What is your P&S of choice? Film

[skucera]

While not a pocket camera, my favorite point-n-shoot is my Olympus IS-3dlx.

I've grown to like it so much that gave away a Minolta Weathermatic 35DL to one of my daughters, and I sold my Stylus Epic. The IS-3 has a very good zoom lens, and with the big flash mounted and the on-board flash open, there are three strobe flashes to illuminate any scene, even some surprisingly long outdoor flash shots. It's really a lot of fun, even if it is more akin to carrying a full-size auto-focus SLR around.

Scott

 

[Phil_F_NM]

For the short time I had it, the Contax T2 was pretty dang cool.
I've owned three Nikon L35AF (or their later versions) and have gotten great results. Have one right now which is waiting to get into the rotation.
The Olympus XA1 was neat.
I currently have a Pentax IQZoom 140 which is really cool and I'll use till it dies.
I have my eye on a Canon Sure Shot 120 Classic but I've never used one. I like the metal build though.
While it may not be considered a point and shoot, the king of them all in my opinion, is the original Konica Hexar. Black, AF with silent mode. I miss mine so much.
There has never been anything really like it since and may never be.
I may pick up a Sony RX1 to fill the digital gap though.

Phil Forrest

 

[farlymac]

Promise ya won't laugh, please? 🙂 I know this is heresy to some.

For several years my carry-everywhere camera was an Olympus Stylus Zoom. I even bought a new one when the original one started falling apart, literally.

Then, maybe 8-9 years ago or so, I got a hand-me-down Kodak DX4530 {d-word} camera. Yes, the original owner "upgraded" to something with more megapixels.

I took a number of shots with it and discovered, surprisingly, that I liked it!

The one issue (at the time) was that I was told that the only way to get the photos from the camera to the computer was to connect this cable, wait, launch their photo-copy application, wait, wait, wait, select the photos I wanted to copy and hit the "copy" button and wait, wait, wait and wait some more for the actual copy.

Then I learned (maybe here, it was one of the other boards) that I could simply buy a SD card reader, take the card out of the camera, plug it into the PC, and copy in a few seconds!

As I shot it more and more, I realize I liked it more and more!

The pros of this camera are that it's small, but not too small to handle.

It has a real optical zoom viewfinder! I **NEED** a viewfinder. I just can't compose holding a camera out in front of me, particularly on a sunny day.

It runs FOREVER on one battery!

And (LOL) it's so low on the pecking order that NOBODY is gonna dare steal it! 🙂

I think it produces great photos! Really. I daresay that the color rendition is somewhat Kodachrome-ish (see below) or at least Astia-ish.

It's only 5 MP, but I think that it produces cleaner 8x10s than does the newer and fancier Fuji HS30, which, to me, anyway, looks a bit "rough" on sharp edges on a clear 8x10 print.

It has a small built-in flash that actually does a great job (see bottom photo) when there's not enough light indoors. I've used it on occasion as fill outdoors as well and that works fine too.

Would I do any serious work with it? No. Next question please. 🙂

It's still my carry-everywhere camera, even though lately I've been carrying around the new Fuji X-T20 more and more. It's larger and heavier but actually quite light and carry-able.

I saw a bunch of trash one day laying in the snow next to a local fishing spot, so I started to pick it up. Among it was a Kodak C713 Zoom. I took it home, and cleaned it up after letting it dry out some. Slipped a couple of AA alkaline cells in it, and went shooting.


100_0713 by P F McFarland, on Flickr


100_0715 by P F McFarland, on Flickr


100_0729 by P F McFarland, on Flickr

I gave it to one of my brothers (this was in 2010), and as far as I know, he's still using it. So that was my favorite "found" P&S.

PF

 

[David Hughes]

While not a pocket camera, my favorite point-n-shoot is my Olympus IS-3dlx.

I've grown to like it so much that gave away a Minolta Weathermatic 35DL to one of my daughters, and I sold my Stylus Epic. The IS-3 has a very good zoom lens, and with the big flash mounted and the on-board flash open, there are three strobe flashes to illuminate any scene, even some surprisingly long outdoor flash shots. It's really a lot of fun, even if it is more akin to carrying a full-size auto-focus SLR around.

Scott

Hi,

Those early Olympus bridge cameras are brilliant and dirt cheap. Plus they took them seriously and so there's a lot you can do with them if you've got the instruction manual. There's a wide angle converter for some models that gives you a 28mm wide.

Regards, David

 

[dmr]

I saw a bunch of trash one day laying in the snow next to a local fishing spot, so I started to pick it up. Among it was a Kodak C713 Zoom. I took it home, and cleaned it up after letting it dry out some. Slipped a couple of AA alkaline cells in it, and went shooting.

