Something small, something quiet...

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simplethings

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So, I've considered getting an M6 a couple months back and decided against it after realizing it's actually quite difficult for me to put a roll of film into it... :-( I just started a personal project and am beginning to understand why people prefer to have smaller, quieter cameras for certain types of work.

I would like to find something with a light meter, fairly light weight and compact, with a bright viewfinder, and as quiet as possible. I don't mind if it runs off of batteries. I'll be working in very dim light at times and would probably need to have fast glass. Can anyone suggest anything? I've tried using my Olympus XA, but it's almost too small and I have a hard time focusing in the tiny focusing patch.

Any suggestions or opinions would be greatly appreciated. I also considered using a beat up film SLR, but the focusing in dim light has also given me problems.

Thanks!
 
Well, for a fixed lens you can find a cheap Canonet QL17 GIII. Great fast lens. Quiet. And if something happens to it - you can find another cheap.
Another option would be Olympus 35 RD - but those are rare, often if not always in need of CLA, but have great and fast lens.
Great camera with great , yet a bit slower lens 35/2 - Konica Hexar AF. Not cheap - $500 or so, but outstanding and quiet.
On a interchangable RF front - Maybe Hexar RF if you dont like Leica. Traditional load, takes all M-lenses, great camera.
Hows this for now?
 
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Without knowing your application, sounds like a very wide lens (<25mm) might get around the focus problem and camera shake in low light. A cloth focal-plane shutter (Leica) or a leaf shutter (TLR) would be quieter than a metal shutter.

Just guessing here, but with a TLR hanging around your neck, you compose by looking down into the waist-level finder, so the camera is not held to your eye, so subjects may not be aware you are taking a picture. And TLR's have the quietist shutters.

My brother used to take the finder off his F3, stare down to compose, set the self-timer, and put his hands in his pocket. But the mirror slap and metal shutter was of course noisier.

Any of this help?
 
When I used TLRs I found that I wasn't exactly discrete with this old camera at my waist, bending over trying to see the dim screen and focus 🙂 I'm much quicker with the Leica; like a cat, snap and off down the road! 😀
 
Which Bessa? If you are talking about 35mm Bessa R2(3,4)A/M series - they are good, but thier shutter is rather loud/noticable. Old bessa folders for 120 film have leaf shutters and are more quiet, but not too great for low light as they have fixed slow lenses.
 
My Bessa to me seems as loud as a Canon 20D. It probably is not, but it does have a distinct metallic sound.

Somebody actually has recorded and measured the sound output of different cameras.
 
How small is small for you?

The Canonet Q17 GIII is a good suggestion. It has a very quiet shutter, and is smaller than a Leica M.

But I wonder whether a Hexar AF might not work better for you, when coupled w/ a fast film.
 
Anything smaller than my 5D would be great. It would be great if it didn't scream "look at me" too. I've noticed that my 5D with the 24-70 or even a 28mm gets me a couple of stares... I'm hoping to find something that will allow me to shoot in hospitals and dim-lit rooms with very quiet people. I've had issues with doctors asking me to put my "pro camera" away during live births.
 
I'd like to caution you about the Oly 35RD. I had one and loved the feel of it, but for some reason the shutter blades went back to sticking after original CLA. It feels much better than the RC in my opinion (no plastic lens barrel) but I doubt the image quality is that different.

If you don't care for manual focus it sounds like the Hexar AF is best, but I would not consider it small (same size as M6?).
 
Bingley said:
How small is small for you?

The Canonet Q17 GIII is a good suggestion. It has a very quiet shutter, and is smaller than a Leica M.

But I wonder whether a Hexar AF might not work better for you, when coupled w/ a fast film.
Click to expand...

I looked at the Hexar before deciding Leica was for me. The AF seemed more like a dated computer/PIM than a camera, with the fiddly settings that are not intuitive. And if the electronics go, kiss it goodbye. Stick with the GIII, like Steve initially suggested. IMHO.
 
morback said:
I'd like to caution you about the Oly 35RD. I had one and loved the feel of it, but for some reason the shutter blades went back to sticking after original CLA. It feels much better than the RC in my opinion (no plastic lens barrel) but I doubt the image quality is that different.

If you don't care for manual focus it sounds like the Hexar AF is best, but I would not consider it small (same size as M6?).
Click to expand...

Could you tell where you had your RD CLA'd and how long after CLA blades started to stick again?
Thanks!
 
Krosya said:
Could you tell where you had your RD CLA'd and how long after CLA blades started to stick again?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Mark Hama in Georgia. I don't think there's any camera he can't fix. He fixed my winding gears on my Mamiya 6 that I managed to strip by being stupid (something people told me and still believe is unfixable).

And I think it took 2 years or so for the RD shutter blades to stick, or at least for me to notice it sticking again. I had not used the camera much since I had acquired it, I was shooting the Mamiya mostly with the Contax T3 as backup.

It's a nice camera and it feels very nice in your hands. I like the look of the lens and the smoothness of the focusing ring. A bit dim in the viewfinder but manageable. Low asa settings (800 max) and bad spot for it too (on the lens). I kept changing the ASA setting by mistake while focusing or carrying on the strap. If you do sunny 16, then that's not an issue. No parallax correction. I think the filter size was quite common/standard (the other version, the RC has this weird 32.5mm is it?).

Anyhow, lots of options for you out there. Very few with parallax correction.
 
First you definitely get used to loading a Leica quickly. I don't find it harder than any other manual camera so if that's your big issue, you will get over it quickly. After having tried a lot of other solutions, it turns out a Leica really does rock. It's just the right size.

I think the old 70 rangefinders are just heavy and bulky for me. They are the size and weight of a Leica, if not more, with less flexibility. The Canonette feels like a brick to me although many love them. Most are shutter priority for some reason and often have 40mm or greater lenses which to me are too much (you don't say what focal length you want).

It sounds like a Hexar AF would fit your needs really well. I don't have one but they are super quiet and they have great fast glass. They come up for sale around here once in awhile.
 
januaryman said:
I looked at the Hexar before deciding Leica was for me. The AF seemed more like a dated computer/PIM than a camera, with the fiddly settings that are not intuitive. And if the electronics go, kiss it goodbye. Stick with the GIII, like Steve initially suggested. IMHO.
Click to expand...

You're just plain wrong, Jim. The AF runs circles around your M2 when only a 35mm lens is needed, in particular when focusing is difficult, or quiet operation is important. 🙂

Seems like the perfect camera for the OP to me. Really easy to load, too, due to motor.

Cheers,

Roland.
 
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