The Fastest Answer to Everyday Light: Olympus mju I
If I had to pick just one point-and-shoot camera to be my daily companion, the Olympus mju I would be my undisputed personal favourite.
As the founding father of the legendary mju series, this camera is incredibly light and compact, yet its specifications reveal a unique charm. It features a versatile 35mm mild wide-angle lens that closely mimics the human eye's perspective. With a maximum aperture of f/3.5 and a reliable built-in flash, it handles daily documentary photography with ease. A pleasant surprise is its minimum focusing distance of just 0.35m, allowing you to get intimately close to your subjects.
(The movie poster for Perfect Days features Mr. Hirayama, played by Koji Yakusho, holding a camera ready to capture the sunlight filtering through the trees.)
If you have watched Wim Wenders’ film Perfect Days, you might remember Mr. Hirayama, the toilet cleaner played by Koji Yakusho. Every day during his lunch break, he uses a black film camera to capture the sunlight filtering through the trees (komorebi).
(Cinestill BWxx 36exp, 135/35mm Black & White Negative Film, Olympus mju I)
(Cinestill BWxx 36exp, 135/35mm Black & White Negative Film, Olympus mju I)
"That sense of ritual in purely documenting daily life touched me deeply, and the camera he holds in his hands is exactly this Olympus mju I."
The most captivating aspect of this camera is its ultimate convenience. Simply slide the lens cover to the right, and with a swift mechanical whir, the lens pops out. Within a second, it is ready to shoot, and under daylight, autofocusing takes merely one to two seconds. This seamless operation gives me ample time to capture fleeting moments. The entire process is almost as fast and effortless as whipping out a smartphone, yet the resulting images carry the warm, tangible texture of analogue film.
(Kodak ColorPlus 200 - 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Olympus mju I)
(Kodak ColorPlus 200 - 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Olympus mju I)
A Legacy of Mechanical Romance: The Almighty Nikon F2
If the mju I is the ultimate lightweight daily companion, then the Nikon F2 is the absolute ceiling of 35mm mechanical cameras in my eyes — truly a king among machines.
The Nikon F2 needs no introduction in the photography world. Renowned for its ruggedness, professional authority, and military-grade build quality, it continues the bulletproof legend of its predecessor, the F1. Its titanium shutter boasts an astonishing lifespan of 150,000 cycles.
(Candido 400 - 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Nikon F2)
"Some say its durability makes it an heirloom piece. Even in freezing cold or dust-choked environments, this battlefield-proven machine functions flawlessly. This absolute, reliable romance is the first reason I chose it."
(Candido 400 - 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Nikon F2)
The second reason is its unparalleled modular playability. The F2 offers a highly customisable system, including over seven types of metering prisms, twenty focusing screens, compatibility with numerous F-mount lenses, and even high-speed motor drive modifications. The specific setup I am currently using is equipped with the F2_SB (DP-3) finder. Using the F2 isn't just about taking photos; it feels like assembling a high-end, precision set of "mechanical Lego." The endless possibilities for modification offer a deeply engaging and satisfying experience.
(Lomography LomoChrome Classicolor 200 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Nikon F2)
(Lomography LomoChrome Classicolor 200 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Nikon F2)
The third reason is the weight of history. Among the sea of mechanical cameras with similar operations, the F2 pushed mechanical engineering to its absolute peak, earning the unshakeable trust of war correspondents and professional photographers of its era. Even though its successor, the F3, stepped into the age of electronic control (aperture priority) for greater convenience, the purely mechanical F2 remains the ultimate masterpiece of precision and classic design.
(Lomography LomoChrome Classicolor 200 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Nikon F2)
(Lomography LomoChrome Classicolor 200 36exp, 135/35mm Color Negative Film, Nikon F2)
Admittedly, the F2 is a hefty piece of equipment, and some might even find it burdensome to carry. But for me, its industrial-grade design and the profound sense of history it carries are what make it so mesmerising. When I wind the film advance lever and press the shutter, that pure mechanical feedback and the tactile shooting experience bring me a profound joy that digital cameras and automatic point-and-shoots can never replicate.
Click to see the Instagram post: PandaCrew's Film Camera Pick — Norman
