Ultra compact film camera with wide angle lens and filters?

[ajuk]

I'm looking for a camera to take cycling in the countryside to take landscape shots, I was wondering if there was a tiny film compact ever made that has a really wide angle lens (wider than 28mm) and the ability to take a polariser?

[Franglais]

Simple reply: No

You want landscapes, film, wider than 28mm, super-compact..

- You want to do landscapes and that means detail therefore big film 24x36. Which is about the only type of film you're going to find nowadays anyway
- Manufacturers stopped developing film cameras about 7-8 years ago. At the time 28mm was the widest 24x36 compact cameras would go. The norm for really compact cameras was 35mm with no zoom

The only camera that comes to mind is the Olympus Stylus Mu-2 with a clamshell design and 35mm f2.8 lens (I had one for a while). Great camera - but completely outclassed by modern digital point-and-shoots

[Greg McCary]

I use the Olympus XA2. I think it would work for you. Very small and easy to operate. Plus you can find them in nice shape for about $30-40.00
olympus xa2 - Google Search

[ajuk]

Yes Franglais apart from Fuji, I did see the Fuji Natura S but it's a silly price and no filter thread.

I am talking about 35mm, (although you can still get larger formats than that AFAIK, they sell it in my local Calumet) I intend to get a MILC but they're too big for this and quantity will be low.
I have an XA2 and an MJUII which is what I currently carry and only the MILCs can out class that.

[Greg McCary]

Well I found this Lomo, it's 17mm. You could always just hold a polorizer in front of the lens. Could be fun?
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/lo...mography-16743

[Franglais]

Well I found this Lomo, it's 17mm. You could always just hold a polorizer in front of the lens. Could be fun?
Lomo LC-A Wide Film Camera from Lomography

THIS is the answer (if you want to spend that much money). I wasn't aware of this new development. I must check out the LOMO shop in Paris.

BTW I had an Olympus XA-2 as well but the focussing system broke quite quickly.

[ajuk]

Yeah that looks a fortune, I probably could get a MILC for that, I have found the Ricoh GR21 which seems to be exactly what I want and it has a lens that was also sold on M mount and got rave reviews for that and it's tiny, I doubt I will be able to get a digi like that that small before long until they can get and APS-C sensor in a camera that size, alas the price of that is ridiculous, the price of high end film compacts is actually appreciating. The Ricoh R1, looks to be a good bet, 24mm lens and I reckon I could bodge a filter on there.

[Don Schaeffer]

I bought a lomo camera with a fisheye lens. It was a crappy camera though.

[Greg McCary]

I bought a lomo camera with a fisheye lens. It was a crappy camera though.

I didnt realize they were that expensive. There are really no cheap ways to go when shooting wide with anything.
There is always the Bessa R and the Voigtlander 15mm. But not THAT compact. But an awesome lens.

[Franglais]

I bought a lomo camera with a fisheye lens. It was a crappy camera though.

OK I've been down to the Lomo shop in the very fashion-friendly Marais area of Paris.

What we're talking about is Lomography which aims to be:

- fun
- not difficult
- give something different from what you're used to seeing
- strong colours
- the desire to create images should be spurred by the camera itself

There is a whole range of 35mm and even 120 size cameras. You can use regular film or there is a range of special film packaged to do Lomography (I particularly noticed the slide film to be cross-processed as colour negative).

I looked at the Lomo with the 17mm lens. It's a regular film camera with automatic exposure. There is also the much-cheaper Sardinia camera with a 20mm lens but this has no exposure control except the shutter speed (1/60s and Bulb to go with the flash).

I don't think that this is what the original poster was looking for but it's an interesting niche for film photography.

[Rich_]

Hi I've been looking for similar cameras that compact and wide to go with an xa2 -great camera. The camera I found that interested me is the superheadz super fat lens 22mm F11 Shutter Speed: 1/125sec. Its a copy of the famous Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim. The company also makes a load of other plastic cameras.

[freygr]

I'm looking for a camera to take cycling in the countryside to take landscape shots, I was wondering if there was a tiny film compact ever made that has a really wide angle lens (wider than 28mm) and the ability to take a polariser?

When I was young and cycling I used a Leica IIIb clone. One of my friends had an Olympus Half Frame SLR (Olympus Pen FT) and it was even smaller than the IIIb. The problem is finding film cameras (new or operating used camera) for a affordable price.

Note the normal lens for the FT is a 30mm or 40mm lens

[Don Schaeffer]

Film cameras are usually heavy anyway.

[ajuk]

I may as well go with a digi compact rather than a Sardinia.
Funny you should say that Don, the very reason I want this is because you cannot get a digital compact with an APS-C size or bigger sensor in a camera that small yet, and I want really high quality and I've never been satisfied by the image quality from pea sized sensors.