[J.Scott]

Someone mentioned the Fuji Natura earlier. There was a time I would have paid damn near anything to aquire one of these rare beauties; but I have all but given up now. It was one of those cameras that I first heard about after they had gone out of production and supplies were drying up faster than a desert rainstorm.

A reasonable alternative might be the Olympus XA series. The XA and XA4 are the most sought after but the less collectable XA1, XA2 and XA3 are basicly point and shoot cameras with different features. They can be usually be found on Ebay or used camera/hock shops.

I just thought of another one. Maybe you could find a Klasse W. Another Fuji film camera that unfortunately is available in Japan.

---

Last edited by J.Scott; 04-03-2008 at 07:10 AM.

[Tyler]

Here are my top choices for film point and shoots-

Olympus XA
Yashica T4
Pentax UC-1 (I have this one and love it)
Fuji Klasse W (as mentioned above)
Ricoh GR1s
Ricoh GR21 (very expensive, though)
Holga

probably a few more i'm leaving out. oh well.

[Mike Cash]

Depends how you define P & S. Most digital bridgecams are considered to be in that category and they are more complicated than the K1000 where all you have to do is center the needle between the +/- in the viewfinder. Disposable cameras are about the only cameras nowadays in that league of P & S (just look in the viewfinder,compose your shot and release the shutter button, what could be easier than that?

Barry

You point. You shoot. That's what "Point & Shoot" means. It doesn't mean: Point; monkey with the aperture ring; monkey with the shutter speed; manually focus the lens; Shoot.

That some people mistakenly consider bridgecams to be P&S cameras doesn't make them P&S cameras. It merely indicates that people are uninformed, unconcerned, careless, or imprecise with their language use. Similarly, we don't get to take such vast liberties with terminology as to allow us to redefine the quintessential fully manual SLR as a P&S.

[shutterpuppy]

make[/i] them P&S cameras. It merely indicates that people are uninformed, unconcerned, careless, or imprecise with their language use. Similarly, we don't get to take such vast liberties with terminology as to allow us to redefine the quintessential fully manual SLR as a P&S.

Mike,
I agree with you 100 percent on that quote however most camera review sites refer to any
bridgecam no matter how expensive it is as a P & S. I guess a camera has to be able to change lenses in order to fall into the "other "catagory" My old Fuji s8000fd bridgecam did have a totally auto mode yet I still had to make adjustments for white balance,ISO and MP setting. Hardly a camera where you just slip in a memory card and batteries and just shoot...for best results you still have to play around with it.

Barry

[barondla]

Nominate the Pentax A110. Interchangeable lens all fitting in your hand. Manual focus - but 110 has lots of dof so just preset and go. Just loaded one after all these years. What a hoot. People can't believe it when they see it.
thanks
barondla

[Daryl]

If you don't want to spend large amounts of money, I can thoroughly recommend the Olympus Stylus/Epic. Great optics for the money, splashproof - certainly no problems using it this side of the Flood. The clamshell design gives it great protection and is an easy shape to slip into a pocket - no protrusions at all. This is a great asset for a real "point and shoot." If you feel like it you can set it to spot focus (very accurate) and spot meter. But you don't have to - it works well on fully auto everything. You can even have it kick in the flash to correct the "white balance" (though I don't think they call it that - this is made for people who use film and let the printer sort out those matters). How "pointy and shooty" is that?!

The Konicas mentioned are brilliant, so are the Canonets, they're just not as easy to slip in your pocket, nor as well sealed. The Olympus XA is great, but it's getting old, and the shutter releases on them are prone to being a bit cranky now. If you want something with class, find a Rollei 35. Almost indestructible. But completely manual. Superb optics. Used thoughtfully, it's a real classic gem - but not what I'd call a point and shoot.

[monochrome]

Olympus XA - I have one and love it. Avoid the XA2 and XA3 - XA4 Macro is very hard to find. Try to get the A16 Flash.

XA Like New with case and papers usually available for under $100 you-know-where.

