The Final Fujica's Film

[Andy Collins]

<p>I feel like a broken record saying "great pictures, Rick" but I must say it again...Great pictures, Rick! As you might guess, "Bi-Cultural" is my favorite but they're all good. That lens is certainly a keeper and seems to live up to the Fujica reputation. I'm looking forward to some of your future oddball acquisitions and hope that I can find a few myself to share. Thanks for another fantastic post, Rick.</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>The wind lever is on the base, and the rewind is at a 90` angle to the film spool? A certainly odd placing of both? But a sweet looking mint machine. They must have amazing yard sales in NZ?</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Rick,</p>

<p>Another great post. I will miss the Fujinons.</p>

<p>I found a test of the 35-ML in Modern Photography. They liked it.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>I also found a full page ad in Popular Photography Dec. 1958.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Thank you <strong>Marc</strong>, both for the praise and you usual contribution. I think perhaps I should contact you when I'm putting this nonsense together, and arrange to include some of the material from your collection in the actual post. I have a couple of those little wrist-straps mentioned as accessories in the ad, and very nice they are, too. Please keep saying it, <strong>Andy</strong>, I need all the encouragement I can get! I'm looking forward to your posting some material from your recent acquisitions. Hope the Canon problem was resolved....</p>

<p><strong>Steve</strong>, it is an unusual design, but I think I'd say "innovative" rather than "odd"...The bottom wind is not uncommon and works really well, right where your thumb can find it. As for the rewind, I read somewhere that the designers just wanted to keep the top deck as clear as possible, and it's a geared unit that performs admirably. We call yard sales "garage sales", 'cos that's usually where they take place, and they are a little dangerous...</p>

[joe_dahlgren]

<p>I have one of these Fujica 35-ML that looks like it has been used a few times and then put away.<br>

Trouble is, although the shutter speeds sound like they are all working, only two of the shutter blades close. The shutter works but only two blades open and close, the others must be stuck inside. The aperture and the two shutter blades have a slight discoloration in between them.<br>

Do you think this camera is worth fixing? Does this sound like a major problem or just from lack of use. Thank you.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p><strong>Joe</strong>, it's worth making an attempt to fix it. The usual home-grown remedy is to remove one of the lens units and carefully place a drop or two of lighter fluid on the shutter blades, and fire the shutter until the blades loosen up. Tons of advice available if you search for "fixing sticky shutter" or somesuch on the Net. The front lens unit of the Fujinon lens screws out by using a rubber friction tool on the black bezel with the lettering that surrounds the front element.</p>

[joe_dahlgren]

<p>Hi Rick,<br>

Thank you for replying. I like this camera and would like to use it. From looking around the net it is an F2 version.<br>

I got it at a camera show today and didn't notice that only two of the shutter blades work till I got home in better light. The shutter speeds sounded good and it in looked pretty good condition so I bought it..........<br>

I have looked around the net for disasembly instructions, and I did find a web site that I had to use Google Translate to go from Japanese to English. I find it very confusing, but I think they are saying to remove the bezel first, then the silver ring, then the flat metal piece. Here is the link:<br>

<a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsendai.cool.ne.jp%2Fayanoshippo%2Frestoa_14.html">http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsendai.cool.ne.jp%2Fayanoshippo%2Frestoa_14.html</a><br>

Your thoughts?<br>

The problem with my camera other than the shutter blades, is that the bezel, the silver ring, and the flat metal piece that says Fuji Synchro MXL all turn with out unscrewing.<br>

Am I correct in assuming that silver ring must be held stationary while the bezel is unscrewed?<br>

On another site a poster mentioned that the flat metal piece on their camera was glued on. I am wondering if someone inadvertently unstuck the glue trying to unscrew the element by twisting the silver ring instead of removing the bezel first?<br>

I hesitate to get out the channel locks and go at it. I don't want to ruin the camera. I am not really good with delicate mechanical things. If this doesn't sound too serious I can take it into camera repair.<br>

Thank you for your help.</p>

 

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Hi Joe,<br /> <br />When the bezel is unscrewed, the front elements and the bezel should come out in one unit. I think the instructions on the site you mentioned relate to getting into the actual shutter mechanism, rather than just the blades, which should be accessible once the front element unit is unscrewed. I've never gone further into this lens assembly than to clean and/or replace a front element unit, so I'm afraid I can't help beyond that.</p>

<p>Try posting a query on www.kyphoto.com ; the nice people over there are super-helpful!</p>

[joe_dahlgren]

<p>Thanks Rick for your help, and the link to Kyphoto.com. I decided that I will not try and fix it. Looks like a nice camera though. Lesson learned to look at things in more detail in that rush to buy. </p>

 

[mike_pearson]

<p>Rick<br>

As a newbie to the forum, forgive me if you have answered this before, but what is your technique for photographing your cameras. I assume you use a digital camera, but the results are fantastic, reminiscent of the best product photographs. Is it daylight/flash/light tent, and what lens do you use (perspectice control?)<br>

I would love to be able to get the "feel" that you get in your shots of cameras.<br>

Oh, and the Fujica is cool. I never owned one. It reminds me a bit of a Konica 35 I had for a few years ( f1.8, selenium meter, built like a tank). Fujica were always considered what I think you Americans call an "off brand" in the UK, back in the 60's. If my memory is correct I don't recall Fuji selling film at that time in the UK market so there was no brand awareness amongst amateurs. Now and again they came up as special offers in the big chains, which I suppose was Fuji disposing of excess stocks. It was only when the SLRs started to come out that we got to see them in any numbers, and by then they were struggling to get any market penetration against the established brands. I have a Fuji loupe which I bought from the USA and it is every bit as sharp as my Calumet/Rodenstock loupe.<br>

I also had the Fuji DL P&S cameras ( 28mm fixed and 28-70mm zoom)which were probably the sexiest cameras I ever owned, with their titanium shells and sliding lens covers. They were real tactile, but I sold them about a year ago for far more than I paid for them - oh dear I feel seller remorse creeping on.<br>

Mike Pearson</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p><strong>Mike</strong>, thanks for the compliment. Having spent a few years photographing "small products", it's nice to take my time, setting up these shots. I'm a big believer in "one light" photography, and in the studio situation I'd use flash, consisting of just one big softbox and lots of reflectors. I'm not a great user of tents in that the results are usually a little bland for my taste, though they certainly have their place.</p>

<p>Natural light is still the greatest. I have a work place by a big north-facing window, ( the sunny side in our hemisphere! ), and can control the light with a venetian blind overlaid with white translucent blinds. The pics in this post were taken there on quite a dull day with no blinds; the colour temperature of the light is most reliable on a bright overcast days. The use of reflectors, usually just white, with smaller tinfoil reflectors for accent, and black "reflectors" to deaden areas, plus the occasional polariser, and that's about it. Most of my photography these days is on full-frame Canon DSLR's, and I often stick on an old M42 lens, just to add to the fun. These were shot using a Canon zoom. No perspective control, just small apertures. While photography by natural light is not really commercially viable due to the unpredictability of the light source, I really enjoy the feeling of being a "proper" photographer!</p>

<p>Interesting comments on Fuji. Their professional lenses have always been among the best, and they have a history of innovative products.</p>