bill Posted March 25, 2011 Share #1 Posted March 25, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Please meet my most recent acquisition: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! The title of this thread comes from my dear sweet little grey-haired old Mother, who would say those words when confronted with something - animal, vegetable or mineral - that was plug-ugly. This Mini Zoom has come my way for a handful of your Earth Pounds and is in my possession for one reason only - I want to have a go at the Mini Challenge and this was the cheapest "entry ticket" I could find Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! The title of this thread comes from my dear sweet little grey-haired old Mother, who would say those words when confronted with something - animal, vegetable or mineral - that was plug-ugly. This Mini Zoom has come my way for a handful of your Earth Pounds and is in my possession for one reason only - I want to have a go at the Mini Challenge and this was the cheapest "entry ticket" I could find Regards, Bill ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/147160-only-a-mum-would-love-it/?do=findComment&comment=1625072'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 25, 2011 Posted March 25, 2011 Hi bill, Take a look here Only a mum would love it. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
earleygallery Posted March 25, 2011 Share #2 Posted March 25, 2011 Peel the red dot off, sell it on ebay and the camera will probably be free! I've taken an interest in 35mm P&S cameras of this vintage. I've picked a few up now for between zero pence and £5 (but it was for charity). The results are better than any small digicam, but of course one has to suffer the inconvenience of the outdated technology of film. I've yet to find a Leica Mini. They seem to fetch relatively silly money on ebay, typically £40ish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted March 25, 2011 Share #3 Posted March 25, 2011 Peel the red dot off, sell it on ebay and the camera will probably be free! I've taken an interest in 35mm P&S cameras of this vintage. I've picked a few up now for between zero pence and £5 (but it was for charity). The results are better than any small digicam, but of course one has to suffer the inconvenience of the outdated technology of film. I've yet to find a Leica Mini. They seem to fetch relatively silly money on ebay, typically £40ish. The Scottish Dealer has (I think) 4 Mini3's @ £99 each! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted March 25, 2011 Share #4 Posted March 25, 2011 A Leica Mini Zoom was the first camera I paid good money for (£200+?) when I became vaguely interested in photography only about 15 years ago. I liked the styling then (and still do) but I returned it after about a week because I didn't care much for having a zoom lens (the dealer was happy to let me return it in favour of buying the more expensive Contax T2). In the short time I owned the Mini Zoom I remember it had a very sharp, very capable lens. Frankly, I'd rather shoot with one of these 'old' Leica (or indeed any half decent) P&S film cameras than with any digilux or digicam thingy with it's 5mm focal length lens and a sensor the size of a baby's fingernail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 25, 2011 Share #5 Posted March 25, 2011 There are Leicas. And then there are Leicas. What weren they thinking? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 25, 2011 Share #6 Posted March 25, 2011 Andy - but it's no different to the business model of the PanaLeica digicams today really, although better image quality from its FF sensor! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pintpot Posted March 25, 2011 Share #7 Posted March 25, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) There are Leicas. And then there are Leicas. What weren they thinking? Well they were all doing it, I've got a Nikon of about the sme period, and, given the limitations of the various models they all produced good enough photographs for the 'holiday snappers' of the time - some still do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted March 25, 2011 I'm genuinely looking forward to giving it a try Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tietje Posted March 25, 2011 Share #9 Posted March 25, 2011 I still have mine. When I bought it in 1995 it was the only Leica I was likely to be able to afford for a long time. I have all the accessories, the soft case, wrist strap and panorama mask. Gave me a lot of pleasure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 25, 2011 Share #10 Posted March 25, 2011 Fact is it would be more than adequate for a lot of photographers who choose to spend several thousands more on a camera. Ideal for holiday snaps and pet/child pics! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 25, 2011 Share #11 Posted March 25, 2011 But, why did Leica feel the need to put their name to this? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejd Posted March 26, 2011 Share #12 Posted March 26, 2011 They are excellent cameras! I have two -- one from Ebay, one from Photographica a few years ago. I think I paid silly money for them. Maybe £30 each (but one has a very fine leather -- or is it leatherette -- pouch, and it was some time ago). Is the lens less Leica-ish than the lenses on all those small Panasonics? Leica made a whole string of these p&s film cameras over many years. I think the last were the C1, C2, and C3. I've been looking out for a C3 but the prices always seem a bit steep. The mini zoom makes an unhappy series of noises when you press the shutter, but apparently that's part of the design. I wish I'd brought one along with me on this trip to Singapore. I suppose the Mini (non-zoom), mini 2 and mini 3 command a higher price because of the cachet of that fixed focal length lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 26, 2011 Share #13 Posted March 26, 2011 How is a C Lux or D Lux any different though? Leica made good profits from all of these lower end cameras. I remember the Canon Sureshot, the first AF 35mm compact - my father bought them for my mother and sisters, great quality results. Later models weren't quite as good. I'd borrow one of them when going on holidays. Canon AF35M - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I'd post a shot from my 50p Fuji camera (with a 28mm and 40mm dual lens) if it were allowed, you'd be very surprised by the results! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digbyhp Posted March 26, 2011 Share #14 Posted March 26, 2011 Is that the same lens as on the Z2X ? Even the shape looks very Z2X-ish. Although very plastic, its still a very well performing camera (just don't use it at 70mm). Bill, ignore the nay-sayers, have some fun with it, and I bet you'll get some surprisingly nice shots with this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted March 30, 2011 Share #15 Posted March 30, 2011 Enjoy your mini Bill. There is something to be said for point and shoots. I have to admit that the CM I bought earlier this year has seen a lot of action so far and has had 11 rolls through it in less than two months. Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scsambrook Posted March 31, 2011 Share #16 Posted March 31, 2011 But, why did Leica feel the need to put their name to this? To make some extra income . . . I suppose. Perhaps their market development executives felt that coss-subsidization would help to keep the "real" Leica models in production. It would be interesting to see their account books from that time to see just how beneficial these ideas actually were. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted April 4, 2011 Share #17 Posted April 4, 2011 's wonderful! Look at that giant optical viewfinder. Who does that any more? You will also find operating it a paragon of simplicity compared with most of today's digicams. Fewer buttons -- count them. A good lens, but thanks to its full-frame sensor (35mm film) somewhat slower than you may like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincoln_m Posted April 5, 2011 Share #18 Posted April 5, 2011 Bill, In 2001 this was my first Leica £70. It had a light leak so it went back under warrantee. While I was waiting for it to be repaired I decided to buy an M6TTL + 50mmf2 for £1600. When the mini-zoom came back I used it a little but mainly the M6TTL. The following year I did a part ex for the minilux 40mm and got £50 for the minizoom. I remember it had a 1/400 top shutter speed so slow film was needed to avoid overexposing in bright light, but then it did try and use 1/15th in low light. Some interesting pics of fast moving kids. Regards, Lincoln Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share #19 Posted April 6, 2011 Thanks Lincoln, I like stories like that Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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