Tag Archives: Japanese

Leica Likely ? Minolta Riva/Freedom Zoom 90c review

Most film photographers dream of owning a Leica, if even just for the Kudos. Social services got a bit upset when I tried to swap one of the weans for a mint M6 (with lens I hasten to add). But there are a few routes to owning a Leica for less financial pain. One is where this Minolta kinda comes in if you get a working ‘un Continue reading Leica Likely ? Minolta Riva/Freedom Zoom 90c review

The Car Boot £3 Classic – The Olympus XA Review

I’d never been convinced that Car boots are always work outs great for camera hunters. Sure you’ll find late AF zoom compact for the same price as you’d pay on eBay  less postage  but IMHO til then true bargains are rare and balanced by someone trying to sell a Knackered Praktica for 50 quid. All that changed when I spotted this grubby number.

How much ? Three Quid  – I didn’t stop to haggle.

Continue reading The Car Boot £3 Classic – The Olympus XA Review

Step Class – The compact AF camera’s hidden secret (or How the mju won the compact war)

Think your mighty compact focuses seamless ?

Well think again ! Even high end models focus in a series of zones called focusing steps, Not that most manufacturers let you know. But in 1991, Olympus were only too keen to tell us with the μ[mju:] (aka mju-1 or Stylus) a camera that changed the face of the AF compact market. Continue reading Step Class – The compact AF camera’s hidden secret (or How the mju won the compact war)

Bridging the Gap ?- Olympus iS-1000 Review

Want a step up from a zoom compact but don’t want to commit to a SLR ? Well the Olympus  IS-1000  might be for you. Costing hundreds at launch this  1990  bridge camera now can be bought for a tenner or less. But how does it compare to other compacts and modern cameras ?

Continue reading Bridging the Gap ?- Olympus iS-1000 Review

Prestige and the Duds – The Olympus mju-I nearly reviewed

Oh dear ! I had a lot of hope when I started out to test this camera but 3 dud ones later I’m not sure.  The mju-I (aka mju,  µ[mju] or ∞stylus) was the camera that launched the mju series and would lead to the much sought after mju II (aka Stylus Epic) -one of those  prestige fixed focal length compacts that change hands for lots of Dosh. Some feel the much cheaper mju-I is just as good but as we’ll see things didn’t work out for me… Continue reading Prestige and the Duds – The Olympus mju-I nearly reviewed

Rehash Flash – Ricoh FF-9S Review

The Ricoh FF series has a bit of a cache especially around the fixed focus models released in the late 80’s and early 90’s. But how does this (aka Shotmaster AF Super or One Take AF Super) 90’s restyling of the FF-9 work out against the rivals of its day ? Continue reading Rehash Flash – Ricoh FF-9S Review

Yashica Microtec Zoom 70 – Sizzling shooter ?

Yet another mid 90’s compact from Japan (aka Kyocera Lynx 70) but oddly the first I’ve come across with a professional period review. Popular Photography thought this and its Zoom 90 sibling sizzled and favourably made comparisons to the still legendary and elite Yashica T4. But 2 decades on how does it measure up ? Continue reading Yashica Microtec Zoom 70 – Sizzling shooter ?