Which compact 35mm to get?

[kirt_carter]

<p>The Olympus 35RC, as others have already noted, is a superb camera with a tack sharp lens. Small, light, and sturdy. My meter performs flawlessy with readily available Wein cells (that replace the PX625).</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Have you considered (perish the thought) a different digital camera? I carry a Canon G9 around on my belt. Traditional rangefinder styling. Fast start up. One nice feature is a live histogram that is very accurate. Meter in spot, center weighted or full frame mode. Picture results are excellent. One unexpected feature that I've found useful is the on board voice recorder. Great for taking short notes in the field.</p>

[mark_hahn]

<p>any of the Minox 35mm's or an Olympus XA, the Minox has a better lens, the XA a rangefinder, both have meter readout and are the smallest two 35mm cameras available. I love everything about my Minox GL... I bought the XA back when it was new... it was cuter and very modern at the time.</p>

[tim_drake]

<p >August, awhile back I went through the same search looking for a super small 35mm with outstanding metering to use alongside and fit into my 4x5, TLRs, or Rapid Omega camera bags. After trying the vintage rangefinders like the Hi Matics, Konica S2, Olympus RD, I found my Minolta Spot Meter F was still the best choice. Then thinking along the lines of Zane Johnson I came across the film Pentax *ist (the world’s smallest 35mm SLR,) and the Pentax DA 40mm pancake lens combo. With multi segment or spot metering and size smaller than those 60s-70s rangefinders this is a great body lens combination. So good that I picked up a second Pentax *ist body. Shooting 4x5 or 120, I am very conservative with my film, but now using the Pentax, I fire and bracket 36 exposure rolls like I am shooting digital. Logic says using digital as a meter gives you immediate feedback to the proper exposure, but getting my E100VS back in the mail is like opening Christmas presents. This spring I will probably sell all my vintage rangefinders to buy a Pentax 77mm pancake lens for this camera. Regards, TD</p>

[User_502260]

<p>I guess my favorite of the small RF cameras is the Minolta Hi-Matic 7SII. You get full manual exposure control, a fast f/1.7 lens and a decent meter. My only complaint is that some of these cameras seem to have faded RF patches, making them more difficult to focus in low light. That can probably be fixed. I prefer the features of the Olympus 35RD to the smaller size and weight of the RC. I enjoy using a Rollei 35 only if I am shooting at a leisurely pace. The Konica Auto S3 has less manual control than the Hi-Matic 7SII but also has a very nice lens. For fully automatic shooting the Konica C35 is nice. </p>

[tim_drake]

<p >August, awhile back I went through the same search looking for a super small 35mm with outstanding metering to use alongside and fit into my 4x5, TLRs, or Rapid Omega camera bags. After trying the vintage rangefinders like the Hi Matics, Konica S2, Olympus RD, I found my Minolta Spot Meter F was still the best choice. Then thinking along the lines of Zane Johnson I came across the film Pentax *ist (the world’s smallest 35mm SLR,) and the Pentax DA 40mm pancake lens combo. With multi segment or spot metering and size smaller than those 60s-70s rangefinders this is a great body lens combination. So good that I picked up a second Pentax *ist body. Shooting 4x5 or 120, I am very conservative with my film, but now using the Pentax, I fire and bracket 36 exposure rolls like I am shooting digital. Logic says using digital as a meter gives you immediate feedback to the proper exposure, but getting my E100VS back in the mail is like opening Christmas presents. This spring I will probably sell all my vintage rangefinders to buy a Pentax 77mm pancake lens for this camera. Regards, TD</p>

[alex macphee]

<p>The suggestions I'd make have all already been made. Wherever I go, I pack my 35RC in the bag. It's so small there's no such concept as a corner you can't find for it. As Zane and Robert caution, it was made to use mercury batteries. However, I have two of these compacts (I love it so much I don't want to be without one if either needs a repair), and I have no problems with either. In one, I have a mercury cell (don't ask), and in the other, I pop in a zinc-air cell. I can rely on each. I'd also add a mention to Andy's for the Ricoh 500G (mine is the GX, same as the G but with double-exposure lever). Same battery caution. It has a nice 40mm lens, and whereas the 35RC shows aperture and speed in the viewfinder, the 500 shows just aperture, but as it's shutter priority, that's not a significant difference. The 500G also has an extra slow speed over the 35RC, going down to 1/8th. The 35RC is a tad smaller, but not to an extent that gives any practical advantage.</p>

