[stevebrot]

I have a Zorki-4K somewhere, I don't know if the film advance was broken, but it was almost impossible to wind it on without stripping skin off my fingers.

Zorki-4K has a lever wind that should wind on pretty easily. That being said, I can think of many other cameras I would carry for travel before I would consider any of my FSU rangefinders. They are fairly compact, but not incredibly so. Here is my smallest FSU rangefinder (FED-2) along with the Pentax Super Program and Olympus XA.



The FED would be a little more compact with the tiny Jupiter-12 35/2.8, but the Super Program with a 40mm pancake would still be a MUCH more reasonable option.


Steve

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Last edited by stevebrot; 01-01-2014 at 04:11 PM.

[johnha]

Zorki-4K has a lever wind that should wind on pretty easily.

Thanks Steve (it was that long ago). Having thought more about it, it was setting the shutter speed dial that stripped the skin off my fingers (I didn't manage more than four shots in a row).

Regards, John.

[ChrisPlatt]

A Pentax M-series body with SMC Pentax-M 40/2.8 pancake lens is probably your smallest 35mm SLR option.
But if the camera is to be kept in a pocket something smaller and lighter is preferable.
I find small cameras far less burdensome for travel and daily carry.

There are plenty of compact fixed-lens 35mm viewfinder type cameras available, any of which will be smaller and lighter than an SLR.
Look here for a good overview: http://www.cameraquest.com/com35s.htm

Some pocketable 35's I have used and can recommend include:

Contax T
Konica Big Mini
Minox 35ML
Olympus Stylus, Stylus Epic, XA, XA2, XA3
Petri Color 35
Ricoh FF-1, FF-1s

The Contax and Petri are heavier than the other primarily plastic cameras.

Chris

[bucfan1234]

For me, it would be my Super Program. It is small, light, and meters nicely. The only downside for travel would be the electronic shutter. If your batteries die, and you don't have back ups available, you are out of business.

For a strictly mechanical option, and thinking of compact and light, I think I may have to choose my Zeiss Ikon Contessamat SE. The camera is small and light and has lever wind. It has a nice sharp 45mm F2.8 (albeit 3 element) lens, shutter speed to 1/500, pretty good viewfinder for focusing that displays your shutter speed, mine meters nicely and and it has an auto option for shutter priority. Even though I know its not one of the top Zeiss products of all time, I like the results I get from it.

The FED3 would also be a nice option with better lens options than the contessamat, but its not as compact, light.

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Last edited by bucfan1234; 01-01-2014 at 07:12 PM.

[arnold]

If you really want a light small camera with a good Xenar lens, and are skilled enough to forgo a built in light meter and range finder, then this may do you.[/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/aeomaster32/9426882686/]Retina 1a for your pocket. "Full-Frame" 35mm[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/aeomaster32/]arnold_broese[/url], on Flickr" target="_blank">

It's big brother has the rangefinder as well as a Xenon 6 element lens.
[/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/aeomaster32/9722913324/]Retina 11a from early fifties.[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/aeomaster32/]arnold_broese[/url], on Flickr" target="_blank">

[ChrisPlatt]

I had a Kodak Retina IIa for a time. It did have a very good lens.
However the viewfinder is so small it seems like an afterthought.

In addition weight was not significantly less than a compact SLR.
It could fit in a pocket but was not happy there due to its weight.

Chris

[Swift1]

It's all auto, but it's a superb little camera.
The grip/motor drive is an attachment that is slightly rare, quit noisy, but removable

[TaoMaas]

I forgot about the Pentax P&S film cameras. My ex had a WR90 that was a great little camera considering we picked it up for almost nothing. I got it for her to use for birthday parties and such, but I was always surprised at the pics it produced. We lost it when she walked off and left it in the stands after a football game.

[gofour3]

Yeah a P&S might be the answer. I have the Espio 150SL that has a 38mm to 150mm zoom and it take good pictures. The only issue is the zoom lens suffers from flare sometimes as there is no hood.

Phil.

[aremmes]

I forgot about the Pentax P&S film cameras. My ex had a WR90 that was a great little camera considering we picked it up for almost nothing. I got it for her to use for birthday parties and such, but I was always surprised at the pics it produced. We lost it when she walked off and left it in the stands after a football game.

The Zoom 90 WR is a fine camera indeed, but I'd hardly call it "little." It's wider than my K-50 and rather portly for a P&S, and won't go into a pants pocket unless you want to stand on the receiving end of Mae West innuendos. For the less than $5 that I paid for my copy, though, it does wonders.

[mrNewt]

Another vote for the ME Super!

[TaoMaas]

The Zoom 90 WR is a fine camera indeed, but I'd hardly call it "little."

You're right. As P&S cameras go, it was fairly large...but it felt small compared to my SLRs! It's all relative.

[Cuthbert]

You mention the Russian rangefinders, they are a fun camera, but not a great travel camera.
Film loading is a bit awkward, and if you lose the pickup spool they're useless. Not to mention that they're heavy, my Zorki4 is easily 50% heavier than my ME, physical size is about on par.
The Zorki4 isn't metered either.

You mentioned Soviet rangefinders, I have quite a lot of them, and if I have to choose one that would be the Zorki 6, not the 4K: the 6 is much smaller than the 4 or the 4K, it loads like a standard camera, it's as small as an MX, approzimately.

[johnha]

The Zoom 90 WR is a fine camera indeed, but I'd hardly call it "little." It's wider than my K-50 and rather portly for a P&S, and won't go into a pants pocket unless you want to stand on the receiving end of Mae West innuendos. For the less than $5 that I paid for my copy, though, it does wonders.

It is a great (and very useful) camera, especially when you want a robust 'all-weather' camera, but for travel it's probably a bit heavy on the battery usage front, and availability of the CR123s it needs might vary.

[Jacquot]

I agree with the ME/MX body with short lens of choice. I'm used to European narrow streets and interiors, and would be looking at the wide angle options, but wider apertures. I have a couple of 28mm options and the M24-35 zoom. Alternately are various rangefinder options. I've had few, but the best all around was a Yashica T4 Super. My wife had a Nikon automatic rangefinder from the late 80's that took consistently well metered photographs with a sharp contrasty lens with good color, and waterproof! I've been meaning to take it out, just last week I asked where it's hidden. She has an ME Super and I have an MX, both are great and compact. I never had a KX, but do have an LX now, and that would be my travel body of choice for the metering options. Much depends on what you will likely be shooting. Lens compatibility with digital body is a great plus.