Fuji zoomdate f2.8 reported better than Yashica T5

Re: Compact analog camera with wide and fast lens?

"Have now done a simple test of the Fujifilm Zoom Date F2.8 (supposed
to be "Silvi F2.8" in Japan) compact film based camera. It definitely
looks like I will be using it a lot for KAP (Kite Aerial Photography).
Compared to my Yashica T5 (with the sharp 35 mm Zeiss Tessar lens) the
story goes like this:
The Fuji has a five step zoom from 24 to 50 mm. Images are sharp and
colors crisp throughout the zoom range. So far it seems at least as
sharp as the T5 lens, but further tests needed on this. Vignetting
(dark corners), even at 24 mm setting, are minimal and only barely
seen if you shoot football fields etc. Vignetting seems to be less of
a problem at 24 mm than the T5 produce with its 35 mm lens, and that's
impressing."

"Slide exposure is accurate, as with the T5. Weight is 170g (ex. film
and battery)"

http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/discuss/_kapdiscuss/00000ee8.htm
http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/discuss/_kapdiscuss/00000e7e.htm

This camera won TIPA 2003 and EISA 2004 awards. It does f2.8 at 24mm!
It's lighter than the olympus mju-ii (by 10gms) and roughly same size,
and it's weatherproof too. Amazingly its price is more or less the
same as the mju-ii.

I just ordered mine online. I've been wanting a wide angle compact and
this may be it. Certainly was easier to purchase (at £77) than the
leica c3, the ricoh gr**, more viable than the olympus xa4.. etc.

 

Just wait until you see the distortion!

;-)

Still, at least you won't have paid too much for it, so when it turns
out to be a piece of junk, you won't be too disappointed.

 

Please let us know what you think! Henry's (of Toronto) has it for $200
special order, but it can't be returned, and I'm already fairly satisfied
with my Minolta FZE/Riva 28-75, so I didn't buy it.

But it does look like the best zoom P&S on the market right now. Fastest
is usually best. Given that the FZE/Riva 28-75 and Konica Lexio 28-70
are out of production, the only real competition is the Yashica T4 Zoom
and maybe the Pentax 24EW, but the 24EW is slow at 105mm.

 

I ordered mine earlier today for $140. Scheduled Delivery is tomorrow according
to parcel tracking. Once i get it i'll put a 24-roll fuji superia xtra 400
through it (my usual film, alternatively i could use regular superia 100) and
shoot some.

I'll probably have some images this weekend if i have them developed locally,
or the one after if i send the film. Once i do, i'll scan some and show you
guys.

 

TP said:

Polson, stop replying to yourself, you bloody moron!

 

Just arrived. I'll post a mini-review of it soon but just to list my
first impressions I'd say it looks like a very well thought out
design. It's quite small and compact and seems to have a few niceties.

It comes in a small box, a smaller than the Olympus mju-ii. In the box
there is the camera in its belt case, a fujifilm superia xtra 400
film, a fujifilm CR2 battery (keeping it all in the family), a strap,
and… wait for it… an infra red remote control! (It's impressive that
fujifilm did not try to profit on this accessory as other
manufacturers do). There's also the thick looking manual, though the
horror is lessened by realizing its multilingual; it's got 47 pages
each times 5 languages.

How small is the camera? I've put a few webcam pictures of it between
the Olympus mju-ii (stylus epic) and the Olympus XA to demonstrate its
size (i've not included the minox because it's probably more cultish,
but suffice to say it's comparable in size). It also feels very light.
170gms.

http://community.webshots.com/album/151263313rLRXcg

http://community.webshots.com/photo/151263313/151263384qFKlQk

It's plastic. Made in china. Don't know how durable it'll prove to be
but the build quality seems to be quite good, certainly no less the
mju-ii and maybe even more solid feeling. Though the images of the
front of the camera may lead one to think it's got a clamshell cover
like the mju-ii, it doesn't, as the two circles seem purely aesthetic
and they don't slide to meet each other, rather, the camera has a
regular electronic two-leaf lens cover as customary with many modern
compacts. One worrying thing about its durability though is the large
monochrome LCD screen at the back. I carry my camera in a belt pouch
anyway; this camera fits in a lowepro z5. It also comes with a velvety
feeling belt case that's made of foam and is soft on the inside. The
case has fujifilm on it, though in black on a black. The case is
roughly 1mm chick in padding. I prefer the lowerpro z5 though as it
seems tougher.

