Sharp lens and great bokeh for 28mm.

Too expensive to buy and too expensive to repair

I just live the TC-1. But the era of film is fast approaching to an end. It is an un-assuming camera with tremendous capabilities for creative capture. The images are extremely sharp, and true to the famed reputation of the G-Rokkor 28mm. Alas, this "special" camera is truly a connoisseur delight. And as such do not be surprised that repairs can only be done in Japan by expert technicians. This was the case for my TC-1 which had a lens mechanism jam. It took, I think about 6 months for it's journey to Japan and eventually coming back to me. The camera has seen little action since.

Customer Service

Hubba hubba.. i better pray it doesn't go kaput on you.

Similar Products Used:

Leica MP, M7, M6
Contaxt G2

Smallest 35mm camera available. Excellent lens. Best at f 8. Manual ajustments. Long battery life time. Reliability.

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I have watched more than 1 year all second hand internet shops and ebay to get this camera. A new one is not available anymore and also would be too expensive. I love the excellent engineering and overall quality. Half size and weight than Leica Minilux which maybe could be an alternative when looking for a small camera with excellent lens. 28mm is the best compromise for outdoor and also indoor. Mainly used outdoor when travelling around. Makes great landscape pictures but use it also architecture. Made pictures I which never made with my SLRs (Nikon F2, F3, F4) because the SRL equipment is too heavy and bulky when trekking, biking or skiing. I only use 100 ISO films (Fujifilm Reala or Agfa Ultra 100) with this camera which I then scan with a NIKON Super Coolscan 4000 at 4000dpi.

Customer Service

No need till now

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Fujifilm Super Mini DL

Elegant Design. Memory Lock. ISO manual override. 2s or 10s Self-timer. Quality at f/3.5 & f/8

Aperture dial. No at-infinity MF. Only 4 aperture values. Quality at f/16

Hope that all of you would find my test useful in deciding whether you would like to buy this camera. www.pbase.com/iamjsklee

Customer Service

not yet

Similar Products Used:

T3, Minilux, Tzoom, Pentax P&S, G2

everything

nothing

tc-1 the camera number one is excellent camera.no compact camera cant beat the lens,quality,price and everything.this is handmade camera only 2 people who works in minolta making tc-1.thats why expensive

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gr1v

Small,very small.Circular diaphragm,awesome viewfinder, extremely high quality objective.

A bit of light falloff when wide open, no program mode, no auto flash mode.

Amazing camera, but I wouldn´t pay $800 in it.It´s an engeneering marvel but very overpriced (as the Contax TVS,Leica Minilux and so). If you want a truly SLR quality and pocketable camera, this is the best one by far.No other can compete, except the Ricoh GR-1 (I never used the GR-21).The picture quality is amazing.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

Leica Minilux,Konica Hexar Silver,Ricoh GR-1,Nikon 28ti,Contax TVS

Lens performance Metering system performance Autofocus performance Aperture priority mode Exposure compensation Manual ISO setting Spot Metering ! Control Dial Backlit LCD display Flash Off control Manual focus settings with preset hyperfocal distance possible Diminutive size - very very portable

Price if you pay retail The spot metering button is awkward to push while taking the picture. Close focusing distance could be shorter

I have been very pleased with this camera on many levels. The optics appear to be very good though I have not yet been able to administer a blind test against a lens of known quality. The metering system has also performed very well under a wide variety of lighting situations. The dial and slide switch combination used to change major settings is quite friendly and effective in use. Having the settings lock until changed again can be a good thing or a bad thing - regardless you will need to pay attention when you use this camera. I sometimes wish it had a program mode but more often I am grateful that I have control over the aperture. The viewfinder is terrific and the shutter speed display is very handy. The top panel LCD display is very legible and the backlighting a nice luxury touch. If you are using 400 ASA film the flash power is not much of an issue but at 100ASA it is weak like many other P&S cameras. The build and finish of the camera are superb as they should be at this price point - it feels like an ingot of precious metal in your hand because of its relative heft. The aesthetics of the lens and aperture selector have a strange industrial but asymmetrical quality which I am not crazy about but when the lens is retracted, the camera looks good. Finally, the size is fantastic - easily slips into any pocket and if using the belt case you can wear it all day and forget it.

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikon Lite Touch (28mm) Nikon FE2 Nikon FA Nikon F3 Canon Elan IIE

-Metering system: Centre weighted and Spot -Functionality, styling and miniaturisation -Size: it''s there when you need it.

the price? I you can''t afford it, don''t buy it.

