OK - this is a sweet camera

..... haven't run film thru it. S'posed to be sharp lens tho. I'll post when I've got some shots. Bought around Dec. Been fooling w other cameras. Sitting beside me now. Patiently waiting in it's brown paper box. If I can find a digital, I'll post some shots of the camera and package.
 
I love the look of it. It's just sad they didn't spice it up with some kind of manual settings for dof control and such to make quirky people like me willing to pay 3x the price of the simple point-n-shoot it is underneath the classy costume.
 
I love the Olympus O, but that guy with that auction seems rather high on the price. You can find several of these in the 300-500 dollar range.
 
yossarian said:
I'm sorry not to have checked in sooner. Try KEH.
Click to expand...

Right , if you are looking for one I got mine at KEH for less than that. Check them if you want one. As an aside I have the O Product also. I think the O Product is cooler but this is a matter of personal taste.
 
Jacob said:
I love the look of it. It's just sad they didn't spice it up with some kind of manual settings for dof control and such to make quirky people like me willing to pay 3x the price of the simple point-n-shoot it is underneath the classy costume.
Click to expand...

I mentioned earlier I hadn't shot mine. However I would say that I purchased mine for the 'collectible' factor. I collect Olympus stuff. Not all but some. The lens as noted is 4.5 which is slow. If you want a user, I'd personally go look at other cameras which I would expect to have better lenses. Even for retro I see more interesting and less expensive cameras... say an Argus C4 or an Olympus XA?
 
Frank Granovski said:
It's nice looking but I don't know nothing about it. Is the lens sharp? 😎
Click to expand...
This camera was made in 1991, 20,000 units to be sold in Japan only.
A 20s retro design w removeable bottom, drop in loading like other Minolta AF, use a 2cr5 big battery.
It's a early auto-focus P&S, so motor's not too quite.
This is a very cute camera, what I don't understand is, at 48,000 Yen, Minolta put in a slow 35mm f4.5 on it. I can't find the lens layout, but by looking at the lens, I'd figure it's not a "Pro" lens but rather early 90ish regular Minolta P&S. A Fuji Klasse 38/2.6 was priced at 89,000 Yen. My Fuji DL Mini-zoom at 50,000 Yen, GR-1V at 98,000 Yen and 35Ti at 125,000 Yen( 1 dollar = 116 Yen).
This camera feels very much like the Hexar Silver only lighter. Original Hexar was out in 92 also uses 2cr5 so you can see some resemblence.
Street price is around $150, so not really a "collector's item", yet.
Even at $150, I hate to find out later that if the lens is consumer grade and not even comes close to the 32mm f3.5, 6-element Canon lens on my WP-1... I'll be mad that it's a souvenir after all, even it looks so "Pro..d".
 
Taipei-metro said:
This is a very cute camera, what I don't understand is, at 48,000 Yen, Minolta put in a slow 35mm f4.5 on it. ".
Click to expand...


Using a 4,5/35mm would make the 'retro' feel complete. Most cameras from the the period which the Product-20 tried to emulate used not-too-fast anastigmats within the f/3,5 to f/6,3 range.

Jay
 
jan normandale said:
Right , if you are looking for one I got mine at KEH for less than that. Check them if you want one. As an aside I have the O Product also. I think the O Product is cooler but this is a matter of personal taste.
Click to expand...

Whew! Thanks for mentioning this, Jan. I was worried you'd snagged the eBay one.
I shouldn't have doubted you...

Fred

ps--the O-Product is the ultimate, but I can't afford one.
 
ZorkiKat said:
Using a 4,5/35mm would make the 'retro' feel complete. Most cameras from the the period which the Product-20 tried to emulate used not-too-fast anastigmats within the f/3,5 to f/6,3 range.

Jay
Click to expand...
"Retro" here, was for the LOOKS only, not substance. There is no autofocus, no built in flash, no 2cr5 in 1920.
When I held the camera, I feel it has the "potential" to be a pro camera like the Hexar Silver. Later the TC-1 is also "retro" looking, again w slower then "usual" 2.8, w Rokkor-G 28/3.5. It's an excellent camera asking 148,000 Yen without an f2.8 or faster.
Minolta is now out of camera business, their "startrek" looking digital cameras, their awkward shutter position and looks of 5d, 7d. just can't compete w D50, D70s or 20D, 30D and Digital Rebels, XT. I'll say, Minolta's best looking design was the Maxxum 7, but they priced them much higher then the rival, also beautifully designed Elan 7...these all contribute to Minolta's market shrinkage...

For $150, w Prod's pretty presentation box, yeah...go for it.
 
Taipei-metro said:
"Retro" here, was for the LOOKS only, not substance. There is no autofocus, no built in flash, no 2cr5 in 1920.
When I held the camera, I feel it has the "potential" to be a pro camera like the Hexar Silver. Later the TC-1 is also "retro" looking, again w slower then "usual" 2.8, w Rokkor-G 28/3.5. It's an excellent camera asking 148,000 Yen without an f2.8 or faster.
.
Click to expand...


The illusion is only going to take it as far. If a real 1920s camera which did not have flash, one which focused automatically and ran on clockwork rather than lithium batteries, were made by Minolta instead, camera would cost much much more. Start with a retro shell, add a lens whose design dates from the early anastigmats, add a few conveniences like AF and flash, then you have a camera with art-deco industrial styling with late 20th century practicality.
 
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