These are a bunch of old rangefinder cameras. What is a rangefinder camera? It's a manual focus camera that does have a viewfinder that looks through the lens like an SLR. It has a main viewfinder window and a rangefinder window. The rangefinder window covers only a small portion of the center of the image and reflects into the main viewfinder window. It is coupled to the lens so as you focus the "rangefinder spot" in the viewfinder moves in relation to the rest of the image. When the spot lines up with the rest of the picture, you're in focus.

Notable positive features to each camera are in bold, notable negative features are in italic.

Canon Canonet QL17 GIII









40mm f/1.7 lens
Parallax-corrected viewfinder frame marks
Light meter sensor mounted in lens barrel (to automatically compensate for filters, when used)
Shutter-priority automatic exposure mode, camera will not fire beyond limits of available auto exposure settings
Manual exposure mode, no light metering available though
Guide number based automatic flash control with Canolite D flash attachment
Canon quick film loading system
Battery checker near viewfinder
122 x 75 x 61 mm (WxHxD), 22 oz

Minolta Hi-Matic 11







45mm f/1.7 lens
Light meter sensor mounted in lens barrel
Full auto exposure mode
Shutter priority automatic exposure mode, camera WILL fire even if beyond range of settings in this mode
No manual exposure mode
Guide number based automatic flash control with proper Minolta flash attachment
115 x 77 x 60 mm (WxHxD), 17 oz

Olympus 35 RD









40mm f/1.7 lens
Light meter sensor mounted in lens barrel
Shutter-priority automatic exposure mode, with auto exposure lock, camera will not fire beyond limits of available auto exposure settings
Manual exposure mode, no light metering available though
Guide number based automatic flash control with proper Olympus flash attachment
114 x 70 x 57 mm (WxHxD), 17 oz

Yashica Lynx 14E





45 mm f/1.4 lens
Parallax-corrected viewfinder frame marks
Light meter sensor mounted in camera body
Manual exposure mode with meter available
No automatic exposure modes
Light meter readout visible in dark (has lighted display)
160 x 86 x 140 mm (WxHxD), 30 oz

To give an idea of how big the Yashica is compared to the others, here's a pic of it next to the Olympus which is the smallest of the group. But the Canon, Minolta and Olympus are pretty close in size, whereas the Yashica is bigger than the other three.

 

yashica is a funny name

 

never was a fan of minotla or olympus, because our manual slr crapped out so many times.
Canon.

 

sounds like a south indian chics name.

 

i was gonna go completely based on looks, but they all look the same.

 

Or a Japanese camera company. :dunno:
There are subtle differences. h:

 

the olympus is the only one with a black lens housing. get that one. JDM style.

 

Same here.

 

Leica > all other rangefinders

 

Leica = several thousand dollars
These = 50 bucks tops