I gave it to one of my brothers (this was in 2010), and as far as I know, he's still using it. So that was my favorite "found" P&S.

IIAC that is the same series as the one I have, but without the optical finder.

I know people put down the lower-end digitals, but there are a few of them that perform surprisingly well and most definitely do not fall within the "crappy camera" definition. 🙂

 

[wjlapier]

I've used many of the Olympus zoom compact cameras and still think they are one of the better pocketable cameras with a great lens. This mju III wide 100 zoom is a recent purchase and I expect it to perform as well as the others I've owned. I purchased this one mainly for the 28mm side of the zoom.

 

[Swift1]

Thanks to u I bought one! Full set, like new. Put a roll of film thru it, put it away. Hard to use when I got a Rollei QZ. That camera is incredible, full auto and manual control, shutter speed up to 1/8000, lens matches up to my Leica 28 asph when I tested them side by side.

Prod 20s

I wasnt into the Klasse as from what I read you couldnt access the full range of features all the time - weird aperture/shutter speed thresholds and a meter that doesnt read below 4ev

Well, to be fair, comparing the Minolta PROD-20s to a Rollei QZ is a bit like comparing a 1989 Mazda 323 to a 2000 Mercedes S500 😀

 

[Huss]

Well, to be fair, comparing the Minolta PROD-20s to a Rollei QZ is a bit like comparing a 1989 Mazda 323 to a 2000 Mercedes S500 😀

Nothing wrong with a Mazda!

I love the styling of the Prod20, and will keep it around for non photo people to use as all you do is point and shoot as there are no options!

 

[Huss]

BooBoos approves of the Rollei!

 

[emraphoto]

BooBoos approves of the Rollei!

Interesting similarity to the new Zeiss offering

 

[mod2001]

BooBoos approves of the Rollei!

Ups, did you loose the lenscap with the remote release?

Juergen

 

[Huss]

Ups, did you loose the lenscap with the remote release?

Juergen

No I put that away. It fits so loosely that it would get lost, so I just replaced it with a $1 that fits much tighter.
It's the one thing that's nuts about this camera! Everything is so cool, but for some reason they could not figure out how to make a lens cap!

 

[PRJ]

The Ricoh GR1 was the best point and shoot ever made in my opinion, but they are horribly unreliable. I'd bet that in another ten years there won't be any that are working unless someone finds one in their grandfathers closet. The controls were perfect on it and it was small enough to put in a jeans pocket.

I have a bunch of point and shoots, but the one I find myself using the most these days is the Contax TVS. Little bit of zoom, but the lens is nice. Plus it takes filters, flash mode is persistent once set (no auto flash!) and it is made out of titanium. The viewfinder is nice too. On top of all that, they don't cost that much.

For the basic ones, the Mju II is hard to beat aside from the auto flash. It is fast and the lens is nice although they are starting to get too expensive for what they are. The Mju ! is a super steal these days. A little slower than the Mju II but the image quality is just as good. That will probably be the next camera to shoot up in value.

My nomination for best lens on worst camera is the Minox 35 EL.

The Yashica T4 is my nomination for the most overrated. I've had one since the 90s and it still works to it's credit, but other cameras are just as good.

 

[B-9]

Those Rolleis are really cool!

Some other Rolleis to look out for:

Prego AF (big mini clone)
Prego Micron (deluxe Ricoh R1s)
Z-Up 120 Zoom

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Don't rule out scale or zone focus compacts.
Many are nearly as fast to use as AF models.

Chris

 

[B-9]

I have one scale focus camera left, the Ricoh 500ST. Im not sure if I have ever put batteries in it.

Show me more photos! 😉

 

[LKSC]

I've had three Fuji Natura Blacks. It is quirky, but there is nothing like it, and it is accurate enough for slide film (in this example black and white slide).

 

[pvdhaar]

I've only had a couple of autofocus film P&S over the years; Leica Minilux, Konica Hexar, Olympus Mju II and Mju I. Only the Mju I has remained and is still used occasionally..

 

[Ste_S]

With the bottom falling out of the digital compact market and the prices of premium film compacts skyrocketing, surely one of the manufacturers must be looking at reviving a film compact model ? Ricoh for one must have looked at the logistics for re-launching the GR1 ?

 

[giganova]

The Olympus MJU II 35/2.8 is amazing: super tiny, has a bright viewfinder, turns on very quickly when you open the clam shell with one hand, has a flash, and the lens is absolutely outstanding!

I also have a Minox 35 GT-E and an ML, but they are not very reliable and turning the aperture and focus rings on this tiny lens is a challenge.

I did a little shootout to see which lenses are better.