Cosina SLR's?

[Ash]

Yesterday I bumped into a friend of mine, Lauren. Lauren had a semi-auto Canon, but since went digital - she wanted a fully manual SLR for university, having got VERY lazy with aperture priority etc.

We went to Peter Gilbert's (the vintage camera store I buy at), and chose her an SLR. She pointed out a heavy looking Praktica at £70 and I a Cosina CT-1 at £50.

I knew the Cosina was smaller, lighter, and cheaper - great deal. I actually fell in love with the camera myself. She bought it, a mixed blessing; that way I couldn't!


My Zenit is great, but dark VF, and heavy! So now I'm looking on the 'bay, and I can't see a single CT-1 in the UK that is simply in perfect working order with a 50mm lens and nothing else.


I'm after a light and compact manual SLR, any mount (pref' M42 or Minolta MD) that could match the CT-1, and is old enough to be at a good price. I'm not after internal metering, or anything of the sort, just wind on and cock the shutter, set shutter speed, and click.

I saw some other Cosina's but they looked like they were trying to be more advanced than I really want.

Any ideas??

Thanks all.

 

[Ash]

oops, I know the CT-1 is a PK mount, I simply meant matches the black, compact style, not the mount

 

[zuikologist]

Ash

I use a CT1 with the 40/2.5 Cosina lens. Not my favourite as the viewfinder/screen is not the brightest and the focusing aid is limited to microprism only, no split image centre spot. It is very compact and light though - not far off the size of a Bessa R. The body certainly seems very similar to my Bessa R. I use the never ready case from the CT1 on the Bessa.

 

[rover]

There have been lots of Cosina cameras.

The Camera Collector is another very good camera/photography forum on which you will find this list of Cosina and Cosina built cameras.

http://cameracollector.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=mslrs&action=display&thread=1127791910

 

[Ash]

well zuikologist, if ya fancy selling it, then pm me a price 😉

thanks for the link rover, any more opinions would be appreciated 🙂

 

[zuikologist]

Ash

I'll send it up - give it a try first. I'll send a PM.

 

[ErnestoJL]

The first Cosina SLR that I´ve seen was the Hi lite 1n 1969. Later it became the Hi Lite DL two years later. It was a simple "pentax clone" as was the Ricoh Singlex TLS, or the Praktica Super TL and some others with M42 screw mount and stopped down TTL average metering.
The old models are easy to recognize as they have (as well as the Ricoh Singlex) the shutter dial in the front of the camera, and all of them used the Copal Square vertical travelling FPS.
The viewfinder is a bit dim and there is no aid for focusing other than a microprism center and frosted glass focusing screen. ASA setting went up to 800.
At that time (1970), I choose the Miranda Sensomat because of some interesting features it had (removable prism, dual mount, and semi spot metering).
If you want a good SLR, try to find a Miranda G. It has mirror lock up, no meter (however there is a special one inside a prism assembly, dual lens mount (44 mm screw and four leaf bayonet), self timer and removable prism.
Besides, the Mirandas have the unusual feature of being a bit slimmer than other SLR cameras so it´s easy to find an adapter for almost any other lens make.
I have mine fitted with a permanent screwed adapter allowing me to use any M42 lens (of course in manual aperture only).

Ernesto

 

[peterc]

The Nikon FM10 is a Cosina camera as are several offerings under the Vivitar name.

Peter

 

[Abbazz]

Ernesto,

You could buy a brand new 42mm screwmount Bessaflex (made by Cosina) for $289.00, or a brand new K mount Voigtlander VSL 43 (also made by Cosina) complete with 35-70mm zoom for $225.00.

I you are interested in the similarities between Cosina CT-1 and Bessa R cameras, just have a look at this site.

Abbazz