half frame suggestions?

[Andrew Cotterill]

I'm thinking of getting a half-frame camera, inspired by the appearance in the forum of a Yashica Samurai , but am wondering if some other cameras might be better. I've had a good rummage on ebay and so far I've found:

Yashica Samurai
Olympus Pen EF
Olympus Pen EE
Agat 18 / 18K
Yashica Half 17
Chaika-2


The Samurai appeals because it's so weird and has adjustable zoom and can be used with one hand, and is naturally landscape oriented, plus there is one on ebay for very good price right now. Cons: Big and weird?

Would I be better off getting an Olympus or Agat? I'd probably be taking this camera on holiday or leaving it in my man-bag for those moments I need to shoot something.

any/all advice gratefully received

 

[Hamish Gill]

Agat 18's are shite ... Not to be taken seriously.
im not sure you will find a chaika for a sensible price - they are also pretty shite and not really worth what people pay these days because of the lens.
I don't like the samurai range. I don't know of the half 17
I'd buy an ee2 or 3 ... Bit then I love the trip 35 which is basically the same in full frame guise ...
... As I said to David the other day though, 72 frames is a lot! It just keeps on ticking ... I just end up waisting shots when I've had one just to get through them

 

[Andrew Cotterill]

Agat 18's are shite ... Not to be taken seriously.
im not sure you will find a chaika for a sensible price - they are also pretty shite and not really worth what people pay these days because of the lens.
I don't like the samurai range. I don't know of the half 17
I'd buy an ee2 or 3 ... Bit then I love the trip 35 which is basically the same in full frame guise ...
... As I said to David the other day though, 72 frames is a lot! It just keeps on ticking ... I just end up waisting shots when I've had one just to get through them

thanks Hamish, and I was just about to purchase an Agat...

The Trip35 does look rather enticing, and I've read some good things about them. Also, they are about half the weight of a VitoB, so better for carrying everywhere.

The idea of creative juxtapositions using half-frame appeals to me . Don't know how long the novelty would last, though

 

[Hamish Gill]

Not very long is my guess ... This size is the nice thing about half frame cameras, but if your looking for small, there are plenty of full frame options.
The trip 35 is a classic! I have an elderly but very clean chrom buttoned one that I doubt I will ever part with - a true point and shoot camera that deserves its cult following in my books!

 

[David Mitchell]

Look at the Pen EE, I only got the Agat 18 as its one of those odd cameras, its classed as a toy camera (like the Holga or Diana) and its just a bit of fun - I can just drop it in my pocket with a basic roll of film and go for a wander, or would be useful for those situations where I think 'if only I had a camera' - can't fit a D3100 in my pocket lol.

The cool half frame camera I was looking at was the Pen FT which is a half frame SLR, but they aren't that cheap unlike other half frames. I guess you just need to decide what you are looking to shoot, if you are wanting lots of frames for some basic point and shoot or if you are going for fewer shots but higher resolution (and usually with better optics). The Agat 18 (and the 18K) are lomo cameras and should be treated as such, they are just a bit of fun.

Check out the thread I started before I got the samurai, might still look for that Mercury II though.

http://www.realphotographersforum.c...ras/10751-anyone-got-shot-olympus-pen-ft.html

 

[Andrew Cotterill]

The trip 35 is a classic! I have an elderly but very clean chrom buttoned one that I doubt I will ever part with - a true point and shoot camera that deserves its cult following in my books!

Just bought a refurb Trip35

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Look at the Pen EE....

Thanks David, I think I'll be getting an EE as soon as I've finished playing with the Trip35 I just bought. And they take the same size filters/hoods, which is nice

 

[David Mitchell]

Like I said, be VERY careful when buying cameras, its addictive lol perhaps I should start a group, "Hi my name's David and i'm addicted to buying cameras"....*group* "Hi David, thank you for sharing"

 

[Hamish Gill]

Agreed with the sentiments about the agat ... I don't mean to dis a camera I just sold you! It is a lot of fun, just in the company of the others mentioned its not worth a look

you will have to let us know how you get on with the trip ... I got mine down off the shelf this evening, it still works, which is good! Going to load a film I think ... It always feels like a summer camera, not sure why... But with the sun out lately it feels like it might be the right time to get it out!

 

[David Mitchell]

Agreed with the sentiments about the agat ... I don't mean to dis a camera I just sold you! It is a lot of fun, just in the company of the others mentioned its not worth a look

you will have to let us know how you get on with the trip ... I got mine down off the shelf this evening, it still works, which is good! Going to load a film I think ... It always feels like a summer camera, not sure why... But with the sun out lately it feels like it might be the right time to get it out!

Its Russian, plastic, has no shutter settings and you can set the aperture by selecting 'boat' or 'black sun' lol i'm not expecting amazing results, will probably be taking it to my sisters wedding though as a compact pocketable camera.

The trip 35 seems pretty cool, i'm just worried about the meter though as I know that sort can go bad somtimes - the reason why I think I need a new Zenit ES body which will be interesting to try and find lol

 

[Andrew Cotterill]

Like I said, be VERY careful when buying cameras, its addictive lol perhaps I should start a group, "Hi my name's David and i'm addicted to buying cameras"....*group* "Hi David, thank you for sharing"

I feel a bit like that some days! I have a rule about not paying more than £30 for a camera, though so at least it's not a massively expensive hobby...

I'm forcing myself to shoot a roll a week, starting a couple of weeks ago, so I'll use a different camera each week which is my way of justifying having so many

 

[Andrew Cotterill]

you will have to let us know how you get on with the trip ... I got mine down off the shelf this evening, it still works, which is good! Going to load a film I think ... It always feels like a summer camera, not sure why... But with the sun out lately it feels like it might be the right time to get it out!

Yes I'll post some piccies in a week or two. Actually , I haven't posted any pics for a while now...

 

[Hamish Gill]

The trip light meter is very reliable, you have much more chance of something else in it going wrong before the meter fails

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I'll look forward to seeing them!