Auto diaphragm
Instant return mirror
Self Timer
Viewfinder image 96%
Auto diaphragm
Instant return mirror
Self Timer
Viewfinder image ?
Auto diaphragm
Instant return mirror
Self Timer
Eye piece blind
Viewfinder image 92%
Has exposeure compensation +2 - -2 in 1/3 of a stop. No exposure lock.
Has lockable depth of field preview
Shutter lock
Auto diaphragm
Instant return mirror
Self Timer
Viewfinder image 92%
Auto diaphragm
Instant return mirror
Shutter lock
Also available dedicated flash and motor wind (approximately 2fps)
Viewfinder image 90%
Recently bought myself a Fujica ST705w and as soon as I looked in the
viewfinder I fell in love! Viewfinder is really bright, definitely
brighter than in Spotmatics. Needle responds very fast and shutter is
quiet. I generally don't like the split-image rangefinders because
they have a tendency to obstruct the view when DOF is pressed. But
the split-image spot in Fujica is really small and not very noticeable.
Another nice feature is that you need to do only one 360 degrees turn to put
Fijica's lens on the camera and two turns to put non-Fujica's lens.
Compare this to 2.5-3.5 turns on other cameras. And yes, it has a
"click" :-).
So ... I bought myself another one! :-).
From Ivan Singer: The camera (Fujica ST801) feels solid to hold and shutter is quiet and sounds tight. One thing not mentioned is the stop-down/open-aperture TTL metering with non-Fujica lenses. Open aperture metering only refers to the later plastic screwmount lenses, not the earlier (better constructed) metal barrelled Fujinon M42 lenses. You can only get meter readings by holding down both DOF and shutter buttons simultaneously. This point was not made clear here or in the manual, but needs to be set for the record. I bought two ST801 bodies also and would buy more!
From Ron Shenk: The Fujica ST-801 does work with the old better quality fujinon lenses with open aperature metering. You have to be specific with your lens. The Fujinon EBC lenses have the necessary mechanical link to work with wide open metering. I have owned one for 17 year and have one of the older metal fujinon lenses and it takes wonderful pictures. I recently purchased a new canon EOS rebel 2000 and found that my old fujica took sharper pictures.
From Frank Moreau:
I just bought a Fujica ST 605 at an online auction as a back up to my
aging GAF L-17 (aka Chinon M1). I bought it simply because the price
was right. When I received it I expected to run a roll of film
through it to check it's function and put it in
my camera bag as back-up. What a surprise. The camera is light
and easy to use, the view screen is bright and clear, the meter
is sensitive and fast responding,
and the shutter is relatively quiet. In general, this camera
is a little jewel, even with the plastic barreled lens it takes
sharp pictures. This camera weighs only about two thirds of my
larger cameras, and is small enough and light enough
to easily use one handed. The only flaw I see in the camera
is that the self timer doesn't work. I have seen other ST 605s
that have the same problem, so I am assuming that this is a
common problem. All in all, I think this is a great
little camera.
(Note from aab: I have 4 Fujica camers 2xST705w, AZ1 and ST901 -
selftimer works fine in all of them. May be it is something
specific to ST605 or I am just lucky ... ).
From Fernando G. Levy:
All Fujica slr cameras from the series 01 , 05 are excellent cameras.
They are somewhat affordable if compared to other used SLRs from the 70's. They
have an extraordinary wide range of lenses available to be used with, ranging
from excellent FUJI ones to Russian ones (Zenit 42mm thread). They are quiet to
operate, the viewfinder is bright and they are lighter than most SLR cameras
from the 70's (golden age for SLR cameras).
I just would like to add that I have had a ST605n before and that yes, the
selftimer of my camera was also broken. This thing does not happens with my
ST701.
From Suzi Webb: Have two ST605n - one from new (79?), one at least second hand. Self timer okay on both! I use a flash bar anyway but one hot shoe connection is really weak through dropping the thing - and un-mendable, I'm told. Love them. I use three lenses only, as a rule - the 'standard', a wide-angle, and a 135 for portraits. Despite the odd 'oh, an old camera' comment, the two cameras are a joy to use. I have more trouble with unreliable flash units than I do with my Fujicas. œ120 new, incidentally - remember it well!
From Salman Rashid : Fujica ST801 was my first camera and first love. I own an expensive Nikon and Canon now, but am still proud of my Fujica and have kept it good as new.
From Phil Nash:
(About Fujica ST701): bought new 1995, probably shot 250 long rolls on it. Film take-up
spool losing its leaves(only 2 left), all other functions fine. Case is old and
scruffy-even on Rome buses, nobody would steal this old favorite!
From Torsten Rabe:
I started with Fujica ST705 about 25 years ago, and it's still joyful
to work with it: a robust full metal body, which is hardly to find today, the
right size and weight to make sure you're using an instrument and not a toy, and
of course this exellent mechanic, which works shockfree and quietly.
