Any Miranda users here?

Fast14riot · Jun 5, 2013

I picked up an ugly, dirty but fully functional Miranda F with the 50/1.9 lens a few weeks back at the flea market for $10. I just replaced all the light seals and mirror bumper, did a CLA and tore the lens down for a cleaning as well. It functions very nice now and everything works.

Just curious who else here uses a Miranda. Also, what non Miranda lenses do you use, if any?

-Xander

Konical · Jun 5, 2013

Good Morning Xander,

I bought my first 35mm SLR in the late 1960; it was a Miranda F. I currently have several others, some not completely functional. Versatility is a big plus with the Miranda, since the dual lens mount will accept numerous lenses. The best feature of the Miranda line is the placement of the shutter button; it's located where it can be squeezed rather than punched. I don't see why other manufacturers don't use that approach. While I mostly use MF and LF now and have also gone with Olympus in 35mm, I still occasionally use one of the Mirandas, especially for any 35mm copy work, since I have a very usable Miranda Macron lens.

Konical

Fast14riot · Jun 5, 2013

I agree about the shutter release, it is quite natural in its position. I am currently trying to find a critical focus chest level finder for this camera, but am not interested in a mint or new in box condition. Seems that's all everybody sells. The quick change prism is a nice feature as well.

It is a heavy camera, but it dents things when dropped rather than it being dented!

-Xander

Paul Howell · Jun 5, 2013

I shoot with Miranda EEs, I have 3 EE bodies along a couple of other bodies including REs. The lens are quite good, the line up is only fair, for EE 24 to 200, 21MM to 300 in other vesions. I have most of the EE lens, just missing the 180mm. The only fast lens is a 55 1.4. The viewfinders are somewhat dim by modern standards, the EEs had average and spot metering. The cameras and lens are heavy. The weakness usally seen are locked film advances and dead meters. The only Miranda to advoid as a user is the Dx, the last Miranda camera which helped put Miranda out of busniess. Very odd, took 4 batteries, appeared that there was to be a winder, but never make to production.

Alex Muir · Jun 5, 2013

In the late 80s I bought a Miranda G with 50mm lens. It had a clip-on meter that attached to the top on one side. I bought a waist-level finder, and used it for a few years. I think it had a mirror lock-up? I also bought a Sensorex with 28, 50 and 135 lenses. I think the 50 was a Miranda product, and the other two were Soligor. This camera used a different lens from the G, as it had a TTL meter and used an external coupling on the lens. I think it also had a type of spot meter. In 1989 I swapped the lot for a Nikon F and 50mm. I wish I had kept the Mirandas, although I really liked the Nikon and wish I had kept that too! Alex

Paul Howell · Jun 5, 2013

Alex Muir said:
In the late 80s I bought a Miranda G with 50mm lens. It had a clip-on meter that attached to the top on one side. I bought a waist-level finder, and used it for a few years. I think it had a mirror lock-up? I also bought a Sensorex with 28, 50 and 135 lenses. I think the 50 was a Miranda product, and the other two were Soligor. This camera used a different lens from the G, as it had a TTL meter and used an external coupling on the lens. I think it also had a type of spot meter. In 1989 I swapped the lot for a Nikon F and 50mm. I wish I had kept the Mirandas, although I really liked the Nikon and wish I had kept that too! Alex

Miranda parent company also owned Soligar. AIC (?) the parent firm was a US company. Miranda did not make lens, I have read over the years that lens were made by Kowa, Tonika, and others. It is unclear if the lens were Miranda designs or just rebranding of others. Years ago there was a posting on the internet alleging that the Japaness government did not want a US company owing a Japaness Camer Company and drove Miranda out of business.

Jim Jones · Jun 6, 2013

I briefly used a Miranda in 1967. It developed a few minor problems, so I switched to Nikon. At the time Miranda offered a three-year guarantee, while top companies like Nikon and Leica relied on reputation and construction. Perhaps the burden of supporting that guarantee hastened the company's demise. The three Soligar lenses with the Miranda were sharp!

dynachrome · Jun 8, 2013

I have two chrome EEs and one black one. My lenses include Mirandas and Soligors in focal lengths of 28, 35, 50, 135, 200 and 80-200 with at least two of each of the prime lenses and one zoom. I agree that the finders are not very bright. My only complaint with this series is that while T mount adapters are available I don't think Vivitar, Soligor, Tamron or Sigma (YS) made adapters specifically for the EE mount with shutter priority automation.

Mad4MF · Jun 9, 2013

I cut my teeth on my mom's Sensorex (which I later used to document the Taylor Guitar factory for a specialty magazine devoted to musical instrument construction) and I don't think I have ever found a camera easier in the hands. The shutter release in particular -- I can't believe others never copied the front placement!

The lenses were amazing (50/1.8 is the star but she had the 135 and the 28 plus the 55 Macron which I used to shoot models -- cars and spacecraft not people -- where they really popped with this lens and color slide film) with great consistency in color and overall "look" between the different focal lengths. I would love to have Miranda kit again (mom made some problematic choices in her later years and it's gone). I've read many snipes at Miranda build quality over the years, and while it's no F-1, hers withstood a ham-handed teenager plus I dropped a body on a concrete floor from workbench level during the Taylor shoot and it took it.

Phillip

David Lyga · Jun 11, 2013

Miranda was one of the VERY few mass market SLRs that allowed cleaning of the prism area by simply removing the prism. And you could even clean down below, within and between the fresnel area, by removing six screws on that plate (under the prism). - David Lyga

benjiboy · Jun 13, 2013

Jim Jones said:
I briefly used a Miranda in 1967. It developed a few minor problems, so I switched to Nikon. At the time Miranda offered a three-year guarantee, while top companies like Nikon and Leica relied on reputation and construction. Perhaps the burden of supporting that guarantee hastened the company's demise. The three Soligar lenses with the Miranda were sharp![/QUOTE

One of the reasons for the company's demise Jim was the name of the cameras, Miranda wasn't a sexy enough name, and the cameras didn't sell.

Nikon Collector · Jun 14, 2013

my very 1st slr was a sensorex bought at the base exchange in Viet Nam in either 66 or 67, loved the camera but had a problem finding lenses for it in the states so I switched to Nikon

Jim Jones · Jun 14, 2013

benjiboy said:
One of the reasons for the company's demise Jim was the name of the cameras, Miranda wasn't a sexy enough name, and the cameras didn't sell.

But their ads featured a fairly sexy brunette. Minolta, Nikon, Practica, Pentax, Zeiss, and others had neither a sexy name nor sexy model.

Alex Muir · Jun 14, 2013

There is a waist-level finder and 135mm lens for Miranda cameras currently advertised by an English company www.sepiamemories.com. They are reasonably priced, but it doesn't say which model they are for. You don't see a lot of the original stuff here in the UK, and you have to be careful not to confuse it with equipment re-branded as Miranda by a UK photo chain in the 80's. I think that system used the PK? lens mount and there were certainly no removable prisms. Alex.

Paul Howell · Jun 14, 2013

Miranda made cameras for over 20 years, I think 30 or more models, althought the mount has not changed the meter coupling changed quite a bit, unlike Nikon the older lens could not be modified to work with new bodies. What killed Miranda was the DX-3. It was too compete with Pentax and Olympus for the compact SLR market, but it was just a bad design. Miranda left the market in the same time frame that Petri, Kowa and Topcon all left the 35mm market, followed by Konic in the mid 80s.

Ricardo Miranda · Jun 14, 2013

Miranda wasn't a sexy enough name

Oh!
Just as well the only Miranda I own is in my name! lol

MattKing · Jun 14, 2013

Ricardo Miranda said:
Oh!
Just as well the only Miranda I own is in my name! lol

Best post so far this month!

E. von Hoegh · Jun 15, 2013

benjiboy said:
Jim Jones said:

I briefly used a Miranda in 1967. It developed a few minor problems, so I switched to Nikon. At the time Miranda offered a three-year guarantee, while top companies like Nikon and Leica relied on reputation and construction. Perhaps the burden of supporting that guarantee hastened the company's demise. The three Soligar lenses with the Miranda were sharp![/QUOTE

One of the reasons for the company's demise Jim was the name of the cameras, Miranda wasn't a sexy enough name, and the cameras didn't sell.

Click to expand...

Miranda was good enough for Prospero's daughter...

Fast14riot · Jun 16, 2013

Alex Muir said:
There is a waist-level finder and 135mm lens for Miranda cameras currently advertised by an English company www.sepiamemories.com. They are reasonably priced, but it doesn't say which model they are for. You don't see a lot of the original stuff here in the UK, and you have to be careful not to confuse it with equipment re-branded as Miranda by a UK photo chain in the 80's. I think that system used the PK? lens mount and there were certainly no removable prisms. Alex.

I took a look at that WLF and it says it fits both sesomat and sensorex models. I think the are a bit confused, Miranda used the same model designation (VF-1) for the WLF for both cameras but they would not work for each other. The ground glass is in dfferent positions on each one. The sensorex WLF had a little brim like a ball cap and the sensomat looked more like the one they are selling.

-Xander

Brac · Jun 20, 2013

Alex Muir said:
You don't see a lot of the original stuff here in the UK, and you have to be careful not to confuse it with equipment re-branded as Miranda by a UK photo chain in the 80's. I think that system used the PK? lens mount and there were certainly no removable prisms. Alex.

The rebranded Miranda camertas sold in the UK in the 80's did use the PK mount. I strongly suspect they were made by Cosina, as they looked very much like their own models.

Bill Banks · Jun 20, 2013

As one of the white-haired guys here I remember clearly the UK advertising in for the 'New Miranda F' when it came out in the 60's. Different ad's read 'Top shutter release or front? The New Miranda F has both!'......'Eye level or waist level viewfinder? The New Miranda F has both!' ..... etc etc I've never owned one of these but every time I see one, all I can think of is: 'The new Miranda F has both!

Bill

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