Author Topic: Kyocera Samurai - Please Tell Me More? (Read 8974 times)

Skorj · « **on:** October 17, 2009, 06:30:57 AM »

Uba-fugly perhaps. But being half-frame, with a 3x zoom, and some manual override functions, seems like a nice toy for some filmwasting. I had an APS Samurai, and the result were a bit 'loose' a number of years ago. This might appeal to me these days though...

So, does anyone have any recent experience in their use? I'll be surfing the mess on Fickle looking for examples of output a bit later too, but any comment from those who may have used one would be appreciated! See ya. Skj.

beck · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2009, 09:42:35 AM »

I may have seen one of these before in a thrift store thinking it was a movie camera and walked on by. Can't be much help I'm afraid. I did manage a manual for an identical model in case you're interested.

http://www.thecamerasite.net/web/Samurai4.0.pdf

Skorj · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2009, 09:46:08 AM »

Thanks! That is a lot better than my search results on Fickle; the vomit inducing HRD from someone (shown small to avoid offending anyone with half a brain).

I will check it out! Appreciated. Skj.

beck · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2009, 09:51:01 AM »

Check out the lens accesorios near the bottom such as a Wide/Tele Converter, Close-up, and such. Bet yours don't have dat. Haha. It is too early to think with my half a brain. Good ruck!

beck · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2009, 06:02:41 PM »

Mark I'll see your Kyocera Samurai and raise you a Canon Dial 35-2. Picked it up today for a buck. Now to find a battery. Let the half frames begin!

Oh look. If you are lucky, you can get wet too with your own personal Underwater Housing Diamar for your Canon 35-2! I love oraunge.

http://web.comhem.se/~u87754955/canon-dial-35.html

moominsean · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2009, 09:30:46 PM »

some kyocera samurai shots

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28227167@N03/sets/72157608812249780/

and a group for the yashica samurai, which looks like the exact same thing.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/yashica_samurais/

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

Francois · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2009, 11:15:00 PM »

Quote from: moominsean on October 17, 2009, 09:30:46 PM

and a group for the yashica samurai, which looks like the exact same thing.

They are the exact same. Contax and Yashica were both made by Kyocera (Kyoto Ceramics Company)...

Skorj · « **Reply #7 on:** October 18, 2009, 03:28:08 AM »

Quote from: beck on October 17, 2009, 06:02:41 PM

Picked it up today for a buck.

What? My Japanese wallet bleeds thinking about that price! These are very expensive here!

Thanks for the Fickle links too Sean - it looks a competent machine! Skj.

beck · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2009, 03:34:57 AM »

Quote from: Skorj on October 18, 2009, 03:28:08 AM

Quote from: beck on October 17, 2009, 06:02:41 PM
Picked it up today for a buck.

What? My Japanese wallet bleeds thinking about that price! These are very expensive here!

That's odd. Unfortunatly it did not come with falsh, groovy box or case. As is. I'll send it to you just because I'm a nice guy like that. Send me your addy and it's yours. The 1.3V battery can be replaced with a PX-625 Zinc-Air.

...and when recieved, the manual can be found here>http://www.scribd.com/doc/2570932/Canon-Dial-352-manual

Skorj · « **Reply #9 on:** October 18, 2009, 10:36:10 AM »

Quote from: beck on October 18, 2009, 03:34:57 AM

That's odd. Unfortunatly it did not come with falsh, groovy box or case. As is. I'll send it to you just because I'm a nice guy like that. Send me your addy and it's yours. The 1.3V battery can be replaced with a PX-625 Zinc-Air.

...and when recieved, the manual can be found here>http://www.scribd.com/doc/2570932/Canon-Dial-352-manual

Seriously? I have one of these:

So you can use a real battery if you want. Shall we argue over which of us will post which item which way? Skj.

beck · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2009, 06:08:03 PM »

And they're off! I think this battery can act as a surrogate as well. Not sure, though the forums recommend the swap.

Ken B: eyes, I just do eyes. · « **Reply #11 on:** October 19, 2009, 01:03:33 PM »

Quote from: Skorj on October 17, 2009, 09:46:08 AM

Thanks! That is a lot better than my search results on Fickle; the vomit inducing HRD from someone (shown small to avoid offending anyone with half a brain).

I will check it out! Appreciated. Skj.

