$300 to spend on a film Point and Shoot - which one to get?

I agree with Nick and think the GR1s is the best choice ....also the Ricoh can still be serviced if anything should go wrong with it .... the Hexar is iffy and is known to have shutter problems eventually due to corrosion of the contacts of he shutter switch ...does not matter how good the condition of the camera is and can only be repaired by Sony Japan or DIY .
Here is a web archive link to a site about the Ricoh camera .....
http://web.archive.org/web/20080131215833/http://www.gr1.artsociety.net/index.html
 
@ChrisC - Yes. Several of the cameras mentioned have collapsable lenses. Although these represent the vast minority of film cameras. I stand corrected. However, I am of the dissenting - although 100% correct opinion, here that if the OP really, truly wants a "24/7 camera"... literally, a camera you always have with you, then he's better off with the S90 he already owns.

Not you, nor I, nor anyone else on this thread carries any of these suggested cameras around "24/7". You just don't. You can, I suppose, but you don't. There will be some intelellectually dishonest chap - I suppose, who will chime in and say "I have such and such film camera that I always have with me..." And they're not being honest. Digitals like the S90 (a fine camera...) are far and away the most practical option (and I know this from first hand experience...) for a true "24/7 camera" for the reasons I've already outlined. There is a difference between a "24/7 camera" and "a camera you take with you instead of lugging a bunch of lenses and gear around", which is the kind of camera everyone here is suggesting. The best option for a 24/7 film camera is the Olympus XA, which doesn't meet the autofocus criteria of the OP (another reason to stick with his S90) that I - of course, recommended.
 
I have Yashica 35 MC which I carry with me 12x5 as I commute to office....and I'm honest! Rest of time I use larger film RF and SLR cameras, that is, when I'm not sleeping in bed.
 
retnull said:
You might consider the Leica Minilux (non-zoom version w/ 40mm Summarit 2.5)...my first Leica, my first love. Veiwfinder is just OK, but the lens is really excellent. Should fit your budget.
Click to expand...

A great camera. Once I bought one (and sold it after) to climb the Mont Blanc with less weight. The pics are really awesome.
 
It's the new half frame...

It's the new half frame...

I've been thinking about this for some time. What would be nice would be the Olympus XA in half frame with a zoom lens... That would be nice to carry in your shirt pocket.

Then I realised that people might object to half frame because of the small negative (18mm x 24mm) and the fact that when the cameras are upright they take landscape pictures and vice versa. All very confusing, unless you take lots of pictures in portrait mode. The next thought was how strange it is that some small formats are respectable (Minox at 8 mm x 10mm f'instance) and others aren't.

So how about a campaign to see the APS as the new half frame? At 17mm by 30mm it's a bit bigger than half frame; there's lots of good and cheap serious cameras about and they are mainly AF, AE and so on. I'll still put my money on the Konica Revio Z2 which gives a zoom range that's the equivalent to 30 to 60mm on 35mm film. Plus the infinity mode, CW'ing AF, AE and +1½EV. The shutter runs from 2seconds to 1/500th and it's small and neat and easy to use. And a bit smaller than the XA or a lot smaller if you compare it with the XA and with the A16 flash fitted.

Just my 2d worth.

Regards, David
 
David Hughes said:
So how about a campaign to see the APS as the new half frame?
Click to expand...

There have been some nice APS cameras. However, APS is very likely to be the first current film format to be extinct - there already is a smaller choice of film types in APS than Minox film, and it might vanish ahead of pocket. Quality camera shops always shunned APS - APS gear and film mostly was marketed through consumer electronics stores, to a customer base which were likely digital converts, so that the demand now seems to be approaching zero. And as the usual analogue photography and film sanctuaries hate it, it will not have be a second life in the underground like more traditional formats.

Sevo
 
David Hughes said:
So how about a campaign to see the APS as the new half frame?
Click to expand...

