Looking for something in particular.

[racki09]

Hi,

Looking to buy a new camera.
It has been doing my head in trying to find a model of what Im looking for in my next camera. Could anyone please suggest any ideas.
Basically looking for an SLR or Rangefinder, 35mm, with automatic film advance, compact, something preferably before the 80s.
I want to be able to control shutter speed and aperture, without having to wind film in other words taking continuos photos but I'm looking for an older camera.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thankyou

[Dave1046]

Could go for something like a Pentax Spotmatic with ad on motor drive, nothing I can think of with built in motordrive before the middle 80s, ie, Canon EOS range.



Dave.

[yelvertoft]

Hello racki09, firstly a very warm welcome to the forum.

Secondly, I don't think you are going to find a rangefinder with film advance, maybe they are out there, but I can't say I've heard of such a thing.

Thirdly, "something preferably before the 80s." same sort of comment applies. Yes, you can get film winders for cameras from the 70s, but you're going to have to search good and hard. Also, cameras of this vintage have an assortment of issues associated with their age and (lack of) usage. You're going to be looking at something that's 30+ years old that will have light metering cells that haven't seen daylight in most of that time, the light seals will be shot, the mirror damping foam will be sticky, the battery will be obsolete (maybe), the metering will be inaccurate (probably), the motor wind - assuming you can find one - will have been sitting in a shoe box under someone's bed for a couple of decades and need a very good clean and service.

You really are asking for trouble if you want to use this sort of kit seriously. There's plenty of stuff from the 80s and 90s that will be easier to find, not be so sticky with age, have batteries that you can still obtain, not be so full of crud and dust.

If you're after small and compact, look at Pentax or Olympus as this was a quality that both prioritised. There's plenty of stuff on ebay from both manufacturer's going for pin money. Pentax ME Super - plenty of those on ebay and also working winders. Olympus did a winder for the OM series, but be aware the OM1 used a mercury battery that's now unobtainable.

Also, bear in mind that these cameras, much like any of the things you express an interest in, are manual focus, which may or may not slow you down, and will only typically shoot between 2-3 frames per second. Still, with film costs, that can soon get very expensive anyway.

[racki09]

hey guys thanks heaps for the replies..

I understand what i was looking for was quite an ask. Id seen a camera in a shoot that had these qualities and someone suggested it was a leica. Thats besides the point i guess i was just fishing around to see if any models came close to what i was looking for. I currently shoot with a pentax mz50 which is great but bulky and digital adjustments. So thats the reason i was pushing for an older more compact camera. But i really want the motorwind so i can snap continously in a shoot.

Thanks again.

[yelvertoft]

The mz50 has continuous motorwind, so will do what you want. It also has the option of fully manual exposure mode so fits that requirement. Sounds like you're better off sticking with what you've got and using its existing features. The mz50 isn't particularly bulky by SLR stadards. Sure, a rangefinder is smaller, but not by that much, especially if you use a prime (i.e. not a zoom) lens on your mz50. Rangefinders have prime lenses, which is one of the reasons they are small.

Sure you can get a Leica, but have you seen how much they cost? I'm guessing not from the tone of your comment.

[Joe]

I would echo what has already been posted here. Far from me advertising where I work,....but it really does sound like it might be worthwhile dropping my boss, Jem, an email with your requirements (Real Camera link below). If it was made, chances are we have one (or maybe more than one), or atleast know where to get one!.
However, the first question will probably be.... Do you have a budget in mind?

[racki09]

nah no budget but im just gonna settle for a rangefinder
thanks again for the replies.

[yelvertoft]

Originally Posted by racki09

nah no budget but im just gonna settle for a rangefinder
thanks again for the replies.

Avoid Yashica Electro 35 GS/T/N unless you're prepared to send it off to a specialist for repair, they are terribly unreliable at the age they are and notoriously difficult (that's code for expensive) to fix. Also avoid Olympus 35 RC and RD models, they will inevitably have oil on the shutter blades and require a major strip down which is far from cheap. I'd recommend Canonet QL17 (currently in vogue, so prices are a bit inflated at the moment), or the QL19 which is not far behind in capability but massively cheaper.

[Alex1994]

Yelvertoft, may I politely disagree about your comment on the venerable Yashica Electro 35, I own one and it came to me in very battered condition but still works like a charm and takes fabulous pictures.They are (imho) on a par with (if not better than) the Canonet QL17 when price is taken into account, the Yashica is far cheaper and yet delivers excellent results.

Reasons to own one:

Very fast (f1.7) 45mm lens
Electromagentically controlled Copal leaf shutter: completely stepless, so you can have speeds like 1/133rd or 1/72nd of a second, resulting in very, very accurate exposures.
Very cheap on eBay (mine was 32 pounds including the original leather case).

However, the Copal shutter is fully automatic, no manual override.

If you want continuous winding you will need an SLR. Considering you want something compact let me recommend you the simply brilliant Olympus OM-system, notably the OM-1 and OM-2 versions. These can be fitted with a motor drive cheaply and easily and are reliable, quality metal SLRs, especially the all-mechanical OM-1. The Zuiko range of lenses is simply brilliant, but also the OM-1 was famous for launching the compact SLR revolution. Since you are looking for compactness and motor drive I think it is an unbeatable choice. I have one and I'm chuffed to bits with it. The old mercury battery CAN in fact be replaced with a Wein Cell from the Small battery company.

On that line, you could also consider the Olympus Pen F, very compact, not sure if it accepts a motor drive. It is sought after by collectors so expect to pay a lot more than for an OM camera.

Hope this helps,

Alex

[yelvertoft]

Originally Posted by Alex1994

Yelvertoft, may I politely disagree about your comment on the venerable Yashica Electro 35, I own one and it came to me in very battered condition but still works like a charm and takes fabulous pictures.

You were lucky, very lucky.

Reasons not to own one:
Search for the term "Yashica pad of death".

If your Electro 35 doesn't suffer from this now, it's only a matter of time. If you find a fully working one then I agree it's a fantastic camera, it's just that this seems to be the exception, not the norm. I came within a whisker of buying one recently but consulted with a very experienced camera repair/service technician, his horror stories of the Electro put me off.

I agree with your comments about the OM-1 being an excellent camera. It is only fair to point out to potential buyers the obsolete battery issue. Yes, you can buy a Wein Cell. They cost about £9 and last at best 12 months even if you don't use the camera. You're better off getting it modified to take a silver oxide cell. Likewise, the Electro 35 has to have a work around to cope with its obsolete battery.

I'm not saying don't buy an Electro, or an OM-1, just pointing out that people should find out the potential pitfalls before buying. The original poster wanted fully manual control, so the Electro doesn't fit his needs anyway.