Some questions about alpa cameras

[Paul Howell]

I attempted to collect Miranda, gave up for lack of interest, still I managed to gather up a few EE and all the EE lens with the exception of the 180. I also have a few Sensorex and an RE. For the most part I agree that Miranda produced very good lens, the 50 1.7 is very close to my Konica 1.7 the 135 is one of the best 135s I have ever used. But of all the cameras that I have had Miranda have held up the lest, well except for Petri. The EEs have issues with the film advance, and both the EE and Sensorex are prone to dead meters, the RE seems to have held up better. In terms of quality there is no comparison of a Miranda to a Nikon or Alpa.

Topcon made 3 level of cameras the D and Super D were pro level, the RE 100 and 200 used the same lens mount as the D and Super D, like a FD or Nikkormat in relationship to the D, then there was the Uni a leaf shutter entry level camera.

I have not seen many clean Ds, the ones that show up have been well used.

 

[Jet]

Interesting to hear people's experiences with the Miranda Sensorex. I have two, which stopped working shortly after I purchased them. I have had a few Topcons, including an RE Super, which I thought felt a little more refined than a Nikon F. The leaf shutter Topcon Uni was one of the worst cameras I've ever owned.

 

[blockend]

This guy likes the Sensorex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO_swh1tNu4 Cut to 20:20 for the opinion.

 

[JW PHOTO]

Miranda? Fragile. Character in my college dorm bought a Miranda (G, I think it was, could be mistaken) for his graduation gift summer in Europe. It died quckly. A friend brought two Sensorexes home from the Nam. They lived in the shop. I recall one excursion on which both failed after a few shots each. My humble Nikkormat just kept on going.

John, I'm glad that your Sensorex never bit you.

Well, it lived long for me and very short for my son. Yes, the meter is usually the first thing to go since the cell is incorporated into the mirror and does a lot of physical movement. Miranda had some very good ideas and really nice looking cameras, but that's about it. Even the name Sensorex spells "SEXY"! I have to admit that I knew very little about 35mm SLR cameras in 1969. Thinking they were all pretty much the same, just like cars back home were, I'll just buy the prettiest one. That's how I ended up with the Miranda Sensorex being my very first 35mm SLR. Now, if I had it to do over again????? John W

 

[Paul Howell]

Well, it lived long for me and very short for my son. Yes, the meter is usually the first thing to go since the cell is incorporated into the mirror and does a lot of physical movement. Miranda had some very good ideas and really nice looking cameras, but that's about it. Even the name Sensorex spells "SEXY"! I have to admit that I knew very little about 35mm SLR cameras in 1969. Thinking they were all pretty much the same, just like cars back home were, I'll just buy the prettiest one. That's how I ended up with the Miranda Sensorex being my very first 35mm SLR. Now, if I had it to do over again????? John W

Could have been worse, the last Miranda the DX put Miranda out of business, I have yet to find a working example. It did not have an interchangeable finder, was not EE, straight manual, but had really funky electronics, took 4 watch batteries just run the light meter and the shutter, build quality was not up to par with the EEII and REII, was to have an optional motor drive or winder, never made it into production. So many were returned that AIC was either bankrupt or just stopped doing business. AIC also owned Soilgar and all the Soilgar lens and light meters went away as well. Years ago there was a document on line by one of the AIC managers blaming the Japanese Government for not providing the same tax advantages other favoritism with Nikon and Canon only because AIC was an American owned company and the Japanese Government did not want an American Company to own a Japanese camera company. I don't buy it, it the same time period Petri bellied up and Kowa and Topcon got of the camera business as well.

 

[flavio81]

In case no one's mentioned them, Topcon and Miranda produced well made cameras that are under many people's radar. The Miranda Sensorex is competition for the Nikon F and the lenses are reputed to be excellent.

I can't imagine how a Miranda Sensorex could be a competition for the Nikon F. The build quality, for one, is very different. And from looking at the adverts in magazines (i own some old magazines), it was more of a "budget" camera.

 

[JW PHOTO]

Could have been worse, the last Miranda the DX put Miranda out of business, I have yet to find a working example. It did not have an interchangeable finder, was not EE, straight manual, but had really funky electronics, took 4 watch batteries just run the light meter and the shutter, build quality was not up to par with the EEII and REII, was to have an optional motor drive or winder, never made it into production. So many were returned that AIC was either bankrupt or just stopped doing business. AIC also owned Soilgar and all the Soilgar lens and light meters went away as well. Years ago there was a document on line by one of the AIC managers blaming the Japanese Government for not providing the same tax advantages other favoritism with Nikon and Canon only because AIC was an American owned company and the Japanese Government did not want an American Company to own a Japanese camera company. I don't buy it, it the same time period Petri bellied up and Kowa and Topcon got of the camera business as well.

Yes, I think it was the model DX-3. I remember lusting over it for about 3 seconds. It was a nice looking camera, but a real dud. If I remember right it wasn't even made by Miranda. It might have been an early Cosina and those were not so good either. Later Cosina made some pretty good stuff, but also had lower class good at the same time. The Miranda cameras were certainly no Alpa clone that's for sure. John W