Any premium Half Frame camera with full or AE Automatic?

[paniolo]

Hello Photographers,
after using several Olympus Pen F and Pen D models I would like to go a bit more automatic and would like to know your opinion and suggestions for a camera that features a AE or full automatic.

my main concerns:

1. AE or full automatic
2. Good, uncluttered, colour neutral viewfinder.
(The one of the Pen W/D models is very good.)
3. AF/motor drive would be nice, but not necessary
4. common batteries

Is there any beside the Olympus Pen and Canon Demi models I have missed? Half frame was very popular in the 60's and I am sure that anyone must have build one after their popular age.

Regards TK

 

[02Pilot]

Yashica Samurai. My Samurai Z at least is AE/AF, motor drive, and with lots of interesting capabilities (multi-exposure, timer up to 24hrs, etc.). Landscape format, unusual for half-frame. It's an SLR, 25-75 zoom lens. It's not a small camera, and not terribly common either, but it fits your want list.

 

[zuiko85]

@02's comment,
And here I was about to tell the guy there was no such beast. Completely forgot Yashica's contribution to 35mm half frame cameras. A half frame shooter from 1970, by the time those came out I was fully sold on Olympus and their Pen F system and manual (not EE, yuck!) viewfinder cameras. I do remember thinking at the time, 'bit large for such a small neg', although users seem to like them a lot.

 

[zuiko85]

Just remembered the Konica AA, a small viewfinder half frame camera, also in the landscape orientation. Auto I think but cannot remember the specifications, not a lot were sold as far as I recall.

 

[brbo]

I should have Samurai somewhere and I still use Konica AA. Both are FAR from being "premium" cameras.

I use them for this kind of stuff:

 

[Oren Grad]

Konica FT-1 Pro Half. Good luck finding one. Konica also made very limited runs of half-frame Hexar AF and RF cameras. Good luck affording one!

Re full auto, don't forget the Pen E series:

http://subclub.org/shop/pene.htm

May be difficult to find one in good working order, though.

EDIT: Of course, there's also the original Konica Auto-Reflex, which has shutter-priority AE. I had one for a while, found it big, heavy, loud, uncomfortable to hold, generally way too klunky to be any fun for half frame. YMMV.

 

[skucera]

I have a Ricoh Auto Half, and it seems to fit this bill except for the auto-focus. It is focus free, which isn't quite auto focus, but you don't have to worry about it being out of focus except for close-ups.

Oh, the Canon Dial 35 almost fits your bill too. It's auto-advance, but uses a CdS light sensor with a 625 Wein cell, which isn't available at every corner battery store. They're available on eBay, though. However, the Dial 35 does have a very nice viewfinder, and the pictures it takes are quite clear, with a bias for great depth of field, so no bokeh with this camera, or the Ricoh either.

Scott