Are film P&S cameras just not for me?

[Monochrom]

Tvs

Tvs

Let me go again to the tvs...this are shots taken with a III at 30mm zoom setup...f11 with Bn400.

This show how good the tvs is and how good the beoon adapter for 1:1 ratio photogrphs can do with an m9...but this is not part of the post 🙂

complete picture

100% crop of left low corner...i think i haven´t yet reached my best using the beoon thou...and can you imagine with a 50 iso film?

I really think the TVs´s are better than T3 and so....simply because this cams have 3.5 max aperture and it´s only half a point slower than any of the fixed fl T´s!

I bought last week one tvs I at 77 usd...and even has the contax OEM lens UV filter...bargain?

BR 🙂

 

[JoeV]

When I had an XA2 I fixed a label to the top deck with the three focus distances. It was easy for me to estimate those distances, and I'd typically adjust my composition to fit one of the three. My car got broken into and the camera stolen, otherwise I'd still be using it. One of the best PS cameras I've owned.

~Joe

 

[pvdhaar]

Stylus/Mju I - SLOW and occasionally locks up and won't let me take the shot in certain situations. The turning off the flash every time kinda annoys me too

Is a "luxury" P&S the only way to go, or should I stick with small SLRs and RFs?

The whole point of P&S camerare like the Mju-I, is that there is no control; you compose, the camera does the rest.. Including locking up if you're too close to focus (0.35m/1ft for the Mju-I), or waiting for the flash to charge if required to get a decent exposure (too little light or backlit subject). This automation is what makes them P&S. If you're constantly battling that, then maybe P&S cameras are not for you; even in more fully featured P&S cameras, there's always something that's automated which at some point you'll want to override..

 

[Sid836]

When I had an XA2 I fixed a label to the top deck with the three focus distances. It was easy for me to estimate those distances, and I'd typically adjust my composition to fit one of the three. My car got broken into and the camera stolen, otherwise I'd still be using it. One of the best PS cameras I've owned.

~Joe

I have fixed a label with the three ranges at the back of my XA2 too. I take it out, open it, select a range and shoot. Everything comes out perfect. Occasionally when I forget to select a range and I am far out of luck, a frame or two come out blurred.
It is my favorite small factor camera for color film.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

With the XA2, XA3 and XA4 you have to remember up for landscapes or the infinity sort of setting and down for portraits.

The XA4 is unusual in that it shows 1.5 then 3 then ∞, only the 3 is in orange. But again it's up for ∞ and down for 1.5m.

Plus the XA3 and XA4 offer +1.5 EV for backlit scenes. I find that very useful.

As for the mju-I etc, you can use fill in flash for back-lit scenes.

The main point of them for me is that they are pocketable, cheap and fairly fool-proof once you've learnt their little ways. I'd like to carry the Contax Tix all the time but worry about knocking or dropping such an expensive toy. Luckily there's more usable P&S's out there than we need, we are spoilt for choice imo.

The main problem is the luck involved in getting a good one first time but a lot of us have managed it, even XA's in charity shops for pennies can be brilliant and Contax T's.

Regards, David

 

[jsrockit]

My issue with point and shoots is that I feel guilty for not handling all aspects of exposure.

Not sure why... nobody cares about this anyway when looking at your photos.

 

[GarageBoy]

I think I'm getting used to the Mju's lag- I think it's the camera focusing...
I got used to half press and hearing the camera focus, not having it focus when its about to shoot

 

[CliveC]

Not sure why... nobody cares about this anyway when looking at your photos.

Absolutely. Just a psychological thing.

 

[Ranchu]

The Mju II is much better than the Mju I, imo. You should try it before you spend a lot.

 

[pvdhaar]

I think I'm getting used to the Mju's lag- I think it's the camera focusing...
I got used to half press and hearing the camera focus, not having it focus when its about to shoot

Good! The Mju is a camera that really deserves trying out.. That 3 element lens is sheer magic when it comes to color.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

There's also the so called Leica mini and mini II range of very similar cameras; the Minolta Freedom Escort / Riva Mini, Panasonic C-625AF Super and Olympus Trip AF Mini.

Open the back of them and they look to me as though they all rolled off of the same production line.

They all do their job well and, if you like a little more control from a P&S the Leica mini 3 has EV adjustment of +1.5 stops and an infinity focus mode; both very more useful than the various flash modes that seem to distinguish the others. And it comes in a sort of Titanium finish with a nicer (wider) wrist strap.

But they are all f/3.5 and 34 or 35mm focal length except for the mini 3 which is 32mm and f/3.2.

Regards, David

 

[Rodchenko]

Hmm. I'm tempted to play with one of those now.

 

[btgc]

Good! The Mju is a camera that really deserves trying out.. That 3 element lens is sheer magic when it comes to color.

I agree both Mju I and II are good performers. Model I and II have 3 and 4 element lenses, accordingly. I mean 35mm non-zoom models here.

 

[Steve M.]

Buy a Retina Ia and a small hand held meter. Image quality will be very, very good They're small, simple, quality cameras that and will last a lifetime.

 

[Stuart John]

My Leica IIIa was my favorite point and shoot sadly the shutter is not light tight when winding anymore and is in bad condition around the laths. I took it apart to clean and lube it but alas I found what I feared to be true after developing the last roll of film I shot in it.

 

[kuzano]

The zones are easy if you do what I do.....

The zones are easy if you do what I do.....

Thanks
I need to remember the zones for the XA2
I sold my dead XAs for parts
I'm weary of the metering in older cameras, but otherwise, fixed lens RFs sound great

The close zone and the mountain zone (infinity) are pretty easy. On the middle zone, I carry a 20 foot tape measure (It's as big as the XA2). I have the subject hold the end of the tape, and I step back to my shooting distance. I look at the tape and set the zone appropriately. I look in the viewfinder, have the subject drop the tape end, which flies back into the tape measure on my waistband, and press the shutter.

I have only been cut two times by the tape swishing around on the way in and hitting me as it enters the tape measure.

After getting cut a few times, you learn the zones.

Carry bandaids!!!😱

 

[GarageBoy]

Thanks guys-Sadly, I never got used to film P&S cameras...
Loved the low key, "toy" look- but they're all loud and handle slowly
Back to the Panasonic LX7 for now

 

[farlymac]

If you can find one with good electronics, the Canon Sure Shot Classic 120 is a high end camera at a decent price. It has many controls, and even a "Personal" feature that you can program with your favorite settings. It's clad in an aluminum shell made to look somewhat like titanium, and the 38-120mm zoom retracts all the way into the body, for a nice compact look.

Just don't put it in any pocket where you might sweat on it, as all those little button switches are not moisture sealed. I fried my first one carrying it in my shirt pocket on a hot day.


Canon Sure Shot Classic 120 Front Closed by br1078phot, on Flickr


Canon Sure Shot Classic 120 Hidden Controls by br1078phot, on Flickr

PF

 

[taemo]

my buddy lent briefly lent me his Olympus stylus and didn't like it one bit.
I also always wanted a Contax T3, I saw one for sale at The Camera Store, quickly played with it and was disappointed.
I'm sure they are great P&S cameras but just not for me.
I don't like the placement of the small VF, I'm more used to RF camera and I view with the left eye.

the only exception is the Ricoh GR (digital) but only because I'm using a 28mm VF on it

 

[gb hill]

To really gain the full enjoyment of a P&S camera you have to have an affinity for enjoying snapshot style photographs. I love em.