Film. Which film are you going to use in APS camera? Sure, there are few emulsions available, though not as many as 135 film has. And main issue is B&W film, that is, lack of it for APS cameras. I'm not even speaking about APS bulk rolls!
 
ive been more than happy with my olympus stylus epic and I got it for 5 bucks on ebay. it has a 3.5 tessar lens while the epic infinity has a 2.8 lens and a much wider shutter speed range. you dont have to spend 300 on it for it to be worthwhile
 
sevo said:
There have been some nice APS cameras. However, APS is very likely to be the first current film format to be extinct - there already is a smaller choice of film types in APS than Minox film, and it might vanish ahead of pocket. Quality camera shops always shunned APS - APS gear and film mostly was marketed through consumer electronics stores, to a customer base which were likely digital converts, so that the demand now seems to be approaching zero. And as the usual analogue photography and film sanctuaries hate it, it will not have be a second life in the underground like more traditional formats.

Sevo
Click to expand...

Hmmm, well, I'll agree with you that there are some nice APS cameras about. I don't know what the situation in your country is (although I have visited several camera shops but only looking for Leica SLR stuff and B&W film in 35mm).

Here in England APS cameras sell for pennies. No one seems to want them and so my attitude is that when my film supply runs out and the local labs stop doing it I can either use a postal service (as I do with 35mm Ilford FP4) or throw the cameras in the bin (or display and dust them). If I threw my ones in the bin I'd lose far less than I've spent on postage getting a camera repaired or getting an estimate...

In the meantime, I'm enjoying having a small neat and very usable film camera I can put in my shirt pocket with a nice zoom lens and just enough controls to make it a serious camera.

BTW, I still haven't tried a Leica APS - I must get one somehow; perhaps the next time I'm in Köln I'll find one.

Regards, David
 
Last edited:
btgc said:
Film. Which film are you going to use in APS camera? Sure, there are few emulsions available, though not as many as 135 film has. And main issue is B&W film, that is, lack of it for APS cameras. I'm not even speaking about APS bulk rolls!
Click to expand...

Looking at 35mm film, in practice I use just four or five films and miss Agfa's B&W slide film. With APS I can use Kodak or Fuji for prints and that seems OK to me. I don't need a B&W film for a pocket camera and it would be a simple matter to "edit" a scan into a B&W print with the computer.

And I am managing OK with my 35mm cameras even though I can't get CT18 any more (sigh).

It would be very interesting to organise a list of films available and labs but I think I can cope with what I routinely buy in this country. Also discovering what's available in other countries makes me very envious.

And I'm often not sure about the provenance of films. Looking around in shops etc when I'm on holiday I've picked up Fuji Z200 and Kodak VR Plus and have wondered just what they are. Not that it's very important as the lab will affect what they look like more than anything else...

As for bulk film, I'm with you there; I can still remember the day I used the last of my bulk FP3!

But I don't see film costs as that important; repairs to cameras and postage seem to me the biggest waste of money. My film and lab cost are quite minor compared to, say, writing off a lens or two. Think elderly Summars and Summitars...

Anyway, APS was just a suggestion as people seem to ignore some very pleasant cameras that are being sold off very cheaply these days.

Regards, David.
 
Another one to consider

Another one to consider

May I add the Olympus µ [mju]-III series to the list?

You don't see them very often and I don't think that they were exported to all countries. Mine is very pleasant to use and turns in a decent picture. Not very wide at the widest end of the zoom but I've other cameras for extremes.

Regards, David
 
David, I judge from what I see - looking at fujifilm.co.uk I see only one APS film, that's ISO200 variety. Sure, there's also Kodak and after all, official site may not be baseline and locally you can get more emulsions.

Personally I see nothing wrong with APS as long as it serves owner's purposes. On flickr are people who just like APS cameras and happily use it (one has discovered that local lab doesn't develops APS anymore) so nothing wrong with format.

I have seen tempting APS cameras, but practically I don't need them - I have got some really small 35mm cameras so APS isn't too tempting for me anymore. Add here need to specially buy and scan APS film - I'm just too lazy for another format.

If I'd like to use APS then I'd leap right now as it seems last time for it.
 
btgc said:
David, I judge from what I see - looking at fujifilm.co.uk I see only one APS film, that's ISO200 variety. Sure, there's also Kodak and after all, official site may not be baseline and locally you can get more emulsions.

