This is definitely another camera of the dead or crappy camera. When it was given to me I made an audible groan. Oh a Samsung, Oh no a Samsung 🙁
I have never tried a Samsung point and shoot camera that worked. This one was no different. I accepted it as it was a free camera, plus there was a half-used film inside. I offered to get it developed for the owner and finish the film off. He had already lent me the Contax RTS III and given me a couple of polaroids. He takes such care of his equipment that I thought, maybe, finally I would have a Samsung that worked. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Samsung stuff. I have a Samsung phone. But their cameras from the 80s/90s are another beast entirely. As I have said, they never seem to work for me.
This one had various issues including the flash not working. The motor winder was also a little dodgy. I could literally find nothing about it on the net so I couldn’t even research it.
The only things I can tell you are what I could garner from the camera itself or the manual which was inside the case. It has a fixed focal length of 35mm with a minimum aperture of f4.5. The lens has three elements/groups. The flash, when working, is automatic with no off switch. There is a self-timer, but nothing else apart from a lens cover. It has a quick load system, but overall is a plastic, not so fantastic camera. Oh but wait, the manual says the viewfinder is a reverse Galilean type with a bright frame, parallax correction marks and an autofocus circle…ooooh, sounds sexy… but really it means:
“viewfinders’ “telescope” optics are often more like reversed telescopes, giving an image of reduced size. These finders belong to the “reverse Galilean” or “Newton” type”
https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Viewfinder
As I can’t give you any of my own sample photos I thought I would post some of the found film. There are no people in the photos so I am not compromising anybody’s privacy. It looks like they were taken at Lindisfarne.
Well, this camera did work once and very well. The previous owner got some great shots with it. The film was obviously inside the camera for a while.
So at the moment I still can’t recommend any Samsung cameras. Has anyone used a Samsung point and shoot that works?
No…simple answer. If the shutter works the flash won’t and visa versa.
Samsung digitals are no different; try getting the right charger for the right camera!! Charger type 2e, Charger type 2c!! etc etc, however, as you say…good phones. If I get a Samsung camera in a joblot it’s generally in the bin or dismantled for practice.
I dismantle things for screws and springs…and giggles.
Pretty good ‘found’ shots!
For some reason that comment went into the spam folder, but yes, I thought so too.
Well it seems a challenge is in order, to find a working Samsung film camera. Now ok I don’t mean actively seeking a Samsung camera. But if one presents its self then it should be checked to see if potentially working……if so result! Mmm might take a while!
Please don’t give it to me.
Oh how come the first photo in the post so a picture of an olympus compact?
I thought I fixed that, should be fixed now. Sometimes WordPress doesn’t work as it should. That is a brief glimps of the next post, sneak preview.
You’re safe, I don’t have a Samsung camera
Hello, I have a Samsung ECX-1. Is a camera with many functions and its interface makes it a bit slow to use, but it works. My favorite photograph I took with it is this http://prntscr.com/21bgzbx which is a poor scan that does not make justice neither to the contrasty lens nor the saturated Ektar 100, the film I think I used.
Actually I do have one of those to test, so that might be Samsung’s saviour. But I did get two and one definitely didn’t work…fingers crossed for the second one. On your photo there is a blur at the bottom, what is that caused by?
It is a metallic surface mirroring the sunset over which I rested the camera to avoid motion blur. as the focus is in the cat it got motioned. I shot bricks and it is very sharp : D http://prntscr.com/21ek62f I hope your Samsung works, they were not as good as Japanese cameras but I like the engineers seemed very enthusiastic about them, their Rolleis mady by Samsung seems to have been more photographic friendly.
Ooh I like that one more.
I briefly had a Samsung that worked. The photos were actually good, but the fiddly buttons and modes modes modes meant it wasn’t a keeper.
https://www.35mmc.com/22/10/2021/samsung-slim-zoom-1150-review/
I am not looking forward to using the ecx for the same reasons you wrote about. I lived in Seoul a while. There was great stuff there, but it doesn’t seem like they were built to last.
I’ve got loads off eBay and they all work – one has a bit of an issue w a sticky shutter button, but the rest work fine – For a while Samsung owned Rollei, and basically made models for the two brands in parallel – which got me started on Sammy in the first place, as I could buy a Sammy for say £30 that would cost £100 as a Rollei. Then I bought the Rolleis anyway, coz GAS. Some of them have really special lenses – either sparkly sharp, amazing exposure control, or coatings that cast beautiful warm tones to indoor shots. Of course, some others, not so much lol.
I think I am just jinxed with Samsung. Is there one you recommend for me to try?