The 1987 camera arrived, and was "near mint", It did require the replacement of an internal battery to set the clock, and to date stamp the film if I choose to - I did not. My dad was right to get excited about this weird camera. The zoom lens is a good effective range 25-75mm approx 35-105mm (full frame equivalent). It is sharp throughout it's entire range. The auto focus is slow, and seems to take two steps - an initial AF, and then a second fine tune. The first roll was 5222-XX 24 exposure which yielded 53 frames. It's was a great match for tones, and contrast. I took about 5-10 minutes to set up the first 48 raw file scans which chugged along while I had dinner (about 40 minutes at 4800 ppi). All the exposures were good - even when the camera decided to use fill flash. (you get no control over this). Looking forward to trying some finer grain film.
The radical SLR horizontal orientation design
Silverfast isn't good for finding frames - so I defined all 48
I'm going to put together a short Youtube on how to get into the camera to replace the internal battery. (It was leaking, but caused no damage) There doesn't seem to be any good documentation on the X3, and X4, but there is on the newer Z, and Z2 (there were four models total) The X4 was refined, and has more capabilities than any of the other models, but apparently people didn't like more complicated features. So, Kyocera made the Z and Z2 smaller, lighter, and less capable.
jcolwell wrote:
You should try a left-handed model. I hear they're even better.
Not sure there was a left-handed X3, but definately later models exist. They claim one hand operation, but the manual shows using two hands and the button layout isn't even close to my hand size or finger length.
Reading about the Samuria X4 prompted me to give it a try. On paper there were many improvements, and the two models that followed it (Z & Z2) were dumbed down more and more to satisfy the public. Here are my take-aways between the X3 and X4
Improvements in the X4
-AF is faster
-Low light AF works better, less hunting
-AF has an added confirmation beep
-Fits my hand better
-Strap is more secure than the T handle
-Shutter sounds better (quieter yet sharp)
-Time lapse added
-Flash is more powerful plus a diffuser attachment
-Flash shoe has been added
-Dedicated TTL flash attachment available (CS-140) for even more power & control)
-Focal range is better-25-100mm instead of 25-75mm
-Front thread has increased from 49mm to 52mm (I have more 52mm filters)
-Mirror slap is better dampened
-Film advance is faster
-Night mode with NO FLASH - x3 HAS IT TOO - I missed that
-X4 Focuses closer
Desmolicious wrote:
The X4 has a built in flash AND a hot shoe.
Yes, and the CS-140 dedicated flash has a good feature. To turn it on it tilts back about 15 degrees. This does a couple things since both strobes will fire. One, it will throw light towards the ceiling creating a bounce effect which should minimize the shadow caused by the builtin strobes direct light path. It also extends the range of the flash(s) further out, and extends the lower iso films coverage range. Being TTL it should be getting some feedback to adjust exposure accordingly. Fortunately, the X4 came with a snap on diffuser that fits into the hot shoe, and should make lighting less harsh than the X3. I taped tissue paper over the X3, and that helped. You could just hold a white card over the flash on the X3 angled towards the ceiling a bit to get the same effect as running two strobes on the X4. A lot of thought went into these two cameras.
I had zero familiarity with this camera. If I've ever seen one, I'm sure I dismissed it as some sort of strange 8mm experiment. But you got my curiosity up and I didn't want to hit you with obnoxious questions like, "Where does the film go?" So I looked up the manual. Here it is for the curious.
freaklikeme wrote:
I had zero familiarity with this camera. If I've ever seen one, I'm sure I dismissed it as some sort of strange 8mm experiment. But you got my curiosity up and I didn't want to hit you with obnoxious questions like, "Where does the film go?" So I looked up the manual. Here it is for the curious.
I dismissed it when my engineer dad got one in the 1980s. Huss's half frame fetish got me curious about yet another rabbit hole of photography. When I realized it had Zeiss optics, Yashica's practicality, and such an innovative design (plus it was cheap) I just had to see one. My dad was right again. I wish they had continued with more and more user control, but the Japanese public did not want a complicated camera. That drove development for later models.
Desmolicious wrote:
Hey! I wouldn't go as far as saying it is a fetish. More of an unhealthy obsession.
Didnt mean to offend. I meant you have brought attention to overlooked cameras and gear, because of your obssesive love of eclectic things. You literally have brought items to my attention that I didnt know about.
James Markus wrote:
Didnt mean to offend. I meant you have brought attention to overlooked cameras and gear, because of your obssesive love of eclectic things. You literally have brought items to my attention that I didnt know about.
Sorry just saw your comment. I know you meant it in jest
My fetish is in all things film photography. My obsession is with dogs….
Oh the color samples look great. I'm going to be hunting for a good copy of the Samurai this month in Japan. I do know the major half-frame models but is there any obscure stuff I should be looking for in case I come across one? I'm trying to frontrun the digi-cam trend cause prices are going to go up right before summer when all the cool kids start snapping them up lol
ftllens wrote:
Oh the color samples look great. I'm going to be hunting for a good copy of the Samurai this month in Japan. I do know the major half-frame models but is there any obscure stuff I should be looking for in case I come across one? I'm trying to frontrun the digi-cam trend cause prices are going to go up right before summer when all the cool kids start snapping them up lol
I think the whole catagory of half frame cameras is "obscure stuff" I keep finding models by different manufacturers that i never knew about.
James Markus wrote:
I think the whole catagory of half frame cameras is "obscure stuff" I keep finding models by different manufacturers that i never knew about.
I saw an interesting-looking Fuji one (the TW3) and thought about getting it until I saw that it has a non-replaceable, non-chargeable lithium battery. The battery should last for several years but still. It's apparently very easy to replace if you have a soldering iron (which I don't and haven't used one in decades): https://mikeeckman.com/2021/06/fuji-tw-3-1985/
I'm really happy with my Canon Demi EE17, although the light meter died after three rolls so now I use it in manual mode.
