Gear Archives - Page 8 of 12

Minolta TC-1 Point & Shoot Camera

Minolta and Leica Compact Camera

During the era of film photography, Leica had close ties with the Japanese camera manufacturer Minolta. The jointly-produced Leica CL even affected Leica’s own M5 sales. Minolta was also very strong in terms of production, collaborating with Leica to manufacture the R camera body and lenses, producing many great products, especially with the application of electronic technology, which was ahead of Leica in many ways, as demonstrated in the TC-1, a high-end compact camera. Many people around me use compact cameras, and almost everyone has a Minolta TC-1, which shows how popular the TC-1 is.

The Problem with Minolta TC-1

The only weakness of the TC-1 is that if the aperture dial is not locked in place and is stuck in the middle, the shutter may malfunction when the shutter button is pressed. I’m not sure if this is true, so I didn’t dare to try it, which is why I usually shoot with the aperture fully open, as the image quality is already very good. But I am used to using Leica M lenses, and sometimes I use the middle aperture settings. If I accidentally leave the TC-1 aperture in the middle, it could be dangerous.

Another drawback of the Minolta TC-1 is that it is quite noisy when advancing the film, unlike some other compact cameras.

TheCamera One (TC-1)

There is not much to say about the TC-1’s strengths, as those who have used it know that it is probably the best compact camera overall. However, its lens is not as excellent as the Contax T’s, and it does not have the same brand value as Leica. If you put a Leica logo on the TC-1 and swap out the lens for a Leica one, you could probably sell it for a higher price, and some people would say it’s worth it.

Despite its age, the Minolta TC-1 still commands a high price for good condition units. While the Contax T3’s prices are skyrocketing, the TC-1 has also increased slightly, which made me hesitate whether to collect a few, but in the end, I gave up. I hope it will drop in price soon, hahaha.

I prefer using the TC-1 to shoot color films, while the Leica M is more suitable for black and white. Minolta positioned the TC-1 not just to compete with Leica’s MC, but with all compact cameras. In my opinion, the TC-1 achieved this.

TC-1 is a camera that was produced by Minolta. It is a compact 35 mm point and shoot camera with G-Rokkor 28mm f/3.5 lens.

more info

Pages: 12

Hasselblad Xpan

Two 135 frames

Xpan is an amazing machine that covers two 135 frames. The marriage of Hasselblad and Fuji looks like a Leica. This is a well-received and prestigious camera. Its unique widescreen composition and excellent lens group make it a classic camera in the minds of many photographers. Both the first-generation XPAN and the second-generation XPAN are considered to be excellent cameras.

Reliable

For the same electronic camera, the Xpan body is actually more stable and reliable than the Contax G. Its reliability is comparable to that of Leica’s fully mechanical cameras. Its film mode is even more reliable than the Leica’s. When you load the film into the xpan body, it will automatically pull out all the film, and then when you take a picture, it will put the film back into the film box. This mode prevents accidentally opening the back cover of the camera and destroying the exposed film, which is very clever.

Lens

The Hasselblad Xpan lens is very compact and has very high definition. It is indeed a top-notch lens. However, since the image plant he wants to cover is very large, vignetting will occur. Taking the 45mm f/4 lens as an example, it is best to use a center gray filter.

more info

Pages: 12

Leica 35mm Viewfinder

The wonderful thing about framing is that it has served painting in times before photography. External viewfinders have been around since before cameras were invented, and they have been around longer than cameras! The viewfinder adds a boundary to your field of view, which gives you the right to choose your field of view.

Leica’s external viewfinder is a reverse Galilean structure made up of four groups of five lenses. The wireframe is really bright and the light comes from the internal reflective concentrator lenses. Just a heads-up: when you use it, the distance between your eyes and the viewfinder is 8 millimeters, and you can’t cover your eyes completely.

I am partial to carrying this early Leica SBLOO 35 mm viewfinder. In the early days of Leica, each focal length viewfinder was given a distinctive name. For example, the 50 mm was designated as SBOOI, the 35 mm as SBLOO, the 28 mm as SLOOZ, the 21 mm as SBKOO, the 90 mm as SGVOO, and the 135 mm as SHOOC.

MINOX 5.1

Use the minox dcc 5.1 mini camera like a leica

A wearable Leica

Not everyone wants to wear a Leica M3 every day. It’s still quite heavy. You have to “carry” it, but this minox dcc 5.1 only needs to “wear” it. You can’t hold a pot of flowers all day long, so pick up a flower. The minox dcc 5.1 is that little flower.

Minox meets Leica

Leica bought Minox, and some of their optical products are similar, like telescopes. Minox’s first spy cameras were great for quick snapshots and had high-performance miniature lenses. So, this Minox DCC 5.1 with the Minox TAR 9mm lens is not a toy.

500 million pixels

Three million pixels is all you need for regular computer viewing. The Contax SL300r has 3 million pixels, and the images it produces are excellent, as well as printing 7-inch photos. The Minilux DCC 5.1 has 5 million pixels, which is more than enough for printing seven-inch photos.

