The Samoca 35 IV - a diminutive gem.

I've seen Samoca cameras only a few times in the past 20+ years, and always at either a thrift store or a camera swap.  The small size, and oddball appearance didn't do much for me at the time, and they stayed on the seller's shelves.  However, a Samoca IV recently came my way, and I was intrigued.  The earliest models from Sanei Sangyo K.K. in Japan are much smaller than your typical 35mm camera, and appeared in the early 1950s as the optical industries in Japan were recovering from WWII.  By the mid-1950s it was known as Samoca Camera Co. Ltd., and the cameras were all  named Samoca, followed by the model designation.  If you are collecting vintage cameras, Samoca isn't a brand that you are likely to encounter, as they ceased operation by the early 1960s.  The logo is a set of three As in a stylized mountain shape.  According to McKeown's Cameras, there were less than 20 different cameras manufactured, and the last ones were released in 1962.

The Samoca 35 through 35 IV models are compact Bakelite-bodied 35mm viewfinder cameras with metal top and bottom plates and a front panel that contains the lens and shutter mechanism. They all have a cold shoe, Ezumar 50mm f/3.5 lens with a minimum f/22 aperture.  The shutter speeds are B, 1/25- 1/200.  The Samoca 35 IV was produced in 1955 and features a PC flash sync.  Focus is scale focus (guesstimate), not rangefinder.  The shutter is cocked by pushing down a plunger on the left front, and the shutter release is on the right.  A strange little camera, but wait, there's more!  

The back of the camera is removed  to load the film and watch out for the film take-up spool, as it will easily fall out. A chrome film pressure plate must be flipped upwards before loading film - just like a Rollei 35.  The standard 35mm cassette is loaded on the left, and once the film on the take-up spool has been engaged, flip down the pressure plate and reattach the back.  

To advance the film, press down on the shutter cocking post and turn the knob until it stops.  Now, you can focus, set your shutter speed and aperture (all manually, of course).  I just used sunny-16 and had good results.  Press down on the shutter button and the very, very quiet shutter does its thing. The Samoca 35 IV features 5 shutter speeds besides B: 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, and 1/200 sec.  The Ezumar lens is a triplet and coated.  The rewind the film, you can either hold down the shutter cocking plunger while rewinding, or push in the metal flange behind the plunger.  I found that a bit of washi tape was essential in holding the end of the film in the take-up spool.
 

When you look at the small Samoca 35 cameras up close, it's apparent that they are actually quite ingenious in operation and are constructed quite well. While not as complex as say, a Canon IIF of the same era (a Leica copy), their simplicity and diminutive stature really makes them stand out among other 35mm cameras.  Compare them with contemporary US-made Argus cameras, and it's obvious how innovative the Samoca cameras were.

I loaded my Samoca 35 IV with an old roll of Svema 100 b&w film.  I made some exposures around our yard, and then took it with me to the Asheville River Arts District (the RAD).  The RAD is always a great place to test a camera, as it's interesting, and only a 10 minute drive from my house.  I used Sunny-16 to assess my exposures, and guess at the distance.  However, on a sunny day, I was using an aperture of f/11-f/16, so distance estimate did not have to be precise.  I developed the Svema 100 in HC110 dilution B.  As I hung up the negatives to dry, I could see that the camera performed well.

Some examples from the negative scans- all done on my Epson V700 scanner:

Overall, the Samoca 35 IV did very well, and it was easy to use. There's a whole bunch of interesting 35mm cameras from post-war Japan and Germany that don't sell for crazy prices.  Samoca is certainly not a well-known brand, and if one wanted to pick a manufacturer that is an interesting one to collect, Samoca would be a good choice, as most of their models don't sell for exorbitant prices, and there are only a few that are really rare, commanding prices close to $500.  Most of the 35 series sell for less than $50. To find out more about the Samoca 35 series, this site is a great place to begin.

The Minolta Hi-Matic G (Gee, it worked!)

