Which of the recent small rangefinders give you more control?

[M1893_F1]

Hi,

Konica hexar af, minolta tc-1, contax t series, leica minilux, etc...

Which of those, or similar, cameras let you focus and set the shutter speed &

aperture manually?

Which gives you more features?

Best price\quality relation?

Thanks<p><b>Moderator: Please answer the question as asked.</b>

[stuart_richardson]

But anyway, the Hexar AF gives full control over aperture and

shutter speed, and has extremely accurate AF. The lens is superb and it is totally silent in

operation. It is a great camera. I would also recommend the Leica CL. I don't think there

are many insurmountable problems with the CL. It is a fully mechanical camera that is

easily repaired by Leica technicians. The meter is also easily convertable to modern

batteries. It is built to a high standard, though perhaps not like a screwmount Leica. That

said, it has a dramatically better finder, an M mount, easier winding and a meter. For most

people, those features will be more important than the possibly better build quality of a

well maintained barnack camera.

[icuneko]

Mario, The cameras you mentioned above all offer manual control in varying degrees and via electronic controls. If you want an

all-manual and mechanically controlled camera you should look at any Leica M series body, the Leica (or Leitz-Minolta) CL, Rollei 35(S), not-current Canon P bodies and the current Cosina-Voigtlander (CV) Bessa

mechanical-shutter cameras, e.g., current R2M, R3M or older L, R and R2.

The best new value would probably be with a CV Bessa, though many will argue for Leica. But Leicas cost more to begin with.

[carbon_dragon]

The Contax T2 gives you aperture priority, but since one of the f stop settings sets it on automatic, you can't specifically set that aperture. Also it's not always easy to know what is being focused on since it is autofocus. It's a nice, pretty little machine with a good lens, but when the battery fails with a roll of film, after putting in the new battery you lose the rest of the roll.

[vincenzo_maielli]

Hi, Mario. The Konica Hexar AF, without any doubt. Permit manual and AF focusing, manual and automatic programmed or aperture priority exposure modes, spot and centerweighted metering. The fixed Hexar AF 35 mm f/ 2 is one of the best lens ever made. See the proper article on www.cameraquest.com, in the "compact 35 mm" part of the "classic cameras" section. Is the most complete article writed on the Konica Hexar AF.

Ciao.

[janne1]

Hexar isnt really that small, its about same size like real m6.

So about as big as Contax G2 and others. Its not that pleasure

to use manually, because shutter speed is set with buttons

and so is focus if you need to preset it. What happened

to the focus ring, even electronical one on the lens

would have been easier to use.

[peter_evans4]

<p><ol><li><em>Which of the recent small rangefinders give you more control?</em></li><li><em>Konica hexar af, minolta tc-1, contax t series, leica minilux, etc... Which of those, or similar, cameras let you focus and set the shutter speed & aperture manually? ...</em></li><li><em>Moderator: Please answer the question as asked.</em></li></ol><p>Which question? I don't think that any of those cameras is a rangefinder camera. (The Hexar certainly isn't.)</p>

[bob in seattle]

You CAN manually focus the Contaxt T2; the focus wheel is on the top of the body (also on/off switch). It's function is similar to the Focus Confirmation feature on the Contax RX SLR.

 

As you turn the wheel, a green light will come on to confirm focus. My experience with both cameras is that this feature is quite reliable.

 

Never had a battery go out on me, so can't confirm/refute losing balance of roll on a battery failure.

 

I do like the little button on the bottom plate that allows you do do an "early rewind" if you are done shooting a roll and don't want to go to the end in order to rewind.

 

 

Bob

[terry_rory]

I hope you do not mind if I choose from your list the 'etc' part because there is another excellent point & shoot camera you have missed. The Ricoh GR1 (or GR1S or GR1V variants)

 

It will let you choose the aperture manually (A) or use program (P) mode and allow you to choose flash modes with a slider switch so it stays in whatever mode you wish even after power off/on without having to reset the mode like many P&S cameras. It has exposure compensation (+/- 2 stops) and has an excellent 28mm f/2.8 lens.

 

Another nice touch (If you process your own B&W film) is that when you press the little film rewind button again (when the film is already rewinding) it will not spool all the way into the canister but will leave a couple of inches of film to make spooling onto a reel easier.

 

The GR1V and GR1S will allow for the use of a lens hood (included) or filters.

 

The GR1V can also be preset easily (fixed focus mode) to focus at 1 metre, 2 metres, 3 metres, 5 metres or infinity. (As well as autofocus obviously.)

 

It has the ability to focus on objects to the left or right of the scene in the viewfinder or single spot AF.

 

When loading the film the camera automatically spools out the whole film so that each frame you expose, winds INTO the cannister after exposure. This is great if you ever accidently open the back of the camera before the film has finished, because all of your exposed shots are already safely in the cannister and will not be ruined.

 

The ergonomics of the camera are very simple and logical and allows for more manual control than most P&S cameras. It is also smaller than the Hexar or T2 or Minilux and has a tough metal body. The viewfinder is very bright.

[terry_rory]

I can also heartily recommend getting a Contax T2 as I have personal experience of these also. If the price is right I would suggest you get both!

[MTC Photography]

I have both Contax T2, and Contax T3, the T3 is definitely has a better Sonnar lens, it was recomputed with a 6 elements 35mm lens vs 5 element 38mm lens of

T2, hence the small amount of color fringing of the 5 element Sonnar

was elimated<P> T3 also offers much more manual control, including

manual focus<P>However I classify them more as auto focus compact camera. The predecessor to both of them was Contax T, a true optical

rangefinder, with 5 element 38mm f2.8 Sonnar

[terry_rory]

Oh, and I never noticed any fringing in my T2 pics. I can vouch for it being a nice contrasty and sharp lens though....

 

<a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/152455226_c6e9bd8b15_o.jpg" width="750" height="487" alt="Stansted Park Gatehouse" /></a>

[terry_rory]

Martin, you describe the Contax T as a true optical rangefinder. Does it have this coupled to manual focus or is it an AF? (Or both?)

 

I have never found much written about it and was happy enough with my T2 not to pursue the purchase of one.

[terry_rory]

Oh what the heck. Here is another fave old T2 shot (not enough pics in these types of threads)....

 

<a href=" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/129065082_5a725c8fa2_o.jpg" width="511" height="768" alt="Solent Sky" /></a>

[rico_tudor]

Trevor, the Contax T has true RF operation, including coincident patch in the VF. Focus action is manual by way of a ring on the lens, and you can focus by scale (although DOF scale has hyperfocal marking only). Also manual is aperture setting (on lens), film transport, and lens deployment (T is a folder!). The only auto function is exposure (full-time Av AE, flash). As a T2 user, you are already aware of the excellent Sonnar. The T3 Sonnar is better if one's taste runs to ultra-modern. More T/T2/T3 info can be found in a Pnet search.

 

P.S. Great color in your pics.

[terry_rory]

Thanks Rico