The User's Review: A Pioneer of SLT Camera: Canon EOS RT (Real Time) (Produced in 1989 - 1992)

There were two things about this model in my mind for a long time. The first, how could I buy one at my affordable price? On ebay, some are asked for more than USD 200. I had been looking for it for several months. Recently, an online camera shop sold me one at USD 39 plus shipping. Once I got mine, I used and tested it. It's relatively quick (in terms of both shutter lag and fps (up to 5 in RT)), quite and less vibration caused by mirror movement. The shutter lag is 8 ms, that's why it got its  name EOS RT (Real Time) (vs. 90 - 130 ms, common in SLR cameras). The second, how to get an image to display its unique feature - the pellicle (meaning membrane) mirror? This kind of mirror in the Single-Lens Translucent (SLT) cameras does not move. It passes a portion of light to the film while reflects the other portion of light into the viewfinder. I set the shutter speed to the longest 30 s (to have enough time to take an image with my digital camera), and took the image (the second one below) of both film frame and viewfinder. In this image, you can see both of them are lighted up. Check your SLR, DSLR and DSLT cameras, you can't see this phenomenon because, in the first two kinds of cameras, the traditional mirror will block the viewfinder during exposure of film or digital sensor; however, in the DSLT camera such as Sony alpha 33 and 55, the image sensor is fixed and can't be removed.

On the main switch of EOS RT (the last image above), there is a gear marked as RT. At RT setting, when the shutter button is half-pressed, the RT camera gets everything ready except shutter releasing. The only thing to do by the the next half-way pressing is to fire the shutter and gains the 'RT' effect (actually with 8 ms lag). 

The RT body comes with three booklets, including 2 for EOS 630 (Part and 2).
The RT booklet has only 12 pages in English for RT.
I guess, RT is most similar to 630 among the 600 series.   

I post here the RT manual section of 12 pages in English here. It explains the extra functions on RT.

EOS RT is not the first model in Canon EOS family (read my article on EOS 650), but it is said that, with higher significance, it is the first and only SLT camera in EOS family. BTW, the first SLT body sold on market should be Canon Pellix/Pellix QL, which were launched in 1965/1966 and are manual focus camera with a light meter powered by 1.35v button battery. 


Canon produced three models of grips for this camera.
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In a review on Sony SLT 55 body on June 5, 2011, I wrote: 'SLT' (Sony's Latest Tech) is not new, RT used the same kind in 1989. SLT launched by Sony is all about marketing (your money), not the tech (similar to computer CPUs, 286, 386, 486, ...2-core, 4-core...). D-camera without any mirror has been developed because it's easier to split d-signal than the light, making a real fast and quiet body. 

The User's Review: Two 'versions' of Nikon EM 35mm SLR Camera

I got a chance to put two Nikon EM bodies side by side, and found that there are differences between them. Before I tell you, check them in my following images to find the differences yourself.

EM is a compact manual focus Nikon body, with a three-gears shutter switch, an ISO dial ranging between 25-1600,  light meter and battery check buttons. The three gears of shutter switch are Auto, M90 and B. Basically, you set the aperture and EM light meter matches the shutter speed for you. If the speed is too low and miy causes shaking effect on your film, a warning sound will reminds you. A speed scale on the left side of viewfinder shows 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 (low speeds marked in red on the scale, At these speeds, you should pay attention about shaking). A needle indicates the speed engaged, and a mark indicates 1/90 s (for the M90 manual gear). EM is simple to use.

Finally, it's time to talk about the differences between Nikon EMs. See the first images, the body with SN 6197418 has blue buttons of meter and battery check, while the body with SN 7193581 has chromed buttons. If you are a camera collector, do you need to get both 'versions' of Nikon EM? And tell me if you find more differences among EM bodies. Thanks.

The User’s Review: Canon Zoom Lens EF 28-80mm 1:3.5-5.6 II

Again, first of all, thanks to Susan P, Atkinson, NH, who sent me this lens (580028yi) for review.

To be horniest, I have not used or even tested it. But with it in my hands, I want to tell you the following about it: made in Taiwan; with a plastic mount; macro 0.38m (1.3 ft); lens' length changed with focus ring turning (no so-called 'internal focusing'); shortest lens' length at the middle between 35 and 80 mm zoom and longest at 80 mm; sealed rear glass piece on its bottom (this glass does not move with zooming, meaning no dust comes into lens body from this end. Good!).

