Tiny pocketable rangefinder for 3200/6400 film

[drmatthes]

For the same reason, I placed a successful bid at the 'bay a couple of days ago for an Olympus mju-1. Not exactly a rangefinder, but a nice and small autofocus cam with a super sharp 35 mm lens and (unfortunately automatic) ISO setting up to ISO 3200. Should be ok for me as I love 35 mm. My parents gave to me a Minox 35 for my 14th birthday in 1980, so I'm hooked on 35 mm lenses simply because I've worked with them for some 25 years. Zoom is not my cup of tea, I prefer a well corrected lens that can be shot from the hip with my humble me still knowing what the frame probably will contain in the end. Cost me about 30 bucks if I translate it from Euro, so if it works, it will be fine for me.

Jesko

 

[amateriat]

Well, I classify myself as a photo grub. Got to try it all and as you can see i am a bit over the top with all this stuff. Thats not even all though. i also have 2 drum scanners, only one that works, Epson 4870 and believe it or not I am eyeing the V750 for some unknown reason.

Not unknown to me: with all those formats to support, that Epson seems a smart move.


- Barrett

 

[fgianni]

Waitaminute...how does the camera manage this with a Waterhouse-stop system of aperture control? Not saying it's impossible, I'm simply baffled (no pun intended).

I am not sure of the technical details, I can only cite the manual:

When the exposure value (EV) is over 11.5, your camera automatically sets a smaller shutter aperture. The reduction in the shutter aperture is called Automatic Aperture Priority COmpensation (A.A.P.C)...
...
When Aperture Priority Compensation is activated, 500 will blink slowly in the viewfinder.
The shutter aperture is not circular. When AAPC is activated the benefits of the circular aperture will not be realized at f3.5 or f5.6


So it looks like the camera has some other way of reducing the aperture (Shutter aperture sounds a very strange name to me).

 

[fgianni]

On the other hand if you don't need low light capability, and want to shoot ISO3200 film just for the big grain, you may want to consider a Minox with ISO400 film.

If you really want 35mm and use ISO3200 film in daylight, you'll end up using very small apertures most of the time, and at f16 even a simple meniscus lens is good, so any rubbish super-cheap camera is probably sharp enough for your needs, and at f16 is not really worth talking about Bokeh.

 

[amateriat]

I am not sure of the technical details, I can only cite the manual:

When the exposure value (EV) is over 11.5, your camera automatically sets a smaller shutter aperture. The reduction in the shutter aperture is called Automatic Aperture Priority COmpensation (A.A.P.C)...
...
When Aperture Priority Compensation is activated, 500 will blink slowly in the viewfinder.
The shutter aperture is not circular. When AAPC is activated the benefits of the circular aperture will not be realized at f3.5 or f5.6


So it looks like the camera has some other way of reducing the aperture (Shutter aperture sounds a very strange name to me).

This actually makes some sense: before posting my last reply I included a question about whether the shutter in that camera might have something to do with this function, but edited it out at the last moment.

I have a pro shooter associate who owns a TC-1. She mostly shoots wide open with it, and the bokeh I witnessed in the large C-prints she made (she had her own RA-4 setup for a while, don't know if she still does) was jaw-dropping.


- Barrett

 

[fgianni]

Actually now that you mention it of course it makes sense to talk about shutter aperture, I mean the aperture of the waterhouse stops can't obviously be adjusted, and of course you can't talk about diafragm aperture for a camera that has no diafragm, so it has to be something is the shutter.

Not only the bokeh is really nice, but the lens is really as sharp as anything you can get for an SLR. (but this is probably true for the GR1 as well)

 

[ywenz]

http://j-lights.air-nifty.com/blog/minolta_tc1/

The TC1 bokeh does look pretty look.

 

[dostacos]

Olympus Stylus 80

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_s...?more_info_lobby=1&p=11&sc=2&bc=4&product=943

Type Fully automatic 35mm autofocus lens-shutter camera with built-in 38mm – 80mm zoom lens
Film Format 35mm standard DX-coded film (24mm x 36mm)
Lens Olympus 38mm – 80mm zoom lens, f5.3 – f10.4, 5 elements in 4 groups
Shutter Programmed electronic shutter
Viewfinder Real-image zoom viewfinder
Focusing 11-point passive-type multi-autofocus, Focus lock possible
Exposure Control Programmed automatic exposure control, switchable from 2-zone light metering to spot metering
Self-Timer Electronic, Approx. 12-sec. delay
Remote Control (Optional) Infrared, Approx. 3-sec. delay
Flash Built-in flash,Recycle time approx.0.5 sec.– 6.0 sec. at normal temperature with new battery
Flash Modes Auto (automatic flash activation in low light), Auto with Red-Eye Reduction, Night Scene (max.shutter speed 2 sec.), Red-Eye Reduction Night Scene, Fill-In (forced activation), Off
All Weather Yes
Quartz Date Yes
Panorama N/A
Print Type N/A
Focusing Range Focusing range: Wide 2.0'(0.6 m) – infinity, Tele 2.6'(0.8 m)– infinity
Exposure Counter Progressive type with automatic reset, Displayed on LCD panel
Exposure Compensation Programmed automatic exposure control, switchable from 2-zone light metering to spot metering
Film Speed Automatic setting with DX-coded ISO 50 – 3200 film, Intermediate film speeds automatically set to next lower speed, Non-DX coded film and film with less than ISO 50 automatically set to ISO 100
Film Loading Automatic loading (automatically advances to first frame when back cover is closed)
Film Advance Auto frame advance
Film Rewind Auto rewind (auto activation at end of film or with rewind button)
Data Recording Data imprinted onto film from lens side; Data displayed Recording on LCD panel
Diopter Adjustment N/A
Power Source One 3V lithium battery (CR-2)
Battery Check Displayed on LCD panel
Dimensions 4.4"W x 2.3"H x 1.6"D (112 x 59 x 40 mm) excluding protrusions
Weight 6.4 oz.(180g) without film and battery
Data Coding Formats: No data, Year-month-day, Month-day-year, Day-month-year, Day-hour-minute
Calendar: Automatic up to year 2035

 

[fgianni]

http://j-lights.air-nifty.com/blog/minolta_tc1/

The TC1 bokeh does look pretty look.