<p>Others have also made suggestions of compact SLRs with a pancake lens. When I'm out and about and want something like that, I use a Yashica FX3(/2000) with the CZ pancake Tessar, 45/2.8. That's barely thicker than a lens cap, and the camera slips into a jacket pocket very easily. The meters on my FX3s are still accurate, and no mercury battery issue. Even so, it might be a bit bigger than you need if all you want is an exposure meter with a film chamber to pack alongside your 'main' camera. Although I don't have one yet, I have toyed with the idea of one of those Sekonic clip-on meters, like the L-208 Twinmate.</p>

<p>(My last suggestion would be a Yashica Lynx 14e, but I know you'd know I was taking the mickey.)</p>

[k5083]

<p>Wow, the great ideas keep on coming. Thanks to all of you again. The Olympus XA suggestion is very interesting. I would not have thought that a P&S of that type and vintage would give you usable meter readings. Does the XA2 do the same? I see them going for quite a bit cheaper, and can live with the slower lens (it's still as fast as any of the classic MFs I'll be metering for).</p>

<p><br />Alex, interesting suggestion about the Yashica. I already have an FX-3 and did not know there was a pancake lens for it. Even so, it's a little more bulk than I had in mind.</p>

<p>Louis, in some ways what I'd prefer is a worse digital camera rather than a better one. For example, my problem would be completely solved if I could get a light meter app to run on either my LG cell phone or my Blackberry Curve. Both of those are with me all the time, and I know that they have decent meters because the pictures they take (though of cruddy quality in other ways) are invariably properly exposed. Alas, there are no such apps. Getting a really good digital pocket camera like yours is just a direction in photography where I'm not interested in heading.</p>

<p> </p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Like Alex suggested, the Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 w/CZ 45mm f2.8 pancake lens is a nice fit in many jacket pockets. I also carry mine in a belt pouch if it's too warm for a jacket. If you think you would like the compact SLR/pancake lens approach there is also the Pentax MX or ME Super with the Pentax 40mm f2.8. Also a nice fit, but heavier. A bigger camera body, but thin lens combo is the Ricoh KRII Super with the Rikenon 45mm f2.8 lens, though I haven't seen one lately. The compact SLR/pancake lens combo is thinner than a Konica Auto S2 or Yashica Lynx, but larger than the Olympus RC or Rollei 35.</p>

[steve_mareno]

<p>I also think the Pentax ist would be a good choice. You really may as well get a camera that spot meters if you are going to go the route you have chosen. The one time I shot w/ the Pentax I was impressed w/ it's small size, quiet shutter and solid construction. The downside is they are a little difficult to find, especially the black ones (if that matters).</p>

[john carter]

<p>I like my Olympus 35RC, but I'd try one out before buying there are a few ergonomic problems for me with this camera. If you can get by those, it sure takes wonderful photos.</p>

[Andy Collins]

<p>Mike, interesting point about the Pentax and the pancake lenses. I have an ME Super with a standard 50mm lens mounted on it, and it's still smaller than my larger RFs. It's a great camera to use and its compact size makes it pleasurable to carry around and use, but the 40mm 2.8 sounds like it might be worth looking into.</p>

[bengt_rehn]

<p>Ricoh GR1 or GR1s ! Very small and light (close to Minox GT35). Very good exposure system, though not quite up to SLR standard but good enough for slides. Manual ( by top wheel) aperture setting, shutter speed can be read through the finder. Very good lens 28/2,8.<br>

If you can accept a 28mm lens, I think you will like it.</p>

[tomscott]

<p>I'll have to agree with Minh Nguyen. How can you go wrong with a Canonet QL17 GIII. Small, lightweight, very capable in low light, very capable without a battery in full manual mode if necessary. Sure there are smaller rangeginders like the Oly 35RC but, can they deliver full manual operation? You know I have a Canon Snappy LX that has the brightest viewfinder I have ever seen, and a 35mm f/1:4.5 lens.</p>

 

