suggestions for a *small* point and shoot?

[fotoobscura]

Afternoon.

I'm on the hunt for a small point and shoot that I can essentially carry with me all the time. Something wallet sized in thickness (height doesn't matter as much). I had a friend suggested the GR1 but these things are *really* expensive! I've been shooting my Rollei 35 but it's still a little too bulky to carry in a pocket all the time.

I'm ideally looking in the $100 range. Don't care what the frame size is, 16 or 35mm, or half frame, the look/style/color/coolness...the glass/output is what I care about. Obviously no auto-focus and a viewfinder/rangefinder would be fine. I'm really in it for portability and quality first. Ideally I could shoot up to 6400 but I can hack that in development if necessary.

I've considered rollei 16's.

What are your thoughts?

P.S. I'd be willing to trade my Rollei 35 for the ideal replacement.

[Peter Simpson]

Olympus XA1?

(thickish wallet...)

[pentaxuser]

How thick is your wallet? Mine is so thin due to hard times that only a digi phone might meet this requirement. If your wallet is very thick then a good number of the folders would meet your requirement.

pentaxuser

[jbrubaker]

Hi - Rollei 16 is a subminiature that takes 16mm film with auto exposure, so I don't think that fits your requirements. The Olympus XA model would be good - also one of the Minox 35 folding cameras. Both of the above are fairly thin and lightweight (primarily plastic), so they don't weight down your pocket too much. Both have good lenses! Regards ---john.

[bernard_L]

Olympus Mju-II (aka Stylus Epic). When I saw one at the charity for 3€, I couldn't pass it, even though I already had one. Excellent 35mm f/2.8 lens. Only gripe is the default mode at power on is auto flash.

[fotoobscura]

Ha! My wallet (at least full of business cards) is about 1.5" thick and about 4.5" long, maybe 3.5" wide. Will check out the XA1. Thanks!

[fotoobscura]

John,

Thanks! I'll check out the Minox 35 folding...Auto exposure is cool by me (I'm hand metering with my Gossen on the Rollei 35 so there goes my portability)..Good glass is key!

Hi - Rollei 16 is a subminiature that takes 16mm film with auto exposure, so I don't think that fits your requirements. The Olympus XA model would be good - also one of the Minox 35 folding cameras. Both of the above are fairly thin and lightweight (primarily plastic), so they don't weight down your pocket too much. Both have good lenses! Regards ---john.

[TheFlyingCamera]

If you don't mind manual everything, a Kodak Retina IIA would be awesome. If not, look at a Yashica T4. Terrific little camera with a Zeiss 35mm lens. Or a Contax T/T2. The T/T2 have full auto ( I think the T2 has aperture priority as well), fold up very compactly, and a brilliant Zeiss 35mm f2.8 lens. The T is more compact because the flash is detachable, much like the Olympus XA.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Contax-T-35m...item35c0be8b6c

Here's one that's not cosmetically pristine, but still in GWO, at a reasonable price. The T2s are selling for a lot more than you're looking for on Ebay, but that may not be an accurate indicator of real world price.

[troyholden]

+1 to the Olympus Mju-II (aka Stylus Epic). I carry 2 with me at all times (ASA 400 & ASA 125 or 3200). Very lightweight, fits into a hoody or jeans back pocket. I found mine at the local flea for under $10 each.

The auto-flash thing is annoying. Just remember to press the mode button 2x each time you bring it out to suppress the flash.

[fotoobscura]

I like the T35- (without the flash, at least). The price is awfully steep for a worn camera from 1984, but perhaps I'm drinking the wrong Kool Aid.

The IIA is a interesting little camera...However, I'm looking for a shooter that isn't quite that manual. Something I can spend only a few seconds to set up and take a shot...With that in mind my Rollei was quite manual and I could bang out a decent shot in about 5 seconds (of course I generally shoot 1600 at sunny 11/16's)

If I could get a compact camera that was AP like my Minolta AL-F I'd be in heaven! I'm more of a high iso shooter and flash is not mandatory..

Thanks for all the suggestions!...Checking all of this out..

If you don't mind manual everything, a Kodak Retina IIA would be awesome. If not, look at a Yashica T4. Terrific little camera with a Zeiss 35mm lens. Or a Contax T/T2. The T/T2 have full auto ( I think the T2 has aperture priority as well), fold up very compactly, and a brilliant Zeiss 35mm f2.8 lens. The T is more compact because the flash is detachable, much like the Olympus XA.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Contax-T-35m...item35c0be8b6c

Here's one that's not cosmetically pristine, but still in GWO, at a reasonable price. The T2s are selling for a lot more than you're looking for on Ebay, but that may not be an accurate indicator of real world price.