I have a love-hate relationship with those 1970’s 35mm rangefinder and compact zone-focus cameras. Far too many of them to keep track of, and far too many that took Mercury cells or some odd-ball battery that I can’t find, and far too many of them that now, don’t work.  On the plus side, they are usually sturdy little metal boxes, attractive, and easy to use. Over the years, I have had Minolta  RFs land in my lap, and a few, such as a Minolta 7s worked quite well, but I didn’t fall in love with it.  I had a Hi-matic G in 2005, but it had exposure issues.   The worst aspect of the Hi-Matic series (with one exception) is the auto-exposure with no manual capability.  In regards to the Hi-Matic G, it’s not an especially singular camera, and is a middle of the road auto-exposure compact RF camera with a zone/scale focus, with the following features:

• Rokkor 38mm f/1:2.8 lens with 46mm filter thread, f/2.8-f/14 aperture 
• Zone & Scale focus with symbols and numbers 
• CdS meter in lens bezel, so you can use filters and expose correctly 
• ISO range : 25-400 
• Shutter: 1/30-1/650 
• Battery : PX675 (I used a standard S76 cell, and with negative films, it should be just fine). 
• Viewfinder shows shutter speed/aperture on right side. 
• Hotshoe and PC connector for flash 
• standard 1/4-20 tripod thread

The ISO range is a limiting feature, but given the time when these cameras were made, entirely proper for the audience they were being sold to.   Not having a B setting is also limiting.   There is not really much to distinguish it from a slew of other compact 35mm cameras of its time.  The Konica C-35 has similar specs, but has a real rangefinder, not scale focus.  The Sears 35RF is similar. As much as I want to like the Hi-Matic G, the Hi-Matic 7SII (quite different from the 7S!) is the camera of the Hi-Matic series that should be on your list (and eBay prices are high).   The Ricoh 500G is another compact, yet robust RF camera, with reasonable prices on the used market. It too, is fully adjustable in manual mode. The Canonet QL-17 is not much larger, and certainly a better camera than the Hi-Matic G.

I tested the camera with such a S76 cell, and a roll of Svema 100 b&w - my cheap go-to film for testing.  Overall, I feel the camera works well, and it passed the test to be a pocket companion.  

The MVP- 35mm Plastic Camera from Taiwan

Introducing the MVP Camera, AKA The "Optical Lens" plastic cameras, also known as Taiwan-35s.

Whether it started with the TIME camera, or any number of plastic cameras that have that SLR/Rangefinder look, the cameras share similar features.  They have an aperture range of f/6-f/16, one fixed shutter speed, no adjustable focus, and the bezel around the front of the lens says "Optical Color Lens" or "Optical Lens".  The cameras are plastic, and often have some sort of metal weight in the bottom to give them more heft, and therefore, the "appearance" of quality.  Make no mistake, there is not a lot of quality in these cameras, but they are pretty much on par with a Holga.  Some models have a chrome shutter release that accepts a remote cable, and all have a standard ISO flash shoe.  The viewfinder is just a window that gives you an estimate of what may appear in the frame.  Use a small auto flash, and you'll be able to shoot indoors.

With my recently-acquired MVP camera, I was pretty sure that the shutter speed was around 1/100 sec., but in tests with the Phochron Shutter tester, the speed is around 1/250 - 1/300 second.  So, assuming you are following the sunny-16 rule, ISO 100-400 is fine for sunny days, as C-41 color film has a pretty wide exposure latitude.  I shot some 100 ISO Svema B&W film in my MVP camera, and on a sunny day the exposures looked just fine. Yes, that IS a Ford logo on the lens cap. I guess Ford had some promotion in the late 1980s.

Are these serious cameras?
Um, no.  Most of these cameras were given away in promotions.  Some factory (or factories)  in Taiwan must have made millions of them during the 1980s.  While yes, they are cheap and inconsistent in quality, they are a lot of fun.  You can find series 6 filter adapters (48mm)  that push into the front of the lens that allow you to use filters, providing you with even more possibilities.  It's too bad that these cameras don't have a B setting, since they do have tripod sockets.  Nonetheless, your results may be somewhat dreamy, they may resemble a Holga image, or may just be low-contrast and somewhat blurred -- it all depends on the camera.  McKeown's 12th edition lists the TIME camera as a "minimum-quality 35mm camera from Taiwan."  The 2006 "value" is listed at $1-$5, which is pretty much unchanged today.

What to look for
Since these plastic cameras are becoming less common, they have also become somewhat collectible (low-end collectibles, at that.)  Due to them being offered in promotions, there are a variety of logos printed on the front, but there are basically just a few "typical" models that share the same features. The appearance of a grip on the right side was a good thing, enabling better holding of the camera.

