35mm half frame camera search

ic-racer · Jan 19, 2023

That Konica recorder looks great!

I still am interested in the Samarai. In fact, I don't care what the OP wants, I might look for one of these for myself. Also, they came as Enantiomers. Hmm which will I want, "D" or "L"...

brbo · Jan 19, 2023

Huss said:
I think the main downside is these are crazy expensive. I'd like one, but not at $400!

$400?!

Had one (mine was called Konica AA-35), bought it for peanuts 10 years ago and sold it for 50 or so five years ago. Regular batteries (AA) as far as I can remember. AE and AF with no control are fun, until they aren't anymore.

xkaes · Jan 19, 2023

Konica AA-35 -- (1985) Quite a camera at the time, with many innovative features. It had a 24mm (f4.0-16) auto-focus lens, focusing to 3 feet. Built-in CDS meter automatically sets shutter speed (1/60 - 1/250) and aperture, in a programmed-exposure system. Although the focus and exposure were strictly automatic, these limitations are somewhat overcome by the other features, such as a built-in motor-drive, auto-exposure, and flash. First drop-in the film. It ran vertically, so the pictures come out horizontal, unlike most half-frame cameras. Then set the film speed (ISO 100 - 400) and you are set to go. The camera focuses the lens, then exposes the film, then advances the film. A RED/GREEN LED in the viewfinder tells you whether the exposure was correct or not. All this in a very thin, attractive body. The camera had the same shape of the disc cameras of the time -- its's so thin you assume that it CAN'T be 35mm! And it had a built-in sliding case to keep everything protected -- well, almost everything -- not the flash and the viewfinder. When the roll is done, flip the switch on the bottom of the camera and the motor rewinds the film into the cassette. The camera came in a variety of colors, such as red, grey flannel, etc.. No tripod socket, flash shoe, PC contact, filter thread or cable release socket. But it DID have a wrist strap! Takes two AA batteries that operate the flash, the meter and the motor drive. It is the same as the Konica Recorder.

xkaes · Jan 19, 2023

Cholentpot said:
And the film runs vertical as opposed to horizontal. Downside, I think there's a battery that's hardwired in there.

Maybe you're thinking of the Fuji TW-3 half-frame -- which did. The Konica uses two AA batteries.

Cholentpot · Jan 19, 2023

xkaes said:
Maybe you're thinking of the Fuji TW-3 half-frame -- which did. The Konica uses two AA batteries.

I stand corrected.

Huss · Jan 19, 2023

brbo said:
$400?!

Had one (mine was called Konica AA-35), bought it for peanuts 10 years ago and sold it for 50 or so five years ago. Regular batteries (AA) as far as I can remember. AE and AF with no control are fun, until they aren't anymore.

Excellent pic!

I could see buying a Konica Recorder for $400 IF it was brand new with warranty. That's about what the Lomo LC-Wide goes for right now. But used? Nope.

xkaes · Jan 19, 2023

A few recently sold on EBAY for under $200. One went for $102.

And YES they were all USED.

Patrick Robert James · Jan 19, 2023

Huss said:
I think the main downside is these are crazy expensive. I'd like one, but not at $400!

Yup. They are almost always beat to hell too, and then they are located in Japan, so you get to play that roulette as well...

I've wanted one for years but it is low on the priority list. I should have bought one years ago when a hondo would have gotten a nice one. Oh well.

henryvk · Jan 20, 2023

Huh... there's a nice looking AA-35 near me. Maybe I should go check it out.

I recently got a Ricoh Auto Half which doesn't quite fill the brief because it's fixed-focus but the later models (EF, EF2) come with a built-in flash.

Never used half frame or a fixed-focus camera before but I think the pictures on ColorPlus 200 are all right:

Huss · Jan 20, 2023

henryvk said:
Huh... there's a nice looking AA-35 near me. Maybe I should go check it out.

I recently got a Ricoh Auto Half which doesn't quite fill the brief because it's fixed-focus but the later models (EF, EF2) come with a built-in flash.

Never used half frame or a fixed-focus camera before but I think the pictures on ColorPlus 200 are all right:

Nice! I think they look good.

xkaes · Jan 20, 2023

Ricoh Auto Half EF

The Ricoh 25mm (f2.8) fixed-focus lens with four elements in three groups was back, this time in a camera with a built in flash. This camera was the same setup as the Auto Half E, but with a built-in flash. In non-flash mode, the shutter speed was 1/125 and the selenium cell selected the aperture. In flash mode, the shutter speed was automatically set to 1/30 and the aperture was manually selected based on the distance and guide number. Built-in flash guide number of 12 (meters at ISO 100). The flash required two AA batteries for power. Built-in self-timer, tripod socket and cable release socket. The viewfinder had marks to indicate adequate light (yellow) or inadequate light (red) -- use flash. The camera had a built-in spring motor for film advance. One wind of the spring advances 25-30 exposures. With all these features -- in such a small package -- it's surprising that it wasn't a better seller. Strange, rectangular filters that snapped on over the lens, meter and viewfinder were available as accessories.

henryvk · Jan 20, 2023

Huss said:
Nice! I think they look good.