Links:

Olympus XA and XA4

Photoethnography.com - Classic Cameras

The Classic Camera Olympus XA

Olympus XA 35mm compact camera

[ChrisPlatt]

If you want something with class, find a Rollei 35.

Try before buying one of these. IMO the Rollei 35s are an ergonomic nightmare.

...Avoid the (Olympus) XA2 and XA3...

Why? These are great picture takers, once you learn to zone focus.
Almost as cheap as a disposable, and can live in your pocket forever...

Chris

[monochrome]

RE: Avoid XA2 and XA3

Why? These are great picture takers, once you learn to zone focus.
Almost as cheap as a disposable, and can live in your pocket forever...

Chris

I'll give you that - if you don't mind Zone Focus and a stop slower lens. They're all a bargain.

[Daryl]

Try before buying one of these. IMO the Rollei 35s are an ergonomic nightmare.

Chris

I don't regard them as the ultimate point and shoot, and they are "different" but once you've actually used one for a bit the good sense of their design shines through. They just take a bit of getting used to. They have character! Mine is still going strong after more than 30 years - and it's been dropped on concrete (minor dent in the top now) and serviced once in all that time. It is just built to last forever!

Being able to use flash at any speed means they are great for fill in work. You can use any flash on them - heck, sometimes the flash is bigger than the camera! You don't have to put up with a tiddlywink flash that comes with so many point and shoots. It all works well - and there's nothing wrong with Zeiss optics. I've used a 35 to cover the outdoors parts of a wedding when the light was so hard I had to use subtle fill flash, and my Nikon reflex with its focal plane shutter wasn't good at that.

Having said all that, if you want a film p&s to look first and last at the Olympus Stylus/Epic.
Plain, simple, incredibly easy to use, inexpensive, lots of "bang for the buck." ...
Daryl

[barondla]

Also consider the Leica/Minolta CL/CLS
thanks
barondla

[KungPOW]

How about this for "point and shoot":

Pentax ME w/ SMC-M 28mm

Set the lens to f8, and the focus to 10 feet.

No go out and point it at stuff and shoot. Everything from 5' to infinity will be in focus, and the camera will deal with shutter speed.

Smaller then a k1000. Nothing to adjust. And its a pentax!

[Pentaxke]

There are lots of good film p&S camera's around. Normally you should be able to pick them off eBay for little money...

Let's see (no particular order):
- Olympus mju II: excellent optics, weather proof
- Pentax Espio Mini (funny no one mentionned this one before ) This one has an excellent optical viewfinder which changes according the autofocus. Very nice!
- Minox 35 Have had this one for years. Excellent optics. Super quiet!
- Nikon 35Ti and Nikon 28Ti: build like a tank, excellent optics, very, very expensive, although you should get them for around $300,- nowadays...
- Ricoh GR1 and GR21
- Konica Hexar: fabulous 35 f/2 lens! Ultra quiet.
- Fuji Tiara Zoom In Europe it was calle DL Zoom Mini. Although not very bright zoom, it was reputed very sharp.
- Contax TVS III
- Leica Minilux

If money and size aren't any problems, I would definatly check out the Konica Hexar, by far the best of the lot (best and brightest lens, excellent exposure meter, quitest operation - even quiter than the Leica M!)
There are lots and lots of others though. eBay should be a good place to start... Hope this helps!

[daivx]

I recommend Pentax UC-1/ESPIO MINI!

[kyteflyer]

...
I cannot find a good digital P&S, maybe I will try my luck with a film P&S. ...

Kenny, there are a lot of really good digital point and shooters... at very reasonable prices as well... But probably not Pentax. I currently use a Panasonic TZ7, and used to use an Olympus MJU1020 which I regret selling, very much, it was so tiny it fit in my top pocket... smaller than my mobile...

Have you checked Digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au?

If you are looking seriously for a film cam, see if you can find a Pentax Espio 738. I also have one of those and it has a small zoom and the IQ is pretty decent.