Unloved 35mm compact cameras

John_A · May 4, 2017

As stated above, it seems that consumer 35mm zoom cameras dont get much appreciation these days. Of course, in this segment there were a LOT of crap cameras, but also premium compacts for a premium price.
I have my eyes somewhere in the middle.
A Minolta Freedom zoom 150 or a Canon Prima 150 Super for 20$, seems like a good travel camera. If you dont mind the automatic operation, you get a pretty decent 38-150mm zoom, and a small footprint.
I guess there are other, maybee better alternatives around.
Any experiences/suggestions?

GarageBoy · May 4, 2017

Pentax 928, Canon sure shot 120 classic are good cheap zoom cameras

There's also the Rollei Prego 90

blockend · May 4, 2017

I have about 25 such cameras, most bought as a job lot for £5. The main problem with many of them is the slow maximum aperture, getting even slower towards the telephoto end. Some of the longer zooms have a maximum aperture of f11! This is sometimes combined with modest maximum film and shutter speeds, creating a recipe for camera shake. Control over flash is often lacking, too. If you shoot with 400 ASA film in daylight, AF compact zooms work fine.

In the hands of an artist they can of course make great photographs: http://time.com/3784650/bertien-van-manen-lets-sit-down-before-we-go/

Cholentpot · May 4, 2017

Wasn't there a Canon Auto something that did half-frame? I've been looking for one.

Daire Quinlan · May 4, 2017

Cholentpot said:
Wasn't there a Canon Auto something that did half-frame? I've been looking for one.

The Canon Prima Tele

Not only half frame but a switchable 35mm / 60mm lens. Let down by the humongous size (by compact standards) and the ubiquitous always-on-flash

Daire Quinlan · May 4, 2017

Also, on the more general topic, I've shot with a few 35mm compacts, preferred the Mju I to it's later more exclusive sibling, but the standout for me, and which became my carry round camera for quite a while, was the Nikon AF600. super 28mm lens and switchable panoramic if you're into that sort of thing. The lens was top notch though. I probably have more shots taken with it on my flickr stream than any other single combination of camera & lens other than my F100 w/ 50mm
https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=31589949@N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=af600&view_all=1

Paul Howell · May 4, 2017

I was given a box of point and shoot by a co worker, he got the whole box at an auction of some sort for $10.00. I have added a few over the past few years. Some of the better cameras are fixed lens, 50, 28, 45 mm somewhat fast lens. Early models were not DX coded so you could cheat the automation by changing the film speed, and take filters. In the winter I carry a Pentax IQ Zoom, 38 to 140 and Canon L with the 1.9 50mm in my car, too hot in the summer. I also carry a Pentax weather resistant or Olympic water proof when traveling. The lens are slow but can provide decent negatives, I usually shoot Tmax 400 or Kodacolor 400. I have even glued S Vi filter adaptors the lens barrels and shot with light yellow filter.

Harry Stevens · May 4, 2017

I own two of these and have just finished shooting a 36 roll in a Canon sprint, all bought for peanuts.
http://conanscameras.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/canon-sure-shot-zoom-xl.html

ciniframe · May 4, 2017

John_A said:
If you dont mind the automatic operation,

Never liked any 'automatic operation' only camera, no manner how many "backlight" buttons or levers it had. There is just something wrong with a camera that doesn't offer full manual control, both exposure and focus. Seems like after the Konica C-35 came out, most all the camera companies started to remove the full manual feature on their fixed lens 35mm compacts. By the dawn of the 80's it was almost impossible to buy a new 35mm, leaf shutter, fixed lens rangefinder that had full manual settings and metered auto exposure. I know that is MY personal hang up. (and I hope I'm not the only one here with this particular affliction) I can deal with it if I want to......but I don't want to.

All that said I admit to owning (and using) an Olympus XA2 some years ago. Used it occasionally until it stopped working, gave it away to a guy who likes to tinker with such things.

OptiKen · May 4, 2017

I have and use an Olympus Zoom 105. It's very compact and I can turn off the flash. I think the pictures it captures are quite good and it is usually my go-to carry around camera. When I feel more mechanically inclined I may use my Pen FT or Pentax 110 system

Cholentpot · May 4, 2017

Daire Quinlan said:
The Canon Prima Tele

Not only half frame but a switchable 35mm / 60mm lens. Let down by the humongous size (by compact standards) and the ubiquitous always-on-flash

Is it worth buying as a bashable beater? I love half-frames but I baby my Olympus Pen.

TheRook · May 4, 2017

I especially like the cheap Minolta consumer compact cameras from the late 1980's and 1990's - not only do they produce reasonably sharp images, but they were built to last.

