Patience is a virtue

Nh3

Well-known
Local time
2:51 AM
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
889
I needed a wide angle prime (Nikon). Preferably 35mm. Of course I could get the Nikon 35/F2 but that meant at least $200 and carrying another body as well.

At the same time I needed a small film P&S for those times where I want to be discreet and not use a SLR.

Unlike other times when I would just rush and spend my way to a solution, this time I waited... I needed the wideangle lens mostly for descriptive shots which meant, focus speed was not really necessary and secondly I realized that I needed the P&S mostly for daytime because I concluded that I won't trust any P&S for night shoots.

Anyway, after sometime I came up with an idea which took care of both these needs (or I think) and cost me next to nothing. I bought a Nikon L35 AF p&s and I'm picking it up tomorrow (its supposed to be in great condition but we'll see). Not only the 35/2.8 lens on this P&S is supposed be an excellent lens it also has a manual ISO setting of upto 1000 which is not bad. The lens on this little camera takes filters as well!

So, I got a great wideangle lens and a P&S which I can carry in my pocket and pull out anytime for that wide angle descriptive shot, instead of two SLRs, changing lenses and the weight. It also cost me less than $50!

Of course false economy can also be counterproductive but in this case the amount involved and the risk pretty much cancel each other.
 
It worked!

Untitled-711.jpg
 
I paid $40 for it. It came with a wideangle (28) and medium telephoto (75) lens that you screw on the 46mm thread on the lens.

Its focus is spot on, metering is excellent and it handles beautifully. I can also use 46mm filters with it and it has a manual ISO setting of 64-1000.

But best of all it fits neatly in my coat pocket and it has no shutter lag. And the 35/2.8 lens is excellent!

Untitled-417.jpg
 
its a good P&S camera but as with most P&S cameras, it's exposure meter is easily confused... both pics you posted appear to be underexposed by at least a stop or two (at least as they appear on my screen)... is there any exposure compensation ability on the L35?
 
I usually underexpose backlit shots when the foreground is not interesting. So, I metered for the sky and I like the result.

This camera has a small lever with +2 compensation for backlit shots.
 
I like the tones on both of those shots. I think you made the right choice in setting exposure. Looks like you have a goos little camera. What film is this?
 
I like the tones on both of those shots. I think you made the right choice in setting exposure. Looks like you have a goos little camera. What film is this?

Thanks, I think I got lucky with this camera.

The film is AristaII 400 (Agfa APX 400) developed in Rodinal.
 
those are nice pics. interesting camera.....

I'm really surprised how good this camera is. The lens is really sharp and contrasty and it meters through the lens. Focus distance is displayed in the viewfinder which is unlike any P&S that I have used.

This is the perfect camera for landscape, cityscape and descriptive shots of still subjects.
 
Back
Top Bottom