Skorj, even at this size I projectile vomited my lunch

Please refrain form displaying such nauseating scenes in future

Skorj · « **Reply #12 on:** October 20, 2009, 07:40:12 AM »

Quote from: ken182 on October 19, 2009, 01:03:33 PM

Please refrain form displaying such nauseating scenes in future

Apologies! Looking at that appalling image now, I wonder what I could have possibly been thinking...

LT · « **Reply #13 on:** October 20, 2009, 08:24:28 AM »

on the HDR thing ... there is an article in Ag this issue about using HDR with raw files in mono to create "gritty" portraits. the portraits themselves are quite nice, but the effect of the software is horrendous. just dreadful. I'm really shocked that they got through the usually high standards of the mag.

here is one of them, and the photographer's portrait work is usually really nice, so I'm not sure why he would think this is an improvement in his own stuff (perhaps he doesn't of course)

by lee frost, taken from the http://www.picture-box.com/current.html page

Ken B: eyes, I just do eyes. · « **Reply #14 on:** October 20, 2009, 09:18:28 AM »

Leon, that is a good example of someone setting out to do good with HDR but instead creating evil.

I took some time to just look at the image and consider what the artist was wanting to do. The original shot is excellent and then the idea behind the post production and tool of choice is okay. I just think they forgot to use the subtlety filter.

Skorj · « **Reply #15 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:41:21 AM »

If you stare at a painting of Dogs Playing Poker, if you are feeble-minded enough, you can convince yourself they too are real. Kind of like Ralph Lauren's latest saga of the head-bigger-than-her-pelvis models too. A Distorted Perception of Reality...

Sad.

mikeg · « **Reply #16 on:** October 20, 2009, 01:15:27 PM »

The same article by Lee Frost is in this month's B&W Photography as well.

Mike

Francois · « **Reply #17 on:** October 20, 2009, 03:59:20 PM »

And we're bound to see more horrors like that... Sony just released the first SLR with a fully automated HDR mode that does everything in the camera........

Now just imagine family photos available in full HDR... where everybody seems to be inside Quake (the game). Freaky.

Though it could be OK for Halloween pictures

mikeg · « **Reply #18 on:** October 20, 2009, 04:48:17 PM »

It reminds me of when desktop publishing became mainstream in the nineties. Here in the UK you saw an explosion of home produced newsletters especially the family Christmas newsletter where every paragraph was in a different font and/or colour. All because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should.

Mike

Skorj · « **Reply #19 on:** October 28, 2009, 11:28:21 AM »

Funny how you can look, read the manual, and look at all the photographs in the world, but until you use one it isn't really apparent that a Samurai is an SLR. I bought the one above for \1000, so results pending... See ya! Skj.

Francois · « **Reply #20 on:** October 28, 2009, 02:40:24 PM »

Can't wait for first impressions...

The mirror on that thing must me so small... Mirror slap must be quite discrete.

moominsean · « **Reply #21 on:** October 28, 2009, 02:45:30 PM »

HDR samurai!

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

Stu · « **Reply #22 on:** October 28, 2009, 04:06:26 PM »

How do you get vomit of a computer keyboard?

moominsean · « **Reply #23 on:** October 28, 2009, 07:18:31 PM »

Quote from: Francois on October 28, 2009, 02:40:24 PM

Mirror slap must be quite discrete.

oh, and...that's what she said.

Skorj · « **Reply #24 on:** November 15, 2009, 09:25:29 AM »

Mirror slap is indeed nice and quiet, so is the drive for some reason. Not silent, but the auto focus motor makes more noise than shutter/mirror tripping, or the film drive motor. It will shoot continuously if shutter button held:

The zoom works pretty nice too!

A competent, not-so-little, motor-drive, half-frame SLR, one now used with much enthusiasm by my son. See ya! Skj.

LT · « **Reply #25 on:** November 15, 2009, 10:36:32 AM »

wow - if the web representation is anything to go by, that is one super-sharp lens! At first I though it was the trademark SKJ perfect panning technique fooling my eye, but even the shot where all is still is super-sharp. I want one.

Francois · « **Reply #26 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:09:11 PM »

Well... it was made by the makers of the famous Contax cameras... So not surprising that it has a good lens.

With my short experience with a Yashica cameras, their lenses are always very good.