 

The User's Review: Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm 1:4-5.6 III USM

Fist of all, I thank Susan P, Atkinson, NH, sending me her lenses for my review.

This lens carries 'Canon' brand name, U (ultrasonic motor) sign and a metal lens mount. All these make it a popular telephoto lens for Canon AF camera users. In the USA used market, it's easy to sell it at a price more than USD 100, twice as much as a zoom with the same configuration from a lens specialist manufacture.

The lens extends while its zoom ring turning from 75 to 300mm. Turning the focus ring also changes the lens' length. No distance and DOF scales are marked on the barrels. You will not find the magnification ratio neither. The lens, made in Malaysia,  accepts 58mm filter, and has a 1.5m (4.9ft) macro sign.

The lens is long, ~5 cm  longer than my Sigma 75-300mm. The build quality of this Canon lens is average.I feel that the internal barrel and focus ring are loose in this lens, although Susan says very little use (580978wuD). On used ones, I saw broken rings, lost resistance in zoom ring (stand up the lens on its rear end with a rear cap, set the zoom to 300, open you hands and see if the internal barrel falls in or not by itself; If does, you have to hold the zoom ring when shooting something such as a bird up on a tree). Better to test-use one before buying it.

The User’s Review: Pentax *ist (Starist) 35 mm Film SLR Camera, released in 2003

I set up a project for myself to compare the latest 35 mm film slr cameras from various manufactures including Canon T2, Minolta Maxxum 70, Nikon N75 and Pentax *ist. *ist is the last one from Pentax in the group of customer level. It is claimed that *ist is also the smallest slr body using 35 mm film. Furthermore, it’s relatively rare and often overpriced, I believe, in the used market of USA because the body becomes a collector’s item. I doubt if many as new (MSRP USD 467) were sold at the take-off of digital cameras. The body alone is listed between USD 189 -199 plus 8 shipping at keh.com. I also saw one kit with Pentax FA-J 28 – 80 zoom at USD 179 excluding shipping on B&H website, and was gone quickly. On ebay, *ist is easy to be bid above 80. I had been hunting it for several months and finally found one listed there from N. Walsham, UK on May 5, 2011. I used ‘buy it now’ button to purchase it, and waited one week to receive it (traveled 7k km of straight-line distance as I measured on the Google Earth) via the Royal Air Mail on May 12 (a date I can’t forget). Guess how much it cost me? 四十英镑和六英镑寄费，共付七十七点九九美元。Expensive? (May 26, 2012, saw a used kit of *ist, BG-20 battery grip and FA J 28 - 80mm Zoom on ebay, with an ending bid of USD 179.01. For collection, it's OK, but for film shooting, there are many good bodies at more fair prices)

Ok, let talk about the Starist itself. I would say that the unique feature on the Starist is neither the smallest body nor the big LCD on its back, in stead, should be the film chamber. When I hold the camera to shoot, the film cartridge installed is actually in my right hand. I believe, when Pentax designed the body, they did their best to minimize its size. What they could do was to shrink any body parts, but not the standard cartridge and CR2 batteries. They put these two side by side to form the body grip. Smart!

Other features either you like or not are: 30 – 1/4000 s (personally, I rarely use a speed faster than 1/250) and bulb; 1/125 s sync speed; auto pop-up/CLOSE-DOWN (yes, auto close down) of flash (auto up is in many camera bodies, tell me which another slr model can retract its flash itself?. Later, I found the earlier Canon EOS 750 and 10s have the auto up/down flashes); ~2.5 frames/sec; preview (for both active focus point and DOF) gear on the main switch; no infrared film; 16-segment, spot and central–weighted metering modes; 11 focus selectable points; AF.S; AF.C and MF focus modes; multiple exposures; mid-roll rewinding; manual film speed override; 10 picture modes (cool is the auto pic mode in which the auto selected mode e.g. Portrait will light up on the mode dial); AE and focus locks; audible signal on/off; inappropriate lens warning on LCD; 17 custom functions (including enabling shutter release with the lens aperture ring set to non-A position); standard date/time imprinting; un-durable plastic tripod socket; optional remote with 3 sec delay and AA battery grip (BG-20). Ok.    

