Small 35mm camera to carry

[alex macphee]

<p>Oly 35RC. They really are as good as people claim. Don't forget the Ricoh 500G or GX, easily overlooked in favour of its peer, almost identical spec but an extra speed on the 35RC, as it goes down to 1/8th. Almost exactly the same size too, but generally a few bob cheaper.</p>

<p>My Rollei 35 is just the LED, with the Triotar, not the Tessar, but it's a surprisingly good performer. Scale focussing, but with a wide-ish lens it's not a difficult skill to acquire. Just remember to wind on before trying to close down the lens for storage.</p>

<p>Yashica T5/T4Super, if you have no aversion to battery dependence. Its near cult following means it's rarely cheap, but its cult status is justified by performance.</p>

[csirre]

<p>RF? Why RF? Some SLRs are very small and are only slightly larger than those fixed lens RF. Take a look at Pentax MX (Fully-mechanical 35mm SLR with state of the art view finder) or Olympus OM-1 (Fully-mechanical 35mm SLR, OM1 is a pro camera, which means the mechanics are very smooth and built quality is superb). The finder of OM-1 is larger but dimmer than that of MX, but you will not regret getting any of them.<br>

In case you want to stick with RF, Canonet GIII seems to be the best choice in my opinion, compact, reliable, light, inexpensive, always available, with good finder, with Canon's quick load system (love it) and a good fixed lens of F/1.7. But with Canonet, you don't have TTL metering and focusing can never be as easy as with a good SLR.</p><div></div>

[jodys]

<p>My best-built and most pocketable 35mm is my Kodak Retina I (model 010) from '46-'49. I have a wrist strap fitted to it, it goes in the pocket or hangs from my hand when I take it out and open it, and the Schneider lens is quite good. Excellent, really, especially for B&W (note: not my camera in photo, no time to drag it out and photograph).</p><div></div>

[steve_levine]

<p>I'm with Red, the Minox 35's have lenses that astound! And they are smaller than a pack of smokes.</p>

[doug grosjean]

<p>I'd cast a vote for the Olympus line of compact cameras, too.</p>

<p>I've owned 3, all bought new, all in working order: XA (whichever model has the most manual controls), Stylus Epic with zoom, and a 12 MP Stylus Tough (digital).</p>

<p>The XA was my first cam, and rode in a pouch on my belt. Now my Stylus Tough fills that role. But all 3 have done a good to great job. The zoom on the Stylus Epic is a little soft, but still a great camera to hand to a stranger and say "Can you take our pic, of me and my g/f?"</p>

[donnie_strickland]

<p>Olympus Stylus Epic (I prefer the fixed-lens, non-zoom version).</p>

[james_turner6]

<p>Another vote for Minox. I've had a 35GT (not always the same one) for over 25 years. It is the smallest full frame 35mm in existence (AFAIK); it is pretty robust; it takes cracking pictures; and it has a very quiet shutter. </p>

[Dustin McAmera]

<p>If you're into something quite old, a folder like Jody S's Retina has a lot going for it: slips easily into a pocket. I have a Certo Super Dollina ii, but I don't carry that around too much - I'd worry about damaging it too much. I'd be more likely to pick up my Balda Jubilette - but that's scale focus, not a rangefinder.<br>

I carry my Yamato Pax with me often. That's a fixed-lens rigid body RF from the 50s; not as flat in shape as a folder, or as some of those little Olympuses. It's tiny, though, and all but silent, and quite robust. The lens is a coated triplet; not bad (but again the Olympuses beat it). Also, you'll be lucky to find a Pax for sale in perfect working order; mine took quite a bit of fixing up.</p>

[djphoto]

<p>I have many small RFs, but I like the Canon AF35ML as well as any. I find it very quick, accurate, portable, and easy to use.</p>

[kty]

<p>Olympus Mju-II<br>

small, light, cheap, compact, fast, autofocus, sharp and weather-sealed. <br>

what can you want more?</p>

[robert_chadwick]

<p>Hi , I must put in a punt for Minox 35, I have just got one and have posted pics from it on Minox Forum here have a look, see what you think....</p>

[robert_chadwick]

<p>Having just shouted for Minox 35 how about Olympus XA2, lovely camera and I reckon lens just as good as Minox</p><div></div>

[awahlster]

<p>Interesting no mention of the Konica C-35 about the smallest Canonet shaped 35mm RF I could find. Great little lens and easy to use. I have them in Black and Chrome.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Well, Mark- almost a C-35. I did post a picture from the C-35V further back in this post. Your recommendation is sound in another way as well-- I find the C-35 and C-35V easier to hold steady than the Canonet. The shutter travel is a bit longer than the Canonet, but it feels like it requires less pressure. Another advantage is the 675 zinc air cells fit directly w/o need of an o-ring whereas the Canonet needs something to hold the 675 cell in place since it was made to take a 625 cell. Also, the C-35 has a "B" setting (albiet wide open at f2.8), not sure if the Canonet 28 has that setting. The GIII 17 of course does. The C-35V lacks the "B" setting but allows manual apertures to be set if set for flash. Also, I like the self timer on the C-35 better than on the Canonet.</p>

[yefei_he1]

<p>Wirgin Edinex III. It has a coupled rangefinder version, and the lens is retractable.</p>

<p>http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Edinex</p>

<p>Mine doesn't come with the fancy Rodenstock Heligon lens, rather a Steinheil Cassar, but still a very capable shooter.</p>

<p>Or, you can go with the Eho Altissa Altix V. It comes with interchangeable lenses, but no rangefinder.</p>

<p>http://www.collection-appareils.fr/eho/html/eho_altix.php</p>

 

[yefei_he1]

<p>Double post.</p>

[robert lee]

<p>Contax G1 or G2 with the 45mm f2.0 Planar. Hard to beat.</p><div></div>

[LMar]

<p>Oly XA. <br>

<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4273492236_e305d858f9_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="735" /></p>

[dirk_bumann1]

<p>Truly pocketable is difficult, if you're talking jeans pockets. Of the ones I have actual user experience with, only the Minox 35 comes to mind. I have the 35GT and love it. Great pictures and overall design. I can also recommend the Konica C35 and Minolta Hi-Matic E for overall quality, inluding lenses. However, they won't fit in your jeans pocket.</p>