best "stree" cameras (small 35 mm RF)

what are the best "street" cameras? I am considering the small, inexpensive 35 mm range finders.

 

I've checked into the Kodak Retina II, per somebody's suggestion here in the forum. Any other ones?

 

Please advise.

Canon Canonet QL 17

Olympus XA. I don't find the Canonet and similar cams "small."

A kiev 4 is nice and small sharp lens. Cheap and plentyful. Bright rangefinder is a plus and the Kiev has 1. A Yahsica Lynx 1.4 is also an idea.

 

Larry<div></div>

Olympus RD, or the RC if you want a smaller camera (but it's an f2.8). The Oly XA is quite small but is AE only, and focussing is, IMO, harder than with the RD. It's also an f2.8. Come to that, the current non-zoom Oly (hmmm, what is it called? A Stylus Epic, I believe) has a great f2.8 35mm lens. It has a poor viewfinder, it's auto exposure and auto focus only (but it has a spot meter), and it insists on powering on to the default of using flash whenever it likes, but it's truly small and has a great lens. The Canonet which has been suggested is also nice, but it is shutter priority only, which I don't particularly care for.

 

I'm sure someone will sugggest a screwmount leica with a collapsible lens, but I have no experience with that.

 

Check out http://www.cameraquest.com, in the classics section for lots of info.

Just wanted to clarify my comment about the XA being AE-only. I should have been more specific; the XA is Av priority, without a full-manual option.

Thank you guys. That gives me plenty to look for. Now, what do you know about the Kodak Retina (both II and IIIc) and/or the Rollei 35 mm RF?

 

Please advise.

 

PS. Sorry about the mispelling on "stree...t"

The Kodaks are larger, dim rangefinders in low light and the lenses are harder to find. if you have one already go and use it... they don't fit my hands properly but they are "MY" hands not your's....

 

My 2 cents worth.

 

Larry

My favorites include the Rollei 35... small, light, fast, silent, and capable of taking EXCELLENT photos. A little larger and heavier (but a wonderful street performer) is the Leica CL. Canon's older Sure Shot AF35ML also has a nice f/1.9 lens for existing light.

 

But since this IS the "Alternative Cameras" forum, I'll take the liberty to stray from your 35mm specification, and recommend three great 110 cameras that have performed superbly for me as small, compact, street shooters (even at night): the Canon ED-20 (wonderful f/2 lens), Kodak Ektramax (aspheric f/1.9 lens), and the Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60 (slower lens, but still top-of-the-110-class). I once took all three of them to Rome in a belly bag...each loaded with a different film...and had a grand time.

 

In side-by-side comparisons, the Canon ED20 and Kodak 60 actually seemed to handle contrasty scenes better than my 35mm Konica Big Mini (which is another very good 35mm P&S).

 

If you'd like to read more about the 110's, check out this thread:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00GqXg

 

But whatever you use--and have FUN using--will be an ideal tool...even a 35mm "Time" promotional cam (one of the many 35mm plastic conterparts to the popular 120-film Diana or Holga).

 

Enjoy!

 

--Dave

Thaks Larry and Dave.

 

I'll check out the Rollei 35. I don't think I want to go to a 110 camera at this time, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

Take care,

 

German

My vote is for the Rollei 35. Small and silent. It will fit in any pocket. You can hold it in such a way that your hand almost completely hides the camera (the lens shaft between your fingers) It takes amazing shots. It is a delight to shoot with! A few of the drawbacks: the meter uses an obsolete mercury battery and the replacement cells are not very good, but at least the camera is fully manual and does not depend on the battery. The fastest shutter speed is 500. It uses a zone-focus instead of a rangefinder (which I actually prefer for that type of photography). And last, but not least, the camera has a cult-like following and can be a bit pricey...expect to pay about $200 for a clean working one.

Hi Jon,

 

Nice hand-holding trick there...I'll try it! I've also used my Rollei 35 without batteries, thanks to the Sunny-16 rule and a quite usable Hyperfocal-focusing scale on the lens.

 

German, the camera does have a little quirk that you may want to know about...The flash shoe is on its base! So if you take any close-up street portraits using flash (unlikely), you'll have to turn the camera upside down to avoid making your subjects look weird. I've taken some wonderful Rollei-35 flash portraits, holding the camera upside down and triggering the shutter with my left thumb.

 

--Dave

Thanks guys. I am following a couple of Rollei's on eBay.

 

Now, how do you focus those cameras? Is it with the lens, or do you simply set the distance somewhere in the camera -- other than the lens? (Am I making myself clear?)

 

So, $100 would not be a bad deal for a used one of these?

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks again,

 

German

 

So,

Definitely check out one of these: Minolta 7sII, Konica Auto S3, Revue 400SE, and my favorite, because it's usually cheaper, the Vivitar 35SE. Compact, with a razor-sharp, fast (f1.7) lens. See: www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Vivitar_35ES

Hi Again, German!