Most *ists come with a FA J 28 - 80 mm zoom from the factory. This zoom without a aperture ring is a simplified version of FA 28 - 80 mm. The inappropriate lens warning may work just for those ‘wrong’ lens listed in the body manual. I tested a Pentax DA L 18-55 mm zoom, which is for Pentax digital slr. At < 24 mm focus length, it will causes dark corners on film in Starist. But no warning showed up. As I read online and tested my own Starist, some of them may have problem or difficulty in turning the select dial clockwise. Yes, on my Starist, anti-clockwise turning is more smooth and easier. I also emailed Pentax in USA, they do not admit this is a manufacture or design issue. They can fix it for you as you pay. Bad!

Battery Grip BG-20 with a shutter button, shutter lock, AE-L and trip socket  

The grip was made in China, but in good quality.

If you like to see the equivalent cameras from other manufactures, visit my blog page comparing them.   

The User’s Review: Canon EOS Elan II (EOS 50), IIe (EOS 50e) and EOS 55

Released in 1995, Elan II and IIe are mid-level 35mm slr cameras and well built (relatively heavier with a mental lens mount and aluminium top cover) by Canon. They are the first cameras to implement Canon's e-TTL flash system.  

IIe has an unique feature of ‘Eye Control’, which allows user to look at one of the three focusing points in the viewfinder and select one point by eye. Even more unique is the eye-controlled depth-of-field preview. At the upper left corner of IIe’s viewfinder, there is a diamond-shaped mark. By looking at the mark (not press any button), you can check the DOF. To my knowledge, IIe (and probably EOS 55) is the only model with the eye-controlled DOF preview. This function does not inherited by the later model Elan 7NE.

Both II and IIe are in black/sliver color, and have optional date/time imprint back door. However, EOS 55, marketed only in Japan, has an all black option and with a panorama switch. This is another example that Japanese companies like Canon keep their best products for only Japanese (this kind of merchandises are of JDM, short for Japanese Domestic Market) and those who was physically on those islands to buy before the era of online shopping. Occasionally you can find an EOS 55 (with labels in Japanese) on sale in USA. But its price was more than USD 50, much higher than Elan II/IIe’s ranging between 15 – 30 body only on ebay as I watched in 2011.

I am looking for a all black EOS 55 at a right price to buy. I will add more images here after getting one. 


P. S.: On June 13 of 2011, I received my all black EOS 55.

The User's Review: Pentax 35 mm Film SLR Cameras MZ-10 (ZX-10), MZ-30 (ZX-30), MZ-50 (ZX-50) and MZ-60 (ZX-60)

During the ten years between 1992 to 2002, Pentax released 4 double-dig (10, 30, 50, 60) models of slr cameras. All of them are similar to each other: mirror-type viewfinder, plastic lens mount and body, silver/black body color (I saw an all black body of ZX-10), 1/2000 s top shutter speed, 1/100 s sync speed, and optional date/time imprinting back. And all models were made in Philippines.

There were two things confusing me: today's users prefer the older model 10 than the other three. Why? And Model 60, introduced in 2002, is the newest one. but why people don't like it? Well, I answer myself by making the following table. There are differences in key functions among these models besides the model numbers.


Table. Comparison of Pentax double-digit slr models (1992 - 2002)

	MZ-10, ZX-10	MZ-30, ZX-30	MZ-50, ZX-50	MZ-60, ZX-60
Year released	1996	2000	1992	2002
Mount type	KAF2	KAF	KAF	KAF
Diopter corr.	No	Yes	No	No
Mutiple expo.	No	Yes	No	No
Panorama	Yes	No	No	No
Power zoom	Yes	No	No	No
MSRP USD	472	350	350	199

Below are the images of 10 30 and 50 (from left to right). I do not have a 60, it's more like the 50 with four buttons instead of a control dial on the top.

Today, you can buy any of these body under USD 20. Check its shutter and mirror because malfunction of them are common in used bodies of these Pentaxs. I also have a separate article on ZX-10 in my blog, you may be interested.

In December of 2011, I got a ZX-60, which separates the shutter button and the option dial (it can't turn, just can be pushed right or left) and has a black bottom plate.