Welcome to this new episode where we'll be talking about the Minox Classic Leica M3 camera-a fascinating and definitely low-fi digital camera. Leica bought Minox's photo section in 1996 and decided to create a one-third-sized replica of Leica cameras using Minox film. In 2002, they put a sensor inside-a 1.3-megapixel CMOS sensor (though documentation is sparse on that). By 2004, they upscaled the image to 4 megapixels, probably using a 3.2-megapixel sensor, and increased the internal memory to 32 MB, but still no screen like the first version.
In 2006, they released the version we're focusing on. They upscaled to a 5-megapixel output from a 3.2-megapixel sensor and added features like an SD card slot and a removable battery. Interestingly, you can recharge it via USB, which was quite modern for the time. The camera features a focus-free lens that you can adjust from half a meter to 2 meters. Due to its unique depth of field, almost everything is in focus up to infinity when set at 2 meters. It might be equivalent to a 28 mm lens, but I'm not sure.
Not much more to say about its specs. You can record low-quality video at 320×240 px, which is basically useless. Navigating the menus is a bit weird-you even have to go through menus to turn it off. It's really more of an experimental camera with subpar quality but interesting nonetheless.
Let's look at some pictures. Starting with a well-lit, low-contrast photo taken in my kitchen, if you manage to focus relatively well-which is hard due to the lack of a proper screen-you get decent results. The geometry is fine, and the rendering is surprisingly nice for such a small camera of its time.
The camera has a digital zoom, but it results in grainy, overly interpolated images. When you max out the zoom, the image becomes really grainy and compressed, giving it a characteristic look. If you move the camera or get light entering the lens at certain angles, you encounter hazy light leaks and flares due to the poor lens quality. This adds a specific personality to the images.
In high-contrast scenes, like sunny outdoor shots, the sensor quickly saturates, producing weird white "no-signal" zones. Focusing remains challenging, even with the large depth of field. The images often have a swirly bokeh at the edges and unusual compression artifacts, giving them an organic feel.
Despite its flaws, the camera grew on me. It's not one of my main cameras, but it's a fun tool to carry around, similar to a Lomo camera. You can't do much to manage highlights-underexposure in settings is about it. Interestingly, the JPEGs, despite lacking RAW support, have some detail in the low-light areas. Pushing these areas reveals artistic, grainy details with unique colors, though the color depth is limited.
In low-light situations, slow shutter speeds introduce kinetic blur, which can be interesting. Manipulating the JPEGs can produce unusual hues like magentas, greens, and oranges, resulting in a unique rendering of scenes. This makes it appealing for experimental photography using old digicams.
You get weird colors, compression artifacts, and a lo-fi, analog feel from the images. While macro photography isn't feasible, the camera's quirks allow for unusual images. I don't usually include portraits, but you can imagine the effect on human subjects-portraits and candid shots become unconventional and interesting.
It's a tiny, fun-to-use camera, more like a toy, but you'll get something out of it that's definitely out of the ordinary. Hopefully, that was entertaining, and maybe you'll try it yourself if you find one. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, don't hesitate, and catch you next time!
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4 окт 2024
