jordan.dickinson
Jordan Dickinson
I'm a big fan of my Ricoh GR1V, but I'm kind of waiting for it eventually to give out on me. Nonetheless, it's a great little camera with a 28mm lens and it's tiny!
What is your P&S of choice? Film
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NickTrop
Veteran
Of the pure point-n-shooters I had (not counting the Olympus XA, which is a rangefinder), and I've had my share -- went through another "phase" donchya know -- the Ricoh FFs, Nikon L35AF, Yashica T3... Drum roll please??? The winner is?
1. Pentax PC35AF (the NON-M version, which has a motorized film advance/rewind). Why. Unlike most point-n-shooters (that don't cost a bundle -- the Contax, the Nikon Ti etc.) this one is built rock solid of metal. ALSO it has a cracking 35/2.8 Pentax lens, accurate auto focus, YOU are control of the flash AND -- here's the big one... It is manual wind. MANUAL WIND, which means...
- it doesn't sound like coffee grinder when the film advances so it can actually be used for street photography and candids. (Whisper silent shutter...)
- NO motors to eventually die.
The Pentax PC35AF is a professional point-n-shooter. It does have one slight niggle. It uses a round thumb wheel to advance the film -- a concession to keep the size down. This is also the smallest (and heaviest) of the point-n-shooters listed.
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2. Nikon L35AF -- same as above. 35/2.8. You control the flash, sadly has motor-driven film advance and rewind. However, it doesn't automatically rewind when a roll is finished, you have to flick a switch. Sonnar (not Tessar lens design -- but I couldn't see a difference. Truth be told I thought the Pentax lens was better). Also this lens vignettes. Filter threads! Very cool design -- quite Leica-like but made of pure plastic, unlike the Pentax. Has backlight adjustment button. Mine was $1.00 with a broken battery door, which I fixed. These are cheap enough and it's such a coo' camera that I'll live with the motor.
3. Konica C35 AF and AF2. This camera is of note as it was the first mass produced AF camera. Little difference between the AF and AF2 versions. Ticks all the boxes (see list below). Has an old school film advance. (The Pentax has a thumb wheel like disposable cameras...) Has a 38mm/2.8 instead of a 35mm. Built like crap but takes nice pics. Yashica (and Minolta iirc) made similar ones but they're harder to find. This is the cheapest option -- Konica sold a boatload of these things. Built like crap but takes nice pics.
For point-n-shoots I have come to insist on the following:
1. An f2.8 lens
2. A MANUAL film advance and rewind (Nikon the exception here).
3. YOU control when the flash goes off.
4. CHEAP (I DO NOT trust the electronics -- especially the motors, in these things. The electronics WILL die. The motors WILL die. These things are ancient by now...)
This drastically limits your selection. Drastically. The Pentax feels like a "real" camera not a piece of crap. "Somewhat" hard to find but not outrageously priced (at least mine didn't cost too much $40-ish I think I paid but that was years ago...)
If it doesn't tick the boxes above? Keep'em. Keep'em all. These are actually great little cameras. The Pentax is outstanding, imo. But the cheap Konica will surprise you. The Nikon is cool looking but doesn't live up to the "Pikaichi" hype.
1. Pentax PC35AF (the NON-M version, which has a motorized film advance/rewind). Why. Unlike most point-n-shooters (that don't cost a bundle -- the Contax, the Nikon Ti etc.) this one is built rock solid of metal. ALSO it has a cracking 35/2.8 Pentax lens, accurate auto focus, YOU are control of the flash AND -- here's the big one... It is manual wind. MANUAL WIND, which means...
- it doesn't sound like coffee grinder when the film advances so it can actually be used for street photography and candids. (Whisper silent shutter...)
- NO motors to eventually die.
The Pentax PC35AF is a professional point-n-shooter. It does have one slight niggle. It uses a round thumb wheel to advance the film -- a concession to keep the size down. This is also the smallest (and heaviest) of the point-n-shooters listed.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Nikon L35AF -- same as above. 35/2.8. You control the flash, sadly has motor-driven film advance and rewind. However, it doesn't automatically rewind when a roll is finished, you have to flick a switch. Sonnar (not Tessar lens design -- but I couldn't see a difference. Truth be told I thought the Pentax lens was better). Also this lens vignettes. Filter threads! Very cool design -- quite Leica-like but made of pure plastic, unlike the Pentax. Has backlight adjustment button. Mine was $1.00 with a broken battery door, which I fixed. These are cheap enough and it's such a coo' camera that I'll live with the motor.
3. Konica C35 AF and AF2. This camera is of note as it was the first mass produced AF camera. Little difference between the AF and AF2 versions. Ticks all the boxes (see list below). Has an old school film advance. (The Pentax has a thumb wheel like disposable cameras...) Has a 38mm/2.8 instead of a 35mm. Built like crap but takes nice pics. Yashica (and Minolta iirc) made similar ones but they're harder to find. This is the cheapest option -- Konica sold a boatload of these things. Built like crap but takes nice pics.
