Andy Collins Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I honestly didn't intend to keep acquiring Fujicas (although I'd love to find a Compact Deluxe), but I saw this one and thought that it would be a worthwhile investment to see if the lens on it was as good as those on the 35-SE and 35-EE. This one's in excellent condition, complete with a working meter and very smooth shutter. It's a nice little camera with an automatic mode or full manual operation, albeit with a very limited number of shutter speeds-4 of them to be exact, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, and 1/250 plus B. It doesn't have quite the same feeling of solid quality as the Olympus 35RC, but it's close and looks a little more elegant with its timeless selenium meter. It isn't a rangefinder but a zone focus camera. I'm pleased with the lens's performance, but I still think that the lens on the 35-SE is superior to it, and to many others I've used, to be quite honest. If anyone has used one, I'd love to hear your opinions about it. In the meantime, here are a few shots I took with mine.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Collins Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Shot number one...<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Collins Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Shot number two...<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Collins Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Not bad results for the first outing. I think it may be a keeper, but I plan to use it pretty extensively and see what I can do with it. Thanks for looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subbarayan_prasanna Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Fuji made quite a few simple cameras. But their lenses were superb. I had a Fujica half- frame that made excellent pics. Though the body-mechanism itself was not long lasting. Your Sunset over the Pond is Superb. I am reminded of the old Exas and Werras from Dresden, which had limited shutter speeds but made excellent pictures. Hope some small manufacturers will some day revive that art of producing simple good cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_m Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 It's a nice looking camera but I doubt its performance is any better than any good rangefinder like the Canon QL or Olympus 35SP. You'd have to make very big scans or enlargements to really judge the lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Andy, Indeed, a keeper! It looks to be in very fine condition. I've shot recently two cameras with working Selenium meters on "auto" on purpose to see the results. I was pleasantly surprised! Both shots are very nice! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_lockerbie Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Never have used one Andy, but it's one purdy camera. I would be very surprised if it doesn't shape up well to the others. Your shots look good on the screen, so you may have to do some enlarging as David M says. You seem to have become a Fuji convert, hope thats' not my fault! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Collins Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 David M--I think it's a very nice little compact, capable of taking nice pictures as long as I do everything right, such as not shooting with the lens wide open; it seems a little soft at that setting. I don't think it's in quite the same league as the two cameras you mentioned. I don't have an Oly SP (yet!) but i do have the QL17 and consider it to be one of my best performers. The Fujica does very well though, judging from the photos I got back from the lab, so I'm encouraged to keep putting it through its paces. Chuck--Thanks for commenting. I'd love to see what you shot with your "Selenium cameras." Tony--I will do some enlarging to see exactly how well this one performs. And yes, it is your fault! I loved your review of the 35-EE and found the 35-SE right after reading it. That camera has become a favorite, and I love the 35-EE as well. I don't know that I'd call myself a convert--my Lynx 1000 is still at the top of the heap along with a couple of other cameras, but the 35-SE is right there with them. Looking forward to your June review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Collins Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 Subbarayan--Thanks for the nice compliment. I agree that it would be nice if a small manufacturer would make a simple high quality camera, but at a simple price that most of us could afford. We can keep hoping! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luis triguez Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Andy, The splendid pictures against the light demonstrate that the glass is excellent. In your case I'll keep her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_naylor1 Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hi, Andy I've got several Fujica 35mm cameras although I'm not really a collector of them. Folks just seem to think I am, and I've even been given some for nix - including a very nice example of the Compact 35 Deluxe you've been after. It must be a later model than your Compact 35 though, because it has a CDS meter eye above the relatively massive f1.8 4.5 cm Fujinon lens. I'd offer it to you as a swap for something of interest iin the Karat line, but the mailing costs to and from Oz of late have become horrendous. Maybe I should bite the bullet and actually use it rather than let it acquire dust on one of my Trophy Cupboard shelves. It's certainly a damn fine looking camera, although I never could get used to the thumb-gear focussing that Fujicas often have. (Pete In Perth) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralf_j. Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Nice shots Andy. The second one is perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Collins Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Luis--Thanks for commenting. I like it more and more, so I'll keep it. Peter--I really appreciate the thought. Unfortunately I've traded or sold all except one Karat, the Karat 36. I was never happy with my Karat IV because the lens seemed to always produce a hazy image with very little contrast, even after taking it apart and cleaning it. Plus, as you said, the cost of shipping would be outrageous from your neck of the world to mine and vice versa. I do want that camera, but it's pretty hard to find. Get your Compact Deluxe out and take some pictures to post for us to see. You really get used to the focus wheel pretty quickly, and it begins to make sense. Ralf--Always glad to hear your opinion; thanks for the compliment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekvonessen Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 I have the same model and use it all the time. It's a bit soft so I don't use it for anything but snapshots and walking down the street. It's dead quiet though and with zone focusing it's a great shoot-from-the-hip camera. It also synchs nicely with a variety of cheap flashes so it's a fun one to take to parties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_bancroft_arnott Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 <p>Hi Andy,<br> I recently acquired a Fujica compact 35 from a friend and I am really interested in starting to use it but I have a few questions (as stupid as they may seem) that I was hoping someone with knowledge of this camera such as yourself could help me with.<br> First of all it doesn't have an ASA setting for 400 film unlike all my other cameras? Is this bad or what?<br> Also how do I know if the light sensor in my camera is working and If it isn't, when I set it manually should the bars on the left side of the view finder move down to what I set the shutter speed, apeture to?<br> And finally is there any tips or anything someone that is new to this camera and doesn't fully understand it, like myself should know?<br> I really hope you can help me with my questions regarding my Compact 35.<br> Thanks very much!<br> John</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Moffat Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 My Father bought this the day I was born 03/10/1970 London. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Moffat Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 Ahh..still good looking after all these years 😉 Does the camera still work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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