Your Favourite Non-Battery Japanese Rangefinder?

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Recently Kayam Rajaram posted an article entitled "My First Rangefinder". The responses were interesting and broadened into a discussion of rangefinders generally. Both Louis Meluso and myself hit upon the original Canonet as being one of the great rangefinders, and it set me thinking about that era of Japanese rangefinders, many with solar-powered exposure systems. These were heavy cameras, well-built and often extraordinarily beautifully finished. Somehow, with the advent of battery-powered meters and EE systems, the quality and style of the Japanese rangefinder diminished, and by the '70's they tended to all look and perform very much alike, with much lighter build quality and plastic components. I looked over my collection, hefted and fondled, and finally selected this big beauty as my favourite from the era.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>These Fujicas are heavy, quirky, and produce stunning photographs. Produced circa 1959-60, they are some of the few Japanese rangefinders to challenge the top German marques in terms of construction and finish, and were well ahead in terms of innovation and radical design. I can't think of many to equal them in term of sheer quality, though some of the Aires and Neocas must come close. This 35-SE functions perfectly and has survived 60 years virtually unscathed; the meter is accurate, the Fuji Synchro MXL shutter still triggers with a barely-discernable click, and the lovely 45mm Fujinon f/2.8 lens is clean and clear and tack-sharp. (This model was available with a f/1.9 lens; I have one very battered copy with non-functioning meter, and they're now a hard camera to come by, rare almost to the point of extinction.) The shutter extends from B to 1/1000th and is linked to the aperture and meter in an ingenious and very fluid arrangement of rings around the lens barrel, the focusing is controlled by a convenient thumbwheel behind the shutter release, the winder is located on the bottom plate with the film counter, and the rewind wheel is set on the left side of the camera. Altogether unconventional, but it all works so well. Split image rangefinder and moving bright-line parallax correction complete the design set.<br /><br />I attach a couple of detail photographs, to show the excellent finish and attention to detail. It's just one great camera. How about a picture and description of your favourite?</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.2</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.3</p><div></div>

[Mike Gammill]

That Fujica really looks nice.

The only non-battery Japanese RF I own is a Ricoh 500 so for now it's my favorite.

[maiku]

<p>Rick,</p>

<p>I have handled a lot of Japanese rangefinders, but have never really fallen for a non-battery model. I do have Canonet with the bottom winder. I do like it a lot. I keep it because it was a gift. Another EE model I had was a Konica EE. Small, compact, light, easy to use and has a wonderful lens. On the down side it is limited to a top ISO of 200. I gave it away. The other non-battery rangefinder was the one you presented the Olympus 35 SE. I was indifferent to it. Very heavy. Good lens, but not cup of tea.</p>

<p>What other models should one be on the look out? I hope some of you will present some unknown beauties to me so I can keep my eyes open for them.</p>

<p>Mike</p>

[charles_stobbs3]

My Olympus Pen D (half frame) was great fo years but finally died. Because everyone stopped mounting half frame slides at about the same time I never got it repaired. It had the quietest smoothest shutter of any camera I ever owned.

[yann1]

<p>Canonet GIII QL17 and Yashica 35Gsn are great cameras with tack sharp lenses, those were my first rangefinders.<br>

My favorite, so far, is the batteryless Leotax camera. Japan made great "Leica copies", and nice lenses that go with them too.</p>

[minhnguyen9113]

<p>The Canon 7 is one of my favorites</p>

<p><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/32zs5jk.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" /></a></p>

[john_cogburn]

<p>As far as basic, ergonomic, reliable and fairly easy-to-find "no-battery" Japanese RFs, I think my favorites are the Minolta AL and A5, and the Yashica Minister I and II, and Lynx 1000. Can't go wrong with any of those.</p>

<p>The only really hard-to-find Japanese "no-battery" RF I have is the Aires 35V. Mine came with the 4.5cm lens (bayonet mount), and I have yet to find the 3.5cm and 10cm lenses. It's a very well-made camera.</p>

[ridinhome]

<p>Rick,<br>

Thanks for the call out! <br>

That is another truly wonderful looking camera. You're absolutely right - the level of finish is superb.<br>

Also, you have a remarkable gift for product photography. You might be the Larry Flynt of Camera Porn! If I were you I'd start a website with picture of your collection, and charge people a monthly subscription fee to view them. <br>

