Choosing a compact film camera...Gr1s, TC-1, T3, Hexar AF..?

[joxang]

Hey!

I'm going to Tibet and Nepal in summer, and while I'll be taking a compact digital Olympus E400 (with a zoom lens) as my main camera, I can't be bothered to lug my Minolta 800si film SLR + lenses around on foot for a month.

Im looking at at getting two high quality, compact film cameras off eBay.

The first choice I have to make is between the Ricoh Gr1s, the Minolta TC-1, and the Contax T3 (or any alternatives you may care to suggest!). I'm inclining towards the Ricoh, but is there (1) any noticeable difference in image quality between them in your experience and (2) difference in easy of use. Which would you recommend?

The second camera will probably be the Konica Hexar AF....I've been looking at getting it for some time. But silent mode aside, how good is the performance of the camera if you just use it in a normal (non-'covert') situation? What about compared to the cameras listed above?

Thank you!!

[nigelgray]

I personally have no experience with any of those cameras, but I have a friend who shoots the Konica Hexar AF. He gets incredible photographs from it and the lense is extremely sharp. Great for low light work and w/e else you use it for.

He shoots Leicas also and I believe the Hexar has become his camera of choice.

I've also been told it is the best of the AF rangefinders. Very fast and precise focusing.