fixed rangefinder undiscovered camera gems?

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caila77

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It is well known that there are plenty cameras with fixed (great) lens in the 35mm format....
Konica S3
Canonet QL17
Petri colour 35
Rollei 35
Olympus RC/35SP
Yashica electro
Konica auto S2/S3
Yashica lynx 14
konica III
and some more ...I'm sure I forgotten .....

Do you know, maybe suggest, some more? especially some underrated cameras?


cheers
 
You forgot the Voigtlander Vitessas... quality lenses, compact and unique design...
I've also always wondered about the Fujica Super Deluxe but have never tried one.
 
jamin-b said:
You forgot the Voigtlander Vitessas... quality lenses, compact and unique design...
I've also always wondered about the Fujica Super Deluxe but have never tried one.
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Yeas, I forgot many cameras for sure... like Vitessa that are known for their quality... but I'm focused on not so famous cameras.. there are any?
 
I've been using my Voigtlander Vito B a lot lately. Its a neat little camera despite being what I suspect was probably Voigtlander's entry-level product.
 
Minolta Minoltina-S. Compact, pretty, good rangefinder, and with a gorgeous 40mm f/1.8 lens.

Also the Balda Baldessa 1a, for its neat control layout and great looks.
 
Kodak Retina II is small, compact, great looking and excellent shooter rangefinder camera. I love the one with the early rodenstock lens. It is an f/2, but works wonders.
 
One of my faves is the Mamiya Super Deluxe rangefinder, which is actually a great performer! :)

19876136046_dc8d9d7b91_z.jpg
 
The Vivitar is very similar, but contrary to popular belief those three cameras are not the same camera with different badges. They differ significantly in internal construction as well as externally.

The 35ES body is slightly longer, the Auto S3 has a lever in the hot shoe to detect if there is a flash which enables GN mode automatically, etc. etc.

The Vivitar is black paint (!), the S3 is anodized.The 35ES has visible barrel distortion in the viewfinder, the 7s II has a lower magnification VF than the other two, and there are internal differences.

The tech that has serviced many fixed lens RFs for me once explained:

"For example, the 7SII is easiest to work on: Disconnect 3 wires , remove front coverings, 4 screws, and entire working camera assembly slides neatly out. Also meter has resistance pot which allow for adjusting the meter. They are a real jewel of intelligent design if one has to work on them.

The Konica Auto S3 / FD is an absolute b**t**d to remove the lens board and associated mangle of micro wires and hidden circuit board buried to body frame."

35ess3.1.jpg
 
I was impressed with the sharpness of the lens on a Petri 7s. Agfa Super Silettes can be pretty good, as well. I have one with an f2 Solagon lens.
 
Some rare versions of the Retina II have the Ektar 47mm f/2.0. Not quite undiscovered as much as hard to find.
 
My daughter's Minolta Hi-Matic 9 takes brilliant pictures. It is assuredly underrated, since all the hype is on the lower market Hi-Matic 7S.

I just got a Konica Auto S2. I've heard for years that it has an amazingly sharp lens, so I figured I see for myself.

My Olympus XA might be worthy too. The center of the lens is brilliant, and it has a pleasant vignette at the corners, plus the camera is super tiny. Some people don't like "tiny," but I do, being a gadget-head at heart.

Since you included a viewfinder camera (the Rollei 35), I'll suggest a Minox 35-family camera. I've had a 35EL, a 35GL, and a 35GT, and they all take exquisite pictures until their shutters fail. I revived one shutter once, but not a second time. If you can find one that works, they take very crisp, clear pictures.

Scott
 
I was going to say Hi-Matic 9 but I lost track of the thread!

I was going to say Hi-Matic 9 but I lost track of the thread!

skucera said:
My daughter's Minolta Hi-Matic 9 takes brilliant pictures. It is assuredly underrated, since all the hype is on the lower market Hi-Matic 7S.

I just got a Konica Auto S2. I've heard for years that it has an amazingly sharp lens, so I figured I see for myself.

My Olympus XA might be worthy too. The center of the lens is brilliant, and it has a pleasant vignette at the corners, plus the camera is super tiny. Some people don't like "tiny," but I do, being a gadget-head at heart.

Since you included a viewfinder camera (the Rollei 35), I'll suggest a Minox 35-family camera. I've had a 35EL, a 35GL, and a 35GT, and they all take exquisite pictures until their shutters fail. I revived one shutter once, but not a second time. If you can find one that works, they take very crisp, clear pictures.

Scott
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Dear Scott,

I was going to say the Hi-Matic 9 but I lost track of the thread.

It's a pretty good sized camera so it's not for you if you want something pocketable. It takes fine pictures though.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg, PA :)
 
I'll put in my vote for the Aires 35 iiic -- very good H Coral 45mm fixed lens, nice styling. Built like a rock, and they weigh as much as a large rock too. The other Aires cameras have their fans too, but I only have experience with this one. I use my Retina iia a lot more, though.
 
The Walz Envoy M-35 (with meter) or Envoy 35 was an interesting fixed lens leaf shutter camera.

Only one I know of that had a fixed 48mm f1.9 lens of a Sonnar type formula.


( There was also a version with a 45mm f2.8 lens, but that was not a Sonnar type lens, probably a Tessar Type.)
 
mpaniagua said:
I suppose cameras that don't get much attention and goes for cheap but are decent/really good performers?


Regards

Marcelo
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Dear Marcelo,

Which merely moves the question backwards to defining "much attention", "cheap" and "decent/really good performers".

The OP lists quite a lot of cameras. Others have added more. This reflects a simple truth. There are very large numbers of cheap cameras out there, many of which are quite good at f/8 or so. But what's "quite good" for one person may be "barely adequate" for a second and "surprisingly good" for a third.

In 2017, more is likely to depend on condition and the (ab)use the camera has had over the years than on the marque or model. The vast majority of them are cheap, very cheap or free, and which ones you end up trying is likely to be a question of luck. For example, I have a Samoca 35 LE. It's OK: very pretty, and not too bad at f/8. I was given it.

Cheers,

R.
 
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