Use minox like a Leica

When I used Minox’s mechanical focus estimation and rangefinder viewfinder, I realized that it has the same DNA as a Leica rangefinder camera. This little camera really captures the essence of a Leica camera.

First, the lens is rigid. The lens is shaped like Leica’s classic Summicron 50 f/2 Rigid, and it’s made of metal, which feels great in the hand. The camera’s film advance wrench and viewfinder preview wrench can be turned, which gives it a Leica feel.

Second, shoot without a viewfinder. One of the things that sets Leica apart is their approach to shooting. They call it “blind shooting,” and it has three key indicators: 0.5 meters, 1 meter, and infinity. If you’re shooting a close-up at a distance of 0.5 meters, you can even blur the background! Just to let you know, you can actually blur the background when shooting a small macro at a distance of 0.5 meters! Believe it or not, it can really be blurred! The lens is sharp in the center, but there’s a bit of blurring in the periphery, similar to the style of the Leica Summilux 35 1.4 pre-a.

Third, there’s also an external viewfinder. The external optical viewfinder is on the heavy side and made of metal.

Fourth, Leica elements. It looks like it could be a Leica M3, a Leica IIIF film reel, or even an M2 external counter. Just to be clear, this isn’t a simulated Leica M3. It’s clear that it’s captured all the classic Leica models.

ccd color

Minox DCC 5.1 has great sharpness, a color trend similar to Leica digital, and excellent background blur. It’s easy to see why CCDs are so popular. The Minox 5.1 CCD also produces gorgeous, natural colors, which is pretty impressive.

LEICA Z2X

If you love flowers, you’ll want to smell them when you see them. If you love books, you’ll want to buy them when you see them. And if you’ve used three or more cameras, you’ll want to take a look when you see a Leica!

It’s no secret that many of us have been eagerly awaiting a full-frame autofocus camera from Leica. And Leica delivered! The Leica Q and SL were instant hits, and it’s easy to see why. As a matter of fact, Leica actually made a full-frame autofocus camera back in the days of film photography! They were called the PS pocket camera, including the Leica mini, minizoom, and so on. Even though they were tiny and made by Japanese companies like Minolta, Panasonic, and Fujifilm, the lenses and designs, like the Verio-Elmar, were really made in Germany.

The Leica Z2X is a tiny little zoom camera that you can fit in your pocket! It has a focal length range of 35mm to 70mm. The whole body is designed to be sleek and streamlined, just like a car. And when you hold it in your hand, it feels lightweight but surprisingly good! I was really surprised that plastic could feel so nice and smooth, just like holding a bar of soap or tearing a loaf of bread. I was really surprised at how comfortable it was to wear around my neck with just a thin string! The Leica Z2X is so easy to use! It has only four buttons: the power switch, zoom, shutter, mode, and self-timer buttons. I think this camera is just charmingly simple to use! All you have to do is pick it up and start shooting! It’s fully automatic, so it’ll focus, meter, and wind the film for you. The Leica Z2x is super quick and easy to use. You’ll love how fast it focuses, and you can even ignore the sound of the shutter. Plus, the flash is really powerful!

Where is the Leica spirit in the Leica Z2x?

The Leica has a quick start-up speed, which is essential for capturing images quickly.
Just a quick note to remind you: Once you’ve turned on the camera, if you don’t touch any buttons for a while, it’ll go into sleep mode and the lens won’t retract. This design is quite similar to that of a Leica M camera. You can quickly wake up the camera and start taking pictures right away. The Leica mini3 also has this feature.
If you’d prefer, you can turn off the flash. When you turn on the camera, just press the mode button seven times to turn off the flash. When the camera goes into sleep mode and then wakes up, the flash stays off. I’m so pleased with this design that I no longer turn off the Z2x when I hang it around my neck. The lens doesn’t retract when the camera goes to sleep, so you can quickly wake it up and start shooting again the next time you use it.

The viewfinder of the Z2x is quite comfortable, of course it cannot be compared to the Leica M. There are no parameter displays inside, but for a pocket camera like this, it is very bright. I have no complaints.

The mystery of the Z2X’s birth

When Leica named the Z2X, it was a truly special moment. Leica already had the mini zoom series, so the Z2X was a little lonely without any siblings like the Z1x or Z3x. I’m sure the name “2x zoom” is meant to convey that idea. This lens was a totally new design compared to the previous mini zoom series from Leica. It was so good that it inspired the famous lens of the later Minilux zoom, which had a slightly expanded aperture.

How do I use the Leica Z2X?

I often load color film into this pocket camera and usually put it in my bag. I mostly use the Leica M with black and white film, but I also like to use the Leica Z2X as a second camera. It’s great for getting different shots. It’s also very affordable, which is a big plus.

Brand Leica
Film Format Type 35mm
Exposure Control Type Manual, Automatic
Item Dimensions LxWxH 5 x 1.71 x 2.75 inches
Item Weight 1 Pounds

Stylish and fully automatic 35mm compact camera with date imprinting.
High-quality Leica Vario-Elmar 35-70mm zoom lens (f/4.0 to f/7.6).
Passive autofocus system with automatically activated flash.
Automatic exposure with center-weighted metering and manual shutter speeds of up to 99 seconds.
Bright real-image viewfinder allows for easy composition.