For point-n-shoots I have come to insist on the following:
1. An f2.8 lens
2. A MANUAL film advance and rewind (Nikon the exception here).
3. YOU control when the flash goes off.
4. CHEAP (I DO NOT trust the electronics -- especially the motors, in these things. The electronics WILL die. The motors WILL die. These things are ancient by now...)
This drastically limits your selection. Drastically. The Pentax feels like a "real" camera not a piece of crap. "Somewhat" hard to find but not outrageously priced (at least mine didn't cost too much $40-ish I think I paid but that was years ago...)
If it doesn't tick the boxes above? Keep'em. Keep'em all. These are actually great little cameras. The Pentax is outstanding, imo. But the cheap Konica will surprise you. The Nikon is cool looking but doesn't live up to the "Pikaichi" hype.
NickTrop
Veteran
Did I mention of all the point-n-shoots to get, The Pentax PC35AF is... hands down, bar none, THE one? Again -- the NON-M version of the camera only!
B-9
Devin Bro
PC35AF is a nice little camera.
They seem to pop up at my local thrift shops every so often.
Whats sweet is you can add the motor winder if you want! It adds a bit of grip as well..
But it looks like someone with a following found it just as nice. Prices are on the up with some asking 99$ or more.\
I wouldn't pay more than 20$ for one with the winder myself.
They seem to pop up at my local thrift shops every so often.
Whats sweet is you can add the motor winder if you want! It adds a bit of grip as well..
But it looks like someone with a following found it just as nice. Prices are on the up with some asking 99$ or more.\
I wouldn't pay more than 20$ for one with the winder myself.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
No Nikon L35AF has manual wind.
Phil Forrest
Phil Forrest
Spavinaw
Well-known
Pentax ESPIO 24EW is my zoom choice for the 24-105mm range.
Olympus Stylus Epic for single focal length usage.
Olympus Stylus Epic for single focal length usage.
blan01
Established
FUJI Klasse S, great camera, wonderful lens and the electronics are relatively new. It can also focus down to 40cm so you still get some bokeh. I got mine for a decent price, it is getting more and more expensive now, but I still believe it is a better camera and better buy than the contax.
If your are on a budget, get a Pentax PC35, I sold my contax T2 after shooting two rolls with PC35.
If your are on a budget, get a Pentax PC35, I sold my contax T2 after shooting two rolls with PC35.
DMA1965
Established
Rollei 35
Rollei 35
Any of the Rollei 35 cameras because once I get a meter reading I set it at f8 or f11 and if I set infinity at the f stop on the scale I essentially have a point and shoot camera from around 10 feet to infinity that has a wicked sharp lens, plus it is super durable, super compact, and does not rely on any electronics to take pictures. A CLA every 20 years or so and you have a great point and shoot for life.
Rollei 35
Any of the Rollei 35 cameras because once I get a meter reading I set it at f8 or f11 and if I set infinity at the f stop on the scale I essentially have a point and shoot camera from around 10 feet to infinity that has a wicked sharp lens, plus it is super durable, super compact, and does not rely on any electronics to take pictures. A CLA every 20 years or so and you have a great point and shoot for life.
littleearth
Well-known
The Contax TVS III. Great image quality in a very small package.
DougK
This space left blank
I have a Fuji Natura Black sitting on my shelf that I purchased new around 12-13 years ago. It's been my vacation camera ever since (when I don't take along a bigger camera). Fantastic 24/1.9 lens and does really well with B&W film. I should stick a new battery in mine and make sure it still works.
B-9
Devin Bro
I really want to try a Ricoh MF-1
Affordable compared to GR1 without as many problems but a slower 30mm lens larger body and awkward design. Count me in!
All this PC35AF talk has me itching to go on a thrift hunt!
Affordable compared to GR1 without as many problems but a slower 30mm lens larger body and awkward design. Count me in!
All this PC35AF talk has me itching to go on a thrift hunt!
gb hill
Veteran
I have the later One Touch version. The motor is a bit loud but has a good lens. As for older 80s 90s era film p&s cameras it’s the one I grab.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
NaChase
Well-known
I really like my Nikon 28Ti, though it is LOUD!
B-9
Devin Bro
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Scope79
Established
PC35AF is sweet little camera, but it beeps every time it needs to use flash (audible low light warning) I just couldn't get use to it so I opened the thing and disconnected tiny speaker inside, now it's almost silent camera
David Hughes
David Hughes
Is this the one? I left the price sticker on to make a point about something; I forget what...
Regards, David
Regards, David
Huss
Veteran
I dunno about super durable. They dent like tin cans (try to find one w/o dents ), the black paint wears poorly, and most need a shutter overhaul/service because for some reason below 1/30 sec they lose timing.
Wanted to buy one, gave up after going through three 'mint, perfect condition' ones with no luck.
The lens is most excellent, the light meter is most crappy - it does not operate below EV8 so pretty much it only reads in good light. I'm better at that just estimating..
Huss
Veteran
Is this the one? I left the price sticker on to make a point about something; I forget what...
Regards, David
David, post pics taken with this! For some reason I now have an affinity to cheap P&S cameras.
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