[k5083]

<p>Okay guys, the 35RC seems to have garnered the most votes and I like what I have read about the camera so I went over to the bay and hooked one this evening. It was $35 including s/h and came with a free Maxxum 5000 body and flash, and Konica FS-1 body and lens, all of them so poorly described and photographed that for all intents and purposes they are sight unseen. Don't ask why, but I am a sucker for these blind grab bag auction lots, and get my money's worth more often than not. If the little guy works for what I want it for, I will post a follow-up and let you guys know how it did. If the Maxxum and Konica work or can easily be made to, they will be back up for auction soon in hopes of recouping my investment! Curtis, the 35RC can do full manual, though I gather that you have to meter in auto mode and then switch to manual.</p>

[rdm]

<p>how can you use your a digital P&S as a light meter??</p>

[alex macphee]

<p>I have two digital P&S cameras, a Canon A80, and a Sony DSC-W35. In most modes, they display the shutter speed and aperture combination on the LCD during framing. The camera meters can usually be set to modes like centre-weighted, evaluative and so on. They're not as versatile as a dedicated meter, since you generally can only set the ISO to a small set of values (an observation that can be aimed at film-based cameras too), but if you can do a little mental arithmetic, they can do useful service.</p>

[Robert_Lai]

<p>August, I was in a similar position to you. I wanted something smaller and lighter than the Nikon F3 with MD4 motor that is my mainstay for most shooting. I tried a Yashica Lynx 5000 - nice light camera with a match needle readout, but still on the bulky side. On the plus side, it's leaf shutter will go up to 1/1000, although the actual speed is likely to be a little lower. It works fine with Kodachrome 64 or Ektachrome 100Gx slide films.<br>

What I use now is a little beauty from the 1950s - the Zeiss Contessa. Sharp Tessar lens (45mm f/2.8), and a selenium meter that still works accurately on mine (results may vary depending on your specific camera). Synchro-compur shutter gives you X/M flash synch. It folds up into a small package with no need for a lens cap. RF focusing, but without parallax compensation frames. Jewel-like finish, and superb German engineering.</p>

<p>I do carry a Gossen Luna Pro F with me, but I'm sure you could find many smaller meters. I use mine for incident light metering, flash metering (multiunit flashes), and to verify that my vintage light meters are working properly.</p>

[Robert_Lai]

<p>August, I was in a similar position to you. I wanted something smaller and lighter than the Nikon F3 with MD4 motor that is my mainstay for most shooting. I tried a Yashica Lynx 5000 - nice light camera with a match needle readout, but still on the bulky side. On the plus side, it's leaf shutter will go up to 1/1000, although the actual speed is likely to be a little lower. It works fine with Kodachrome 64 or Ektachrome 100Gx slide films.<br>

What I use now is a little beauty from the 1950s - the Zeiss Contessa. Sharp Tessar lens (45mm f/2.8), and a selenium meter that still works accurately on mine (results may vary depending on your specific camera). Synchro-compur shutter gives you X/M flash synch. It folds up into a small package with no need for a lens cap. RF focusing, but without parallax compensation frames. Jewel-like finish, and superb German engineering.</p>

<p>I do carry a Gossen Luna Pro F with me, but I'm sure you could find many smaller meters. I use mine for incident light metering, flash metering (multiunit flashes), and to verify that my vintage light meters are working properly.</p>

[k5083]

<p>Robert, I hear you on the Contessa. I own two Contina IIa's of about the same vintage, same build quality, but no RF and more modest Novicar lenses (also 2.8/45). They are the nicest engineered classic 35mms that I own and their selenium meters work as well as they ever did, but I don't trust them to be accurate enough for slides. Also, the Continas are a little heavy and so beautiful to use that I can't bring myself to make them play second fiddle to other cameras -- when I take them out, I want to shoot with them! </p>

[LMar]

<p>I had and loved using an Olympus 35 RC. I also loved my Yashica Lynx 14e, although, since it was nearly as large as a Nikon FM2, really doesn't qualify as "compact." I also liked the quirky Minox 35EL, although it eventually stopped working no matter what burnt offerings I made to it. Right now, my favorite is the Olympus XA, which I find accurate enough for K64.</p><div></div>