Fujica Compact Deluxe

[dennis_w3]

<p>A while back, I was thinning out my accumulated fixed lens RFs, and was down to three, but wanted to get to one. Choices were: an Olympus 35SP, a Canonet QL17 GIII, and a Fujica Compact Deluxe. I was discussing the attributes of all with another camera crazy guy, and he said, "keep the Fuji, hands down." The other two are now gone, and I threw the little Fuji into a bag when we went out to Cape Cod last week. A roll of Kodacolor 200 and a fresh hearing aid battery. This little metal box has a very nice 45 mm f 1.8 Fujinon, auto or manual (metered or not) exposure with shutter priority. I set it on auto with speeds between 125 and 500. Here's one, scanned with a Minolta Dualscan IV and Vuescan software. I think I like this camera!</p><div></div>

[andrew_spence1]

<p>hi Dennis<br>

I don't know much about 35mm rangefinders<br>

but that's a great photo, nice shadow details<br>

the water looks great <br>

regards andrew</p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Does look good, those early Fujis always had great optics....have fun!</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Nice results. Fuji did make some great rangefinder models. They even had a couple of half-frame cameras. Thanks for posting.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>That's a fairly rare camera, <strong>Dennis</strong>, a sort of little brother of the Fujica 35SE rangefinders I'm rather fond of. Great lenses, those 45mm Fujinon f/1.8's. You made a good choice.</p>

[Andy Collins]

<p>I had one of these cameras until a short time ago. I thoroughly enjoyed using it and handling it, with its bottom-mounted film advance and the thumb focus wheel, similar to the 35-SE that Rick mentioned (my favorite Fujica, actually). The lens is great and has much of the Fujica "wow" factor that the 35-SE has. I decided to sell mine though, in favor of the 35-SE but, as is often the case with me, began to look for another one recently. That's a very nice picture Dennis with beautiful color and sharpness. Please share more pics from your Fujica!</p>