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Favorite compact modern film camera


Andy Collins

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  • 3 weeks later...
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<p>Rick, that Fuji Tiara looks very nice. I checked on eBay just now there's one starting at $0.99. If I liked APS I'd make a bid.</p>

<p>I have a Stylus Epic (Mju II) and it's great (so far the only photos in my PN portfolio are from that camera). It was given to me by a nice customer at my work. I wish it had exposure compensation and aperture-priority metering. Oh, well, I can always get some DX strips from somewhere.</p>

<p>I had an Olympus XA. A couple of years ago I gave it away - I loved it but it was a bit fiddly. Overall the Stylus is arguably a better camera, even with its limitations.</p>

<p>Not a fan of that little Rollei. What am I going to do with a 40mm lens? Maybe it's just a hang-up.</p>

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<p>Actually the Rollei with a 40mm lens can be very useful indeed ( see my post at http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00YZKs wherein some examples of its use are provided).</p>

<p>I'd confess the Rollei 35 is my favorite as well, but it is worth noting that one of the last survivals of the grand marque Praktica is a compact P&S: The Praktica P90. It actually works quite nicely.</p><div>00aOq6-466951584.jpg.b8b6a15cb4e69c92ce10dbdbf8a002a8.jpg</div>

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  • 2 weeks later...
<p>Maciek, I cannot compare the two optics as Martin probably can, but when the f3.5 Tessar is closed down to f4 or f5.6 and smaller, it gives wonderful tonality with black and white film. Some prefer its quality in general use to that of the Sonnar, although it is nice to have a faster lens at times. I had the Singapore version of this ground-breaking (for its time) compact camera, but retired it (except for Kodak IR film use) when the meter became non-operational and the cost of repair too high (it is apparently difficult to work within such a small body and the camera was not made for easy servicing).</p>
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  • 3 weeks later...

<p>I was always looking for the answer to this question. I started with the Minox 35GT but no rangefinder. Then I moved to the Contax T2 -- beautifully made, great lens, but no manual focus. Finally I settled on the Leica CL. I actually bought a Minolta CLE but the cost was so high, I went with the CL and sold the CLE. </p>

<p>The CL had it all -- small, light weight (with the 40mm standard lens), superb images, great ergonomics, great rangefinder, and it used my Leica lenses. The only downside was the mercury batteries (which necessitated less successful zinc air replacements). Darn Leica for not carrying this idea forward to the modern age.</p>

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  • 3 weeks later...
<p><img src="img0054" alt="" />Hi, I came across this discussion while looking for some info on why my Nikon L35af will only focus at the infinity or distant mark, and nothing else. Everything else works, but it has been setting for a couple of years with no battery in it. Any thoughts? <br /><br /></p>
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<p><img src="img0054" alt="" />Hi, I came across this discussion while looking for some info on why my Nikon L35af will only focus at the infinity or distant mark, and nothing else. Everything else works, but it has been setting for a couple of years with no battery in it. Any thoughts? <br>

As far as one of my favorite film point and shoots, I vote for the Fujifilm DL Super Mini Zoom. An all metal camera with a clamshell design. It has a 28mm-56mm zoom similar to the Contax TVS. A lightweight easy to use with some nice features, and the lens is REALLY SHARP! I took this Vegas in 1998 loaded with some iso 1600 slide film and got great pictures. Had some type R prints made up to 16x20 with the usual grain, but they were so sharp I was amazed. I never hear much about this camera though. Must not have been very popular, or didn't sell well.</p><div>00aYUs-477863584.thumb.jpg.56e68066d63df2718448bbb4759cdedc.jpg</div>

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<p><img src="img0054" alt="" />Hi, I came across this discussion while looking for some info on why my Nikon L35af will only focus at the infinity or distant mark, and nothing else. Everything else works, but it has been setting for a couple of years with no battery in it. Any thoughts? <br>

As far as one of my favorite film point and shoots, I vote for the Fujifilm DL Super Mini Zoom. An all metal camera with a clamshell design. It has a 28mm-56mm zoom similar to the Contax TVS. A lightweight easy to use with some nice features, and the lens is REALLY SHARP! I took this Vegas in 1998 loaded with some iso 1600 slide film and got great pictures. Had some type R prints made up to 16x20 with the usual grain, but they were so sharp I was amazed. I never hear much about this camera though. Must not have been very popular, or didn't sell well.</p>

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<p>I like the Fuji DL Super Mini Zoom also. I got it to replace my Minox 35 GT-X which I couldn't get fixed properly. Couldn't afford the Contax and when I was buying, Fuji had a rebate on it so I think it cost me less than $150. I still have one that I dropped because of the slippery metal body so now the sliding lens cover is only attached on the bottom. Everything still works though. The zooming is a little noisy and there are too few distinct zoom settings from 28mm-56mm. I still have the nice marketing pamphlet that I picked up at a photo show for the Fuji. I bought one for my brother and he never used it so he gave it back to me. Now I have my beat up one and a barely used one in great shape. After I dropped my Fuji, I thought I could replace it with a Konica Lexio 70. It had a 28-70mm lens and nice specs but I don't think the camera nor the lens is as nice as the Fuji. I have a Yashica T2 that I bought new years ago but it must be malfunctioning because I haven't had good results from the last few rolls. I'm playing with a beat up Olympus Stylus Epic right now that I got for free. I may try to get my hands on a friend's Canon Classic 120 which I know he doesn't use anymore since digital. Wondering if any Rollei QZ 35's will show up at KEH or at auction. I wish the Contax cameras would get cheaper so I can finally buy one after all these years of lusting after them.</p>
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  • 1 month later...

