Anyone shooting a truly Point-and-Shoot Camera?

nikon_sam said:
Tonight I was given a Yashica T AF (Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/35 T*)
....
Does anyone have any experience with this camera ???
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Unfortunately, mine were DOA. As far as I know Tessar optical scheme were used in many P&S cameras, though not many had T* coating, which is used on Zeiss lenses (and those made under licence of Zeiss). In fact T* means lens is multicoated. For P&S it's usually a good thing, because one can't attach lens hood, nor whole idea of camera provides it.
 
For the last few weeks, I've been head-over-heels with a p/s newcomer to my little photo menagerie:

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Contax Tvs

And, I suppose, I've experienced a bit of a sea-change.

When this camera first hit the scene, I sniffed somewhat derisively at it (of course, after going through several Minox ELs and Gs, as well as an Olympus XA, I sniffed at almost all p/s cameras for a while): such a slow zoom! But I hated almost all 35mm-based zooms, save for my Minolta AF stovepipes (28-70 f/2,8 G, and 80-200 f/2.8 APO, which I eventually also ended up hating for their sheer size and weight). The big issue was my hidebound prejudice against any film faster than ISO 160.

Let's just say that times have changed. My baseline color negative films (there's something else here: I basically ignored color-neg film until about seven years ago), as well as b/w films, are ISO 400, without apology. Things have improved that much, which isn't news to most people here. Now, the Contax Tvs has come into its own for me. I suppose, based on a few comments here and elsewhere, that the lens isn't the last word in Zeissness, but the images it has rendered for me so far have looked awfully good, even enlarged a good deal. Distortion, always a bugbear with me regarding zooms of any kind, is virtually absent here. The thing is also versatile and has fast reflexes, but the big revelation is mechanical noise level: low, compared to everything compact I've owned, short of my old Hexar autofocus, which means it's quiet enough to be quite stealthy in most any situation I regularly find myself in. It's now become my official tag-team camera alongside my pair of Hexar RFs, as well as my new constant companion, replacing my still-broken Ricoh GR-1 (which will eventually be repaired). Sometimes you never know a void exists until something comes along and suddenly fills it.

And, yes, it can fulfill the role of what I believe the late Herbert Keppler coined the pHd (Push Here Dummy) camera, if one wants, and sometimes I do want that. But it can be so much more, also when I want it.


- Barrett
 
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Yep - konica BigMini

Yep - konica BigMini

I think Konica bigmini qualifies? Not that many settings to fiddle with 😀

Her are a few test shots...

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I carry a Leica Mini-Zoom or Yashica T4 Super with me everywhere, depending on what kind of film I've got loaded in each camera, and what mood I'm in. I'll also bring one along to supplement my Bessa R3A for more serious shooting. They're also great for family outings/gatherings where you want to have a "small footprint," gear-wise. Both cameras punch far above their weight (The capabilities of the T4 Super are well known, but the Mini-Zoom is surprisingly good).

I briefly had a second-hand Contax TVS II, which died on the 33rd frame of my first roll (fortunately, the vendor took it back and refunded me). From my short time with it, it seemed like an excellent, very versatile tool, capable of producing stellar photos. Pleasure to shoot as well. I've considered selling or trading the Mini-Zoom and T4 Super to pick up another one.
 
My favorite, constant use, P&S is my Olympus Stylus (original mju) thanks to the combination of a nice sharp little lens, good accurate meter, and great carry everywhere form factor. I love one of my two Minolta AF2's. One is an outstanding picture-taker. The second one is ok. No great shakes. I also have a Nikon L35AF which is good camera for the most part; I have more unsharp pictures than the AF2.
 
Seems to me that a lot of cameras mentioned have too many controls to be true point and shoot. I'm with feenej and racoll in liking the Olympus Infinity AF as a true point and shoot. It has only four buttons: shutter release, midroll rewind, self timer, and focus lock. As stated before, it has a 35mm f2.8 Zuiko lens and is weather resistant (rubber gasket around door, etc.). This camera preceded the Stylus series of cameras. I think the design was an exercise in making an auto everything camera with absolute minimal controls. For example you can't even turn the flash on or off, the camera makes that decision. However, lest you think this camera was intended only for simple pictures, an auxiliary 1.3X teleconverter, an auxiliary close-up lens, and a date back model were all available.
 
I'm shooting a Rollie 35 AFM, a Rollei QZ 35T and a Contax T VS and occasionally a little Rollei Prego.

My wife has a little Leica P&S. Not sure which model.
 
Completely automatic? I use a Pentax PC35AF and Rollei Prego 30 sometimes.

There's a PC35AF thread here on RF with a bunch of sample photos from myself and others.
 
My GR1v bought from the classifieds a week or so ago arrived in the mail today from the US! (thanks Aaron, it truly is mint) 😀

This thing is SWEET ... after having a browse through the functions it seems simple enough and the manual for the GR1s I downloaded seems to cover everything except the camera's ability to over ride the DX reader and set the ISO manually which was what made me decide not to get the 's' after looking into it as it can't do this!

Can someone tell me if there is any other functions the v has over the s?

I also can't believe how light this little camera is ... the chassis is magnesium aparently!
 
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wow i never have thought about getting a oly styles epic until today, think i might track one down somewhere. i think i have passed a couple in the goodwill stores too...

i have a olympus xa2 and a yashica t4 zoom i picked up on craigslist for 20 bucks...
i love the t4 zoom the flash is super bright though the camera is a little slow in the night time...

yashica t4 and 200 speed dollar store film.

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yashica t4 and 200 speed dollar store film.

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I can't seem to walk out of a Goodwill or Value Village without taking some P&S (sometimes PoS) home with me. Mind you I've had some good luck over the years.

For truly point and shoot I'd cast my vote for the Yashica T4, I love shooting black and white with it, but the odd roll of colour goes through too.
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I really love my Contax T2 as well, though as some mentioned, it exceeds what I'd consider a point and shoot. I usually keep this thing stocked with Portra NC 160
http://nonothimtheotherguy.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/seattle.jpg

I've used an Oly Stylus and Styuls Epic, both great cameras as well, and considering you can get them for under $10 if you're patient with thrift stores, it probably has the highest performance/cost ratio out there.

For digital I've had a few of them too, though they've all had copious amounts of manual overrides. Currently I have an original Ricoh GRD which is pretty much why I don't shoot anything in digital these days.
 
C'mahn... ya gots t' have a point-n-shoot... For me, this is where digital comes in. Turn you nose up if you will, but I loves me my Fuji Finepix F20... STILL the low light/high ISO champeen (still the best non-DSLR ISO 800 out there at any price...) with an accurate auto powerful flash, f2.8 3X zoom, nice (to my eye) black and white mode (looks like Neopan to me), and a decent movie mode. And dirt cheap on the used market. Fits in your shirt pocket, with a flash.

I'm, as you know, a film guy but when it comes to point-n-shoots? When you're just trying to capture the moment with no fuss? Sorry, chaps, gotta go with digital point-n-shoots now that they've finally broken the ISO 200 barrier.
 
Nick: I sort-of grok your point. But when I got hold of my Contax Tvs (yes, search around...I've been talking like a fool about it), I couldn't shoot with anything but that camera for the better part of two weeks, and reminded me of what a good film-based compact p/s could do (this time with a zoom, of all things, but a good zoom). It's been my go-to grab-and-go camera since I got it from FrankS in April/May. Yes, I dissed the thing when Contax first announced it, but I'm a believer now.

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Rockefeller Center, September 2009

(Technical: Contax Tvs, fill-flash, Ilford XP2 Super)

- Barrett
 
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