Learn how in this buyers guide. The lens on the AF2 and AF3 are not the same as the lens on the original. Im a big 60s/70s rangefinder fan and generally grab one of those for a pleasurable film photography experience. Landscape photography requires certain gear to get the best results. Thanks, Tim. Based on the comments offered by other online reviews, yours is a really enjoyable, hype-free read on what is becoming a mythical beast of a camera. I am also glad the article inspired you to take the L35AF out again! How to turn off the grid on the Nikon D3100? To my amazement it works, but the viewfinder needed a really good clean. What I dont understand is it shows a barrel-type profile in some of my photos but some exhibit a slight pincushion-type one. A neat feature is that the camera leaves the end of the film out of the canister when it . Contrast, color, and all the rest are excellent in these well-lit situations. Its slow, winding takes about a second or so and rewinding is a lot slower compared to a Nikon F4. Next to the switch is the frame counter, under a clear window. Hi Eddy, I got the younger brother L35AD 2 from a flea market a month ago. Got a broken l35af and thought i can fix it (have done a few repairs before) but in this case i don't really know how i can fix this camera. I recently purchased a used L35AF and nothing actually happens when you turn it on. Released in 1983 the Nikon L35AF was Nikon's first AF point-and-shoot camera, nicknamed "Pikaichi" within the industry, which means "top notch" in Japanese. You mentioned that it was a bit stiff before but it worked Sounds like the effect of dirt (air borne dust setting in the shutter lubrication oil OR some air borne dust or dirt or grime from fingers finally got into the shutter release button shaft and hardened). The rest can be found under the frame-counter mechanism. Film format: 35mm; Battery type: CR123A Weight: 6.7 ounces; When discussing the Yashica T4, you'll find it's really all about the lens. Theres another one underneath the front cover. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. When I clicked the shutter button down, the shutter clicked but the button stays down. It has a guide number of 10 (ISO 100, m) and has a range of 0.7m to 2.5m through to 4.0m depending on the film speed. It was an immediate hit thanks to its robust design and excellent specification. Not quite as bad as the Canon AF35 Autoboys from the same era theyre like Godzilla cutting up Tokyo with a giant angle grinder then cackling about it. Unfortunately it wont be as accurate specially when youre shooting through glass or other things that dont have a distinct form or is tinier than the AF-point inside the viewfinder. But please bear in mind what Daniel says about safety there can be a high voltage and very dangerous charge from the flash capacitor. This Point and Shoot Camera lets you focus on your subject better, and click crisp and sharp images. The viewfinder has a scale with icons to display which distance the camera is focusing at. It shows signs of use. Copyright 2023+ Photo.net Best of all, the camera is plentiful and available for a reasonable price on eBay and elsewhere. I put the two batteries in the camera (with no film)and turned it on and the light meter seemed to work. It is not the smallest. They insert easily enough, but the compartment feels like it can open or break very easily and takes a bit of effort to get it to stay in place. When I clicked the shutter button down, the shutter clicked but the button. Money isnt my prime motivation for this blog and I believe that I have enough to run this but you can help me make this site (and the companion facebookpage) grow. This is the last photo where well talk about resolving power and sharpness. Press the film rewind button and rewind the film back into the cassette. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for [Near MINT--] Nikon L35AF 35mm f2.8Pikaichi Point & Shoot Film Camera From JAPAN at the best online prices at eBay! Working ones usually sell for $100.00 and up, I found mine for a lot cheaper because I only look for junks. How do I fix this? The L35AF was Nikon's first compact camera with autofocus. But when last time I was shooting it it was working! I cleaned it out with zippo lighter fluid + rubbing with a very small file. Hello! It was released in 1983, a few years after Nikon's competitors had opened up the point and shoot market. The ergonomics are fantastic and this model (rather than the AF2 which succeeded it), doesnt feel as plastic/fragile as a lot of P&S camera of this era. batteries are hard to get." Ok, so grab your TV remote, pull out the two AA's in there and plug'em into your Nikon . I'M trying to take professional homecoming pictures. Either way later models seem much more forgiving. Im having trouble with the motor and I wanted to take a look, but I cant open it past the L frame that houses the flash capacitor and count wheel. This copy has a UV filter fitted. I highly recommend that you read myworking with helicoidspost because this is very important and getting it wrong can ruin your day. The L35AF was produced for 2 years until 1985 which is when the L35AF2 was released. This will help me to continue to host this . Im pretty excited. (All pics: Lucy Lumen) A long time ago I dreamed of owning a Yashica T4 or maybe even a Contax T2.This is a shared camera dream, one that has become more like a fantasy in recent years due to the ever-increasing