TIME - The Time camera was a 1985 promo camera from Time-Life to induce people to subscribe to the magazine. I am sure there are several camera variations, and the best examples will have the "LAVEC OPTICAL GLASS LENS."  That should be a minor improvement over the "color optical lens."   One variant of the Time camera is actually branded LAVEC, produced by Lavec Indsutrial Corp., Taipei, Taiwan.  In fact, a Google image search turns up a slew of cheap plastic cameras with Lavec branding.  The MVP camera shown here is also branded as a "YUNON" camera.  There are all kind of variants of this main theme.

HACKING - One site - Instructables - has a page on hacking the Time camera, and while the ideas there are worth exploring if you have more than one of these cameras, the best thing one can do is put a 48mm diam filter adapter on the front so that you can use any number of filters that are suitable for the effect you want.  The double -exposure feature would be the one thing that would appeal to quite a few people. These cameras are also easy to hack if you want to put a vignetting mask in the back, or even make the frame mask 24x24mm.  Easy to to with black tape or cardstock.

There is another class of cheap plastic 35mm cameras that attempt to fool people into thinking they are getting a modern auto-focus camera with a big "pro-style" flash.  They are usually branded with names like Canon, Olympia, etc., that sound like a legit brand, but alas, they are not.  I have not used any of them, but I know a few people that have, and they pretty much give the same results as the Time cameras, but with more bulk. Also, these counterfeits are made in China, not Taiwan. They usually show up at flea markets in showy packaging. Alas, they might be worth $5, but not more.  Of course, there are plenty on eBay.  I suspect that the "single-use" cameras that appeared and proliferated  in the 1990s was the end for these Taiwanese cameras.  While there are other promotional cameras, they just don't exude the cheesiness of the Time-style cameras.

To summarize -- the Time-style cameras can be a lot of fun, and a way to get a Holga-like experience in 35mm.  Because of their size, you can have several in a bag with different films, ready for the next adventure.  Used within their parameters, you'll get images that are certainly different from your typical 35mm camera.  They are cheaply-made, in several styles that emulate a small SLR or a rangefinder. Don't pay more than a few bucks for one.  Have fun!

My first results with the MVP, using Svema 100 ISO b&w film.

Shooting Svema Again

If you have been a follower of the Film Photography Project (FPP), you probably are aware that they are the only seller in the US of "factory fresh" Svema film, which is a Ukrainian-based factory.  The FPP has been buying miles of the film, and you can purchase it from them by the roll, or in bulk rolls. Earlier, I tested a bunch of the Svema films, and really have liked the different stocks that I have tried. The redscale was certainly unique.  The Svema FN64 is another "keeper." Most of the Svema films appear to be on a Polyester base (PET?), which in the case of  Svema 100, is whisper-thin, but tough as nails.  You cannot rip it.  This also makes me wonder what the original application of the film was for.  Traffic or military surveillance? In any event, there are no flashed edge markings in the film sprockets, or other identification.  I obtained a bulk roll of 100 feet from the FPP, and because it is definitely thinner than acetate-based films, the roll seems more compact.  The film is easy to load into cassettes, and I suspect that one could easily fit 48 frames in a standard cassette.  However, I try to be in the 30-35 frame range when I load.

Developers -- I used the standard recommended developer for this film - D-76 1:1 for 11.5 minutes at 20 deg. C.  The Massive Development chart lists HC110 dilution B for 11 minutes for an ISO of 200.  I have enough to experiment with, so I may try Rodinal for 6 min at 1:25 just to see what I get.  Mike Raso uses D-76 full-strength for 6 minutes.

I shot a roll with my Nikkormat EL  and a 45mm 2.8 GN Nikkor (which is quite the "pancake lens") last week, and developed the film the same night.  The film went fairly easily into my plastic  Jobo reel, and I processed as described above in D-76.  It takes only a short time for the film to dry.  I would say that it is totally different from traditional emulsions.   One thing to note -- since this film is so thin, make sure that your take-up spool grabs it positively before you start shooting.

The film lies very flat in the scanning holders with no cupping or curling, and scans beautifully.  I used my Epson V700 scanner at 2400 dpi, 8 bit-gray scale, and below are some of the images that resulted.  Overall, I like the grain and  the tonality of the film, and as I shoot more with it, I'll have more opportunity to tweak it in the development process.