Cashing in on the Plastic Fantastics.

The young folk (I'm only 33, but I definitely am starting to feel old) want to shoot film, but want to do so in the easiest, most approachable way - enter the point and shoot.

I grew up with SLRs and rangefinders, but my friend's parents all had different point and shoots, so they're all nostalgic about them. I always hated how long they took to focus and then fire when you hit the shutter button (something those late model Canons improved on), hated how slow the lenses were (if you used the zoom, you better have asa 800 film in there), and how mushy the images were. I'm glad people enjoy them, but not my things, and my desire for a high quality small camera is not enough to want to spend nice lens money on one.

This discussion is about compact AF cameras, often even with zoom lenses. But in considering image quality we should not forget those scale focusing plastic ones from a camera generation earlier with, at best, a Tessar type lens.

While not pocketable, the light weight consumer SLRs - notably the Nikon N75 with the kit zoom - certainly qualify as "Plastic Fantastics." I don't know what is the smallest member of this class. Prices are a lot more more reasonable than what has been set for the millennial cult P&S cameras.

Over the past two years, I've been picking up second-hand P&S cameras when they show up locally. I've got an assortment now, and have run a roll of film through each of them just to make sure they work. One thing I'm reminded of is why, even when I was first getting into digital photography nearly two decades ago, I prefer SLR's. Each P&S is a bit quirky, and there seems to always be a lag between depressing the shutter button and when the camera actually takes the photo. And focus always seems to be hit or miss, especially in low-light situations. Alas, I've come to the realization that I just don't like P&S cameras, even if they can be put into a pocket and carried around for serendipitous use. I think I'm going to sell off a few while interest in them remains high.

Nicholas Lindan said:

While not pocketable, the light weight consumer SLRs - notably the Nikon N75 with the kit zoom - certainly qualify as "Plastic Fantastics." I don't know what is the smallest member of this class.

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What about bridge-cameras? They would qualify better than a plastic, classic-style SLR

I have a few, build quality is fair, lens are of course slow, pretty bulky. I have Chinon with a 35 to 80mm zoom, along with a later 35 to 135 4.5 to 5.6 I think it's had a 13 element lens, in 8 or 10 groups, top shutter speed of 1/300. The lens is sharp, but my lest favorite.

Always repulsed by these auto everything cameras, although making a bit of a profit off of a camera would be nice. The only camera related item I’ve ever sold that surprised me was a pair of cuff links in the shape of barnack Leicas. Came to me free and after sitting around for ten years decided to put them on ebay. Two Japanese bidders bid them up to $125.
For my viewfinder cameras a couple of all manual Olympus Pens serve me well and for a full frame rangefinder a 35RC suffices, don’t even bother with a battery in that one.

My Konica Big Mini (HG BM-300) has some limitations, but overall works pretty well (exposure, focus, etc.), and produces good results. In low light it can lag sometimes (even beyond waiting for the flash to charge). I use it as a last resort travel film camera (and sometimes as a second travel camera because it has flash). The Hexanon lens is really good (if not a little slow, f3.5). It is the only P&S I use.

reddesert said:

I just bought a Samsung ECX-1 P&S (not the one Huss sold) for $10. It came with the original receipt for $299 from 1995.

As everyone knows, this is the horrendous Porsche-designed "Darth Vader P&S." It isn't that ugly really and rather easy to hold. One of these days, the Star Wars franchise is going to remake the films of Darth Vader's teenage years, and they will show him using this camera for his vacation snapshots. The collectors who snapped up all the Graflex light saber flashguns will descend upon the Samsung ECX-1, and I will retire wealthy.

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The ECX-1 takes excellent pics. Great lens, and the macro function works really well. Goofy menu which was not exactly intuitive. Just had too many cameras but this thing is so much better than most of the trendy P&S cameras which go for crazy money.

I have a few Canon Sureshot cameras, two of which I've lost somewhere in the house. I still have the first one I bought years ago. These cameras have their place, but I find are limited to mainly bright days outside, like sunny weather. Anything other then that, and you risk getting a fuzzy picture. Also the light meter in these things don't seem to always get the exposure correct. I've lost some shots because it was just too underexposed. My SLR cameras have had way better success rates. I only use my Sureshot when I need a compact camera in my kit with other big gear, to keep size and weight down, and to still shoot on a roll of film (usually B&W).