Surely I'm not the only one obsessing over something new since September last year!!??
Quite content with my current MF collection, I have set my recent interests, OK, obsession, towards a new 35mm body of some sort.
I have a Yashica Electro 35, very happy with that and will keep it for times that I don't want to have total control....but I would like a fully manual 35mm setup.
I've often looked at Leica M2's and M3's but realistically, decent Leica M mount glass is a bit rich for me, so seems silly to spend out on the 'film box' if I won't be buying the lenses to match. Bessa R2/R3/R4 featured for a bit, but they are pretty much the same cost as an M2/M3 (albeit with a meter, granted) and back to the M mount lenses....
That steered me towards LTM. Namely a Bessa R, or maybe an L with the awesome Voigtlander 15mm!! I love the idea of a Leica iiif or even a Canon P, but realistically, a bright vf is more important to me than the classic looks as a camera that will be used!!
I got a little sidetracked with high end P&S (I was gifted a Canon SureShot Supreme, a half decent lens, but big, noisy and fully auto) - maybe a GR1S/V to complement my GR, or a Hexar AF - but they can wait until another time. I don't mind fixing things, but they all seem to have their common failures, yet still command top dollar!!
Nope, today, my current obsession is a Rollei 35!! I love the design and looks, I was always put off my the scale focus.
It dawned on me today that I actually like scale focusing! Often, with my Electro 35, if I only have one hand free I will set it to f/8, adjust focus to suit the range I'm interested in, and leave it!!
Granted, it's not ideal wide open at short distances, but I'm still intrigued!!
Any past or present owners on here? I have read a preference for the Sonnar for colour, and the Tessar for sharpness. The f/2.8 Sonnar appeals for low light, but maybe misses the point with scale focus!!
Any thoughts on fair prices for these, these days? They seem to be all over the place on ebay!