Since I only own the one Japanese rangefinder, that too a battery-powered one (although you can shoot it w/o the battery but you are limited to the flash sync speed of 1/30), can't contribute at this point. But I have another RF coming, so will post up in a week or so.<br>

Cheers.<br>

Kayam</p>

[ludovico_magnocavallo]

<p>My favourite non-battery Japanese RF is definitely the Olympus 35S-II: small, compact, beautifully constructed, and with a great 7-elements lens. Like the Fuji above, it too has parallax corrected framelines, an ingenious system to connect shutter speed and aperture with a single EV value, and one curious feature: on the lens barrel, right at the middle of the DOF preview scale, there's a small white dot that turns red when the shutter is cocked. My first, battered one below:<br>

<img src="http://qix.it/site_media/cameras/olympus_35sii.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="480" /></p>

[SolaresLarrave]

I had a Minolta Hi-Matic (without RF) and a Yashica GS, which I sold, only to keep a Canonet GIII QL17 (which I like).

<p>

However, my current favorite is my Nikon S2 with a 50mm f1.4 lens.

<p><center>

<img src="http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78744&d=1273552851"></center>

[JDMvW]

<p>Well, I confess that I don't think I've got a single battery-less Japanese camera.</p>

<p>Most of my cameras in this class are East German or Soviet, with a few others from the USA or Western Europe. Some of those have selenium meters that somehow or other still work, but usually for cameras of this vintage, I prefer models without any meter at all.</p>

<p>I <strong><em>will</em></strong> someday, as Scarlett says, have a Nikon RF camera to add to my collection of Contax copies. ;)</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Some nice cameras, here: that Canon 7 looks a stunner, <strong>Minh</strong>, and the Olympus is a really great camera IMHO, <strong>Ludovico</strong>. I wish I owned one!<strong> Mike</strong>, if you're interested in my personal Three Finalists, in second place came the Fujica 35-EE , a fabulous camera which is a more complicated version of the SE. ( See my post http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00SCFp) However, it's rare to find a working example, and I've never found a repairer who didn't recoil in shock and horror at the suggestion of a CLA, so I passed it by. In third place, but only by a whisker, was the beautiful little Minoltina S, a true gem of a camera about two-thirds the size of the Fujica and a joy to handle. See my posts http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00Rdiv and http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00RbEY</p>

<p>And Kayam, thanks for the compliment and may your collection increase...</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>I would pick the Aires 35-III. The reason I keep it in use is the great eye relief, so easy to use with glasses. The H-Coral 45mm f/1.9 lens is brilliantly sharp. With it's own flavor of lens coatings, the micro contrast of this lens is extraordinary with very smooth bokeh. Focuses to 20 inches. Perfect size, feels great in the hands. To see some pics look here:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00TLFY">http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00TLFY</a></p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[ridinhome]

<p>Apparently the Classic Rangefinder affliction is so virulent, my brother has now been bitten. Showed him a picture of my Canonet and he promptly went out and bought himself a Hi-Matic 7S. He's also on the prowl for a QL17 GIII. Louis, Rick - you weren't kidding! These things are viciously addictive!</p>

 

[rustys pics]

<p>Canonet QL 19 for me. I like the slightly larger size than the QL 17, and the lens is just as good.</p>

[minhnguyen9113]

<p>Here are my other battery-less RF cameras</p>

<p><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/2lo2lq9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" /></a></p>

[minhnguyen9113]

<p>Converted to 4x5 and lens changed<br>

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/2ivduno.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" /></a></p>

[minhnguyen9113]

<p>After lens changed<br>

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2em3fvb.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" /></a></p>

[minhnguyen9113]

<p>A view from the top, weights about 3lbs with lens<br /> <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/2qlakuc.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" /></a></p>

[Andy Collins]

<p>My choices are going to echo Rick's with one addition. I love my Fujica 35-SE. Its lens has that special "something" that gives pictures a depth and richness that few lenses seem to lend to pictures. I also love the Minoltina-S, or Minoltina AL-S here in the States. It has an amazing amount of capability packed into a compact and elegant body. The other Japanese RF I really love is the Yashica Lynx 1000, a truly classy camera with a phenomenal lens. The Olympus that Ludovico shows is a classic beauty with understated elegance and another superb lens. I wish this thread was about all non-battery RF because there are a few German beauties I could list...</p>

[minhnguyen9113]

<p>Rick</p>

<p>Sorry, I'm careless, this thread for Japanese RF</p>

[minhnguyen9113]

<p>I'll post other Japanese RF cameras later</p>