I love, I love it, I love it. Make no mistake, goodthings come in small packages. I have waited 5 years to buy it and did a lot of Point and Shoot research. Most people haven''t even heared about this camera and buy something else at the high end. In N.Y. at B&H I asked them: "What is your best P&S on the self?" Without hesitation came the reply:" Minolta TC-1" The lens. As sharp as can be, esp. the center. I compared it to Konica Hexar and Canon 17-35mm 2.8L. Circular aperatures for background defocusing and circular highlights. The controls are well thought of. You cane take a spot meter reading, than focus on subject, recompose if necessary. Can you do this with another P&S? Flash. Night portrait mode is great and this is the fill in flash mode during daylight. Some reports mentioned light fall off at the corners and advise f3.5. I have not incountered this problem and found that the flash at night performes well at f5.6 and f8 (400 asa film). In short everything you need is on this camera and it''s performance is super. The TC-1 is for the photographer who thinks before pressing the shutter release and demands picture quality.Certainly not for inexperienced people. I carry this camera with my often, along with a Manfrotto (Bogen in USA) table top tripod. It''s a combination I can highly recommend. Save up for this camera and pretty soon it will become part of your photographic soul.

Customer Service

Since the TC-1 is not widely available Minolta sent one to a photostore in my town, just to see the camera and try it out. No obligation to buy and no charge. On the phone Minolta provided correct inf

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Canon and L-serie lenses Konica Hexar

-Size!!!!
-Real-time Shutter release
-Durable
-Fast Focus
-Aperture Priorty
-Contrasty Lens with real Circular Apertures
-Spot Meter
-Exposure Comp +/- 4
-Manual Focus - 22 zones
-Auto & Manual ISO / 6-6400
-Quick Dial Settings with Memory
-Viewfinder Info includes Shutter & Distance
-Illuminated LCD panel
-Auto Off after 3 min

Expensive
Weak Flash
Lens Barrel Distortion
No Spot Metering with Flash On
All distances in Meters

A very "fun" camera to operate with lots of maual/overide control. Not for beginners.
Because of its exceptionally small size (size of a pack of cigarettes) its with me all the time. The exposures have been dead on (easily handling slide film) and its distance/shutter display, in the viewfinder, insures sharp AND accurate focus.
There are only four aperture priority options on the 28 mm lens, they are 3.5, 5.6, 8, and 16. BUT, the shutter speeds vary from 8-1/750 sec, in half-stops.
Another useful feature is its ability to "pan focus." For example, if I manually select the focus distance to 4 m or 13.1 ft., and set the aperture to f8, then all objects between ft. and infinity are in focus. This works well for those candids and arm-stretched shots.
The illuminated LCD readout on top of the camera works great for dark or nighttime situations. No flashlight required.
For whatever reason, when the flash is on, the spot meter button is used to toggle between the regular flash mode and the slow sync/flash fill mode. So there is no flash fill WITH spot meter mode.
The effective useful range of the flash is about 10 ft. at 100/ISO, good enough for "people" shots, but not enough to light an entire room. Although at 400/ISO it'll go for almost 20 ft..
The titanium steel body is rugged but still doesn't hide the fact that its a real gem!!

Customer Service

Very helpful with my questions on the phone

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Canon Elph Jr
Contax G2

Very small; manual control; tough; superb lens; backlight display

Price; no fully auto mode; slightly noisy

Notwithstanding the price (in Singapore somewhere between the EOS 5 and the EOS 3) it is great value in that this is a classy little wonder. Needless to say the optics are awesome.

This is one camera that you can have with you at anytime because of its size. It has a very useful 28mm lens with the widest aperture at 3.5

This is however not a camera for the beginner. Exposure is aperture priority. This means you must select the aperture for every shot.

Also, flash must be manually selected and this is a bit tiresome after a while. This is a dial at the top of the camera which is for selecting many other features to adjust apart from flash. Then you have to slide a button to activate the flash. Then you have to remember to select the exposure to 3.5 or 5.6 or else you have light fall off at the edge of your pictures.

But all this means that your pictures will have to be deliberate and in the hands of intermediate and expert photographers, this will be a really awesome light box!

Otherwise, this is a really awesome unique camera.

Customer Service

Never needed

Similar Products Used:

None

Extremely small size
Manual controls (aperture, ISO, exp comp, focus)
Lens quality
Titanium
Very close focussing (.45m)
Superb viewfinder with lots of info
Great Ergonomics

$$
Weak flash (at least it has one!)
No cable release.
f3.5 vs f2.4 for Minilux

A superb small camera - it is so small that I carry it with me at all times.
Very rugged, great results - as good as the Minilux, better that the Contax.
Very easy to use despite its small size - the way that the control wheel has been set out is very clever.
Exposure conpensation is very easy to use - contrast to the Minilux which was much more fiddly.
The aperture diaphram actually operates by sliding small cicular holes in front of the lenses - perfect cirles rather than 6/7/9 sided ones - very clever!!

Similar Products Used:

Leica Minilux
Contax T