Point and shoot advise

xkaes · Jan 11, 2023

pradheep thavamani said:
Problem is no one is making p&s film cameras anymore.

That's not a problem at all since there are around a gazillion (just a rough guess) P&S film cameras out there -- that most people want to unload, often for next to nothing. At least that's been my experience.

I can't tell you how many great cameras that I have -- that I never thought of buying -- but got for next to nothing.

Huss · Jan 11, 2023

xkaes said:
That's not a problem at all since there are around a gazillion (just a rough guess) P&S film cameras out there -- that most people want to unload, often for next to nothing. At least that's been my experience.

I can't tell you how many great cameras that I have -- that I never thought of buying -- but got for next to nothing.

Exactly. It's only the trendy ones that are expensive. There are soooooo many P&S cameras out there, most which can take a really decent pic.

Paul Howell · Jan 11, 2023

I've use Pentax, Nikon, Minolta, Olympus, Chinion, Canon, I think at the consumer level the Pentax IQ zooms are really good. The wide to normal and semiwide to short tele work the best, the longer the zoom the slower the lens at the long end. Right now my fav is a Chinion 35F-MA, first generation with 35mm 2.8. AF with a focus indicator in the viewfinder to make sure the the AF is locked onto what you are looking at. Not DX coded, so you can fool the meter by using the ASA setting. Downside is that I have not seen one with a working flash, not an issue for me, but likely for most. Another is the Canon auto boy with I think is a 50mm 1.9 or 1.7 prime.

MTGseattle · Jan 11, 2023

I too have started debating whether I need a 35mm camera around again or not. I checked prices on the Nikon 28 and 35ti and did not like what I saw. I then remembered the more recent Fujifilm ones mentioned above, and I'm not a fan of those prices either. I then bounced into vintage rangefinder territory, and am now completely lost. I did find an old Minolta auto something that was my wifes over the weekend. I need to get batteries in it and check functionality. All I would ask for in whatever I get is a decent lens. I even tossed around the idea of a Contax g1 with the 28mm for a bit. I don't think that really counts as a p&s camera though.
Anyway, I will watch this thread, and check out a few items from the above list.

Paul Howell · Jan 12, 2023

Minolta made really good lens, some of the best, they were and still be one of the few lens makers that made their own glass. Konica Minolta sold it camera plant to Sony along with the rights to the Digital Cameras, kept the lens plant. It makes lens for Sony as well as industrial lens. If you have a Minolta MD, manual focus camera there are really good prices on 50mm, 28mm and 100 primes.

xkaes · Jan 12, 2023

Minolta made a TON of 35mm film rangefinder & viewfinder cameras from the mid-1940s to the current century -- probably more than any other camera manufacturer.

Here is a MIND-BOGGLING list of just Minolta's NON-auto-focusing 35mm film rangefinder & viewfinder cameras.

Most of the later models on this list were also sold with auto-focusing capability, too -- and their cameras that only were available with auto-focusing, such as the TC-1, are not listed.

http://www.subclub.org/minman/minfind.htm

250swb · Jan 12, 2023

pradheep thavamani said:
Thanks for suggestion but I do prefer camera that does meter slide film better.

Please share your interesting insight, why can't an Olympus RC35 meter slide film? It is both an auto or fully manual camera and the photographer can have full control over the exposure at all times. Maybe there's something I missed?

Huss · Jan 12, 2023

How is an RC35 a P&S camera?

A P&S camera is a fixed lens, compact auto focus, auto exposure camera.

If a rangefinder camera like an Olympus RC35 is a P&S, then so is a Minolta CLE... If a Minolta CLE is a P&S, then so is a Fuji GW690III. If a Fuj...

xkaes · Jan 12, 2023

I'd say a P&S is a camera with auto-exposure & auto-focusing, but everything else is variable. It doesn't have to be small or light, and it doesn't have to exclude options like exposure adjustment. Auto-film advance? That's debatable -- as is a zoom lens and a built-in flash.

PBphoto · Jan 12, 2023

pradheep thavamani said:
I just recently sold my Leica CM and thought I should look for something less than 1k price. Please help me to decide what I should consider buying. I shoot mostly slides and color negatives once in a while. What I have in mind is Fujifilm DL super mini or Minolta TC-1. Which one I should pick and please share your experience.

It’s funny how most disregard the Konica Hexar AF as a good option …
to me that is one of the nicest point and shoot’s ever made ;-)

Huss · Jan 12, 2023

PBphoto said:
It’s funny how most disregard the Konica Hexar AF as a good option …
to me that is one of the nicest point and shoot’s ever made ;-)

That 1/250 top shutter speed kills it for me. No idea what Konica was thinking, let alone on a super expensive camera.