Pages: 12

LEICA Old Lens Serial Numbers & Dates

Buying old Leica lenses is a lot of fun. By the number we can locate the year of its production and by the year we can know its value. Examples are rarity, state of preservation, and how Leica operated during that period, the quality of the lens, and the history of the world during the same period as the lens. It’s a bit of a mystery how it has anything to do with world history, it does, and old Leica lenses have documented an entire century.

Serial Numbers & Dates
156 001 – 195 000 1933
195 001 – 236 000 1934
236 001 – 284 600 1935
284 601 – 345 000 1936
345 001 – 416 500 1937
416 501 – 490 000 1938
490 001 – 538 500 1939
538 501 – 565 000 1940
565 001 – 582 294 1941
582 295 – 593 000 1942
593 001 – 594 880 1943
594 881 – 595 000 1944
595 001 – 601 000 1945
601 001 – 633 000 1946
633 001 – 647 000 1947
647 001 – 682 000 1948
682 001 – 756 000 1949
756 001 – 840 000 1950
840 001 – 950 000 1951
950 001 – 1 051 000 1952
1 051 000 – 1 124 000 1953
1 124 001 – 1 236 000 1954
1 236 001 – 1 333 000 1955
1 333 001 – 1 459 000 1956
1 459 001 – 1 548 000 1957
1 548 001 – 1 645 300 1958
1 645 301 – 1 717 000 1959
1 717 001 – 1 827 000 1960
1 827 001 – 1 913 000 1961
1 913 001 – 1 967 100 1962
1 967 101 – 2 015 700 1963
2 015 701 – 2 077 500 1964
2 077 501 – 2 156 300 1965
2 156 301 – 2 236 500 1966
2 236 501 – 2 254 400 1967
2 254 401 – 2 312 750 1968
2 312 751 – 2 384 700 1969
2 384 701 – 2 468 500 1970
2 468 501 – 2 503 100 1971
2 503 101 – 2 556 500 1972
2 556 501 – 2 663 400 1973
2 663 401 – 2 731 900 1974
2 731 901 – 2 761 100 1975
2 761 101 – 2 809 400 1976
2 809 401 – 2 880 600 1977
2 880 601 – 2 967 250 1978
2 967 251 – 3 013 650 1979
3 013 651 – 3 087 000 1980
3 087 001 – 3 160 500 1981
3 160 501 – 3 249 100 1982
3 249 101 – 3 294 900 1983
3 294 901 – 3 346 200 1984
3 346 201 – 3 383 200 1985
3 383 201 – 3 422 890 1986
3 422 891 – 3 455 870 1987
3 455 871 – 3 478 900 1988
3 478 901 – 3 503 150 1989
3 503 151 – 3 540 467 1990
3 540 468 – 3 583 830 1991
3 585 831 – 3 610 680 1992

Leica 180-degree Flash Bracket CTOOM/15545

CTOOM/15545 (19531964) describes an adjustable bracket that is designed to be fitted to the base of a camera, allowing the flash gun to be positioned at any angle through 180 degrees. Initially, this accessory was manufactured using white plastic; however, by the mid-1950s, it was being produced using black painted metal.

I must say, I am impressed with the German design. It is both simple and effective, allowing for a 180-degree adjustment of the flash position. The quality of German craftsmanship is also remarkable, as the texture is solid and gives a sense of sophistication when held. It makes for a perfect paperweight while reading. However, it is important to note that it is not just a mere decoration, as it is fully functional.

How to focus off-center with Leica M?

When using Leica M rangefinder cameras, focusing off-center is actually quite simple. Just focus on the off-center object first, then keep the focus ring in position and shift the camera left or right to recompose the image. If you can estimate the distance to the object, you can also use the distance scale on the lens focus ring, a technique commonly known as zone focusing.

However, with SLR cameras, focusing off-center is more complicated. It typically involves using a focus point selector to find the focus point on the screen. Some SLR users opt to lock focus as an effective alternative method.

However, there’s one thing to keep in mind – don’t just praise Leica for its 50mm lens. Leica’s off-center focusing method may not always be accurate due to the potential error introduced when shifting the camera after focusing. Nevertheless, what sets Leica lenses apart is their ability to produce stunning images even when there is a margin of error. Hehe.

Leica uses SR44 or LR44?

LR44 and SR44 are both button cell batteries with a similar size and shape, but they have some differences in their chemical composition and performance.

LR44 batteries are alkaline batteries, while SR44 batteries are silver oxide batteries. Alkaline batteries have a higher energy density and a longer shelf life, but their voltage output drops more quickly over time compared to silver oxide batteries. Silver oxide batteries have a more stable voltage output, which makes them more suitable for devices that require a consistent power supply.

In terms of performance, SR44 batteries typically last longer and provide more consistent power than LR44 batteries. However, LR44 batteries are more widely available and cheaper than SR44 batteries.

In summary, the main difference between LR44 and SR44 batteries is their chemical composition, which affects their voltage output and overall performance.