Your favorite budget rangefinder?

[bigdog]

I would like to hear what people think is the best/favorite fast fixed focal length rangefinder keeping the price/performance for camera competitive with that of Bessa R body with 35/2.5 C Lens ($399)

Anybody have experience with the Konica Hexar 35mm f/2.0, the Konica Auto S3 38mm f/1.8 or the YASHICA ELECTRO 35 CC 35mm f1.8?

 

[JoeFriday]

$399 is a budget rangefinder? I think $39.99 is more like it.. LOL

for around $40 you have nearly any FSU, most Minolta Hi-Matics, Yashica GSN, possibly a Canonet QL17 GIII, or my personal favorite, a Vivitar 35ES

I even got a Contax IIa with a Sonnar 50/1.5 for almost exactly half of your 'budget' range

 

[Dan Chang]

go for Konica Auto S2, nice viewfinder, nice lens except full size.

 

[Byuphoto]

I agree with Joe. I have an R but really love the under $50 GSN and QL17. I would love to get a Vivitar

 

[captainslack]

I love my Minolta A5! If I could only figure out where its leaking light at. 🙁

 

[back alley]

favourite fixed lens rf with a great lens is the oly 35rc.

 

[dmr]

possibly a Canonet QL17 GIII

I might second the suggestion for the QL17 GIII. Nice little camera and very sharp semi-wide fixed lens. It's compact and easy to use. The only gripe I have about it is that it doesn't have a metered or match-needle manual mode, it's either auto or full manual.

My other suggestion, which probably won't get seconded here 🙂 is the Mamiya Super Deluxe. 🙂

 

[parks5920]

GSN, baby, GSN!

 

[Skinny McGee]

GSN with 1.7.... cheap, color coated ,metered. some times you can find them for $30.00 or $40.00 sometimes cheaper ..........

 

[Kin Lau]

In my stable I have the GIII QL17, HiMatic 7S, Oly SP, Yashica GS, Konica S2 and Oly XA. All _totaled_, they cost less than a Bessa R + 35/2.5 and match or exceed that combo.

 

[einolu]

I have to agree with joe and say the OLY RC. Its the perfect size. Though I dont own one (yet), I have used it and its a lovely camera. Only problem that its is a bit hard to find these days.

Another good deal is the Fed 2 and the 22 Industar.

 

[ray_g]

My favorite is the Oly 35 SP. Among the items you mentioned in your budget, the Hexar AF.

 

[wlewisiii]

Kiev 4am with a Jupiter 8m. Even being the lowest end of the family, it's still a Contax at it's heart, a Sonnar for it's soul, and easily available for $30 - 40. No, it's not a fixed lens camera. But it has some really great glass available and handles sweetly.

😀

William

 

[Beniliam]

I have the Canonet and I have to say that the lens and the meter surprise me. The focal that I more like its the 40 mm. In Leica you dont see the lines. In this camera yes. Have a very good body and nice mechanism for charge the film. I think is one of the best photographic discover in my life. Very good quality for inexpensive price.

 

[bmattock]

Minolta Hi-Matic 9. Paid $5 for mine, new in the box.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[JoeFriday]

I just developed the first roll of film I've put through one of my Canonets.. I'm amazed at the quality of the shots.. no, it's not quite Sonnar or Leica quality.. but it's damn good for a $40 camera.. and the ease of use is outstanding.. I can focus quicker with it than my Contax

 

[Scarpia]

Minolta Unionmat (Japanese version of the Hi-Matic) with 45mm F2.8 Rokkor. Uses EV system exclusively and meter not working properly, but lens is amazing and RF works perfectly. I use an EV table downloaded from internet.
Kurt M.

 

[ChrisN]

Fast fixed lens? That sounds like a Yashica Lynx 14! Not small or light, but has a match-needle meter full manual control.

 

[cralx2000]

Canon QL17 GIII the best.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

My choices:

1st Olympus RC
2nd Canon Ql-17 GIII
3rd Yashica GSN or GT
4th (not really a rangefinder) Rollei 35S
5th (This one blows away the others for quality) Ansco Speedex Special "R" 120 roll film.

Wayne