Compact Auto/Manual SLR
Written: Dec 17 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive SLR with many automatic features
Cons: none
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| danger's Full Review: Nikon Pronea S Film Camera |
When seeing the infomercial for the Pronea S I was intrigued by its compact design, automated and manual features, and its ability to utilize many nikon lenses. What the infomercial did not tell me was the wealth of features and compatibility this camera had.
I figured the Nikon name had enough going for it for me not to question the quality of the camera body and lenses, but I also knew that at under $400 I couldn't expect the same quality of the professional Nikon cameras. Since I am not a professional I guessed this was a pretty safe bet regarding quality of construction prior to actually holding and operating the camera.
Upon receipt of the camera and its 30-60mm F1:4-5.6 lens I was very happy with its construction. Although it is very lightweight and has a plastic case I felt that it would put up with some abuse without much case damage. The dials and knobs are well recessed but easy to use. Holding the camera is a little awkward for me because of my rather large hands but it can be held quite still if needed.
As far as features go this camera has almost everything I could imagine. As long as you aren't looking for a truly professional SLR the Nikon Pronea S should seriously be considered. The array of automated features include: Auto Focus, Auto Exposure, Auto Flash, Date/Time Stamp on front and/or back of photo, and Self Timer. In addition to being a fully automatic camera it has a number of manual modes which allows you to fully control all aspects of the picture taking process. There are a few semi-automatic modes that even assist beginners in taking difficult shots.
The lens that comes with the basic model is a 30-60mm f1:4-5.6 IX-nikkor Nikon CPU Lens the diameter is 46mm and will take lens attachments at that size. It can focus from .35m to infinity. So far the autofocus in it has performed very well but I was little disappointed with the lens speed. At f4 maximum the light gathering ability leave a little to be desired. Even with ASA400 film (which was as fast as I could find in regular stores) I could not shoot indoors without a tripod, flash, or loads of lights. Fortunately the flash has several modes to help out in situations like this. Other more expensive, faster lenses are available but I was not able to test those. Since this camera uses the APS film the normal lens size is 40mm, this makes the lens supplied quite flexible for most applications.
A feature that made my decision to have this camera was the ability to unload partially exposed film, load in another roll, shoot some pictures, unload the film again and reload the original roll at the original position. The unloading and reloading are fully automatic with no risk of exposing the film and losing your place. The beauty of this is that you can change the ASA of your film mid roll.
Options available are:
IR remote, which works very well for bulb photos, in addition to group pictures
Slave flash interface
AA battery adapter
Other Nikon CPU (and others) lenses
I purchased the remote and have been very happy with it. The only gripe so far is that the camera takes itself out of the mode that allows the use of the remote too quickly. Otherwise it is a great addition.
Overall the camera is a great one but the price might scare off the people who are just looking for a simple point and shoot. I believe the primary market for this camera is the person who wants flexibility but can appreciate the automatic features. You will be able to use this camera in almost every situation a professional SLR would be use but you also benefit from the automatic features. Granted, the quality of construction is not up there with a $1000+ camera body but for most people the difference will not be noticeable. The lens could have been a little faster but what could you ask for when the whole package is under $400.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
danger
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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