Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 18, 2012 9:00:45 GMT -5
Mickey, thanks for this information !!! So it seems, that even the "bible" is not complete  My last chance might be the Fuji-Museum here in Tokyo, even I have been there once and the camera corner is not really that large as I remember ... and the staff doesn't know really much about cameras. It's more a showroom than a serious museum. |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 18, 2012 1:25:07 GMT -5
That's quite true. Simple psychology. What doesn't cost much, isn't worth much. I also often feel tempted to go for a camera with a start price of $20 more than of $2, because I think, the seller is at least confident enough about the condition of his camera to ask for $20. It's of course stupid ... but those things come into our minds sometimes and it seems, that others are thinking similar. The 1-2 dollar ones often stay untouched because everybody thinks "This has to be junk", while people are bidding on the more expensive ones. But well ... those $1220.00 are quite brave   He might be lucky, if there is no other unit of this model on an auction for months, but still ... it won't sell for this price, I guess ... except it would be in totally perfect condition. Prices for either perfectly refurbished or nearly never used rare models can reach the sky sometimes. There is no price guide for those anymore, just the question, if somebody really wants it or not ... and of course, if he/she has the budget for it. But there are still many of those on this planet. If a millionaire's daughter says to his daddy: "I want this camera for my next birthday" and this birthday is in one week, he would probably not mind, paying a few thousand dollars for it and even picking it up with his helicopter if it can't be delivered in time |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 18, 2012 0:58:55 GMT -5
Hahaha ... yes BTW, I am still researching on this camera. The more I search, the conflicting are the information. According to this quite reliable looking japanese source, www11.plala.or.jp/minokan/fuji/fujica%20compact.htmmine could be the either No.4 or No.8 on this list ( 38 mm lens at F:2.8 and no B setting ). It should be actually the last, because it has a flash shoe, which is only mentioned for this model ... but on the other hand ... just looking at the pictures on the top, at least two models ( if not even all, I guess ) have been equipped with a flash shoe. Not anybody here, who might have a look in the McKeown "bible" for me ? |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 17, 2012 6:10:58 GMT -5
Oh, her pictures are usually not bad at all. She just doesn't have any patience for reading a camera manual or discovering, how something works on her camera I try to explain important things from time to time ... but she doesn't have much patience for listening to my explanations either ... hahaha ... BTW, here is the digital counter picture to the one above  |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 14, 2012 22:55:22 GMT -5
Nice collection ... and 18 grandchildren ... not bad Welcome and have fun here !!! |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 14, 2012 4:07:30 GMT -5
Well spotted We have been on a rowing boat, when this pictures has been taken. Something like "Japangilsh". We talked in English when we met, but now, my Japanese is quite good meanwhile and we are mostly talking in Japanese ... but still using English expressions ( covered in japanese grammar ). Indeed some kind of language of its own. The thing is, that there are still many things, easier to say in English than in Japanese ( even impossible to translate sometimes ) and also the other way around. Japanese is very different from all western languages, because the thinking is different. In Japanese, it is possible to say a lot without saying it. It's a very fuzzy and polite way of communication, leaving a lot of space for guessings. That's very confusing at the beginning, but actually wonderful. It is less aggressive and based on the assumption, that the other one is willing to understand you. However, Japanese is very unsuitable for having a discussion or saying something straight or clearly. In those cases, English is the better tool. My wife does not speak any German though, but there wouldn't be a need for it either. |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 13, 2012 10:50:20 GMT -5
And here another one. My wife, trying to catch the cherryblossoms digitally Taken on the cheapest Fuji 100 film. A little bit strong compression though. |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 13, 2012 10:45:16 GMT -5
BTW, I shot a first test film. This "guess focus" is always tough, but besides from that, a sweet little camera with a surprisingly sharp lens. The exposure automatic worked excellent too.
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 12, 2012 21:39:42 GMT -5
An old friend of mine always used to say: Every day, at least one stupid person stands up in the morning ... you just need to find him |
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Post by Berndt on Apr 11, 2012 22:00:44 GMT -5
Roy, thanks for sharing !!!
Reviews are always valuable, especially if they come with pictures.
