h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

After a couple of poses (kind of difficult to pull off without four other metallic painted neoprene colour coded ranger suit clad friends), I launch my initial barrage. "You call yourself a Rangefinder!?!? You're as massive as my MF Nikon with a short normal lens attached! Rangefinders are supposed to be compact and discreet!!!!!"

All my potshots hit home but the Yashica just shrugs most of them off. With appropriate camera angles and audio echo effects, it screams, "YASHICA ELECTRO! ERGONOMIC ATTAAAACK!!!" and launches itself into my hands. It can be said that the Electro has the ergonomics of a brick. But come to think of it, a brick has pretty decent handling qualities that contribute to ease of use in its intended purpose (propping things up, holding doors open, or for throwing). It fills the hand well and has enough weight to let the user know that said brick is out for some serious work. Now, while the Yashica might never be called upon to perform any doorstopping duties, it does settle in my hands pretty well and does not feel like a plastic "instant entry into the artsy crowd" camera. And being as chunky as an SLR means that all the controls (on both the body and lens) are SLR sized and at easy SLR reach, with friendly and familiar throw and travel. As for being un-compact, the cheeky Yashica tries to counter by pointing out that compared to weather sealed, rubber armoured, mega zoom lens, vertical gripped "pro" DSLRs, it's virtually pocket sized (virtual pockets are slightly larger than pockets in the real world, of course).

As to being indiscreet in actual use, that has to be settled in succeeding rounds. I call this one a draw.