Budget compact

steveo_mcg

steveo_mcg

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Steven
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Guys I'm looking for a replacement for the Trip, one of its aperture blade is slightly off and I don't have time to open it up and break it completely... So I'm looking for a nice compact.

Ideally: Sub £30, classic styled (I like my OMs and the trip), decent quality lens. Not too fussy on focus method and I'm not overly worried about metering. I nearly bought a Konica C35 from the classifieds but the camera turned out to be more knackered than the seller thought it was.
 
Alternatively a rangefinder like a Ricoh 500G perhaps - they have a good reputation also. But for simplicity there's not much to beat a Trip 35.

XA2 is also dirt cheap and excellent, but not perhaps what you would call 'classically' styled.
 
I've just got my first Trip after wondering what all the fuss was about...and wow....love it.

So another vote to replace like for like with another trip
 
Cool, I shall investigate another trip. Any more exotic ideas for my gas? I had a look at the XA but seem to go for real money, the Ricoh might be a good shout certainly looks the part.
 
If you fancy something different from the Trip, how about a Rollei 35? Should be able to get a B35 for that kind of money.

Or a Minox 35? Very compact and great lenses.
 
All this interest in the Ricoh 500 in the last few weeks, and yet it's going to be at least a few weeks before I can get mine ready to put on sale :(

The Rollei 35 is a little bit quirky, although a lot of people like them. How about a Konica C35?
 
A Vito. I've a CLR and it gives lovely images. Coupled rangefinder, huge viewfinder on it and a top-plate meter. The lens is pretty nice too.
 
It was the C35 in the classifieds which caught my attention but the ones on ebay are (currently) all a broken one way or another. My knowledge of this field is somewhat limited and I figured you guys would be able to broaden my search to something I remember to bid on.
 
steveo_mcg said:
It was the C35 in the classifieds which caught my attention but the ones on ebay are (currently) all a broken one way or another. My knowledge of this field is somewhat limited and I figured you guys would be able to broaden my search to something I remember to bid on.
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Apologies, I did read the OP when I made my first post but completely forgot about it - I always consider the Ricoh 500G and Konica C35 as very similar (I mean look at them, they look like long lost twins), forgot that you had tried one and it didn't work out. The number of looked after 70s consumer rangefinders decreases by the year...
 
If you want something completely different, with a great lens, try a Werra 1. Built-in lens hood, zone focusing, completely novel film wind-on mechanism (rotate the lens barrel!), and it'll get you back up to speed on your Sunny 11 rule (ie no metering!). It was my first camera, used it for 4 years plus...

The XA focusing is a bit weird; funny lever underneath the lens like the QL17. You could also try one of the rangefinder-Trip variants, but they do go for more money...
 
Funnily enough, I've been lusting after a Werra 1 recently. They look great and as you say it has some novel features, the wind on, the lens cap/lens hood thing and a Carl Zeiss lens too.



How about a half frame for a change? Lots of nice Olympus versions.
 
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How about a Minolta Hi-matic AF. Neat and takes very nice shots.

Andy
 
freecom2 said:
Apologies, I did read the OP when I made my first post but completely forgot about it - I always consider the Ricoh 500G and Konica C35 as very similar (I mean look at them, they look like long lost twins), forgot that you had tried one and it didn't work out. The number of looked after 70s consumer rangefinders decreases by the year...
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There is a striking family resemblance! It is a same they're dying off, i suppose there is just no economical reason to preserve the consumer units.

ChrisR said:
If you want something completely different, with a great lens, try a Werra 1. Built-in lens hood, zone focusing, completely novel film wind-on mechanism (rotate the lens barrel!), and it'll get you back up to speed on your Sunny 11 rule (ie no metering!). It was my first camera, used it for 4 years plus...
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Loving the look of the Werra, on the list.

Andysnap said:
How about a Minolta Hi-matic AF. Neat and takes very nice shots.

Andy
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this is also on the list.

desf said:
How about a half frame for a change? Lots of nice Olympus versions.
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It takes me all my time to get through 36!


(y) now for some camera hunting.
 
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There's very little to choose between the C35 and the 500G. Take a look at my 52cameras blog and also the Monica the Konica challenge we did last year.
 
The Nikon RF2 and similar in the range are nice, also Konica C35.
 
I think I have a bessa something, classic looks, plastic so weighs nothing, not a range finder or very tactile tho
 
beirette iv priomat 35mm
if your interested I'll check for price, but I'll suspect it'll be just postage cost :)
I'll make a for sale thread if you interested
 
steveo_mcg said:
Yup. Think it was a decent price.
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One thing, the listing mentioned seals needed replacing I believe? If the 500ME is anything like the 500G/GX, the seals are a bit of a nightmare - the light seal is absolutely massive, covers a huge section of the camera. I'd budget for that replacement if necessary - $16 from Jon Goodman.
 
freecom2 said:
The Electro is a lot of things - a lot of good things - but compact is not a word that comes to mind!
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Some things are worth the compromise..;)




Actually, its the focussing, not a big lover of largely random pseudo AF, I'll take a bulging pocket for absolute control of focus..:D
 
freecom2 said:
One thing, the listing mentioned seals needed replacing I believe? If the 500ME is anything like the 500G/GX, the seals are a bit of a nightmare - the light seal is absolutely massive, covers a huge section of the camera. I'd budget for that replacement if necessary - $16 from Jon Goodman.
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I figured they'd probably need done which ever one I bought, the only ones with new seals tend to be the over priced speculative BINs. I didn't count on them being so big, I got seals for two om's and a trip for that...
 
steveo_mcg said:
I figured they'd probably need done which ever one I bought, the only ones with new seals tend to be the over priced speculative BINs. I didn't count on them being so big, I got seals for two om's and a trip for that...
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As I said, I can't vouch for how similar the ME and the G/GX is, but if they are the same, you may have this to look forward to!

00UimT-179637884.jpg


They are not any more difficult to get off, it's just a lot more of it than normal. The cut-out for the viewfinder window adds to the fun as well. This review described it as light seals "designed by a drunken carpet fitter"!
 
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That's a lot of foam!

From what I've been able to discern, they're basically the same camera but ME has an additional mechanism to cock the shutter allowing for multiple exposures. Not sure I really need that function but it might be nice to have.
 
steveo_mcg said:
From what I've been able to discern, they're basically the same camera but ME has an additional mechanism to cock the shutter allowing for multiple exposures. Not sure I really need that function but it might be nice to have.
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Seeing as the GX is basically an improved G - improved with multiple exposure, battery check and a few other miscellaneous things - I'm not sure what the difference between the ME and the GX is. This Flickr page suggests that the ME and the GX are the same thing.

However, this thread at RFF seems to suggest that the back door layout of the ME is simpler - you may be in luck!
 
A large compact:- Anyone want to borrow for a lifetime (maybe a work around the rules) a Minolta A5..just pay the postage as it very heavy and quite large. The rewind lever doesn't return so you have to return it manually, I've stuck a bit of plastic in the shutter button, so the shutter button depresses fully to trip, the range finder drove me up the wall trying to focus...but it works (well tested with about 6 shots) and takes sharp pictures (just not sure about the focus though and just can't be bothered as I'm a SLR man).

 
A GX I was watching finished for nearly a tenner more. So, assuming all works, the ME is looking like a pretty good price. I wonder if this is a case of the GX being better known.
 
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