good images.... especially for being taken at maximum aperture.

I hope you're dropping a dollar (at least a quarter) in that young lady's education fund for every picture you take of her. She's sure earning it! LOL

Walker