Loren Sattler · May 4, 2017

I will second the vote for the Rollei Prego 90. It has a very high quality auto focus 28-90 Schneider lens. It offers a variety of controls including auto flash and fill in flash that I use for street shooting and party pictures. It is not the smallest point and shoot but it produces a very sharp negative. I have purchased these on eBay for as little as $20. Attached scan of O'Hare terminal looks much better as B&W print.

blockend · May 5, 2017

One of my favourite cameras is the Olympus Shoot and Go. 3-element plastic lens, fixed aperture and shutter speed, manual flash 100 or 400 ASA. As basic as 35mm cameras come, but takes great photos. I took more risks with my S&G than any camera I've owned, and it finally died in a sandstorm on a beach: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143683333@N04/34420665736/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/143683333@N04/34077231920/in/dateposted-public/

John_A · May 5, 2017

Thanks, for the input; some nice photos as well!
What is the longest zoom lens used in a compact camera? I've found a Canon with a 38-180mm...
Most brands seems to top out at 150 or 160mm.
What are the IQ at those focal lengths? Usable?

John_A · May 5, 2017

Well, found a Pentax with a 48-200mm zoom..

Paul Howell · May 5, 2017

I have the 140 version, don't what the max F stop is, F 8 or 11, top shutter speed might be 1/300. I shoot ISO 400, thinking about trying some 800 next time I use it. Lens quality ought be very good.

MattKing · May 5, 2017

John_A said:
Well, found a Pentax with a 48-200mm zoom..

I'd bet there have been a lot of camera shake blurred photos from the 200mm end of that camera's zoom range!
I really like and sometimes use a few of these fairly advanced point and shoot cameras. But my experience working in a retail environment leads me to believe that the more features you add to them, the more difficulty that casual users encounter with them.

CMoore · May 5, 2017

I am amazed at the quality of pictures i got shooting Kodak Plus-X in my Canon Sure Shot 80.
It was not a "Premium" point and shoot by any means.
I still use it...especially with color and outside.

John_A · May 5, 2017

CMoore said:
I am amazed at the quality of pictures i got shooting Kodak Plus-X in my Canon Sure Shot 80.
It was not a "Premium" point and shoot by any means.
I still use it...especially with color and outside.

Yep, I have a feeling that many of the mid -range compact cameras has a very decent quality. BTW, it seems that they all had their lens assemblys manufactured by a oem or something, they are almost identical in zoom range and aperture numbers between the brands.
Anyway,Im probably going to get a few different cameras and see with I like the best since they are very inexpensive now. Its a shame many use the 2cr5 batteries or similar.
Meanwhile I`ve dug up a Chinon auto 3001 multi beam focus that I forgot I had.
Going on a 7hr train journey tomorrow and will try it out. No zoom, all plastic and automatic, but the proof is in the IQ..

blockend · May 5, 2017

John_A said:
Well, found a Pentax with a 48-200mm zoom..

I own the Pentax. Don't use it very often for reasons stated earlier, tiny maximum aperture, limited speeds. It's also as big as an SLR, even with the lens retracted. Difficult to think who it was intended for, maybe a Tichy wannabe who didn't want to grind his own lenses!

blockend · May 5, 2017

Zoom compacts are generally okay for image quality, it's the range that lets them down. 38-70 is a debatably narrow limit best accommodated by moving position. For the type of work they're put to (non-sports, non-wildlife) a 24-50 might be more practical, but either the technology wasn't available in a small package, or manufacturers thought a short portrait option was what casual users wanted. Some early ones were dual focal length types, not true zooms. Either way most people would be better off with a fixed lens camera.

One of the advantages of a compact is the availability of flash for fill-in illumination. The downsides are the film advance is often noisy, the AF is easily duped by reflections and, depending on model, some take rather expensive CR5 dual cell batteries. On balance I prefer a thumb wheel fixed focus or zone focus camera because they're smaller and quicker, but zoom compacts are still unfairly overlooked.

Craig75 · May 6, 2017

I havent used one but pentax espio 24w always struck me as an interesting zoom compact. 24mm at the wide end and 3 stop exposure compensation.

John_A · May 7, 2017

Craig75 said:
I havent used one but pentax espio 24w always struck me as an interesting zoom compact. 24mm at the wide end and 3 stop exposure compensation.

I like the Pentax compact in general. Nice optics and design. Were on the fence for e Espio Mini, but they have become very expensive.
Btw, found this strange looking thing the other day. Very odd design. How are you supposed to hold this?

Alan Johnson · May 7, 2017

Here is my Samsung Slim Zoom 290w, I use the Rollei Prego 90af instructions, apart from cosmetic differences in the plastic it appears identical.
Samsung owned the Rollei Brand 1995-99. Mine is so unloved it is barely mentioned on the net. The viewfinder is small and it does not take filters but it is a good second camera with a sharp lens.

Unloved 35mm compact cameras

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