Thanks again guys, I've been also looking around for the T2 and T3 and, even if small and light, they simply don't appeal to me as much as the Rollei. I have also considered the Konica Hexar (not really pocketable but w/ a beautiful 35 f2) and the leica Minilux (fantastic summarit 40 f2.4). But there's something about these Rolleis that keep me coming back. And I know that sooner or later I'll end up with one. It's just a matter of time. Has anyone of you used (read succeeded in using) an external rangefinder on the Rollei? By the way, nice shots with that T Carlos. flickr.com is packed up with amazing shots made with Rollei 35's regards, Juan 2007/9/26, Eric Goldstein <egoldste@xxxxxxxxx>: > > That's an excellent point. If Jerry was referring to the Contax T, T2 > or T3, I'd say the same about those cameras, too. Further, the Sonnar > on those cameras is excessively contrasty and not terribly rewarding > to print from... > > I know the XAs and while they are fine cameras, to say that the 35S/SE > and XA are comparable from f/8 on misses the point of shooting the > miniature format. I can certainly get good sharp focus on my 35 German > at f/4 and if f/2.8 on a Sonnar shooting close in is a problem, than > an cheap aux rangefinder on the hot shoe (hung upside down!) will get > you where you need to be. The focus travel from 3 feet to infinity on > the XA is about an inch and the focus patch is about as precise... > > I traded my user 35S for a beautiful German many years ago, and > speaking as a shooter rather than a collector/fondler, I'm sorry I > did. The Sonnar on that camera is really very exceptional... > > > Eric Goldstein > > -- > > On 9/25/07, Mike Kovacs <mskovacs@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > Very well put Jerry. > > > > I have a Contax G1 with its wonderful Planar 45/2 lens that I tend to > > use more often than my Rollei 35 these days, but I also have no > > illusions that this Kyocera Contax and Hoya Planar will probably long be > > relegated to the trash heap before my Rollei 35 quits! > > > > > > > > Jerry Friedman wrote: > > > I have used the Rollei 35S and SE and found them fine > > > cameras. But they are not light and convenient to use for a > > > variety of reasons well known to all. Most important, it > > > has no rangefinder and the 40mm lens does not really > > > compensate for the lack of focus imprecision. > > > > > > If you want a more convenient camera that is much lighter > > > and somewhat smaller and also has no rangefinder but is > > > much much cheaper, try a Minox 35 GT or later series such > > > as the ML. Same problems and strengths as the Rollei but > > > for less money and it is lighter and intuitive in use. > > > > > > If you want a small package and a good rangefinder, look > > > for the also very cheap Olympus XA. Again, similar quality > > > lens, very small and light package and it uses small button > > > batteries too. Wide open, the lens is not as good as the > > > Sonnar and probably equiv to the Minoxar. Closed down past > > > f/8 and there is little difference between the cameras. The > > > Olympus also has a very fine electronic shutter. And it > > > closes up inside it own clam shell case. > > > > > > Do not get any of the other Olympus X series cameras as > > > they do not have the same lens or the rangefinder. There is > > > an XA4 with a very sharp deeply wide angle micro lens but I > > > do not believe this is a flexibile camera. > > > > > > The best thing about an Olympus XA is that they are sooooo > > > available and for soooooo little money. You will buy three > > > of them for the same price as a Rollei SE. It is > > > polycarbonate and hence not as lovely as the Rollei, but if > > > you are going to use such a tiny image size and would like > > > any sort of quality enlaregement, Rollei design quality is > > > nothing when you can have a rangefinder and as good a lens > > > as well and all for one third the price. With available > > > cheap button batteries. > > > > > > But you really have not asked the right question at all. If > > > you want a small high quality 35mm and price is no object, > > > there are Contax autofocus cameras that will strip the > > > paint off of the Rollei 35. They are not costly, have > > > exceptional lenses and can even close focus to about 13 > > > inches. Indeed, Zeiss has produced a series of excellent > > > small 35mm cameras with excellent lenses. > > > > > > The Rollei is a landmark camera. It buried half frame and > > > submniature cameras......over 40 years ago. The Rollei TLR > > > of that age may still be hard to beat but the Rollei 35S or > > > SE is not. > > > > > > Jerry Friedman > > > > > > > > > > --- > > Rollei List > > > > - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > > - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > > in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > > > - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > > 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > > > - Online, searchable archives are available at > > //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > > > > > --- > Rollei List > > - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > - Online, searchable archives are available at > //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > >