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I'm in love with... a Miranda?

MMfoto

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Sep 11, 2004
Messages
523
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I was looking for a Miranda 50/1.4 and found one that came with a Mirana F body. I can't explain it, but I instantly fell for this little camera. It feels like a miniature Pentax Spotmatic, or a Spotmatic era Pentax MX. Simple controls. Clean viewfinder with a plain, central spot microprism. Unique shutter release on the front side. Fits in the hand nicely. It's a very simple and pleasant camera. I've owned and handled more cameras than I'd like to admit to, and this one just sings to me. Looking forward to using it more.

Question for the Miranda heads here: Are these cameras easy/difficult to get serviced?
 
Lots of people like Miranda cameras. To each his/her own. As to servicing, it's really not a problem, because if you have one that has a problem, it's easy to find the same model WITHOUT the problem for less than a repair would cost.

Keep in mind that there were lots of various Miranda models with different features -- that you might like, such as TTL metering and/or automatic exposure.

https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/miranda#35mm_SLR_2

The lens mount changed over time, as mentioned, and this gives you lots of opportunities to use various lenses from Miranda, but also Soligor, Vivitar, etc. -- and many others with adapters. If you stick with the Miranda 44mm thread or bayonet, your lens choices are more limited. If you already have lenses with other types of mounts, adapters might be available -- such as M42-to-M44, T-to-M44, etc.
 
As a Moderator, after reading the thread title here I was initially concerned that this thread was about "Sex in the City" .
 
I really like my Miranda Sensorex with 50/1.4 lens. It is slightly bigger and heavier, but very well made. I'm wondering if the lenses are interchangeable with the Miranda F, which looks like a very nice compact body.
 

I don't blame you they were a very nice camera but never gained the popularity of the can-nik-tax. I owned a couple of them back in the early 1970's but sold them for a used Leica 111f but traded that in soon after when I realised the error of my ways - it was too small the hold comfortably. That started my affiliation with Nikon and I have never changed.

They are mostly mechanical so they should be able to be serviced providing nothing is actually broken just in need of a tune up. Actual spares may be hard to find. The availability of additional lenses may also be a problem and they will have to be tracked down or just patient searching. There used to be an adapter made for them and a host of Soligor lenses were available but they too are 'difficult'.

The Miranda's all had both a bayonet mount and a screw mount which was bigger than the 42mm Pentax mount the thread mount was 44mm.
 
AnselMortensen said:
You have the right to remain in love with your Miranda.

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Matt's just jealous

On a serious note, I think it's important that we don't disregard older cameras, which were unique and enigmatic. Personally, I'm drawn to Praktina cameras, the first true professional system SLRs (Exacta cameras never had motor drives, and bulk film backs).

And then there are Werra's . . . . .

The Rank organisation (in the UK) marketed Pentax cameras by their look & feel, and "Just Hold a Pentax" it was a successful ad campaign. The Spotmatic and SIa/SV cameras were simplicity and ergonomically great to use, I still do very occasionally.

Ian
 
I have a modest collection of Miranda equipment. Using Miranda cameras requires some patience. In 1971, when I started out with picture taking, I was considering an Autosensorex EE but got a Konica Autoreflex T2 instead. I'm pretty sure I made the right choice. I think I like the Miranda lenses more than the Miranda cameras. There are the oddballs like the 25mm wide angle, the 8 element 50/1.4 and the Macron macro lenses (I have the f/2.8 model). I have various finders and a number of bellows units.
 
I have a modest collection of Miranda equipment. Using Miranda cameras requires some patience. In 1971, when I started out with picture taking, I was considering an Autosensorex EE but got a Konica Autoreflex T2 instead. I'm pretty sure I made the right choice. I think I like the Miranda lenses more than the Miranda cameras. There are the oddballs like the 25mm wide angle, the 8 element 50/1.4 and the Macron macro lenses (I have the f/2.8 model). I have various finders and a number of bellows units.
 
Ian Grant said:
Be aware the camera uses two nonstandard mounts, M44 for older Miranda lenses, extension tubes, etc, and a unique bayonet.

Ian
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The M44 part is interesting. I suppose a person could use Fujita lenses with the proper amount of extension. Personally, I don't envision using anything but this 50 with the camera.
 
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I have a number of Mirandas, G, F, Sensormate, Sensorex EE, RE, and Dx 3,. Although the mount had mot changed from the Orion to the Dx 3 the internal linkage for the aperture did and the EE lens will only jam on a non EE body and non EE lens will only work in a limited range of F stops on EE body. 20 years ago I used the last of my Mircofish film and tested my 50mm lens, the Miranda 50 1.9 tested as well as the Konica 50 1.7 over 300 LMP. All of the Miranda lens I have are sharp with decent contrast for the time peroid. As noted above Miranda had 2 mounts, the banynet mount and 44mm screw mount for long lens, these were preset. Miranda did not make lens, although some scource say that just before going out of busniess it did make the last generation of EE lens. The parent compay AIC based in Brookand NY also owned Soligar. As I understand it, Miranda desinged the lens then had them made to specs by a number of makers while Soligar were rebanded 3rd party lens. After Mrianda filed for brankrupsy the name was sold and rebranded Chinon or Cosina cameras with K mount were sold in the U.K. I have most of the lens for the EE lineup, from 25mm to a 200 and one zoom, what I dont have is the 180 in EE mount.
 
My very first 35mm SLR was a brand new Sensorex and it sure was sexy looking at the time. The lenses were very good and I had the 50mm f1.4 28mm and 105mm. They were all what I called "one arm bandits" since they had a small arm/lever that communicated the lenses aperture to the camera. My favorite thing about the Sensorex was that it was bottom weighted metering and I really liked that in summer lighting, but learned I had to compensate in the winter when snow was on the ground. One thing Miranda had was one of the most extensive lines of accessories for there cameras than just ab out any other manufacture.
 
Miranda was just short of being a full system camera, lacked a motor drive. I have a couple of focusing screens for the G, the magnification finder, WL for the Senesormate and and EE. The metering pattern was etched on the mirror, if you look at the mirror you will see the pattern, Folks have posted that the slapping of mirror causes the wring to break over time. There was a motor drive planned for the dx 3, but the company bellied up before it could be put on the market, The dx 3 all so used 4 batteries.
 
Yes, my Sensorex had very fine lines running across the the mirror itself. All in all, I think is was a pretty good design, but I didn't like that arm coupling system on the Sensorex model. Not all model Miranda camera bodies had it.
 
davela said:
Is your Miranda working?
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It was when I gave it to my son about 25 years ago. I'm sure he's probably tossed it by now. I bought it in 1969 while in Vietnam, used it there and then for many years back stateside. It never gave me any problems at all. I did have aperture hangup on the 28mm, but that was it.
 
John Wiegerink said:
Yes, my Sensorex had very fine lines running across the the mirror itself. All in all, I think is was a pretty good design, but I didn't like that arm coupling system on the Sensorex model. Not all model Miranda camera bodies had it.
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The early models were unmetered, well I think the G had a viewfinder with a built in non TTL and uncoupled meter. The RE and Dx 3 had metering cells rather than the meter etched into the mirror. I have not used my EEs in a few years, I need to see if they still work.
 
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Their ads were always so weird. Their marketing department seemed to target the upper-crust, elderly, male, UK market, and not North America -- totally out-to-lunch:

 
We aim to please.
 
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