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Post by Berndt on Apr 11, 2012 21:56:17 GMT -5
I noticed that too. That's how the internet works. Somebody says something and if enough people are copying it, it becomes the truth Regarding those Wikipedias, the problem is, that there is no omniscient moderator, knowing everything and judging, if things are true or just balderdash ( I like that word ). |
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Post by Berndt on Apr 11, 2012 7:04:22 GMT -5
I know, what you mean, Dave ... and it has been probably worse on early post war TLRs ( they just built in, what they got ) and on plate cameras in the 20s. So many different combinations of the same lenses and shutters, sometimes manufactured by just small makers and often in small numbers as well. But I still hope, somebody can classify this Fujica. I even think, that there are a few years between those two Fujica Compact 35 models. There are always two years mentioned ... 1966 and 1969, but I think, the information became mixed up over the time by one blogger copying something from another. "Camera archeology" ... but it's a part of the collectors passion, isn't it. I always found it interesting, which technology has influented another. Therefore, dates of release are not unimportant. A little bit researching on my recent favorite field of early auto exposure cameras, I also found, that the very first one has been an Agfa Optima. Not really surprising for me as many japanese technologies haven't been really invented here ;-)) A camera from 1959, using an a little bit different but also interesting concept. They kept the lens open between 1/30 sec and 1/250 sec and then started to close the lens down ( changing the aperture ). The technology of the Agfa Optima is well documented, while there are just fuzzy and often conflicting information about others. Of course, every maker tried to keep his secret ... as they still do Specs are always well known, but how the firmware really works ? |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 10, 2012 21:10:57 GMT -5
Yes ... and I think, they even mean a different model ( the one, where you can choose shutter speeds ). Those two models ( both named Fujica Compact 35 ) are often mixed up, I guess. That's the problem of internet sources sometimes. One copies another and mistakes become multiplied. But both cameras are not only functionally different, also the name plate is written in a different style.
Very interesting for me, this camera provides a better insight in how this auto-exposure technique works. I couldn't completely understand, how an analog camera can work with different apertures and shutter times at the same time. That usually requires a more sophisticated technology ( software, program ) like on modern digital cameras.
But looking at this Fujica Compact 35 ( which shows the automatically chosen aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder ), it seems, that apertures and shutter speeds are on a fixed scale ( F:2.8 - F:22 is constantly related to 1/30 sec - 1/250 sec ). Is that understandable in English ? ... hahaha ... I don't know. It means for example, that the camera automatic is always choosing small apertures in combination with fast shutter speeds ( for example F:22 with 1/250sec ) and large apertures with slow shutter speeds ( for example F:2.8 with 1/30 sec ).
How practical this system is, might be debatable, but it guarantees at least, that the exposure automatic can cover a wide range from low light to bright light situations ... and it works better than the AUTO mode of modern cameras because ... the focus doesn't need to be considered. Most digital cameras do have a "field measuring system" for the autofocus in AUTO mode ( plus face detection sometimes ). That means, that the camera usually needs a large DOF for getting many objects or persons in different distances in focus. That requires a small aperture ... and that requires either a high ISO or slow shutter speed in low light.
I found it personally quite interesting to understand and compare ancient and modern concepts of an "AUTO mode".
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 10, 2012 9:58:49 GMT -5
Looking forward to seeing your pictures, taken with it. Congratulations for this nice find.
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Apr 10, 2012 9:06:06 GMT -5
Recently fascinated by those "electric eye" selenium meter based auto exposure cameras of the 60s, I found another nice one by chance in a junk box at a flea market in Ueno today - a Fujica Compact 35. Didn't take a picture of it yet, but it's the same as the model, described in this korean blog: www.dchome.net/viewthread.php?tid=283283I wonder, when it has been manufactured or released. Not many information in the internet about this camera and most are describing a later and more advanced model of this camera: camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Fujica_Compact_35Mine is also not listed at the Fujica-Wikipedia, even they say, these are ALL models. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FujicaDifferently from the later released and obviously more common model of the Fujica Compact 35, I can't choose a shutter speed on my Fujica yet. It automatically chooses aperture ( can be selected manually too though ) and shutter speed from 1/30 - 1/250 sec. No range finder, just a viewfinder with illuminated icons ( trees - group - portrait - close up ) displayed ( and the actually chosen aperture/shutter speed ). Does anybody has more information or maybe the same camera ? It still seems to work ... hopefully without light leakings this time |
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He might be lucky, if there is no other unit of this model on an auction for months, but still ... it won't sell for this price, I guess ... except it would be in totally perfect condition. Prices for either perfectly refurbished or nearly never used rare models can reach the sky sometimes. There is no price guide for those anymore, just the question, if somebody really wants it or not ... and of course, if he/she has the budget for it. But there are still many of those on this planet. If a millionaire's daughter says to his daddy: "I want this camera for my next birthday" and this birthday is in one week, he would probably not mind, paying a few thousand dollars for it and even picking it up with his helicopter if it can't be delivered in time 