Fujica ST701 - opinions & tips wanted

Hi y'all. I've a minty looking Fujica ST701 plus 55mm 1.8 Fujinon lens on the way to me from Canada. Can't wait to get my hands on this baby. =)

Supposedly, the shutter works and also the film advance. No way to test the meter however. Hope it all pans out well.

So, to my questions...any users of this camera? I'd highly appreciate your experience, opinions and also tips regarding the ST701. In particular, what batteries do u put in them (if u use them at all)? I've read quite a few forums and websites and they all seem to suggest either one of the following that I'm beginning to get confused as to which is the best:

1. Use 2x SR54 batteries - meter will not be accurate due to voltage difference, but able to compensate using the ASA dial. So if I'm using ASA 400 film, I have to pull it down to ASA 200 on the camera's ASA dial to get an approximately correct reading.

2. Use 2x 1.35V Weincell batteries - no problems with this, except that the batteries are quite expensive and supposedly do not last very long.

3. Use 2x size-312 hearing aid batteries, as shown here http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00GCxa..no idea as to whether this works out or not.

4. Meter recalibration if I want to use modern 1.5v batteries - no ASA dial compensation necessary, but I havent the foggiest idea as to how to do this and also worried it might damage the camera.

Failing all of the above, I'll just shoot it sans battery and use my light meter. haha. But it'll be good to be able to check out if the meter works or otherwise.

Oh, also, I'd appreciate anybody sharing their experience with this camera..is it good. so-so or bad? I also have a Spotmatic SP500 body on the way, but I'm more intrigued by this ST701.

Thanks in advance all!

Oh, another thing, I forgot to mention that from the pics I've received of the ST701, the Fujinon lens' coating seems to have gone a bit yellowish..were there any radioactive elements in this lens? And if so, how would it affect my photos and how do I fix it, if needed?

If I recall correctly (never a given) the ST701 used stop down metering. The later 705 used full aperture metering, via a small pin on the lens. I would call it solid, workmanlike camera, with no vices and no outstanding virtues. The lens(es) never seemed to test out particularly well; having seen the results, they always seemed to cut a good image.

I do not know if Fuji used "rare earth" glass in the lenses. The yellow cast may just be the type of coating, which I think was proprietary. If you are concerned about radioactivity from such a lens, don't use it and leave it someplace convenient for a night light (vbg).

Thanx for the input, john! I'm not overly concerned about the potential (?) radioactivity in the lens and whether it'll affect health, which I doubt..to heck with cancer, I'd rather have sharp images from corner to corner! Haha..jokes aside, I'm more concerned if it'll have any detrimental effect on the photos I'll get.

I've got a couple of "rare-earth" lenses, such as the Industar 61L/D on my FED 5. I've never noticed any problems I could attribute to this on film I've sent through that camera. My understanding is that the level of radioactivity is so small that it's unlikely to do much to either the film or the human who uses the lens. (I wouldn't sleep with the lens next to my chest day after day for years, though.)

I've got a Fujica ST801 with a 55mm lens. That lens's coating is also yellowish, but I don't honestly recall if it's always been that way. My hunch is that it has been, but I don't think I've got any photos of the lens when it was new to check it out!

There's an ST701 manual at butkus.org. I see the ST701 uses different batteries from the ST801 that I've got, so I can't offer advice based on my own experience.

I got a ST701 new in 1974. The lens coating was more orange than blue. Of the 'stop-down' cameras the 701 was nice because the meter button was right on the front and the finder only got dark when you were taking a reading. The disadvantage was that you did not get a continuous reading (unless you kept you finger on the meter button).

ok, thanx srs & ic-racer for your feedback...would the yellowish coating gives my photos a yellow tint, I wonder?

I've never noticed any yellow tint to my color photos; however, I've never shot slide film with that camera or lens. (Except for the latest roll, which was a test roll of 20-year-expired Soviet slide film which came out surprisingly well, but I wouldn't want to judge the lens's color characteristics from that roll!) Most of my color print film from that camera went through commercial processors, and of course I have no idea what they might have done to the color balance. Maybe I'll shoot a few comparisons on slide film, but don't hold your breath waiting for me to do so....