The Best fixed lens RF travel camera??

agree on the XA rangefinder patch... but it is a RF which is what the OP asked about :)

a little Minox 35mm has a much better lens IMO and is just about as usable with better scale focusing...
 
Canon QL 17 as stated above is a gem if it's been properly CLA'd. The Rollei 35, although not exactly a rangefinder, is also a superb travel companion. Slightly up on the sophistication, performance, and weight level would be a Leica III series (or any similar bottom loading clone such as the Canon IIIA) with appropriate small or collapsible lenses.
 
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Not mentioned for the first time here, for me too the Canonet Q17 GIII is my favourite travelcompagnion. Small sized, it has perfect optics and it can operate in full manual mode. Loaded with B&W film, it's going back to the essence of taking pictures, instead of 'registrate' today's world in a digital way, like everybody does. So I take my Q17 along his digital grandson, my Canon Powershot G3...
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Voigtlaender Vitoret DR (first earned money), Petri 7S, Canonet Q17 GIII, Yashica Electro 35 GSN, Minolta Hi-matic 9.
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"Time flies... ...And you? You will fly along..."
 
So far the Canonet QL-17 G-III seems to be the most popular choice. As of now I'm considering a few, but it seems all have their pros and cons.

I thought about Cameras such as The Contax T and Hexar AF ect. I'm sure their fantastic cameras but when I think of a Travel camera, I think of a camera that I wouldn't be devastated if it was to get stolen, and with the prices that either of those cameras fetch, not everyone could afford to replace them.

What I'm most looking for in a Travel camera is:
1. Versatile
2. light weight/small
3. cheap
4. sharp
5. quiet
6. quick

the Olympus RC seems to be a decent choice. Not sure how Versatile the f2.8 lens is. Maybe the better choice would be the RD??
 
Let me make some assumptions and offer a winner

Let me make some assumptions and offer a winner

Assumptions:
1) You want some really wonderful images that you can do great things with when you get home from your travels.
2) You want a light camera, about as light as a good rangefinder or 35mm SLR
3) You want a superb, sharp, flare resistant lens
4) You want a contemporary lens with an accurate rangefinder
5) You are shooting street or landscape and you want slight wide angle on the fixed lens.
6) You want shutter range from 1sec to 1/500th and accurate at that.
7) You want an accurate in-camera meter that uses off the shelf current batteries with long life.

The Winner is a the Fuji Wide Professional GS645S, the one with the 60mm lens,marked WIDE on the body. Good ones run about $400, but you won't find a better camera with this mix of features. The 6X4.5 negatives produce astonishing image quality, with the ability to blow up to poster size at high resolution.

They come up often on eBay and other venues. If you want an even wider format, the GS645W has a 45mm lens (probably 28 in 35mm) but it's a scale focus.. .not a rangefinder.

And this is NOT the folding small fuji. This camera is ready to shoot when it comes out of the bag.
 
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My favorite is the Konica C35 Automatic. It has auto exposure, but I really like that on a trip. Here is how the lens performs seeing Ireland and putting it on Tmax100:

2888005717_f5f50ee269.jpg
 
My favorite fixed lens RF is the Plaubel Makina 670, but a recent everyday fixed lens (not RF) camera is the Ricoh GRDII. When the Sigma DP2 finally surfaces i'll be looking at that too.
 
For traveling I would chose between my Revue 400 SE or Vivitar 35 ES (almost the same). For a long time, I used to stick on an Olympus 35 RC for this that is now sold but I rather tend to take my Rollei 35 with me for travel situations now (with a Watameter rangefinder).
 
You are asking, in fact, what is the best fixed lens rangefinder.

The only implication of the fact that you are adding "for a travel" is, to my opinion, that you will be far from home and unlikely to diggest a situation in which Your Best fixed lens rangefinder suffers a sudden trouble, or is stolen, etc - and you will be left with NO Rangefinder at all.

Therefore, for a travel, you should speak about two rangefinders, and this changes everything. Because if you take two rangefinders you can, if you want, start thinking about a labour distribution among the two, and this will dictate which rangefinders to choose. From here onwards the preferences must go back to you.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Another vote for the Canonet Q17 although the Voigtlander Vitessa is great as well since it doesn't really require a case. The Canonet went with me to Sweden last month and got quite a workout. Its unobtrusive enough that you can take street shots without getting too many odd looks.

Ash
 
ruben said:
You are asking, in fact, what is the best fixed lens rangefinder.

There's a difference between the best FL Rangefinder and the best FL Rangefinder suited for travel.

Example: If considering the best FL Rangefinder the Yashica Electro series would be one of my top choices but when it comes to traveling it would be at the bottom of the list because of its size ect. On the flip side, I would never consider the Oly RC to be the "best" FL Rangefinder but traveling with one is a pleasure.
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#1 choice: Olympus XA
#2 choice: Rollei 35 RC

These last two are only if you don't mind the weight.

#3 choice: Either a Canonet GIII QL-17 or a Hi-Matic 7S
#4 choice: Yashica Lynx 14
 
Sonny Boy Havidson said:
For traveling I would chose between my Revue 400 SE or Vivitar 35 ES (almost the same). For a long time, I used to stick on an Olympus 35 RC for this that is now sold but I rather tend to take my Rollei 35 with me for travel situations now (with a Watameter rangefinder).
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The Vivitar ES, has a fantastic 40mm f/1.7 lens, that was a design collaboration between Leits & Minolta. I'd never part with mine.

Russ
 
The ones that spring to mind are the XA, the 35RC, and SP. Also not a rangefinder but its hard to go wrong with the Stylus Epic.
 
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