msheppler
Established
Hello all,
A friend of mine is looking for a good quality p&s to take on his motorcycle trips. I have a yashica t4 that I love and I've heard good things about the stylus epic but unfortunately neither of these are readily available. I think a new camera would probably be the best for him but I'm at a loss as to what to suggest. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
A friend of mine is looking for a good quality p&s to take on his motorcycle trips. I have a yashica t4 that I love and I've heard good things about the stylus epic but unfortunately neither of these are readily available. I think a new camera would probably be the best for him but I'm at a loss as to what to suggest. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
The Epic is the go to P/S camera. Order at B&H NYC.
capitalK
Warrior Poet :P
Yeah, I love my Stylus Epic loaded with Ektar 100.
pagpow
Well-known
need zoom or no ?
msheppler
Established
I just searched B&H and it appears that it's no longer available.
msheppler
Established
A zoom and a non-zoom suggestion would be great. I would prefer a 35mm lens, but that's my personal preference.
Steve Bellayr
Veteran
Nikon L35 AF is another model. Olympus Zoom Quick Shooter AZ-1 35mm-70mm. Will need to try ebay. Olympus Stylus (Epic/Mjiu) first two models had 35mm fixed lens: #1 f3.5, #2 f2.8. Second is more expensive.
msheppler
Established
Looks like I'm going to have to go to ebay for a half way decent film P/S.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
Well the Olympus Stylus cameras (known outside the US as mju or mju-II) cameras came in zoom and non-zoom flavours. I have a Stylus Zoom 105 which I found not a bad travel camera when I bought it 12-or-so years ago when work sent me to Nebraska for 6 months. It needs bright light and/or faster film, though, as its something like f3.5 at the wide end to f6.3 at the long end (don't quote me: I'm working from memory). For many things I prefer my "U[mju:]-II" (equivalent to the "Stylus Epic" in the US) which has a 35mm f2.8 fixed lens. If you search for "Olympus Stylus" and "Olympus mju-II" on eBay you should find a few examples (I just did, and found a couple of the fixed-length ones from the UK and a bunch of zooms from the US, some new old stock).
...Mike
...Mike
fixbones
.......sometimes i thinks
Got myself a Mint oly stylus epic/MJU II about a month ago and the optics are top notch. Not to mention the size too.....
Mablo
Well-known
I have Mju: and Mju: II (Stylus Epic) and Trip among others. If I had to choose one for a travel camera I would take Oly Trip. It shares (afaik) the same lense with Oly 35 RC. I find Oly Trip easier to use than Mju: II and no batteries is also a big plus on the road. You can buy them refurbished in UK, just google 'tripman.co.uk'.
valdas
Veteran
I have Stylus Epic and Contax T2. Oly is true P&S and smaller than T2, but I like photo quality of T2 better and it has infinity lock plus aperture priority...
tpaana
Newbie
My recommendation is Konica Hexar AF. Some find it difficult to use, but I like it a lot. The IQ is excellent.
btgc
Veteran
In addition to Mju/Epic with 35/2.8 lens I'll tease you with Fuji Zoom Date F2.8 (aka Silvi f2.8 in Japan). It's precursor of Fuji Natura Classica with 24-50 lens.
pagpow
Well-known
Non zoom has been covered. Of the Epic and Yashica T4 (both good), I prefer the T4. Zoom, I am partial to the Minolta Explorer Freedom Zoom -- 28-70mm -- $12 on eBay last I bought -- and not unusual at that price. Meter good enough for slides.
wallace
Well-known
a fully refurbished Trip 35 will cost you some $60 at tripman.com.uk
excellent point and shoot, high quality 40mm lens, no batteries needed, very robust (much more than T4 and Epic).
wallace
excellent point and shoot, high quality 40mm lens, no batteries needed, very robust (much more than T4 and Epic).
wallace
Michael Markey
Veteran
The Trip looks interesting. I use a mju with a 2.8. Is there a Trip model which a fast lens ?I take it that non have metering of any sort.