Personally I see nothing wrong with APS as long as it serves owner's purposes. On flickr are people who just like APS cameras and happily use it (one has discovered that local lab doesn't develops APS anymore) so nothing wrong with format.

I have seen tempting APS cameras, but practically I don't need them - I have got some really small 35mm cameras so APS isn't too tempting for me anymore. Add here need to specially buy and scan APS film - I'm just too lazy for another format.

If I'd like to use APS then I'd leap right now as it seems last time for it.
Click to expand...

Hi, I guess I'm lucky. I live in a small village miles from anywhere in particular but 5 or 6 miles away, in town, I've a choice of 3 or 4 one hour labs and one of them will do a CD of the film for a few pennies under £2. It's very usedful for cataloguing, despite being rather small at about one and a bit megapixels.

As for film, I just use the Kodak stuff but will probably stock up with Fuji as a lab in town is going more digital and will probably sell off the APS stuff cheaply (something I watch for).

I often go out with a few pound dead-weight of cameras and at times I lock them in the car boot and wander around. Then the APS (meaning the Konic Revio Z2) comes into its own as a small shirt pocket camera.

Here's a sample, taken this weekend, as I walked through the car park to get a cup of tea and came across some old MG's at an aviation meet.

999631816_fSXt5-L.jpg


I'm the first to admit that the OM2 or X-300 or M2 would have done a better job but I doubt if I'll want this bigger than A4.

Regards, David
 
btgc said:
David, I judge from what I see - looking at fujifilm.co.uk I see only one APS film, that's ISO200 variety. Sure, there's also Kodak and after all, official site may not be baseline and locally you can get more emulsions.
Click to expand...

One superb small APS camera is the Contax Tix.
An outstanding 28mm Zeiss lens and the usual Contax T class build quality.
I've not used mine for a few years, but I used to de-spool the APS film and print it rebate and all. It looked good.


For a brief period there was 100,200,400 and 800 ISO color neg. film from Fuji . They also did a E-6 slide film.
There was also BW400CN from Kodak ( I've still got 3 rolls of this left ) .
However the film choice now sucks - just ISO 200 color neg.
 
PKR said:
CK, I'm a follower of Penn's work. Over the years, while using his 8 x10 and 2 1/4 cameras, he did a lot to advance lighting technically. If you look at his early lighting, (1960-70) employing the grid-work of Ascor Sunlight Series heads; this became the modern soft box. I spent 2 years assisting one of Penn's former studio managers long ago. I heard many wonderful stories about Penn. He was a very creative and humble man. His last work, and especially the photo of his bedside lamp are of my favorites. If you want some insight into Penn, look at his self-portraits taken upon the death of his wife. Also, Avedon and Penn were good friends. Avedon also used a Mamiya C33 for some of his non Rollei work. As we know, it's not the camera, but the photographer who makes the image.. too much gear can easily get in the way of producing great photos. If you look at some of the world's best photographers, many used a minimal of equipment. Weston, Koudelka, HCB, Newton, Friedlander, Winogrand.. There are many who see cameras as more than tools, and I think it may get in the way of their making better pictures.
Click to expand...

Hey there, PKR.
I'm also a "follower" of Penn. Thanks for the notes about him. I agree with all you say. I never dispute that Penn was often at the forefront of certain processes and techniques, especially with lighting and printing. But, as this thread pertained to cameras, specifically, my comment was meant to convey that Penn/Avedon/et al didn't necessarily adopt the most current, most modern piece of gear just because it was current. Avedon shot with a closet full of old 2.8F Rolleiflexes and had to be convinced to 'updated' his wooden Deardorf with a Linhof. I imagine Penn was also similarly tied to the pieces he used throughout his career.

Didn't know/remember Avedon used a Mamiya. In addition, though, he did use a Nikon F-something on occasion, and i also saw reference to him using a Leica, but that may have been only a rare/singular experience.

I don't recall having seen Penn's self-portraits. I'm on the hunt for them now. Thanks again.
 
forget the fast lens, sigma dp1 is for you!! truly lovely black and white images, just like film! f4 does not make a big difference, just increase the iso 🙂
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom