APS film cameras -- anyone use 'em?

rosey · Oct 23, 2006

I have several APS/Advantix cameras that I continue to enjoy. They are the original Canon Ixus/Elph 240 and the Elph Jr., and I have a couple of each. I find that the 4x6 prints I get are as good to the naked eye as most of what I get with my vast collection of pricey, high-end 35mm stuff.
They are as small or smaller than my 35mm P&S models, which covers about 25 different small cameras from the splendid Pentax UC-1, original Nikon Lite Touch, Konica Big Mini and Olympus Stylus Epic.
The all-metal workmanship and feel of these tiny Canon Elphs is a pleasure to use, Of course, they really offer nothing that the 35mm doesn't, especially the "panorama" gimmick, but they're still more unobtrusive and fun to carry and use.
I know that the smaller negative size can't compare to the bigger 35mm for 5x7 shots and larger, yet I have done 5x7s that are quite dazzling in sharpness, especially from the Elph Jr. and its very good, f2.8, non-zoom lens.
I am lucky that the one-hour labs in Toledo still process this stuff and that film is still available. And I know that the APS fad is dying.
But am I the only film shooter that still uses and enjoys this type of camera?

DBP · Oct 23, 2006

I think 110 may outlast APS.

naturephoto1 · Oct 23, 2006

Talk about a major undertaking (and expense) to introduce a new (at the time) film format. And to think, Leica was not even invited to participate in the development (no pun intended) of the format. :rolleyes:

Rich

ann · Oct 23, 2006

i still use my nikon , but not often as i rarely do color.

it was very handy and made lovely prints.

Mark_S · Oct 23, 2006

I have a couple of APS cameras - A Minolta S-1 with both a zoom and a macro lens, and a P&S (Vectis 40). At the time that they introduced the format, the idea was to be able to use the digital data recording capability to allow for wider lattitude in film - which would allow the typical P&S user to get better results with film that could be produced very cheaply. What did the format in was that Digital became so much more affordable so quickly. For the market that APS was designed for, digital seems to be a better solution.

DWThomas · Oct 23, 2006

I have an Elph Jr and my wife has an Elph 2. The Jr was my trusty "camera when you don't really want to carry a camera" item for a number of years. I was quite amazed at how well it worked with no manual tweaking available. On my first trip to Italy, I probably took 65% of my pictures with it, using my A1 for more difficult focus or lighting. I usually keep it set in the 4x6 mode and as you mention, you can't tell the 4x6 prints apart (except by reading the backs!)

I confess I sort of replaced it a couple of years ago with an A80 and bits, but I still have it. I took it as a backup on my last trip to Italy and didn't use it. I should probably get it out and put it to work, as there's five or six rolls of film around that have been through carry-on Xrays several times by now.

It's too bad they never quite got the cooperative venture together on getting all the proposed film varieties out, etc.

DaveT

ben-s · Oct 23, 2006

I've never used it myself, but a friend of mine still shoots hers quite a lot.
Some of her shots with it have been quite stunning.
Sadly though, I think that particular format is on it's way out.
It was too clever, and too late to be a real success.
Had it come out 10 years earlier, I think it would have really taken off.
As it was, I think most average consumers went straight from a 35mm p&s to a digital comapct.

Justin Cormack · Oct 23, 2006

Mark_S said:
At the time that they introduced the format, the idea was to be able to use the digital data recording capability to allow for wider lattitude in film - which would allow the typical P&S user to get better results with film that could be produced very cheaply.

What exactly did the digital recording do? Or was it supposed to do? When it came out it just seemed like a smaller format, it obviously wasnt well marketed, at least here. Processing was expensive too. I knew a few people who had one at the time, but none who kept using them. And digital wasnt on the radar for the consumers then I didnt think, though maybe it was for the camera companies.

Photo Engineer · Oct 23, 2006

The APS format was selected or designed to be the same size as digital sensors and use the same type of printing equipment in terms of lens and etc..

The magnetic or digital encoding were intended to record data in-camera about exposure, format and etc and then later, printing data were to be recorded.

Kodak, Agfa and Fuji worked for years on developing this format and the information encoding format for the film.

PE

Flotsam · Oct 23, 2006

I've got a Konica Q-Scan scanner that has an automatic APS scanning cartridge that would make scanning APS a dream.
If I had an APS camera.

CGross · Oct 23, 2006

Flotsam said:
I've got a Konica Q-Scan scanner that has an automatic APS scanning cartridge that would make scanning APS a dream.
If I had an APS camera.

I'll send you some rolls!!! My wife's Canon Elph APS broke 3 years ago. No longer shoot the stuff.

Actually that's not a bad idea to scan APS. The only thing that I never liked about APS film was; Loose the Index sheet and you are hosed on figuring out which pic came from which roll.

I probably have a few rolls laying around. Anyone want em if I find any

Bighead · Oct 25, 2006

I bought some old B&W APS film to run through but I have never gotten around to it..... I figured it would be great for pans, if anything... But, no..

I do credit my APS system for getting me back into photography though.

Brian Jeffery · Oct 25, 2006

I had two problems with my APS camera,a Canon Ixus. Firstly, it insisted on using flash when I didn't want it to so I often ended up with redeye or people squinting. Secondly, it was impossible to get at the negatives after they were developed. A right pain. The only real solution was to get the film scanned when it was developed, which really increased the costs. Needless to say it's been gathering dust the last few years.

Brian

Photo Engineer · Oct 25, 2006

jeffeb said:
I had two problems with my APS camera,a Canon Ixus. Firstly, it insisted on using flash when I didn't want it to so I often ended up with redeye or people squinting. Secondly, it was impossible to get at the negatives after they were developed. A right pain. The only real solution was to get the film scanned when it was developed, which really increased the costs. Needless to say it's been gathering dust the last few years.

Brian

My camera will also flash when it needn't on one of the auto modes, but setting the camera to another auto mode will allow manual actuation of the flash.

As far as access to the negatives, it is very simple. Just stick a small screwdriver into the side of the cartridge and rotate it. The light trap opens and then you can unroll the film. It fits loosely in a 35mm negative carrier, and I often print these negatives easily that way.

PE

kunihiko · Oct 25, 2006

I still have 2 x Canon IXY310(L-1 or .Jr) and IXY D-5, don't use them much, though.
There were some so called sepia color films like Fuji Nexia Sepia which I really miss. I used to shoot them and print on regular B&W papers. Results were not that bad.
Recently I started to develop and print color. I'm considering to shoot APS again, because those cameras are really handy, very good carry around tools.
The biggest concern I have is developing reels. I thought Jobo made one.
Does anyone develop APS films in small tank ?

Stephanie Brim · Oct 25, 2006

Bought one, used it a few times, wasn't impressed, and it went in the trash yesterday. I'm doing a purge, so to speak, of everything I don't use. FWIW, mine was just a cheaper Kodak one at the time. The expense to get the film processed over the traditional 35mm film was just too big of a downside to me.

ebolton · Oct 28, 2006

I have an original Canon Elph I carry with me when bicycling, bought on E-bay to replace another small APS camera that finally succombed to the environment in my jersey pocket. I buy film and get the pictures developed at Wal-mart. In the store I use, the film is cheaper than 35mm and development is the same price. I have a Nikon LS-30 film scanner, and another E-bay auction got me an IA-20 APS adapter for it. That's where the magnetic storage comes in handy- I have the camera set to imprint the date, so I can correlate with my riding log to figure out where and when I took any shot from the camera through the date on the Wal-mart print. But I don't have to clone out the date on the selected few shots I scan.

Used APS cameras are so cheap now it's great for taking them on fairly risky events, like a fast club bike ride. I have a friend that carries an old Canon digital P&S with a broken LCD while riding, but the film Elph is faster and easier to use, and is capable of pretty nice images.

Ed

APS film cameras -- anyone use 'em?

CGross

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