Kent
Finally at home...
+1 for the Nikon L35 AF (fixed lens 2.8/35)
and the Canon AF35 M II (fixed lens 2.8/38) also is a great cam, you can even find a nice teleconverter for it.
Either cam can be found for very little money!
My zoom recommendation would definitely be a Leica C2 (with a Vario-Elmar 35-70).
And the Olympus AF-1 TWIN (with Olympus 3.5/35 & 6.3/70 twin lens) is some kind of compromise between a prime lens cam and a zoom lens cam.
and the Canon AF35 M II (fixed lens 2.8/38) also is a great cam, you can even find a nice teleconverter for it.
Either cam can be found for very little money!
My zoom recommendation would definitely be a Leica C2 (with a Vario-Elmar 35-70).
And the Olympus AF-1 TWIN (with Olympus 3.5/35 & 6.3/70 twin lens) is some kind of compromise between a prime lens cam and a zoom lens cam.
urban_alchemist
Well-known
If you don't need zoom and don't mind a bit of manual control, I can't really think of anything better than a good-condition Oly XA. 35mm, f2.8 (aperture priority), manual rangefinder focus and a spot-on meter - they are great cameras and super-cheap.
On the other end of the scale, there are the 'super-P+S's of the 1990s/2000s - notably the Ricoh GR1 series and the Minolta TC-1. I've got both (GR1s) and they are incredible pieces of kit - super-sharp lenses, great controls... BUT, you can by 6/7 good XAs for the price of a half-decent example...
Oly XA (Ilford Delta 100)
Minolta TC-1 (Kodak 400VC)
Ricoh GR1s (Ilford Delta 400)
On the other end of the scale, there are the 'super-P+S's of the 1990s/2000s - notably the Ricoh GR1 series and the Minolta TC-1. I've got both (GR1s) and they are incredible pieces of kit - super-sharp lenses, great controls... BUT, you can by 6/7 good XAs for the price of a half-decent example...
Oly XA (Ilford Delta 100)
Minolta TC-1 (Kodak 400VC)
Ricoh GR1s (Ilford Delta 400)
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
I'll concur with "valdas" that the Contax T2 has any number of advantages over the Stylus Epic. However, price isn't one of them (not that that stopped me!).
I guess terminology stopped me with the various XA and Trip options: I regard my XA as a fixed-lens RF, my XA2 as a scale focus and (AFAIK) the Trip seems to be scale focus as well. I was probably too focused on the "P&S" thing rather than thinking of actual utility. For the OP's originally stated purpose I'd probably perfer an XA if (1) his mate is happy with focusing the camera himself; and (2) a fixed 35mm lens will do the job he wants. If it were me, rather someone I was advising, I'd probably take two cameras: an XA and a Stylus zoom. The XA for lower light and a better lens and the zoom for some additional flexibility. But I'm thinking of really small cameras I already have. (In practice, with cameras I already have, I'd probably really take my Contax G2 kit with 28, 45 and 90 - perhaps less compact but I love those lenses, and certainly not a cheap option.)
...Mike
I guess terminology stopped me with the various XA and Trip options: I regard my XA as a fixed-lens RF, my XA2 as a scale focus and (AFAIK) the Trip seems to be scale focus as well. I was probably too focused on the "P&S" thing rather than thinking of actual utility. For the OP's originally stated purpose I'd probably perfer an XA if (1) his mate is happy with focusing the camera himself; and (2) a fixed 35mm lens will do the job he wants. If it were me, rather someone I was advising, I'd probably take two cameras: an XA and a Stylus zoom. The XA for lower light and a better lens and the zoom for some additional flexibility. But I'm thinking of really small cameras I already have. (In practice, with cameras I already have, I'd probably really take my Contax G2 kit with 28, 45 and 90 - perhaps less compact but I love those lenses, and certainly not a cheap option.)
...Mike
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