This Old Reliable Range-Finder
When it comes to choosing your first range-finder, I find it hard to not suggest a Canonet 28. It’s design is simple, high quality, ergonomic, affordable, and there’s plenty to go around. Packing a f/2.8 40mm fixed lens, this camera has a reputation for being a “baby leica”. Sounds great! What’s not to love about it?
Well if you’re a bit of a snob and know a thing or two about this line of cameras, you’d probably be quick to point out that the Canonet 28 is the little brother to the Canonet QL17 GIII (a visually identical camera that features a wider aperture f/1.7 40mm lens and subsequently more control over your photos). With a QL17, you get more control over your imagery, and it performs more like an SLR packed into the body of a rangefinder. For more on that, this guy did a great job comparing both models. One more thing I’ll add is you also get some flashier badges on the camera. So if clout is what you’re after, go for the GIII all day. But I digress, and argue that sometimes you need less to get more.
Some of my favorite shots from a trip to Collinsville, CT.
Buttoned up next to the Farmington River on Depot Street is the old Collinsville Axe Factory. Just up the road is LaSalle Market, which is a great place to stop for a bite to eat. They make incredible pizza!
The Canonet 28 is a range-finder to its core- the beauty of it is it’s simplicity. Most of the body on this camera is metal, giving it a very robust and capable feel to it. I suppose a downside to this is the heftiness to it. At 1.2lbs empty, this camera isn't light compared to others in its sector. So if you’re in the market for a super light weight range finder, this might not be the one. I tend to spin its weight in a positive light. It provides a more stable platform to shoot from, and is still contained within a rather small and ergonomic design. It feels good to hold this camera, and you can use it's weight to your advantage if the situation provides.
As for the quality of the images it takes, I’d say it does fairly well! The very first time I broke out this camera, I did so on a very bright and sunny day. I really don’t know how I managed this, but I forgot to bring a light meter with me. I can already hear you saying “But doesn’t the Canonet 28 have a built in light meter!?” and the answer is yes it does… I just managed to forget to put the battery in before I left for the trip. Somehow, I still managed to take a lot of really nice photos by completely guessing what to expose for. I think in part what helped the images was I shot on one of my favorite film stocks - LomoChrome Metropolis. It can be pretty forgiving, and even in times where you've totally botched a shot, the effect this film gives almost makes it look on purpose. That's a fancy and indirect way of saying I got lucky.
In that lesson though lies another perk to the Canonet-28, and that is it is a fully manual camera without a battery in it. You can meter and shoot your photos manually (if you’re smart enough to bring a freaking light meter). That idea alone isn’t unique to this camera, plenty of others can do the same. But because there are so many of these cameras out there on ebay (ranging from $30-$130) in the event where you find a model with severe battery corrosion, you still might have a functional camera. If the light seals are bad, just follow this guide and replace them.
Overall, the Canonet-28 is an affordable rangefinder that is robust and gets the job done. Replacement parts, or parts cameras are everywhere and can be had for a very cheap price. It's a camera you buy, throw in your bag, and can really tool around on worry free.
