Which classic do you like for available light?

[Mike Gammill]

<p>If you're like me you probably will have more than one answer to this one. For low light where I can barely see to focus I reach for my Minolta XE-5 or XE-7. If the light is better I might use any of my Minolta SRT's, Konica T3, Pentax MX or Spotmatic, or Olympus OM-1. If close focus isn't required then I choose a rangefinder such as my Canon GIII 17, Konica Auto S2 (or 1.6), Lynx 14E or Konica Auto S3.<br>

So what preferences do some of you have?</p><div></div>

[soeren_engelbrecht1]

My M3 with summarit 50/1.5. Focusing

is easiest with this, rather than my

SLRs. And no mirror is an advantage,

too, of course. See the home page of

my brand new website (released

yesterday night :-) for a picture of it:

http://www.imagepro.dk.

[jodys]

<p>I'm trying out a Canon 7s with the 50mm f1.2, it is surprisingly easy to focus in low light and of course the camera is beautifully-made and whisper-quiet. As a bonus, it has the 'T' shutter speed I often need for longer exposures, since I'm terrible about keeping a shutter-release cable on me at all times. I haven't developed anything yet so I can't vouch for results, but I have a good feeling about it.</p>

[georg_s1]

<p>M3 with Summarit 50/1.5 or rigid Summicron 50/2. The not exactly classic Konica Hexar AF is another available-light-favorite as is the Nikon FM2 with a 50/1.4 or 50/1.2.<br /> Mike, a clean Yashica Lynx 14 was for sale over here - I called the dealer 10 minutes too late :-(<br>

Soeren: very nice site!</p>

[User_502260]

<p>This gets back to what a classic is. The Minolta x-700 and Konica FT-1 cameras have responsive and accurate metering even in low light. The same is true of the Canon New F-1. I suppose you can use an older F-1 with the Booster finder if metering is the issue. The Minolta X-700 has a very bright viewfinder so it is easier to use in low light. When it comes to older machanical cameras with CdS meters I prefer the Minolta SRT 201 to the older 101 because of the 201's focusing screen. A Canon F-1 or F-1n with an L screen is also nice. The Konica Autoreflex T3N with the 57/1.2 is a good combination. I have a 55/1.2 Canon FL which I can use with FL or FD bodies. For distant subjects it is pretty sharp even at or near wide open. For closer subjects I need to stop down a few stops to sharpen things up. The 50/1.4 Canon FL II is sharper wide open. </p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>My choice for available light used to be the Nikon F (Photomic FTn), because of its big bright finder, and because it just so happens that I have a 1.4 lens for it. This is one of the few Nikon lenses I have that I have not converted to AI, so I can't use it conveniently on my F3, which would be the next choice now. So, I would now probably opt for the Minolta X-700 (especially since I just got a spiffy "new" one, which will be the subject of a later posting when I finish the roll). I have a 1.4 lens for that, as well as the 1.7 it came with, and it's a very nice camera to hand hold.</p>

<p> </p>

[nick_thearle]

<p>The Yashica Electro 35 series are hard to beat for handheld city night photographs. A fast lens, a good metering system and a leaf shutter mean you can go down to 1/15th second easily enough.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=158213&ppuser=24165" alt="" /></p>

[lilly_w]

<p>My Nikon F2SB is the 'go to' low-light body. It features a bright, 100% viewfinder, metering range from EV -2 to 17, timed shutter speeds to 10 seconds, mirror lock-up and all significant exposure data (f-stop, shttr spd and light meter) illuminated in the finder. The illuminated data is hugely significant. The body's features strike a perfect balance; it needs nothing more and nothing less. I pair it with any number of lenses; 28/2, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, 85/1.4.</p>

[rogerwb]

<p>Konica T3 or Pentax Spotmatic because that is what I have 1.4 lenses for, or, Leica M3 with f/2 Summicron because of the easier focusing.</p>

[SCL]

<p>My Leica M4 is my classic go to creature for really low available light if no tripod is available, otherwise my Nikon F3 or Olympus OM2n do a good job in the slr category. Generally I don't use the classics for low light work and just use my (non-classic) Nikon D300 and a tripod.</p>

[rdm]

<p>My Minolta x9 with my 50mm 1.4 on it and my 35mm 1.8 in my pocket just in-case. Or if i was out eating at a Japanese steak house i might not want to lug that around with me and instead have an Olympus Pen EEs, zone focusing, loaded with some 800 film.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