popularity and price of these aspirational point-and-shoot film cameras. Thank you for the kind words on the review. I went to go shoot the shutter and it wouldn't fire, the auto focus only went to the first icon in the viewfinder but . To keep the shutter open, depress the shutter button to activate it but dont let go so it wont advance and close the shutter. Does anyone know of any places that can fix this type of issue or any . While my copy has a bit of a hazy lens, I actually like the look and i. InCamera Geekery: The Nikon L35AFis a profile of the L35AF on Japan Camera Hunter. I am a fan because it just feels right in my hands and, if the price of film was not a factor, it makes me want to take more photographs, more often. You can view it through the hole for the lens and nudge anything so things will align properly. Releasing it will cause the film to advance. I hope that helps! Quick question for you. This is a well made camera. I have an LF35AF and its remembered as the camera I used to shoot my 1st black and white film at the Emirates cable car going over the Thames to the London O2. The L35AF is a simple auto everything camera but you can at least prevent the flash from firing by pushing it down once it pops up. Chromatic and spherical aberration can be easily-seen in this photo. Lets find out! If it is a known distance such as infinity, look at viewfinder. Open the back door by pressing a small button on the back-door and see if they are any internal damages to light seals, backdoor, pressure plate and cartridge chamber Turn on camera and press the shutter speed if it is working properly (Click here to hear how shutter click should sound - Starts at 4:15 min) Id say that it handles distortion quite well judging from what we see in this photo. Some of it has to do with celebrity usage, but in reality, it is the convenience factor which drives the popularity. Some functions of the camera will only be available when the frame has reached 1. Going back to its conception, this was made in order to give Nikon something to sell in this part of the market. The flash is located on the left side and is fixed in place. The lens is indeed a masterpiece in its class. It seems to linger even at smaller apertures. I am actually amazed by how many youngsters are into film photography these days. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site relies heavily on traffic and clicks, downloading my work will prevent me from earning a few more cents! Determine if the rangefinder is off or inaccurate, adjust if needed. I risked it because the camera had been sitting unused and uncharged for a long time and because Im a fool. It was modified and adapted to a wide angle. Most of the original L35s are very persnickety about power supply. The next generation of the L35AF, the L35AF-2, was known in the US as the One-Touch. This is the only reason to choose the Nikon FE over its successor, the Nikon FE2. Its a handy camera for travel photography, Id imagine that this is the actual purpose of this camera. Operate the delayed action function. with f/2.8 through to 1/430 sec. Nikon released it in 1983 and nicknamed it Pikaichi which means "top notch" in Japanese. I knew of the forums where there is a following due to the rendering of the lens by being a wide angle Sonnar design. I put the two batteries in the camera (with no film)and turned it on and the light meter seemed to work. This 35 mm film camera has a programmed electronic shutter for faster clicking of pictures. is it something that i can fix by opening the camera up? So, if you want stealth, Take your shot, hold the button down, look at an imaginary airplane flying overhead and then release the button. It comprises of 5 elements in 4 groups. A filter with 46 mm thread can be used. All the major manufacturers were selling them. Interestingly, rather than the usual Tessar style design this lens has a Sonnar design. Maybe it will help you, but the chances are something stick got into the shutter release button and has caused it to stick. I found mine stuck and it moved quite slow. If my ISO is at 100 and I'm in a dark room, it won't go off. If its old, expect issues. The human-icon corresponds roughly to 1m and the one with 3-humans is probably around 3m and the mountains mean infinity according to my experience with it. Heres another example of a tricky situation. This helps confirm there is film and it is advancing. This is how the iris looks like, an elongated-diamond. For that visually pleasing, yet imperfect analogue look, collectors of mechanical rangefinder cameras, like myself, can pay dearly for Leica and L39 mount glass based on similar lens designs. They are even cheaper because nobody cares to look for them. Bas, you are correct that they moved to a tessar, but like Ed I understood there was a run of L35AF2s with the Sonnar. Check them out, along with various other photo printing options, in this guide! Theres a small silver spring that has two long arms and only a couple of coils so it doesnt look like the stereotypical spring, but one arm is against the body, the two middle coils are on a post, and the other arm pushes the chrome arm that runs along the strap side of the camera to trigger the rewind. I agree that the second L35AF2 version has the Tessar lens. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. When I press the shutter down, the self-timer light turns on and the camera freezes. It was therefore also the first in the L series. If youre in the market for a rangefinder camera, there is no better choice than Leica. in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized. Three Top Options for the Best Nikon Landscape Lens, Glass Photo Prints (and Other Beautiful Print Options). The camera has a 35mm, five element lens. Later models have ISO up to 1000. By If anyone knows please let me know, thank you! Authorized Photo Service Reply Reply with quote Reply to thread Complain OP Missouri_Skies Forum Member Posts: 53 This appears to be a nice, sharp photo but I can easily tell that the resolving power just isnt there. There is a 46mm filter thread, which is a bonus on a compact camera. It exposed this quite well, I am impressed by how it was only off by a bit, maybe around 0.7 stops. Im not a big stealth photographer but on the odd occasion when noise would have broken the moment Ive just held the button down and released under the table or away from my eye. . Whatever the reason, fixing slow wind-on motors, a failure to wind beyond a particular frame or a completely stuck shutter usually means opening them up and googling for detailed repair instructions but I did get one will it/wont it shutter going by repeatedly sitting it near a radiator or under a bright hot halogen lamp for a few hours then shaking it then putting it in the fridge and reshaking, shooting the shutter a few times between each cycle. How does the shutter button come off when disassembling the camera? Film after film, I have been impressed with the results. A second thought. I havent investigated the option of converting the lens on my broken L35AF for use on another camera but from what I have read, there is an afterlife for this amazing Sonnar design. The designers were so proud of it that Nikon nicknamed this the pikaichi or number-one. It's all due to the reliable Copal shutter inside these cameras. I found mine in the junk section of Shinjukus Chuko Camera Box. But for some reason it has become the compact that I have become most attached to. You've already got an L35AF, with its cheap battery door with the live plastic hinge that gives out over time. That is why even though it is not broken, I do use some tape on the battery cover to ensure it stays ok. I believe I have the same problem with my one touch, ended up buying a second l35af until I have time to tinker with it more lol hfjh5 1 min. Theres no information about the shutters range but its assumed that it wont go very-fast and it doesnt support long-exposures either. This is a compact so Id let it slide. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MINT Nikon L35AF L35 AF Point & Shoot 35mm Film Camera w/ Batteries - Film Test at the best online prices at eBay! Thanks again for your review and keep shooting/enjoying the Nikon. All seems normal, but the viewfinder bit foggy inside. . Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Before you continue you should read my article on how to adjust a lens focus and how to make a tool for it. Id appreciate it more if the display shows numbers instead because the icons could mean anything. You can also support this site, it helps me offset the cost of maintenance and hosting. Click sharper images with the Nikon L35AF Film Camera. This is the meters cell, you should wipe it clean when you see fungus inside of it. The only reliable way to get a working capacitor is to salvage one from another camera. Or might just have been luck. When I clicked the shutter button down, the shutter clicked but the button stays down. Youll see a slight curving of the beams and thats it. Copyright 2005 - 2023 PhotographyTalk, Inc. All Rights Reserved, www.japancamerahunter.com/2016/05/camera-geekery/, Canon Rebel T5i Review: An Oldie But a Goodie. On the back of the camera is the flash readiness indicator. It is motorized and has auto-focus and auto-exposure features. The meter has been able to handle most conditions including fog in the morning. You may destroy it and waste your camera. I love the little focus indicator at the bottom of the viewfinder, it is heaps more fun that a boring green light for focus. Dont forget which one came from where since not all of them are identical. I used to have one of these. The reputation the L35AF has gained though, is through the quality of the lens. That equates from 1/8 sec. The second issue is that sometimes after taking the photo, the camera wont advance the reel and Ill have to take the batteries out for a bit then put them back in for it to finally advance. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Maybe I am spoiled, I am used to taking photos with Nikkors. If you want a cheaper deal find a Nikon L35AD instead. Its fantastic 35mm f/3.5 Zeiss Tessar lens is far and away better than the lenses found on many of today's top-end digital compact cameras. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. It uses 2 AA batteries, a fresh pair will last you 100 rolls when not using the flash and merely 10 rolls when its fired every frame according to the user manual. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Nikon L35AF 35mm Point and Shoot Film Camera at the best online prices at eBay! Also used a L35AW AF and that one is much better built and nicer to use, its lens is not 5 elements though Actually most impressed by another brand first compact AF camera from 1983: the Fujica DL100, which has a sturdy battery door, better on/off switch, and a flash that doesnt automatically pop up all the time.