Cheap but interesting Canon street shooter

[Luminousoctaves]

the steps and lightposts, who made that photo? Brassai?
I gots to know.

That's Brassai, ”Montmartre, 1932”.
You can walk those stairs in Paris today, they're still there.
My students used the same scenery for the cover of a photobook we did about Paris two years ago.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

That's Brassai, ”Montmartre, 1932”.
You can walk those stairs in Paris today, they're still there.
My students used the same scenery for the cover of a photobook we did about Paris two years ago.
View attachment 160847

Thank you. I'd never seen that photo before and I found it absolutely stunning.

 

[Luminousoctaves]

I'd never seen that photo before and I found it absolutely stunning.

Yes, Brassai surely knew how to capture Paris.

 

[MattKing]

Brassai deserves lots of attention!

 

[xya]

one of the finest street shooters that I know is the olympus mju II. autofocus, flash off mode, luminous lens, water protected and one of the tiniest 135 film cameras ever built. no prism though, but there is a easy trick. draw a white line on the top of the camera according to the axis of the lens. it helps to point at waist level with more accuracy.

it's not a good idea to tape a flash. it can melt the tape and even melt the flash. I have done this with a cheap replacement camera, when my original camera was stolen during a holiday.

 

[Luminousoctaves]

one of the finest street shooters that I know is the olympus mju II.

It's definitely one of my favorites as well. What I also like about it is it's design and how the front lid function as an on/off switch. Just rip it up from your pocket and shot, without the delay for fiddling efter a tiny on/off button.

 

[darkosaric]

I used mju I and mju II a lot - and then I got some photos ruinded because auto focus was focused on something wrong, or too slow, and moment was gone. Mju II always tries to shoot wide open (with faster shutter - to avoid shake), and then critical focus is even more important.

My voice goes to XA/XA2.

 

[Luminousoctaves]

I used mju I and mju II a lot - and then I got some photos ruinded because auto focus was focused on something wrong, or too slow, and moment was gone. Mju II always tries to shoot wide open (with faster shutter - to avoid shake), and then critical focus is even more important.

My voice goes to XA/XA2.

Yes, the Mju-II is not perfect. It often has great problems with flash and the autofocus is sometimes too slow. But when it works it's super sharp.

I also love the Olympus XA. That would be my second choice. Such a small camera with a sharp lens and a rangefinder!

 

[xya]

...My voice goes to XA/XA2.

for me it depends on what you mainly do with the camera. for street photography I would prefer the mju, in general the xa is better in my opinion. the rangefinder is nice, but a bit fiddly, thus slow and there is no built-in flash. nevertheless it was the xa in my pocket for 30 years (since 2009 replaced by a digital canon S-series, a S120 actually).

 

[Luminousoctaves]

the rangefinder is nice, but a bit fiddly,

Building something that small there has to be a lot of compromises. I think it's amazing that they managed to cram in manual focusing in that tiny body at all, and the design is ingenius. There's nothing else like the XA. The distance meter is more visible and distinct than on my Leica lenses. And I also find the focusing mechanism very useful, just using the tip of my finger, extremely good for zone focusing.

The split image is the weakest point of this camera. It so easily fades out.

 

[AgX]

The one-hand focus setting may be more benefitial than the rangefinder.

 

[Luminousoctaves]

Yes, I often find myself using zone focusing instead of the rangefinder.

 

[dzunglv]

It isn't street shooter if "There's no way to turn on/off the flash".

I have a question.

Since there is no way to turn off the flash, can I just cover the flash with my hand?

Is there any change in exposure settings between when the camera automatically chooses to turn it on and to turn it off?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

If it adds flash then it is not enough for exposing, what is the point to cover it?

 

[eli griggs]

The XA is a great little camera, but this and other clam-shells do no allow for filters, which can be badly needed to take an 'ho-hum' exposure into the next level of 'outstanding.

When I had one of these, took it everywhere, but what I had to do to us an ND or Y* or Y11 was just too finicky.

I still have a couple working XA-II cameras, with flash, in rotation, but it's no rangefinder.

If you want a Canonet sized camera, just buy the GIII 17ql, the prices seem down from the highs of just a few years ago, And the Shutter and lens is worth it and if size is no issue, a Yashica Electro 35 delivers some of the best exposures, especially in colour, I have ever seen in a film camera, used for the Street. The Electric 'Eye' is on the lens, and adjust automatically to filter changes, and this line of cameras have excellent long exposure abilities that would make some photographers blush!

Using the ISO control to control exposures, in this Yashica, or any camera, give a more meaningful uses for the photographer on the move.

IMO.

By-the-way, my MJU I had the film cassette viewing window just drop out last night, as I was removing a roll, while the light seals, etc, all look like new. Has anyone here experienced this, and does anyone here have a parts MJU I for sale?

Cheers!

 

[blockend]

By-the-way, my MJU I had the film cassette viewing window just drop out last night, as I was removing a roll, while the light seals, etc, all look like new. Has anyone here experienced this, and does anyone here have a parts MJU I for sale?

The Olympus clamshells, inc. the Mju cameras, are great when they're working. They are not robust however, and most succumb to various fragilities sooner or later. I certainly wouldn't pay the prices currently being asked for them. Of the type the XA3 is my favourite, zone focus being more consistent than AF for street photography, and 1600 ASA high enough to close the aperture and offer DoF under normal conditions. If the light seals are intact on the film viewing window, I don't see why a home repair with glue can't fix the problem.

 

[BobD]

There's one of these Canons on eBay right now with non-working flash. Tee hee.

 

[eli griggs]

Yes, the window went in with superglue.

One thing I learned years ago is, when superglues are used to make an internal camera repair, it out gases and if you go ahead and shut the camera up, an attached lens/window can/will have a layer of scum build up quickly.

If this happens to a plastic lens, IMO, that lens is likely ruined.

I will leave this MJU's door open four or five days, for my own piece of mind.

Cheers

 

[wahiba]

Recently acquired a Canon Epoca (European market name, others elsewhere I think) and it has a look down viewfinder option, switch between the two. It is rather small so to be useful you have to bring the eye up to it, but works. Camera is weird but takes a good picture.

 

[radiant]

Quite nice gatekeeping that flash is forbidden in street photography? Why? You are just limiting yourself to some non-existing rules. There are no rules.

Check out this guy:

 

[Keith Tapscott.]

I've had some excellent results from my Sureshot Ace.

 

[eli griggs]

No, that won't work.

The camera got program automatic. It sets on flash exposure from a certain luminance. That likely means for short distances a small aperture is set automatically too.
Taping the flash reflector in such situation likely will result in quite long exposures.
If not the the camera sets a fixed exposure time anytime the flash is set on. Then you even would get an underexposure.

Then use that feature with gel type N.D. filters, etc.

 

[eli griggs]

True! Didn't he even get a nickname from this? He used some extreme powder flash.

EDIT: Yes, Picasso named Brassai "The Terrorist" (FACT 9)because of his dreaded flash techniques...

That one great
way to get someone rich or famous to remember your name and occupation!

 

[SMD]

To my knowledge there's only one other p&s, the Yashica T4/T5, that has the same prism. I find it very useful.

And the T3 and T3 super. Both with scope and 2.8 lens.
The T4 had no scope, just like the T1 and T2. It came back in the T5. Also the T3 was the only of the series with f:2.8, all other had 3.5.
On some markets the T5 was called T4 plus, I guess that is why it is often claimed that the T4 has a scope.

 

[xkaes]

If you want a Canonet sized camera, just buy the GIII 17ql, the prices seem down from the highs of just a few years ago, And the Shutter and lens is worth it and if size is no issue, a Yashica Electro 35 delivers some of the best exposures, especially in colour, I have ever seen in a film camera, used for the Street. The Electric 'Eye' is on the lens, and adjust automatically to filter changes, and this line of cameras have excellent long exposure abilities that would make some photographers blush!

Here are the best "Street Fighters":

http://www.subclub.org/minman/leanmean.pdf