I'm relatively new to photography, and my finances are incredibly limited. I would like to pick up a 35mm rangefinder, but I don't have much money. I was wondering if anyone might be able to recommend some to me. I've considered purchasing an Agfa Ambi-Silette; I assume it's an OK camera, and recently someone informed me that Zorkis are really good (I don't know what models he was referring to), and that they can can be fitted with lenses for some Leicas. Any comments? In fact, if anyone could give me any information, it would be invaluable.

-- Kenneth M (kennethm@morgan.ucs.mun.ca), July 04, 1999

Answers

Try to find a Canon Ql-17. It's a small, well made camera from the 1970s. You could probably get one for 30-50 dollars. The ambi- silette is pretty dated, and the Russian cameras would probably cost more than the Canon. The QL-17 has a fast, f:1.7 lens, very sharp. One drawback is that it uses px-625 mercury batteries for it's meter. I believe that these are available in Canada. If you have batteries, you have a reasonable auto exposure system, but the camera works fine manually, even without a battery.

-- bill moore (wmoore@provide.net), July 05, 1999.

Voigtlander Bessa L just came out in Europe with a 15mm and a 25mm, $150 for the body, excellent lenses for 3-400 dollars. They are Leica screw-mount lenses.

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), July 06, 1999.

Any of the inexpensive rangefinder cameras made by reputable manufacturers during the 60s will serve you well -- Olympus, Yashica, Canon, Minolta, and Konica come to mind. Just check that everything works properly, because parts and service are hard to find.

-- Dave Jenkins (djphoto@vol.com), July 06, 1999.

Sorry, I should have said during the 60s and 70s.

-- Dave Jenkins (djphoto@vol.com), July 06, 1999.

There are so many second-hand cameras on the market. My personal favourite is the Minox 35 because it is small (like a box of cigarettes, still, it is a full-format 35 mm camera), and it has a magnificent lens. In Germany, they cost between 70 and 150 USD second hand. Rollei 35 models are great, too. The Russian company Fed builds 35 mm rangefinder cameras which take Leica lenses. (This company built many Leica copies!)

I would not recommend buying a cheap automatic camera if you wish to learn something about photography. If you just want some fun, then go ahead and buy a P&S model. They are, in fact, mostly cheap.

-- Thomas Wollstein (wollstein@compuserve.com), July 07, 1999.

I vote for the Yashica Electro 35. I was shocked at just how sharp the pictures can be and how well the metering works (even for slow Kodachrome) with that ugly little camera.

Look on ebay. People are practically giving them away.

-- Bill Riemenschneider (willir@hotmail.com), July 13, 1999.

Here's another vote for the Yashica Electro 35. You can get zinc-air batteries to replace the mercury. An excellent camera that costs less then a good lens.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@ase.com), July 14, 1999.

I also vote for the Yashica Electro 35. I "borrowed" my little sister's while I was in college. Turned me on to 35mm photography. You can get it used for a song. Kinda wished Sis let me have it.

-- Vic Reynolds (decosta@hotmail.com), July 15, 1999.

I have an Agfa Ambi Sillette with three lenses, 35 50 and 90. It is a very quiet camera, in fact it is more silent than a Leica M but the sound it produces is a little more metallic than the Leicas. I have had some focusing problems with the 90 mm lens (the longer the focal length, the more diffucult to focus with a range finder) and my last roll had every frame out of focus except for a couple taken with the 50 mm. The contrast of the lenses isn't that great, something you should be aware of, especially in b&w. Sharpness is decent, perhaps in part explained of the fact that there are no vibrations when pushing the trigger, but no match for modern lenses. My camera only works for shutter times longer than 1/30. The shutter brake for longer times is too stiff, so 1/15 of a second can in practice become 1 second to 1/8 of a second and I never know which it is gonna be!

-- Peter Olsson (peter.olsson@lulebo.se), July 19, 1999.

Some excellent rangefinders:

• Contax T, coupled rangefinder, titanium body, Zeiss T* Sonnar lens

• Olympus XA.
• Leica CL, a small rangefinder.

If you are good at estimate distance, then Minox GT-E is an excellent manul camera, with sharp 35mm/2.8 Minoxar multicoated lens, or its newer version Minox GT-S with DX coding Or Rollei 35 with Tessar lens or Rollei 35S with Sonnar lens

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), September 01, 1999.