The ergonomics are modern and seem quite nice. There's a 4 way
navigational thumbpad with a SET/MENU button in its center. There's a
power button, a "quick shot" button, a "self snap mode" button, and
the zoom button. All are positioned for easy accessibility with the
right thumb. This camera has TWO shutter release buttons, one on the
right, one the left.

The first striking thing is all the design attention that has been
given to the "self-snap mode". So far I see the following.
• The two shutter release buttons, you can use either to suit your
needs.
• A self-snap mirror at the front where you position yourself so that
you can see yourself in the mirror and know that you're in the
picture.
• A self-snap LED light that's basically a horizontal strip with an
LED light in the middle of it, that you can also use to include others
in the picture, and if everyone can see the light they are all
included in the picture, if any of them can't, they aren't.
• An infra-red remote control that's provided with the camera.

I'm actually quite impressed with the little things, and this camera
really shows evidence of thoughtful design. Of the things I just
mentioned I'll elaborate for example that the remote control comes in
a little holder that's got a clip on the back of it that attaches to
the strap! It's not easy to open with your nail, but quite easy to
open with a coin, which means it's less likely to fall off and be
lost. The manual states that the battery within the remote has a life
of about 3 years based on test conditions, but a replacement battery
is available at "only a small cost". It's got 3 tiny screws on, so it
probably uses generic batteries and is user replaceable anyway.

I'll mention a few more things before I stop for now and maybe post a
little more later on.

The camera has several AF and flash modes, so it seems the user can
have some direction over its working. I haven't read the manual
regarding these yet, but I'll post about them as soon as I do.

There is a black limited edition version of this camera that allows
exposure compensation in half stops up to 2 stops under/over exposure,
but my understanding is that only 5000 of those were made and is quite
difficult to find outside of Japan. The silver version does not have
that version, but it has fill-in flash mode, and night portrait mode,
and an "intelligent multi-programmed flash" that seems to react
specifically to the following situations mentioned in the manual,
close up photography in a room or night scene, portrait photography
under very bright light, and photography against the sun. it also has
flash-off mode and red-eye reduction flash mode.

The auto focus is an active type (with a center frame) and has an auto
focus lock by pressing shutter halfway, and also a landscape mode to
allow photography through a window glass. In quick shot mode it
becomes fixed focus with a "wide focusing range" that removes the need
for focusing with the AF frame and does not wait for the flash to
charge.

The shutter is 1 – 1/350. The viewfinder is a real image zoom finder.
The zoom and the motor sound noisy, though I'm here used to the Minox
GT-S and the Olympus XA, both of which are manual and quiet.

And now here's the charmer, the 24mm lens seems quite nice in the
viewfinder. Compared to the 35mm of the mju-ii or the minox, though
both the mju-ii and minox are not real image, more content of my room
can be seen. There's also some protruding square-ish looking frame
around the lens that I wonder if it acts as a lens hood and reduces
flare.

I'll take some pictures with this camera soon and put them up online,
so far I've read from forums that its image quality is quite good, and
so far I feel it's one to keep.

 

Hi Mike, I have bought one of these on ebay and it is very, very impressive especially as it only cost me about $1.50

I have loaded a film and it seems to wind the film out, set to 36 and count downover, is that right?

Unfortunately, I didn't get a manual; I know,I know....I can hardly complain at the price.

Have you uploaded any of your pictures?

Regards

Mike