RF camera dream-team

R

Rich Silfver

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Yes, I love my M3 - and I do consider it to be an exceptionally beautiful camera body...but tonight my 'cheating-mind' wandered and looked around other nice bodies. Hey.....if I'm getting a nice display case I might as well dream about what would be the dream content in such a case.....

So I started looking around for what I consider to be very attractive and classic 35mm classic rangefinder camera bodies. I wanted to pick one from each of the main camera lines (turned out I ended up breaking that rule...) and I'm a sucker for pre-70 cameras.

I wanted to pick five cameras so had to weed out a lot...

Criteria that were most important were;
- classic 'good looks',
- interchangeable lens body,
- very well made/high quality body,
- a significant camera in the manufacturers line of rf bodies,
- a good user camera, and
- possible to find an excellent body for under $US 1,000

What I came up with was....

Leica: Leica M3 S/S (phew..got that one already..)
I selected the M3 as to me it has always been the 'dream Leica'. I truly do consider it to be the best 35mm rangefinder body ever built.

Runner-up: Leica IIIg
See more below.

Canon: Canon P
It wasn't the top of the line of the Canon rangefinder bodies but it certainly meet all the three criterias and I also do consider the P to be one of the most attractive Canon RF bodies ever made.

Runner-up: Canon VI-L

Nikon: Nikon S2
Picked the S2 because it does meet all the criterias and I prefer it to the later S3.

Runner-up: Nikon SP
I'd love for this to be 'the one' but I still haven't seen a nice body go for under 2,000 dollars...

Leica: Leica IIIg
Yup, here it is again...a second Leica made it onto the list. It's a beauty and represents the best of the screw-mount bodies Leica ever made.

Contax: Contax IIIa
I really like the look of the body - but I don't consider it to be as beautiful as the other above. Personal preference ofcourse. Still, it's a camera that I would like to include in this 'dream team'.

Runner up: Contax IIa
Going back and forth on if I like the meter or not and I think it simply 'looks better' when that big flat top plate is 'filled up' with the meter. Looks more complete.

So - no major surprises I think. These are all amazing cameras - both in function as well as in appearance.

Would be interested in what others would consider their '5-camera dream team' if they would put something together to display, cherish and use as long as film is around - after that just display and cherish :)
 
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Richard, you hit my likes almost to a T. That is probably what makes them classics.

Leica, M3 SS it is, and the IIIg is also very appealing. I don't see many IIIg cameras though so I would settle for a IIIf also.

I would switch the order on the Canons, VI T then P.

To me, the cream of the crop if I was to have a collection of classic rangefinder cameras would be the Nikon and Contax. I really find these cameras beautiful. S2, S3, SP, I'll take any. Given the choice, like you, I would seek out a SP, having to pay for it, the others are fine. And I would vote for a Contax IIa. I prefer the clean top plate instead of the box for the meter.
 
If you are going to pick a pretty S2, the Black Dial version is the prettiest. Can you imagine a seller doing an auction for a Mint Black Dial S2 and having it end during the last quarter of the SuperBowl! (More of Brian's EBay tips)

The SP's are coming down in price. Although I would rate it EX-, I picked up an SP with 5cm f1.4 lens and had the Aperture of the Lens repaired at Essex for under $1,000. The mint ones are outrageous, but if you want a camera to take pictures with (Heaven Forbid!) they can be found.
 
Drop the Contax IIIa (I never could take that ugly hump). Add a clean Leica CL / Minolta CLE. I can take either one, they're similar enough for me.

Drop the Nikon SP (can't afford anyway) and add the Konica Hexar. OK, so that would be more than the $1,000 limit you set, but hey, so would the SP!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Contaxlla
Leica lllg
Nikon SP
Kodak Ektra or Retina lllc
Canon P
 
My definition of a RF Dream Team is going to be different of course. I believe that pretty is as pretty does, and that the end result of having a camera is to get quality photographs. If I look at the equation Best Camera=Dollars invested/(quality of photos +ease of use) my cameras would be as follows.

1. Canon Ql17-GIII
2. Olympus XA
3. Crown Graphic 4x5
4. Contax IIA
5. Contax IIIA (I don't like the hump for meter either)

I am not some much into male neck jewelery as I am into trying to make interesting photos.

Wayne
 
The Kodak Ektra is a neat camera, but Pretty? External gears for the RF coupling?

The Retina IIIc is a pretty camera; but the IIc skips the selenium cell bugeyes and has a clean top-deck. You can even install the F2.0 lens on it from a IIIc.
 
*i prefer the m2 over the m3

*i like the contax ll, i just don't like the hump the meter adds

*i'm with bill with the cle, pretty & petite and a fine picture maker (that's the camera, not bill!)

*and of course, the canon p

*reserved for a later decision
 
Brian, thanks for giving me hope to one day find an SP in excellent condition for under 1,000....

Bill, yes the price is why the SP was just a 'runner-up' :)
I wouldn't put the Konica Hexar in the same group as these cameras - it's a personal preference ofcourse but neither the Konica nor the CL/CLE's are to me 'classic' rangefinder cameras of the same 'caliber' as the others. Personal and subjective ofcourse.

Curt, I must admit I didn't even know what Kodak Ektra was but looked it up. Interesting looking thing...
 
I'd take a Henry Worked Kiev IV for the Contax IIa, and I'd not have the Leica IIIg (had one before, REALLY squinty finder) but your list is excellent.

How about a medium format rangefinder too?

My feeling on the Nikons are that they don't come CLOSE to exuding the "quality" feeling of the other cameras. Stamped rewind levers, &c., but they take nice pictures.
 
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