hal_hagan1

I have four cameras like the L35AF or L35AF2 which were also called One Touch in certain markets: http://nikonimaging.com/global/products/filmcamera/compact/1983-1989/l35af_l35ad/index.htm or: http://nikonimaging.com/global/products/filmcamera/compact/1983-1989/l35af2_l35ad2/index.htm - a small brick, very square, with a fairly simple passive autofocus and on-board flash. Everything about these cameras was driven only by the two AA batteries - there's no button cell to replace.

Whichever you have, you'll be pleased with the results from these little point and shoot gems - the lens is very contrasty and sharp. If you have the older version which accepts a filter, you can use the little lever next to the lens for +1.5 stop backlight compensation.

If it's neither of the above, then apologies - Nikon seems to have called half their P&S's either One Touch or Fun Touch something or other.

Trevor - Amazing shots from your old Trip35! I especially love the feeling of that shot with the fading flowers in the church window.<br> My father in law (rest his soul) left us his old Trip35, and I've shot a number of rolls using that. I had left it aside while I exercised my other cameras (collecting cameras is a serious illness with me) and re-found it several years later, with an exposed roll of C41 B&W film in it from a vacation we'd taken on Edisto Island, South Carolina. All the shots came out pin-sharp and perfectly exposed. Thanks for reminding me that I need to take it out for a spin again.<br><br>

As for putting almost ?700 into a Leica, why not consider doing what I've done - go barking mad and buy pretty much every camera you've ever wanted on eBay, at thrift shops, garage/jumble sales?

Four years ago I had a Nikon F60/N60 SLR, an old Nikon FE with a broken meter that I couldn't bear to get rid of, and my father-in-law's Trip35. <br><br>I now have well over 40 cameras, including Nikon SLRs, Canon EOS SLRs, Olympus IS/1000's "bridge" cameras, P&S cameras, Olympus XA/XA2, Yashica GSN/GTN/MG-1 Rangefinders, Minolta SLRs, etc) and the total bill so far hasn't come close to half of your ?700 Leica. <br>Some I've had to fix a bit (light seals and cleaning rangefinders, mostly) but I've picked up some new skills, and some of these older cameras have fantastic lenses (Yashica RF's, Olympus XA, Yashica T4, Olympus Mju-1 particularly).<br>

It's not for everyone, but I find it great fun; these cameras live on in good hands, continue to get used regularly, and I think of some of them as works of art in their own right. I'm never without a camera, and most of my collection won't cause me to go into a funk if they should be stolen or get broken.

You can also try 1) dabbing the spring surfaces with a little white vinegar on a Q-Tip, then 2) drying off the vinegar with a dry Q-Tip, then 3) rinsing with a water-wet Q-Tip and 4) drying again with a clean dry Q-Tip (repeat 3 & 4 a few times so there's no vinegar left). This can be especially handy if you've got battery acid residue on the spring (assuming it hasn't completely eaten the spring).

As for sanding, it can be really difficult to get sandpaper to the bottom of a battery holder, so try using the eraser on a wooden pencil (especially the more abrasive old white kind) but be careful to blow out the crumbs.

Cheers.

Ian - I picked up one of these robust cameras at a local thrift shop for literally peanuts, and was really pleasantly surprised at the sharp and well-exposed photos I got from it. The first roll was taken indoors at a local motorcycle show - lots of chrome and shiny painted gas tanks. There's some light fall-off at the edges of the wider-angle shots when using flash, and although the flash is fairly powerful, I wasn't expecting any miracles. All the shots came out fine.

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I've been really amazed at how well various P&S cameras work - many of them get a greater number of useful shots out of a roll of film than I usually get with my SLR's - some operator failure involved there.

So, yes, although this might be a rare bird by this point, there's one enthusiast getting good mileage from a Pentax Zoom 70 still.

Cheers - Hal