Looking for a 35mm Camera: What's my best bet?

[Pastfinder]

I want to buy a good, basic 35mm camera. In short, not a camera that uses interchangebale lenses.

 

[jacob0401]

Originally posted by: Pastfinder
I want to buy a good, basic 35mm camera. In short, not a camera that uses interchangebale lenses.

so a point and shoot?

If so, Yashica T4, very nice optics (35mm, f/3.5). However, it is fixed focal length not zoom camera.

 

[lowtech1]

Originally posted by: jacob0401

Originally posted by: Pastfinder
I want to buy a good, basic 35mm camera. In short, not a camera that uses interchangebale lenses.

so a point and shoot?

If so, Yashica T4, very nice optics (35mm, f/3.5). However, it is fixed focal length not zoom camera.

Nice camera but over price. The olympus stylus epic camera uses the same lens as the Yashica & it is cheaper smaller with faster aperature @ f2.8.

 

[Pastfinder]

Cost is no major issue, I'm just interested more in quality of pictures over features.

 

[LS20]

Yashica T4 Super--the one raved about by photographers--is not being produced anymore.

Kyocera now produces a T4 Zoom with a lens purported from the same company (Carl Zeiss) but I have not read of the verdicts on it... It is a zoom lens tho, so it wont be as fast, or as clear as the old T4 Super (as the old fixed Super had less elements)

Olympus Stylus Epic (f2.8 fixed lens) DOES NOT have the same lens as the T4--nither Super nor Zoom. Although it is still held in good regard for being a sharp, fast lens. Not the same as on the t4, however.

 

[lowtech1]

Originally posted by: Pastfinder
Cost is no major issue, I'm just interested more in quality of pictures over features.

The Stylus is about the best quality camera money can by because it is almost water proof compare to Leica or Yashica.

Both Leica & the Yashica lens uses Carl Zeiss lens, and the early Epic Zuiko lens (35mm @ f3.5) design was co design by Zeiss. And, the new oly 35mm f2.8 lens is the improve version of the old design.

 

[LS20]

co design by the same company is a farr stretch... as is "weather-proof" is far from 'water-proof'. you can snap a few photos when its raining, but you sure wouldnt want to drop one in a fish bowl.

i own a silver stylus epic qd

 

[lowtech1]

Originally posted by: LS20
co design by the same company is a farr stretch... as is "weather-proof" is far from 'water-proof'. you can snap a few photos when its raining, but you sure wouldnt want to drop one in a fish bowl.

i own a silver stylus epic qd

Welcome to the club. I own both the f3.5 & the f2.8, the I had the f3.5 in 1992 then gave it to my sister. I also owned the T4 for almost a year before I gave it to my now ex gf. And, I also own 5 diff Canons bodies from A1, F1, to EOS10s, and severals Pentax & Nikon bodies in the past. I also have the Mamiya medium format with 3 lenses. And did owned a Linhof large format for over 5 years.

Asfor the f3.5 lens, it was a colaborative work between Zeiss & Oly.

 

[Pastfinder]

Well, the Olympus Stylus cameras seem like my best bet. Since there are so many, which one do you all recommend?

 

[LS20]

you only want the fixed-lens (35mm) one because it has the sharpest lens of the family...

there's only 2 model, the black standard and the silver QD with date-imprinting. either is fine, and both are cheap... the silver is prettier