 

It's hard to say what's a good price online anymore. Some auctions seem to climb through the stratosphere, while others for the same type of item seem to go for way less than average. On e*ay, a good way to check what "the market" is paying is to do a search for "Rollei 35", and in the results window, scroll, down to and click the "Completed listings" link at the left side of the page.

 

Since the Rollei 35s do not have a rangefinder, you could use a hand-held finder...or use the focus ring on the front of the lens to either set a specific focus distance, or to set it to a "hyperfocal" focusing range. The latter trick becomes pretty instinctive after a while!

 

Good luck with your bids!

 

Sincerely,

 

Dave

A pre-war (1930's) german-made Kodak Retina IIa produced the sharpest 35mm negatives I've ever seen, bar none. It caused me to get rid of my over-rated Leica IIIf & 50mm Elmar. A 90mm Elmar I used in 1954-5 was extremely sharp, too.

 

I used an XA for all travel until digital got me! The Retina is so "big" & heavy!

Erik

 

Alot of cameras are over rated..... that is why the under rated ones don't get the praise they are do.

 

Larry

i'll jump in here with my first post, as i've been looking for something unobtrusive - i.e. doesn't shout "camera!!!" - when taking street scenes.

 

the mention of 110 film got me thinking about 'undead' film formats. 126 film is available from the same source as 110. i got a sense that a Kodak Instamatic 500 might be a good vintage (read: cheap) choice for this sort of thing, and easier to get developed too.

 

any thoughts? thanks.

The Yashica T4 is an excellent street camera. A very sharp and contrasty Carl Zeiss T* Tessar lens. Camera has built in flash which you can disable or force for fill. Also has macro focus and infinity focus modes. I had one for a few years back in the late 90s, and sold it on ebay in 2000 after buying a Nikon 35Ti (which are great but overpriced). Just found a Yashica T4 at Goodwill for $4! Back in the game.

 

Dave

digging up the old post here...

 

after buying a few different cheap cameras recently, i've got some thoughts on street cameras:

 

the argus C-four is workable, but it's heavy and the shutter speed is a bit slow at 1/300 max. for street photography you need to be able to shoot with a limited depth of field and not overexpose the film. if you go by they basic sunny/16 rule with 100 ASA film, you're shooting f/16 at 1/100s. so to get down to f/5.6 you need 1/1000. that's just not going to happen in a rangefinder for the most part, and preferrably a smaller f-stop would be even better. and slower film. now this changes of course for overcast days, night shots etc.

 

a better choice for me, and it's only arrived a few days ago, is a russian-made FED-3 or FED-5b (i got both). so far i like the -3 better. 1/500 shutter speed, 2.8 lens, lieca screw mount so you can add other lenses, and it's a rangefinder. not so heavy as the argus either. the -5b is similar, but because it's a dumbed down version of the Fed-5, i don't like it as much. even though it's comparable to the Fed-3.

 

i just received a Kodak Instamatic 500, which takes 126 film, but i've yet to take more than two shots with it. and unless i convert it to 35mm, i will be stuck with very unstreet-like color.

 

i also (yes, i have an 'ebay problem' it seems) received a kodak pocket instamatic 60, which takes 110 film. getting the film isn't hard. it's getting the special 'K' style battery. they don't make them anymore. i've got a line on some new-old-stock, and there's hack for refurbishing these batteries on the web. so i don't know if it's a practical street camera or not.

Leica M3 with 35mm - who needs specs! (pic). Have also been impressed with My daughter's Konica C35 Auto.

Jon<div></div>

Hey,

 

It's nice to see this post has continued for so long!

 

Now, still on the same question, which one of the Rollei 35s would you recommend? I see just "Rollei 35" which look pretty good, "Rollei 35 black" which also look good, "Rollei 35SE" (looks great) and a "Rollei 35 TE (apparently directly from Germany) that also looks good.

 

I've seen the "B35" and the "XF" too. I did not like either of these two.

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks again,

 

G. Silva

German,

The Little Rollei's are *all* good. The Tessar lensed ones have a slower (f3.5) max aperture but they tend to be a lot less expensive.

I note one suggestion no one else has made- the Minox 35.

Tiny, light, and quiet. The composite material made them very lo-profile. If you are seen they really don't tend to take them seriously. The lenses are very good. I find the 35mm POV to really work well in street work. Same focal length as my Hexar AF.

One last point, Minox 35's can be got quiet cheaply.

Most Bang for the Buck :)

AND you can still get film for them.

<p>I have a Zeiss Contessa, bought it fully CLA'd and restored for $200 from the local German repair guy. Best small rangefinder I have ever used. The finder is VERY bright for a 35mm rangefinder, it folds into almost nothing, most of it is machined, not cast, and it has M and X flash sync.</p>