135compact.com 35mm ultra compact cameras Fujifilm DL Super Mini
The
Fujifilm DL Super Mini aka Cardia Mini Tiara is one of the smallest
wide
angle (28mm) cameras for 35mm film. It belongs to the top section of
the ultra compact 35mm cameras. It has been released in 1994 in Japan
under the Tiara name. There was a model II, the only difference is a
strap lug instead of a lug screwed into the tripod socket. This model
has been sold in Europe in very limited numbers, both models are quite
rare. Its main features are:
28mm F3.5 Super EBC Fujinon lens, 4 elements in 4 groups, autofocus with focus lock, min. focus 0,35m (!) Electronic shutter, 1/2-1/800 Size 99.8x60x31.5, Weight 153 gr. without battery 50-1600
ISO, automatic DX coding, self-timer, automatic film advance and
prespooling, time/date stamp possibility, manual focus in 17 steps
Camera
front closed and bottom. Strap lug screwed into the tripod socket.
Battery compartment, the only non-metal outer part. Takes a CR2 battery.
Camera
back. On top: Shutter release. Next to the viewer green focus o.k. LED
and red flash obstruction warning LED, Panorama switch, Film type
window, LCD
screen (flash and date stamp off), MENU selector, film mid roll rewind.
Camera sets auto flash
as default. Flash guide number ~10 (m/ISO 100).
Camera front open. Sliding the cover switches the camera on/off.
The lens only moves out a little.
Back
open. It only opens a little bit, just enough to drop in a film from
the bottom. Tear the film leader abit further out and it is safely engaged when you close the back.
Back
wide open. You have to unhinge a latch to do so. You should not do it
very often. The flat cable that connects the back panel to the camera
could break with age and wear and make the camera useless. This is a
problem of all cameras with back panel or buttons from those days. The
Fujis are not especially prone to this whereas the Leica mini(lux)
series and some others seem to be more vulnerable.
Camera and original case.
This
camera is easy to use, silde the cover open and it's ready.
Autofocus is responsive and works well. Putting a film is easy as well,
the back opens only a little bit, tear the film leader a bit further out, drop the film and that's it. The
camera prespools the whole film and then winds it back into the
cartridge step by step. It has sufficient manual settings if needed,
even manual focus in 17 small steps. The only annoying feature is auto
flash set at start, which is the case with most ultra compacts.
It's a very good point and shoot camera
with a wide angle lens, superb picture quality, nice high quality finish in a very small and light pocketable body.
