Wanted: a good 35mm rangefinder for street photography

My Hexar AF is the camera that they'll bury me with after all the others are gone, but it doesn't have a coupled rangefinder, hence the "AF", and it may weigh less than a Kiev but it isn't the lightest or smallest camera in the bag.

Hoot, try to look at a Contax T, for walking around all day with an inconspicuous camera, it can't be beat.
 
I have had an M3, and currently own: 2 Oly XA, 2 Oly 35sp, an Oly 35RC, and a HiMatic 7sII. I have not used the Minolta yet, so cannot comment on it. Of the Olys, I would go for the XA, though I prefer the SPs for certain reasons.

The XAs have an electronic shutter which, while tying you to batteries, when combined with the size of the camera make it possible to get sharp shots at lower shutter speeds. The lens is great, the camera is fast to operate, and it's well made. Plus, it can take longer exposures on auto than the others.

The RC is more limited in auto mode as far as shutter speeds go, though it certainly has a great lens. I prefer the 35SP for its handling and it probably has the best lens of the lot. But metered manual is a bit awkward, as you only see EV values in the viewfinder, not aperature and shutter speed or a match needle display. I suppose using manual mode could become second nature such that it wouldn't be a hindrance.

Trius
 
My reference to the Hexar black original model (as the most discrete one) was anyway relating to the color, rather than the silent mode. The program upgrade of an Hexar Silver is pretty easy, about the black refinishing ... I have not yet an idea!
;-)
sniki
 
I know the XA2 isn't a rangefinder but I love mine. I'm a volunteer firefighter, and the quest for the perfect "turnout gear cam" has sort of become an obsession for me. For the most part, the same stuff that makes for a good street cam works for me - moderately wide angle, wide apertures, large DOF, compact, not terribly expensive... Good quality glass but not so expensive that it'll break your heart if it drowns, crunches, gets its innards melted, or otherwise LODD's on me. (Work comes before pictures, and I'd toss the camera before going in, but it might get forgetten. I do try to get pics during training though.)

Probably the biggest unusual requirement for me is the ability to operate the camera wearing gloves. I still dearly want an XA (the XA 0) but the focus lever doesn't sound well suited for the coat pocket cam. The Hi-Matic 9 I recently got should work in auto exposure. It's a little large but it would still wrap up in a spare hood. The Bessa L and T sound interesting but I'm just finding out about them, still trying to sort them out.

I uploaded a pic taken with the XA2 to my gallery, not sure how to link to the gallery from here (but its the only one there). No tripod, no shutter release - I placed the camera on one of the other trucks, took the blunt tip of my pocketknife and delicately pressed the button. I'm not sure how long the XA can leave the shutter open, but it was a looong time, as it was a bit too dark to read standing beside the truck.
 
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My XA is so quiet sometimes I can't tell if it took the picture. The same sized camera, but with AF and motorized film advance is the Yashica T4 Super (Carl Zeiss lens). It makes a bit more noise, plus the film advance sound, but focuses instantly and 99% of the images are perfectly exposed.

Problem: They don't make them anymore, and as, apparently, pros love them and carry them around as a quick-use pocket camera, they've gotten rather pricey. I bought mine in 1997 and I'll never sell it. Every time I bump into a T4 Super owner they say the same thing: "I'll never sell it."

But they do pop up on ebay occasionally.

Cheers,

Ted
 
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I would recommend the Yashica Electro 35 CC or the Electro 35 GX.
The CC has a beautiful 35 mm f1.8, The GX has a 40mm f1.7. Both have a beautiful rangefinder; only the GX has paralax correction. Both cameras are extremely well built.
They are not really easy to find but if you search for it you will probably find one. I bought the CC and the GX for about 25 euros each, both in near to mint condition.

Good luck
 
If you say that iso800 is too SLOW for most of your work, then you have a serious limitation on the fixed-lens rf's. Lots of them have an iso scale going to 500 or 800 only; even the GSN stops at iso 1000; thus the built-in meter will be useless; and lots of them are aperture priority only, no manual override possible. Like most of the yashica's.
 
IMHO, a Canonet QL19 or QL17 will fit your needs. The ´17 has a 40 mm f 1.7 lens and the 1.9 is 45 mm. Both have parallax corrected in VF, which is also big and bright; go up to ISO 800; lighter and much smaller than a Kiev; both can be Shutter priority Auto or Manual (this last meterless), price is from USD 40 to 120 maximum. In against them: speeds go down to 1/4 sec only.
 
may be Revue 400SE (aka Vivitar 35ES), light, fast lens (40mm/1,7), shutter priority (saves the f-setting when you press half way)
 
My bid would be for a Canonet QL17 or QL17 GIII, those are the beasties that converted me from SLRs. I've just found out by trying that they are great for glamour shoots as well as Street Shooting :D
 
Casper said:
I bought the CC and the GX for about 25 euros each, both in near to mint condition.
Click to expand...

Casper, did YOU buy that RF package on marktplaats.nl, with the CC,GX,GSN and MF-1?
 
Konica C35. I'd normally go for a 35SP, RC or RD for the lenses, the Konica is cheaper, the lens is 38mm (close enough to 35mm), is lighter and has great performance. I cut my teeth on the C35V (zone focus version) and now have the C35 as one of my stealth shooters.

Trius
 
buy my R3A - it's for sale

buy my R3A - it's for sale

I am selling the kit for 700 (300 under purchase price of two months ago), and it comes with a nice Pelican case too.
 
I recently buy a Canonet QL 17 and Im impressed with the quality of the body and the lens. I use a Leica M6 with the current Elmar version, and I have to say that Im enjoy very much with both cameras. But I prefer the 40 mm focal. In the street you can pre focus easily. The canonet have a Auto mode, you put the speed and the camera put the aperture. Its very very appropiate when you need take the photo very quickly. I think its no possible go wrong with this camera, because the priced is cheap, the body is very good, and the lens is quite good
 
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