Thanks! As the Photrio's eminent half frame person you ought to go out and buy one... but, alas, they are not very common in North America. There was a US version actually, called the ANSCO Memo II (with 3-zone-focusing), but it it doesn't seem to be very common either.

xkaes said:
Ricoh Auto Half EF

The Ricoh 25mm (f2.8) fixed-focus lens with four elements in three groups was back, this time in a camera with a built in flash. This camera was the same setup as the Auto Half E, but with a built-in flash. In non-flash mode, the shutter speed was 1/125 and the selenium cell selected the aperture. In flash mode, the shutter speed was automatically set to 1/30 and the aperture was manually selected based on the distance and guide number. Built-in flash guide number of 12 (meters at ISO 100). The flash required two AA batteries for power. Built-in self-timer, tripod socket and cable release socket. The viewfinder had marks to indicate adequate light (yellow) or inadequate light (red) -- use flash. The camera had a built-in spring motor for film advance. One wind of the spring advances 25-30 exposures. With all these features -- in such a small package -- it's surprising that it wasn't a better seller. Strange, rectangular filters that snapped on over the lens, meter and viewfinder were available as accessories.

That's the one! Weirdly the subclub.org domain isn't available from where I live – or something – links just won't resolve and time out.

Cholentpot · Jan 20, 2023

henryvk said:
Thanks! As the Photrio's eminent half frame person you ought to go out and buy one... but, alas, they are not very common in North America. There was a US version actually, called the ANSCO Memo II (with 3-zone-focusing), but it it doesn't seem to be very common either.

That's the one! Weirdly the subclub.org domain isn't available from where I live – or something – links just won't resolve and time out.

Same issue here.

xkaes · Jan 20, 2023

henryvk said:
That's the one! Weirdly the subclub.org domain isn't available from where I live – or something – links just won't resolve and time out.

Some people have trouble getting onto the SUBCLUB, but it's not the SUBCLUB that's the problem. Most of the time, it's the "security" settings/requirements of the hardware, ISP, or the intermediary servers in-between. or the Operating System or Browser. My advice is to try a different Browser or Operating System or both. The newer your hardware & software is, the more likely you are to have problems.

xkaes · Jan 20, 2023

Here's the EF2. Apparently the only (?) difference is in the flash -- which now pops up, and might be more powerful:

Huss · Jan 23, 2023

henryvk said:
Huh... there's a nice looking AA-35 near me. Maybe I should go check it out.

I recently got a Ricoh Auto Half which doesn't quite fill the brief because it's fixed-focus but the later models (EF, EF2) come with a built-in flash.

Never used half frame or a fixed-focus camera before but I think the pictures on ColorPlus 200 are all right:

Were the light seals intact on your Ricoh? Or did you have to replace them? I see that there is a lot of it as it covers the entire inside back.

I am so done replacing light seals! I hate doing it!

henryvk · Jan 23, 2023

Huss said:
Were the light seals intact on your Ricoh? Or did you have to replace them? I see that there is a lot of it as it covers the entire inside back.

I am so done replacing light seals! I hate doing it!

No, they were toast of course. But they weren’t the usual goo either, crumbly in a benign kind of way.

I just pieced the seals together from strips cut from a sheet of self-adherent stuff like this:

Huss · Jan 23, 2023

aki-asahi sells complete kits. But due to shipping they are more expensive than the camera!

henryvk · Jan 24, 2023

Huss said:
aki-asahi sells complete kits. But due to shipping they are more expensive than the camera!

It's definitely not worth it. Scraping the old seals off and putting the new ones in literally only took a few minutes.

dynachrome · Jan 24, 2023

I have an AA-35 but have not used it in some time. It's lens is quite good. Although half frame photography has always been a niche, I think the shape of the AA-35 hurt its sales. Many people mistook it for a disc camera.

Huss · Jan 24, 2023

dynachrome said:
I have an AA-35 but have not used it in some time. It's lens is quite good. Although half frame photography has always been a niche, I think the shape of the AA-35 hurt its sales. Many people mistook it for a disc camera.

Post pics of it and taken by it! What region are you in?

35mm half frame camera search

Ricoh Auto Half EF​

Ricoh Auto Half EF​

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency

Ricoh Auto Half EF

Ricoh Auto Half EF