what rf do you recommend for me? super low budget


yup FED can change lens, but the mount is LTM mount..
 

Ya. I meant im more use to shooting at 35mm and if I buy at 50mm, need to purchase the Jupiter 12 too. But im just nitpicking. Ignore me. Haha.

Anyway I like the kas and ql7. But will likely purchase the Kiev 5 as have a user willing to sell me now. Unless I find a kas3 somewhere.
 

I second the Olympus 35RC and the Yashica GSN.
Though the GSN cannot operation full manual and does not have a 35mm lens, its still an excellent performer.
The RC is small, goes full manual, and extremely well built.
 

Ya. I meant im more use to shooting at 35mm and if I buy at 50mm, need to purchase the Jupiter 12 too. But im just nitpicking. Ignore me. Haha.

Anyway I like the kas and ql7. But will likely purchase the Kiev 5 as have a user willing to sell me now. Unless I find a kas3 somewhere.

you can get jupiter 12 in contax mount too for kiev... and it's much easier (and cheaper) to get than the LTM mount version.

it's used to be 35 usd in mint condition, but now the price increased already :(
Contax Kiev-2, 3, 4 2.8/35 mm Jupiter-12 Mount Lens

I vote for kiev 4, with $250 you can get one body and two lenses (35 and 50mm), and turrent finder (quite difficult to find)
Kiev-4a Rangefinder Soviet Camera
Kiev-4am Rangefinder Black Camera
 

you can get jupiter 12 in contax mount too for kiev... and it's much easier (and cheaper) to get than the LTM mount version.

it's used to be 35 usd in mint condition, but now the price increased already :(
Contax Kiev-2, 3, 4 2.8/35 mm Jupiter-12 Mount Lens

I vote for kiev 4, with $250 you can get one body and two lenses (35 and 50mm), and turrent finder (quite difficult to find)
Kiev-4a Rangefinder Soviet Camera
Kiev-4am Rangefinder Black Camera

Once you are STRUCKED in Kiev mount (almost lone-island other than compatible old contax mount), you cannot maneuver or interchange, for FED you enjoy more varieties and even able to adapt your FED screw mount to leica system.
 

Once you are STRUCKED in Kiev mount (almost lone-island other than compatible old contax mount), you cannot maneuver or interchange, for FED you enjoy more varieties and even able to adapt your FED screw mount to leica system.

have to disagree with you. soviet LTM lenses are not 100% compatible with leica system either. the flange is different! they use the contax flange and only change the mount to LTM. you need to shim it to get perfect focus on leica body.

anyway you can buy amedeo adapter. saw raytoei's using helios-103 kiev mount on his m6 with this adapter, perhaps he can share how accurate the focusing with this adapter.
 

Personally, if you know you are in this for the long term, I'd go for the best my $$ can buy.
In this case, I'd say save up for a Voigtlander R2-4A/M series and get a good 35mm and you are all set for a long time to come.
 

See this thread about LTM compatibility and personally i tested most of my lenses to be working well except for J-12:
will LTM lenses work on FSU bodies - Photo.net Leica and Rangefinders Forum

i owned and used the m39 system
* 3 FEDs with many 50mm lenses, 35mm, 80mm, and 135mm
* Leica M3 with 35 and 50
* 3 different types of Canon m39 bodies with multitude of canon lenses
So far enjoyed their robustness, precision and of course great optics
 

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See this thread about LTM compatibility and personally i tested most of my lenses to be working well except for J-12:
will LTM lenses work on FSU bodies - Photo.net Leica and Rangefinders Forum

Well personally i also tested few FSU lenses on my leica and bessa body, most of them (j3, j8) are not working well. You're lucky guy...

Russian Lenses on a Leica- Computing the Shim. - Rangefinderforum.com
 

oceanpriest, i agree that there are greater variability in the FSU's QC depending whether they took vodka, i did junk or sold away some fsu lenses that weren't that good. Anyway fsu lenses are relatively cheap for experiment/test and higher availability online
 

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It is claimed that Picasso NEVER used the FED. True or False?
Anyone knows?