<p>Nothing beats the Olympus XA. It is as small as a pack of cigarettes, has adjustable f-stops and exposure compensation, and the lens is sharp sharp sharp! If there is a better compact 35mm out there, I've never seen it.<br>

I've shot some images on Velvia 50 with my XA that you would swear were taken with an SLR and $$$ lens. <br>

Oh, and perhaps the most important thing: the shutter has an extremely light touch, which makes hand-holding in low light conditions with slow film a breeze. This allows for results that are simply not possible with the clunky shutter release on most compacts.</p>

 

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  • 4 months later...
<p>I like to use the Olympus MJU II, which does not have a very good design (eg shutter button or viewfinder) but excellent lens, and I have been testing other compact cameras film, such as the Olympus Infinity Mini (better design, but larger body) and the results have been very good ... as you can see on my site http://wesleysoupza.com.br/album_5.htm<br /> <br /> Wesley.</p>
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  • 7 months later...
<p>I have tried quite a lot of compacts. <strong>Big mini</strong> was not the 2,8 version and was so and so in sharpness, the <strong>Ol xa</strong> is very nice working with but will not get consistent results. I think i´ts due to film flatness problems. Maybe you should not rewind until taking moment but then the biggest point with point and shoot goes down the drain. Nikon AF 35 L very good but big (and noisy), the <strong>canon 35 AF</strong> also very good but you have to fool the metering when shooting in low light and also big. The<strong> Olympus SP and Canon Ql 17 </strong>is also too big but very good. If you shoot that big cameras then you could just as well (if yu have the money) get a Voigtländer or Leica with excellent viewfinders and quality and repair possibility and different lenses. The winner is <strong>Olympus stylys epic/mju ii . </strong>Just think if it had the non flash as standard and less noise for film advance and a hotshoe on top (the viewfinder is crap so a external finder would be great. If you are serious you could of course glue a flash shoe to the camera. The <strong>rollei Se</strong> is good but have fairly low contrast (like old rolleiflex). Also a bit fiddly to use. </p>
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  • 5 months later...

<p>I own several and still use them. (Not all of them at a time).<br>

MjuII = Extremely small, Good lens, Water resistant, Low price. A bit softer than Contax / Yashica in a tasteful way.<br>

XA = Small and nice clamshell design. Very quiet (no motor). Focus and control is pain. Lens is similar to Mju II, but softer, better color, darker corner.<br>

T4 T5 = Small and pocketable, Sharp lens, Water resistant, Terry Richardson looking shots especially with flash. A Hipster camera.<br>

T2 T3 = Great lens (T3 is sharper, but T2 has better color), rather large, square, heavy and expensive looking body makes me hesitate to put it into my pocket directly. I usually carry them in my camera bag. Those cameras can make that infamous Tillmans look.<br>

G2 = Heavy and large. The lens selection is nothing but unbelievable. I sold this camera and bought Aria instead.</p>

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  • 2 years later...

<p>Bumping up the thread...<br>

I've come to really enjoy my Contax TVS. It's tiny and very portable, takes filters and has its own tiny lens shade, and I've gotten some nice results with it. I took it as one of my cameras on a recent trip to Newfoundland, and just have a question (sorry if it's dumb)...I used some Ilford 400 speed film with a yellow filter, was I correct to put the exposure compensation at plus one? The camera doesn't meter through the filter.</p>

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<p>I just noticed this thread and thought I'd toss in my own comments and preferences.</p>

<p>The Oly XA -- I own one, complete with the A11 flash. It's a great little compact camera. I also own a classic old Trip 35. This is also a great little compact camera.</p>

<p>Minolta produced a long series of Hi-Matic P&S cameras. They're so simple, it doesn't even seem like they'd work, but they do -- very well. I've used the Hi-Matic 7 with surprising results.</p>

<p>The OP mentioned the Canon Classic 120. This is a beautiful, elegant camera and takes stunningly wonderful images. But there are other Canon compacts worth mentioning. Like the QL17 GIII, and the AF35ML. And if you really want to go old school, you have all the interchangeable lens rangefinders Canon produced throughout the 50s and early 60s.</p>

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  • 2 years later...

My favorite real user is still the Leica CL, with its 40mm Summicron jewel (and a tiny 90mm in my pocket).

It would be my Rollei 35SE if it had a rangefinder, or at least a really well marked distance scale, like the old Leicas. As is, it's virtually useless.

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I don't find -- even after all those years since this thread was first posted (2012) -- that the absence of a rangefinder on the Rollei 35 is a drawback, especially given the great depth of field of its lenses. Hyperfocal settings will normally work just fine, even if you don't find yourself able to estimate distances.
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Not modern in the sense of using plastics more in the construction but my favorite is the Olympus RC, compact, can operate with dead or no battery.

A couple of gripes; hard to grasp aperture ring, and silly 43.5mm filter size. I solved the filter size problem with a 43.5 to 43mm step down ring that stays on the camera all the time. This also works for me because I have a Pen F kit, and all the old Pen F lenses I have use 43mm, as does my Pen D.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Adding to what I listed back in 2012 I'd also include the Konica A4 (model before the Big Mini). Although not modern, I do tend to favor one of my Rollei's when I go out and don't want to carry an SLR. I have a 35, 35S, and B35. Although slow shutter speeds are limited, I find the B35 most useful to me because of its light weight and selenium meter.
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