Rover's Poll about the Canonet

[SolaresLarrave]

I'm posting here the text of an informal poll started by Rover at the PopPhoto forums:

Would you be interested enough to purchase a newly developed fixed lens rangefinder camera similar to the Canonet. Simple specs., fast normal lens in the 40/1.7 area, minimum aperture of f22, manual focus, shutter speeds from 1-1/1000 sec and B, metered in AE and manual mode, TTL meter and flash control. In essence a modern Canonet with a couple improvements. The natural thought would be that Cosina could produce such a camera with the quality of the R2, but it would not be out of the picture to think that Konica Minolta could do it along the lines of the older Hexars. Price would be around $600. Count me in.

Well, I said yes... even though there's a Contax T already in the market (for a grand!). What do you think?

 

[Oldprof]

Six hundred dollars for a fixed lens rangefinder camera? I would never go for that ... there are just too many quality used rangefinders with interchangeable lenses for less than that. Also too many quality used rangefinders with non-interchangeable lenses for much, much less.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Now that I think of it... there's the famous (yet discontinued) Konica Hexar AF, for a lot less...

 

[back alley]

probably not!
now, if it were around 200 bucks, maybe...

joe

 

[rover]

Price definitely could be an issue. But for a good quality built camera (think Bessa R2 not R) and a quality lens it would have to be priced more than a P&S. Think of a brand new camera, new accurate meter, no potential "issues" of a used camera. Metered Manual and AE modes. A fast lens (f/1.7ish) with a stop more at the small end than is standard with the 1970's cameras (f/22), and a stop faster shutter (1/1000). MANUAL FOCUS. Perhaps $600 is too much, but we have to be fair to the manufacturer too. What is the appropriate price point, $450, $500?

 

[ABarGrill]

Price is an issue to be sure! $200 would get my attention quickly. But, though I love my Bessa R2, I would want to be sure that it was as quiet as the Canonet. Also, the Canonet leaf shutter could synch with flash at all speeds. I don't know if the focal plane shutter on the Bessa would be able to do that.

Alan

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Who should we send a petition to? Cosina Voigtlander, Canon, Leica...?

Of course, you may want to throw in a built-in flash in it.

 

[back alley]

no built in flash!
...don't like them...
i think we should give canon the first shot.

joe

 

[Picture Guy]

Why no go to the bottom end, like take the Olympus Stylus with the 35mm lens and:

Lose the flash and auto wind and auto focus.

No rangefinder but guess focus scale.

Add two stop exposure comp each way, shutter is still electronic, but user can pick aperture or shutter preferred, and still know what's going on.

Viola! The thinking man's pocket camera. Similiar to old minolta XE (?)