See below:
Picasso used a Fed 2 - Rangefinderforum.com

It was meant for a quick jest for introducing the FED (FSU), whether Picasso or not its really up to us and how we use it.

Since this thread started with a tone of budget with certain aspects and under this RF column, i thought that FED might be another candidate for consideration, given its largest system (lenses, accessories etc.) and most importantly they are meant for low budget.
 

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Poisoned by the leica recently but had another thread and am sure I cannot sell my 5dm3 for it as i like shooting landscapes and my kids.

Why so sure you won't sell your 5dm3? Don't speak too soon, you never know!!! :devil:

Anyway, I'd suggest break away from the earlier budget, just slightly north of 1k will get you a nice reliable Voigtlander body & lens set up. If you know you've already been poisoned by Leica *u said it yourself*, then its just a matter of time your resistance will be on the wane.....*sigh* but no worries, rest assured you'll definitely get a warm welcome into the wonderful world of RF! :)
 

Why so sure you won't sell your 5dm3? Don't speak too soon, you never know!!! :devil:

Anyway, I'd suggest break away from the earlier budget, just slightly north of 1k will get you a nice reliable Voigtlander body & lens set up. If you know you've already been poisoned by Leica *u said it yourself*, then its just a matter of time your resistance will be on the wane.....*sigh* but no worries, rest assured you'll definitely get a warm welcome into the wonderful world of RF! :)
i too started off with fixed RFs, thinking Leica is too ex... but once the poison seeped in, u can't run away... now i own some leica gears n continued to b poisoned!!!
 

agawads said:
i too started off with fixed RFs, thinking Leica is too ex... but once the poison seeped in, u can't run away... now i own some leica gears n continued to b poisoned!!!

Hahah. Poisonnnnnn.

But nahhh. I cannot give up my 5dm3 for any RF as i shoot landscapes wwith long exposures.

The BESSA is too costly for me. I much rather purchase a cheaper RF to 'playplay' before I dive into a leica. Hehe.
 

Hahah. Poisonnnnnn.

But nahhh. I cannot give up my 5dm3 for any RF as i shoot landscapes wwith long exposures.

The BESSA is too costly for me. I much rather purchase a cheaper RF to 'playplay' before I dive into a leica. Hehe.

Hmm... "landscapes with long exposures"
Do you know the FED allow you to use lens as wide-angle as 20mm, and furthermore "long exposure" can be achieve with a shutter-release-cable (cable release) bulb exposure? So i don't see why you couldn't take shots for "landscapes with long exposures" other than 5dm3
 

Why so sure you won't sell your 5dm3? Don't speak too soon, you never know!!! :devil:

Anyway, I'd suggest break away from the earlier budget, just slightly north of 1k will get you a nice reliable Voigtlander body & lens set up. If you know you've already been poisoned by Leica *u said it yourself*, then its just a matter of time your resistance will be on the wane.....*sigh* but no worries, rest assured you'll definitely get a warm welcome into the wonderful world of RF! :)

i am already contemplating to sell my 5DM2 haha... but cos i still find shooting landscapes with digital cam is more convenient (as in got preview from LCD) haha.
 

sinned79 said:
i am already contemplating to sell my 5DM2 haha... but cos i still find shooting landscapes with digital cam is more convenient (as in got preview from LCD) haha.

Yah. I agree. I think we're comparing different things here. Anyway, like said my ff is for other purpose and this RF I'm finding will be more for street. I am likely to get the fed 5. Thanks all for the recommendations.
 

Hmm... "landscapes with long exposures"
Do you know the FED allow you to use lens as wide-angle as 20mm, and furthermore "long exposure" can be achieve with a shutter-release-cable (cable release) bulb exposure? So i don't see why you couldn't take shots for "landscapes with long exposures" other than 5dm3

don't forget the reciprocity failure is different for each different film type...
 

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