Jim Simon photography

Film Photography and some other stuff, you'll see


Olympus Mju-II



Well, to be honest, the Mju-II, which for many years was the camera I always had a film in and a pocket for, has rather lost its shine for me. I was never, looking back, altogether happy with the exposures that it gave me, probably because it favoured fast exposures over shutter speed to such an extent that it ignored all the benefits I now get by ensuring my Trip gives me the smallest iris it can by allowing me to favour 1/40th. What it does do is meter more adventurously into timed exposures - admittedly it'll default to f2.8 when it sees darkness, but if the camera's still the lens is ok. One other thing it allows me to do, which I won't mention because it might get me into trouble... but I have used it on my motorbike; I have it around my neck on the lanyard, and with one hand can open the shell and take photos on the move. I wouldn't do it in the Paris rush hour, but... well... I ahem... somehow have these photographs:

All Mju-II and Tri-X in HC-110



This last one was taken at dawn, in southern France. I pulled over, put the camera on a stone rail and set the timer off. Some seconds later it went whiz and click (or click and whirr actually) and it had sorted it all out. It is a remarkable camera, really, and now goes for silly money on the internet. I don't think it's worth the figures it goes for, but then if that's the market price and you want a Mju-II you sort of have to go with it.



Did I mention that the Mju-II is slightly waterproof? That helps in Scottish rain!