OMG a black TC-1, I did not even know they existed, I want one (but probably can't afford it)

And is that G-Rokkor what I think it is? (again most likely out of my range of affordability) 🙁

 

[dostacos]

or the Stylus 100 Wide 28-100mm

 

[amateriat]

Olympus Stylus 80

Lens Olympus 38mm – 80mm zoom lens, f5.3 – f10.4, 5 elements in 4 groups

Oy...you almost need to shoot 3200 film behind a lens that slow. 🙁


- Barrett

 

[amateriat]

OMG a black TC-1, I did not even know they existed, I want one (but probably can't afford it)

And is that G-Rokkor what I think it is? (again most likely out of my range of affordability) 🙁

Holy....

Once again, it's only after the Titanic sinks that we find out what other interesting stuff was tucked away in the hold...


- Barrett (wondering aloud how many here would kill for that lens...)

 

[tammons]

Its amazing to me that such a plethora of P+S junk can be made with relatively few diamonds.

You think some company somewhere at some time would have built a tiny sharp 28-70 zoom camera, with aperture priority override with iso 6400 and a 1/2000 shutter speed.

 

[Kin Lau]

Its amazing to me that such a plethora of P+S junk can be made with relatively few diamonds.

You think some company somewhere at some time would have built a tiny sharp 28-70 zoom camera, with aperture priority override with iso 6400 and a 1/2000 shutter speed.

If you want a zoom, then it's a P&S or an SLR. If you're shooting a P&S, then it's likely a leaf shutter. I think there's only ever been one 1/2000 leaf-shuttered model out there, the Minolta V2 (a proper rangefinder too), and it was able to do 1/2000 by not opening the shutter blades all the way, only to f8 at that speed.

Even 1/1000 in a leaf-shutter camera is not common.

Otherwise, the best combo for small (not tiny) 28-70 & 1/2000 is an SLR. Some of the 35mm film slr's are quite small.

 

[nightfly]

If you really want grain, you don't necessarily need such fast film. It's more about the development and exposure. If you overexpose a nice grainy 400 speed film like Tri-X by setting the exposure to 200 and process it in something like Rodinal for more than the recommended time (try like 9-11 minutes) at a lower dilution, like 1:25, you will get a lot of grain. You can even try using somthing like Dektol to develop it. I've done a lot of this lately and you do get good grain. It seems like if you are looking for a camera just to get big grain, you are better off going with a half frame than an expensive point and shoot. Unless you want an expensive point and shoot. Also try over-sharpening grainy film if you are scanning.

Definetely get a hold of anything really be Daido Moriyama. '71 New York is insane. Totally inspiring. Shot on an Olympus Pen half frame. Also check out Ralph Gibson's work. Not as big, but very grainy and sharp. He shoots Leica and does the overexposure + Rodianl trick. There are lots of ways to get where you want to go.

Hope that is helpful.

 

[tammons]

If you really want grain, you don't necessarily need such fast film. It's more about the development and exposure. If you overexpose a nice grainy 400 speed film like Tri-X by setting the exposure to 200 and process it in something like Rodinal for more than the recommended time (try like 9-11 minutes) at a lower dilution, like 1:25, you will get a lot of grain. You can even try using somthing like Dektol to develop it. I've done a lot of this lately and you do get good grain. It seems like if you are looking for a camera just to get big grain, you are better off going with a half frame than an expensive point and shoot. Unless you want an expensive point and shoot. Also try over-sharpening grainy film if you are scanning.

Definetely get a hold of anything really be Daido Moriyama. '71 New York is insane. Totally inspiring. Shot on an Olympus Pen half frame. Also check out Ralph Gibson's work. Not as big, but very grainy and sharp. He shoots Leica and does the overexposure + Rodianl trick. There are lots of ways to get where you want to go.

Hope that is helpful.

Good response. I have played around with several 400 films including tri-x but just never came up with anything that gave me that thumping huge grain like delta 3200.

Actually i just bought a Contax TVSII for the second time. You know what they say about people that repeat themselves and expect different results, NUTS, guess
thats me. I also got a return policy on it.

At any rate i got a good deal on quite a few 30.5 filters, Deep red, ND etc so if i cant get that to work like I want, I will do something different. I really regretted selling the first TVSII I had. It was a very sharp camera.

I really would have preferred a tvsIII with the 1/1000 shutter speed. I found one that is a demo with everything box and all for a decent price, but that camera has no lens threads for filters, so you have to use a slip on adapter and remove it every time you stow the camera.

I will check out the book.

Think I am just going to go ahead and fork out for a half frame camera too.

 

[Avotius]

I would go with the ricoh too, got the gr1v and its an oustanding camera although you have to be a little slower with the autofocus because its hit and miss sometimes

 

[Rico]

http://j-lights.air-nifty.com/blog/minolta_tc1/

The TC1 bokeh does look pretty look.

Superb images on that web site!

Now I know why the TC-1 cost $1200 when it was available new: Waterhouse stops, and awesome 28mm lens. I enjoy my Contax T3 greatly, but that site clearly illustrates to inferior boke-aji versus the the TC-1.

The G-Rokkor looks awesome, too. 🙂