noorozeki

A lot of good suggestions, a lot of more sggestions; now I'm confused even more xD

None of my friends are really into film cameras, and so I can not really test the RF in person and see how it feels, and like someone suggested, I could probably end up reselling it if I didn't like it.

I live in Germany, german brands are more common here, so for example the Agfa is more common to find. Maybe you guys also have suggestions for German cameras?

Honestly it's just confusing, I used to do only digital with an SLR, but got bored of having to lag around bunch of lenses and such, so I started shooting with my phone instead since it's always with me but I miss shooting with a camera and I do feel like I'd really enjoy an RF from all the other film cameras, but then again, I could also end up being happy with a fully automatic thing (point and shoot thing). The appeal of film is knowing I won't know what kind of photo I took until I develope it, and then I can also make a collection while with digital it's more tempting to take a lot and then end up forgetting about them in the cloud instead of on my wall.

Adding some phone shots, maybe helps to get an idea of what I do.

The Olympus 35RC is a good choice in 35mm rangefinder: compact (15 oz), shutter-priority (with unmetered manual), good viewfinder that displays both aperture and shutter speed, and a sharp lens (if f/2.8 is fast enough for you). The Canonets are well-regarded by some, though I have used two and can't say that I was particularly impressed with the results from either.

 

Leaf-shutter cameras can be complex to work on, so unless you have some previous repair experience it's probably worth getting one that's in good working condition and complete. Finding a replacement battery cap for something like a Konica Auto S3 won't be easy, as these cameras aren't that common (or cheap).

 

The Vivitar 35 ES (made by Cosina) is also supposed to be quite good, though I haven't tried one myself.

The RC does seem nice, though yes I was a bit skeptical because of the f/stop. When using digital it makes a difference, especially when shooting in low light or when aiming for a nice bokeh or something. It does seem to be somewhere around 100€, too. I have so far found the DC for 100€ as well, and the RD 150-200€. I found a clean Konica S3 for 200€, but not sure if worth it.

The Vivitar is also pretty nice now that I'm looking it up, also around 100-150€. People seem to compare it to the Konica S3. And people seem to prefer the Konica S3 over the Olympus. Hard to make a decision tbh, I'm just very confused. All are small, all (except DC) have shutter and auto which is perfect (the DC makes up for it by having a button to focus the metering on a certain spot to kinda get it more right as I've read). Konica S3 has a lock when half pressing the shutter, which is nice, not sure about the others.

Any reccomendations from Voigtländer? Or other brands? How is the auto exposure of the Olympus DC?

What about newer film cameras, with auto focus maybe?

Is auto exposure a must?

 

At that price point, I'd look at something like a Leica IIIc with a collapsible Elmar. It's heavy, but also quite small. These have their downsides and the rangefinders are a bit squinty, but they're also reliable and virtually indestructible. Of course, theyr'e fully mechanical/manual.

 

The Canons II and IV series are a nice alternative that are roughly the same size and shape as the III series Leicas but with some nice features. Since they share the same mount, you can also use tiny lenses like a collapsible Leitz, or use something like the excellent(and still small) Canon 50mm f/1.8.

not a must, but would be nice if reliable.

I'm looking for a fixed lens camera, and the Leica IIIc seems 300-500 range, which is not what I'm looking for at the moment. Same goes for the canon, seems also to be sold for over 300 sadly /:

hi!

I started learning about film cameras recently after I have been using digital for several years now, and I'd really love to get into it more and get myself a rangfinder. I have a couple of things that are important to me, and I have a couple of cameras in mind, but I still can't make a decision and would really appreciate some help.

What I care about:

- small size, compact, pocket size even (Olympus SP is too big for example)

- prefer shutter priority than aperture priority, auto only is also okay if it's reliable

- price under 300€

- sharp lens, no more than 2.2 maybe

- easy focus, easy use and fast start and shooting (not shutter speed, but how long would it take me to get the camera ready)

- preferably also sturdy and doesn't break easily or get damaged, as I would wanna have it on me most of the time

- silent would be super as I'd be mostly doing street photography

What I have in mind:

- Olympus RD: price seems 100-200€, lots of people happy I guess

- Olumpus DC: cheaper, but I guess it's only auto?

- Konica S3 (C35FD): 150-300€, good reviews, only shutter mode I think?

- Canonet G-III QL17: it's a bit bigger, but also I'm seeing some bad reviews here and there?

What other cameras would you suggest? What are your thoughts?

Also, what are the things to look out for when buying? What can NOT be fixed at all? For example here is Konica S3, seems like a good deal, but also says there is dust and funges and so? Are these cleanable?

【EXC+++】KONICA C35 FD Rangefinder 35mm Film Camera W/38mm f/1.8 From Japan #289 | eBay

There was also another one that had the battery cover missing, worth it?

Konica Auto S3 Compact Rangefinder (UNTESTED) | eBay