What's the Best UNDER $50 Ebay Rangefinder?

For me it's the Canon - I've got a Canonet I picked up for around £15 and while it's bigger than some it's more reliable than any Russian camera I've owned and at f1.9 the lens is sharp enough for me.
 
Lot's of great choices listed here. limited to that big auction site and ease of use, my last purchase arrived today. It's a Minolta Unimat, 5 bucks .(shiping12.50) Another a Canonet QL-17 15. dollars plus another I don't remember how much for light seals. Some very nice old German cameras can be had also. deals are out there . Just be patience, a gem will appear.
 
I don't see why Kodak Retina IIa, or IIc, or IIIa, or IIIc isn't running away with this. They're a little quirky, and some of the Retinas have problems, but the ones that still work are wonderful. And the Schneider lenses are superb.
 
I have to decline to vote. The "best" camera is the one that is in fine condition and one you can actually take photographs with. I am up to my ears in old rangefinders and I love them but getting one to work flawlessly is a problem. I don't know any way you can judge how a camera works by looking at a lot of words and photos from far away.
 
one90guy said:
I do not recall seeing many of those camera under $50.

David
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The thread was started in 2009 when prices may have been lower. I just paid $58 for a Kiev 4 and $46 for a Highmatic 9, both ebay auctions that started cheap and quickly rose. The Yashicas at Ebay from people who say they have been serviced (mostly dealers) are going for $100 plus.
 
I voted for the Canon because I have more of those little devils than the other makes. Somebody mentioned the Argus. If you are a glutton for punishment it's way on the top of the scale but takes pretty good photos if you can stay with it. My Yashica J is pretty darned sweet and looks like it is brand new.
 
So much Yashica love here... :D

None of my RF's have been anywhere near $50. My vote goes to the Yashica M - built like a tank (mine has clearly been dropped at least once), dead-simple to use selenium meter, no need for a battery, nice fast glass. A bit heavy, admittedly.

Sympathy vote - Voigtländer VF-101. Slower f/2.8 glass than many listed here, but cute as a button, compact, has a wonderfully simple aperture priority mode (actually, that's the only mode it has...) and a great in-viewfinder display. Uses sensible batteries, if rather a lot of them.

Second sympathy vote to the Minolta Hi-Matic 11, which has wonderful Rokkor-PF glass. Shutter priority and won't do a darn thing without a silly (i.e., PX675 or equivalent) battery in it, unfortunately. Also weighs a metric ton, but is otherwise a lovely camera.

Once I use my Lynx 5000, maybe my opinion will change...
 
Yeah, there are a few goodies out there in this price range. If you can get an Olympus 35RC for that price, you're doing very well (some of them are going for nearly £100 now!). I think my 35ECR was a bargain, but a bit fragile. My favourite cheap rangefinder has been my Super Paxette. Not the greatest lens, but it's certainly good for most stuff. But good timing and fortune on a well-priced Yashica would edge that.

Then there's the FSU, which is a whole other subject.
 
I love my Lynx, dead light meter, but great lens and in very good physical condition. As also mentioned I like using my Argus C-3.

David
 
When I was looking, I couldn't find a Canonet or Electro for under the vicinity of $100. That said, even at that price, they're a fantastic deal. I bought my Electro GS on Etsy for around 90, and gifted it to my mother after she took a shine to it.
 
Any Zorki or FED are perfect. Worth trying. I've just took a Zorki 5 and I like it too much. And ordered over the internet 2 Zorki 4-s with some problems( bodies only) for aprox. 10 USD with delivery. Some GAS attack, but I find them cheap...
 
I preferred my Minolta Hi-Matic 7s over the Konica Auto S2. They are pretty much the same camera but the 7s has a much brighter finder and a better build quality. Either will produce really nice photos! Wonderful lenses.
 
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