Thinnest mechanical slr with 28-35 or 50mm

[peterm1]

The classic Canon cameras had one of the narrowest register distance of any classic SLR. Both the FL and FD lenses are very good. The camera bodies are overall larger than Olympus of course

 

[Jani_from_Finland]

Leica M2 or M3, or even a III G, with collapsable Elmar, or perhaps the CV 50/2.5.

Good luck finding any SLR since the Pentax H3V or plain Nikon F with no meter, regardless of it being inoperable without a battery.

Hey fellows, i was just asking If theres one.

 

[Oren Grad]

The classic Canon cameras had one of the narrowest register distance of any classic SLR. Both the FL and FD lenses are very good. The camera bodies are overall larger than Olympus of course

There was a 38mm f/2.8 pancake lens in the Canon FL series, though it's very hard to find. That on a Canon body might conceivably shave a millimeter or two off the MX/40 thickness, though overall the body will be much larger.

 

[Oren Grad]

Leica M2 or M3, or even a III G, with collapsable Elmar, or perhaps the CV 50/2.5.

Good luck finding any SLR since the Pentax H3V or plain Nikon F with no meter, regardless of it being inoperable without a battery.

Pentax SL
Konica Auto-Reflex P
Olympus Pen FV

🙂

 

[msbarnes]

Does it have to be an SLR? A compact RF/scale-focus seems more manageable under your criteria (no electronics and compact). Like a Leica screwmount, Kodak retina, or something...

 

[Luddite Frank]

Sounds like the old Leica might still have the edge.

You couldn't get any thinner / lighter than a screw-mount Leica with an Elmar or Sumaron 35mm lens...

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Jani, just want to understand: A camera that works without it's battery is not good enough for your application. You need a camera with no electrical system, period?

That takes you back to the Exacta, Contax, Praktina, Practica in SLRs. I don't know if the first Japanese SLR's had electrical systems.

 

[someonenameddavid]

you can use a konica autoreflex TC (made by cosina) without a battery and use the 40 f1.8 lens, or a nikon (made by cosina ) FM10 without a battery and the Nikon series e 50 f1.8,

David

 

[bastian a.]

Leica M3/2/4/5/4-2/4-P/6/MP + Elmar-M 2,8/50 or Elmar 3,5/50 red scale (LTM)
Leica II/III/IIIa etc + Elmar 3,5/50
Pentax MX + SMC Pentax-M 2,8/40
Contax S2 + Zeiss Tessar 2,8/45
...

 

[Pablito]

Jani, just want to understand: A camera that works without it's battery is not good enough for your application. You need a camera with no electrical system, period?

WHY? Just curious what work environment would require that. Can you not wear a battery powered watch either? Can't carry a cell phone? Is this about a spark setting off something? A non electric camera could conceivably produce a static spark...
None of my business, just curious what this is about....

 

[RF_newbie]

Leica M3/2/4/5/4-2/4-P/6/MP + Elmar-M 2,8/50
...

55mm collapsed, 75mm extended (older style 50/2.8)

 

[RF_newbie]

Olympus Pen FV

64mm with 38/1.8

 

[RF_newbie]

Leica II/III/IIIa etc + Elmar 3,5/50
...

42mm/64mm collapsed/extended

 

[Oren Grad]

There was a 38mm f/2.8 pancake lens in the Canon FL series, though it's very hard to find. That on a Canon body might conceivably shave a millimeter or two off the MX/40 thickness, though overall the body will be much larger.

For the record I need to amend this - looks as though the 38mm FL was for the Pellix only, because the optical cell projects behind the mount.

 

[sparrow6224]

No SLRs I can think of fit the bill
But The Barnack Leica's with the new CV LTM mount lenses such as the 28/3.5 or 35/2.5 pancake or 25/4 or the old Canon 35/2
Or the Leica CL with 40/2 -- which can be used w/o the battery.

 

[maitani]

Nikon SP/S2 w 2.8cm 3.5 is really "flat" and full mecanical, the 2,5cm even tinier.

but it s an rf

 

[mfogiel]

Leaving the super thinness aside, Pentax MX is in my opinion a nicer camera than an Olympus, and I generally find Pentax lenses nicer. Obviously a Leica M with a collapsible Elmar or with a Summaron will be flatter.

 

[Chris101]

WHY? Just curious what work environment would require that. Can you not wear a battery powered watch either? Can't carry a cell phone? Is this about a spark setting off something? A non electric camera could conceivably produce a static spark...
None of my business, just curious what this is about....

That's what I was thinking too. I have seen spark marks on film that I have rewound fast in dry air. If the place is always above LEL, then one rewind and ...

 

[jbielikowski]

Nikon F plain prism + 45/2.8GN has no electronics at all. Otherwise MX+40/2.8 will be most pocketable set.

 

[sevo]

Cant be ANY Electro built in.

As he said, don't put the batteries in, and the FM is a all manual, all mechanical camera without metering.

If I misunderstood you and you actually require metering without electricity, it is back to the 1950s or earlier, when there still was extinction metering around. Save for a few collectible and expensive pre war folders, that has only ever been built into low end consumer grade cameras, though - by the time extinction meters had been miniaturized to the point they could been fit into smallish cameras, the concept was already superseded by selenium meters. But a couple of them might be smaller than a SLR. And it is debatable whether extinction metering actually has any benefits over simply memorizing the f/16 rule...