What's your favorite Fixed-Lens RF?

[Paul Fierberg]

Electro 35 Just feels good and the pictures are wow.

 

[GaryMc]

Konica III and Canonet QL17 G-III......lov'em both!!!!

 

[andreas]

Definitely not Minilux, for me. The most ridiculously viewfinder in camera history and the notorious E06 error ocurring during an assignment, with Leica denying a faulty design and forcing the customer to pay big bucks for a temporary repair!
Whew, end of rant.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Konica IIIA - astonishingly good viewfinder, lovely lens, rapid wind-on, wonderful build quality, and truly beautiful to boot. What's not to love?

It even comes in a useable ERC.

 

[Resoman]

Konica Hexar AF

cuz:

AF is very accurate, in any lighting conditions
35mm f2 lens is outstanding
Quietest camera I've used

Gary

East Snook, TX

 

[TomBob]

the Agfa Super Sillete is a nice (not so little) camera, it looks and feels much like a metal brick in your pocket though. ive had 3 of these now, the best was was the 1st which got a bad knock somewhere along the line that had a 2.8 45mm lens, the ones i have at the mo are both earlier versions wiht 35 45mm lenses and a diffrent set up for shutter speeds and aperture control. not quite as ncie to use but all the same.

 

[camera.bear]

Right now I really like my Minolta Hi-Matic 9

1. Great 45mm f/1.7 lens. Sharp.
2. Full AE and Metered Manual, EV system a snap to use.
3. Styling and bluid of a '66 Buick....but for taking pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerabear/2410475339/

 

[dmvince]

Fugi GW670111, as Doug says, however my viewfinder is a little hazy, Konica Hexar a close second

 

[AzzA]

My Black Olympus SP
1) Terriffic lens.. (It still surprises me sometimes)
2) Metering options.. (I use the spot meter quite often)
3) Styling.. (I think it looks great in silver also)

 

[bitfeng]

Another vote for Rollei 35S. As a matter of fact, if I were only to keep one film camera, it would be a plain chrome Rollei 35S. This is based on that I can guesstimate both distance and light.

 

[paulfish4570]

fuji x100. oh, wait, it's not a real rangefinder. so, konica S III ...

 

[Dirk]

Minox 35GT (Yes, I know it's a viewfinder, not a RF). Personality, design, lens.

If I must abide strictly by the RF definition, it would be Minolta Hi-Matic E. Lens, heft, auto-parallax finder.

 

[bosjohn]

Bear with me, I want to try to keep the posts kind of brief.

Post your favorite fixed-lens RF or Scale Focus, and the top 3 reasons it is your favorite.

Please no posts like this: "Well, if I'm doing X, then it is Y camera, otherwise, Z camera" Just pick the all-around favorite.

I'll start:

Rollei 35

1) Character
2) Zeiss lens
3) Manual & Mechanical

ok now I am confused, inso far as I know the rollei 35 is not a range finder camera, it has no range finder its a guesstimate camera, however having said that I loved them and had several.

 

[bosjohn]

happily I have two favorites, the canon ql17 series and the Fuji 645 with the roll bar.

 

[philcycles]

Canon QL17.
But the more I use it the more I like my Fuji GSW690

 

[Harlee]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Yashica GS or GSN.

1) 6 element F1.7 lens
2) solid construction
3) fairly easy to make adjustments and/or clean
4) aperture exposure
5) Etc., etc., etc.

Been shooting them since early 1970's while living in Japan, and if I was stuck with just one camera I certainly could live with the Yashica.

 

[Rodchenko]

Ah, but the Olympus 35SP has a seven element f/1.7 lens 😉

And can work without a battery, and has no POD...




Disclaimer: I do like the results I get from my Electro 35GSN, but I wouldn't want it to be my only camera.

 

[AJS Lamb]

Another vote for the Olympus 35SP.

Lovely lens. Seven elements! One for each day of the week.

Nice viewfinder.

I can't comment on the meter as I've never used it.

On the con side, I think the focus range on the lens is a bit short. Takes a bit of getting used to.

 

[AJS Lamb]

In 120, my favourite used to be a Super Ikonta but it's started playing up and, despite a couple of trips to the technician, it hasn't been fixed. I got more keepers with that camera than anything else.

Current favourite is a Fuji GW680 III with a fixed 90mm lens. A fabulous camera with a terrific viewfinder.

 

[beegee675]

Favorites...

Favorites...

1st—Oly RD been with me everywhere since I bought it new in the '70s (JH's last CLA?)
2nd— Oly RC — slightly more compact than the RD
3rd— Oly XA — Street king!