These sites may prove to be of some interest:
http://www.photoethnography.com/
http://www.cameraquest.com/
My suggestions:
1. Yashica Electro 35 GSN/GTN, aperture priority, 45mm F1.7, needs batteries (4xlr44 stacked), common, with options for wide angle, tele.
2.
Canon QL17 or QL17 GIII, shutter priority, 40mm/F1.7, very compact, no need batts for full manual ops, common.
3.
Minolta 7S, full auto, 45mm/F1.8, no need batts for full manual ops, not too common. I read the Minolta 9S is better if you intend to use flash, but not tried it.
Lens wise, I'd rate the Minolta best at all apertures. Yashica also very good quality at most apertures, but you'll need to manually compensate for filters. Canon is soft at F1.7 (portraiture! But DOF very shallow), improves when stopped down a stop. Seems very sharp at F4 onwards.
I like the minolta best, personally, but if you need metering, the other two cameras are more flexible.
Some of the old cameras use 1.35v mecury cells which supposedly can't be found anymore. What happens when you use a modern, 1.5v replacement cell is that the shutter speed increases (i.e. you may lose up to 0.5 to 1EV). What I do to compensate is to rate the EI about 2/3 to half a stop more then the suggested film speed. Also remember each camera meters differently, so you'll need to learn individual metering characteristics. No multi-metering here, but still, you'll be suprised at the accuracy of the meters of these 20 year old antiques compared to my "modern" G1 or X700.
I got all the above about S$80, the Minolta 7S my wierdest buy, bought at USD10, postage cost more then the camera lol. Note that at clark quay there is stall selling used rangefinders, the pricing is crazy. I can get cheaper off ebay, but of course, you don't get to check the stuff off ebay.
Alvin