<p>I am not surprised to see so many RFs here. In the past I was good to go with an SLR with a fast lens and a good finder. My father'S FX-D Did well with great low light metering! I think though the Electro 35 that someone mentioned would also be the ideal available light shooter. I have recently come into a Lynx 14 and I would like to have a good shoot of a band in a club as this is often in a tight space so you don't need to sacrifice speed for focal length. I am older now so my tendency would go to the RFs because I (eyes are going) can't focus well any more in low light. NExt shooting chance I'm going to use hte Lnxy and the Canon 17 GIII!</p>

[red_robin]

<p>My main users are Canon P's and a Bessa R, each set up with a different lens. A Canon III and a Canon IIs2 each having it's own lens rounds out my usual choice of cameras. Available light(?), these are what I use 99% of the time.I did buy a flash for the P's But haven't bough myself to burn up any of the pricy bulbs.</p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>For low light I like to use either one of my F-1N's or one of my F-1n's with an L screen (with an f/1.2 aspherical or L prime attached, of course!).</p>

[LMar]

<p>My Leica M3 with 50mm f1.4 Canon.<br>

<img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2686/4159532794_e48f97db1e_z.jpg?zz=1" alt="" width="640" height="488" /></p>

 

[dan_b.4]

<p>I gotta go with the Olympus OM-2N with the Zuiko 50mm F1.4. The lens allows me to see well enough to focus and the automatic exposure is way smarter than I am.</p>

[john_narsuitus]

<p>The Nikon F4 with MF23 back provides me with features that are useful for shooting the following types of photos in very dim available light:</p>

<p>Astronomy (long star trail exposures)<br>

Long exposures required for shooting night landscapes<br>

Long exposures of chemiluminescent objects in the dark<br>

Long exposures of bioluminescent objects in the dark<br>

Long infrared exposures</p>

<p><a href="

<div></div>

[gene_woods]

<p>I use a Pentax LX on a tripod and shoot f-22 or what ever the camera on auto is great low light or at night and when I say at night they will look like they where taken at night. Coolest part about the meter is it meters through the shoot. One time I was set up on the Astoria bridge just after the sun went down. I had two tripod set up a Mamiya 330f on one the LX on the other I put both on F32 (it was saturday not to many car on the bridge that night) 1st I fired the LX the ran over to the 330f fired it then waited by the LX and waited 6 1/2 minutes later LX click ran over to the 330f close the shutter. Both slide came back fine.</p>

[Troll]

<p>I presume that you're looking to hand-hold the camera. If you're using a tripod then it doesn't matter what you shoot with.<br>

Rangefinder cameras will nearly always be the best choice (my own favorite is a Konica S3), but if you have to use a SLR, then the Olympus OM cameras probably have by far the best damping of their mirrors.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

I was really thinking of hand held shots or propping camera on a nearby chair or table. But any input here is more than

welcome.

[john_narsuitus]

<p>“I was really thinking of hand held shots or propping camera on a nearby chair or table. But any input here is more than welcome.”</p>

<p>For shooting handheld under dimly lit conditions, I prefer a 35mm rangefinder and a fast lens (f/1.4 or faster).</p>

 

[maciek_stankiewicz]

<p>I would choose <strong>Yashica Electro 35</strong> switched to flash mode (1/30s). Any of them, especially Black models (GT, GTN or Professional). Excellent lens even wide-open.<br /> <strong>Canonet GIII</strong> - nice manual shutter but lens need to be stopped down for good results...<br /> <strong>Minolta XE-5</strong> or <strong>XG-M</strong> with fast 50mm lens.<br>

<strong>Konica FS-1</strong> is loud due to electric film transport but mirror/shutter release are well dampened. </p>

[gnashings]

<p>Maciek, you must me far more demanding/discerning that I am, I find the little GIII to be about as good wide open as anything else of that era, save for some truly outstanding - and usually high end/high price gear. Perhaps its mainly due to how I use a fast lens wide open - handheld, pushing the edges of what is acceptible hand held - in those conditions judging lens sharpness on its inherent optical qualities is like judging a ballerina on how well she dances in army boots during an earthquake...</p>

[larry_miller5]

<p>My F2T & my F3T. And sometimes my FM2N...</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Among my SLRs, probably the FM2N. The red LED meter display is easy to see in any light. The viewfinder is bright and the standard K screen offers enough choices to aid focusing in almost any light. I'd rather use my F3HP with E grid screen but the dim gray LCD meter display is too difficult to read in dim light and the illumination button is notoriously difficult to operate.</p>

<p>Otherwise, I like the Canonet and Olympus 35 RC, especially where a smaller, quieter camera is desirable.</p>