In comparison:

Rollei QZ35 1/8000
Contax T3 1/1200
Fuji Klasse 1/1000
Leica CM 1/1000
Olympus Stylus Epic (Mju) 1/1000
Minolta tc11/750
Nikon 35 ti 1/500

Konica Hexar AF 1/250

xkaes · Jan 12, 2023

The Konica Hexar AF sure is a winner. Some might say it's not a P&S because it's pretty big and lacks a flash, but who needs a flash with THAT lens?

Paul Howell · Jan 13, 2023

How have they held up over the years?

EggFriedRice · Apr 24, 2023

Fujiflim Klasse

Chan Tran · Apr 24, 2023

pradheep thavamani said:
I just recently sold my Leica CM and thought I should look for something less than 1k price. Please help me to decide what I should consider buying. I shoot mostly slides and color negatives once in a while. What I have in mind is Fujifilm DL super mini or Minolta TC-1. Which one I should pick and please share your experience.

When you said P&S you meant a small camera or a camera that you can just point and shoot without having to do any settings or both?

Huss · Apr 24, 2023

xkaes said:
The Konica Hexar AF sure is a winner. Some might say it's not a P&S because it's pretty big and lacks a flash, but who needs a flash with THAT lens?

1/250 top speed makes it a hard loser. Only one stop faster than a Kodak H35 plastic half frame camera.

In daylight where I am that means f16 or f22 all the time depending on whether I am using ISO 200 or 400 film.
And it also means that it's not good for taking pics of moving subjects, unless you don't mind blur/unsharpness all the time.

I like to be able to decide whether I want blur, and also whether I want to stop down all the time. And to be able to not have the camera make that decision for me.

xkaes · Apr 24, 2023

Huss said:
1/250 top speed makes it a hard loser.

Great for you. I'm not a speed freak. The last time I used a shutter speed over 1/125 was in 1960 - or was that 1860?

I have cameras with speed of 1/8,000. Great. I've never used them.

God speed to you.

There's no need to try to shut out other people who don't have your need for SUPER SPEED.

Huss · Apr 24, 2023

xkaes said:
Great for you. I'm not a speed freak. The last time I used a shutter speed over 1/125 was in 1960 - or was that 1860?

I have cameras with speed of 1/8,000. Great. I've never used them.

God speed to you.

There's no need to try to shut out other people who don't have your need for SUPER SPEED.

Proof you don't actually take pics if you think 1/250 is super speed.

And more proof that you don't actually take pics is when you don't realize a 1/250 speed limits you to f22 on a sunny day w ISO 400 film,.

xkaes · Apr 24, 2023

I normally shoot ISO 12 film.

Huss · Apr 24, 2023

xkaes said:
I normally shoot ISO 12 film.

sure you do. in your Diana Mini between planting sessions.

xkaes · Apr 25, 2023

Huss said:
sure you do. in your Diana Mini between planting sessions.

Unlike your extremely-limited Kodak Ektar H35, the Mini Diana has a tripod socket, a cable release connection, and a B shutter setting -- so I can use it with whatever film I want. It also has a hot shoe so it can be used as an aperture-priority, auto-exposure camera -- unlike the H35. Add in TWO format capability and MULTI-exposure as well, and the Mini Diana leaves the H35 in the dust.

Huss · Apr 25, 2023

xkaes said:
Unlike your extremely-limited Kodak Ektar H35, the Mini Diana has a tripod socket, a cable release connection, and a B shutter setting -- so I can use it with whatever film I want. It also has a hot shoe so it can be used as an aperture-priority, auto-exposure camera -- unlike the H35. Add in TWO format capability and MULTI-exposure as well, and the Mini Diana leaves the H35 in the dust.

Why haven't you tested/used that camera yet? And shown us what it can do? You know, something actually useful for the site. What was your last excuse? "Planting season"?

I have offered to test it for you and post results. But you did not respond. Which suggests that all you care about is 'the thing' and not actually what it can do.

wiltw · Apr 25, 2023

pradheep thavamani said:
Thanks for suggestion but I do prefer camera that does meter slide film better.

Metering for slide film is difficult, even for a pricey SLR with TTL metering!...the scene itself can impart so many tricky situations that fool even 'sophisticated' meters!

Here is one example of metering with a modern dSLR in its Evaluative meter mode, and it gets grossly fooled, not even with the +-1EV tolerance that will result in poor slide film exposure!

That is an 18% gray card on the balcony rail...it is captured underexposed by more than -1EV...a P&S meter will not fare better!

MattKing · Apr 25, 2023

Moderator Mode On:
Okay you two (Huss and xkaes)- take it outside!

We have room for all sorts of photographic interests here on Photrio, and no one's approach is necessarily more valuable than anyone else's!
Moderator Mode Off.

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