Last but not least - the fujinon lenses I would call one of the best ever build.
Not to forget a litte special detail of this M42-Fujinon lenses: It is just a
little pin so that you cannot 'over-srew' the lens in the cameras' body thread!
Just the foam stripes to seal the back lid of the body and to stop the mirror
are getting weak, so I am looking for a replacement.
Right now, my Fujica collection contains 2xST705 and ST801; but ST901 and AZ-1
will complete this in the next time.
From Martin Peach:
I bought this camera new, as a design student in 1976 or 7.
It still performs perfectly, accurate metering, clear bright viewfinder. I was
lucky enough to find a Tamron Adaptall with the correct Fujinon coupling for open
aperture metering just last year and now have two good Tamron period zooms which
work really well. It is still a delight to use a manual camera with TTL,
particularly as this is such a good one. Definately in the shadow of Olympus and
Pentax but arguably just as good and durable. I'm hanging on to mine!
From Kevin:
Since 1978 I have used a Fujica 705 (cost J147 C/W case I think) for light
amateur use, in 1981 I purchased a ST705W for similar use. I found little
operational difference in the cameras except that on the ST705 the shutter
was harder to unlock with gloves or after several beers. These cameras
were passed around myself and my brothers. The ST705 developed a poblem,
it would continuing winding and counting on after the film was finished.
Eventually the camera was serviced at the cost of J50 at Jessops. Some
years on the camera developed the problem again., as did my never serviced
705w. I took these to a free diagnosis clinic at jessops (run by their
servicing contractor). They ran shutter speeds test;the 705 was low on
the 1500 and 1000, but the 705W (which had once been dropped) was low on
high on low speeds. The tester said a lot of this is often due to a build
up of dust in the system and was uneconomic to service. The tester said
that he had only just thrown away the last of his ST series spares due to
lack of demand.
I agree the lenses are excellent and very underated. The mechanical
construction of the lense is very smooth . Does any user have va
scientific srtudy of the lenses or a good magazine review?
From Newton C. Fawcett
The sharpest lens I ever owned, among many over the years, was a Fujinon
EBC 100 mm , i think it was a 2.8 but not sure anymore, metal screw thread.
Got it not long after they started making EBC lenses. That lens was
sharper than my 50 mm Leitz, f2, summicron on my 3g! I regret now having
sold that Fujinon lens. What a mistake! I would guess the biggest reason
to use a Fujica camera today, though I no longer have one, would be to
take advantage of those incredible EBC lenses.
From David
I've used Fujica SLR's (ST701/ST705/ST801) extensively. They are excellent
cameras but do not hold up with hard use. The strap lugs fell off my ST701,
my ST705 flash sync became erratic and the ST801 lost a screw in its
baseplate and the bottom sprang off.
Parts and service are impossible to obtain.
From Hong Jun:
Fujica ST801 is better choice in manual machine.
I got one this year,and use it as my most frequently shooting gun.
The lens is superb, which can be compared to NIKON and others,
this is a very sad message that FUJI does not make 35mm cameras any longer,
but I strongly recommend anyone who wants to use a solid, dependable,
inexpensive lens and interesting camera - get a FUJICA, ST701, ST801 or
ST901 (which I do not possess, but I really need one).
From Andy
My first camera was a Fujica St701 (second generation) back in 1974. It
had some advanced features for the time, including a built in hot shoe,
silicone blue cell meter, and a very bright split image finder. I later
upgraded to a St801 with its 1/2000 second shutter, wide open metering,
and led readout before getting bit by the Nikon bug several years later.
I recently put together a nice Fujica screw mount system-sort of nostalgic
I suppose. I was curious what it would be like to use these older,
simple, well made cameras again. My first impression is how bright the
finder was on the Fujica ST series compared to just about anything else
from the mid 1970's. The ST705 I now own is as bright and easy to focus
as any modern SLR. The mirror is well dampened, and the meter still very
responsive. Another nice thing about the ST705 is that it offers the
simplicity of match needle with wide open metering. The camera has a hot
shoe as well.
I had to replace the foam seels and mirror foam-something just about any
old SLR needs to have done. Kits are sold to do this yourself. The
first roll of images I took were all perfectly exposed. Another nostalgic
touch is the ever-ready case I got with the camera. I forgot how
convenient it was to be able to just toss the camera in its case in the
trunk and not worry about it.
From Tim Hicks:
Last year I bought an ST801 and I have been very impressed with it as
a user camera. Compared to my Spotmatic F the build quality is not
quite as good but there are several advantages - 1/2000 shutter speed,
led meter exposure indicator but most important of all the brighter
viewfinder. It has a brighter viewfinder than any other m42 camera
I have come across. The ST801 is an excellent camera at a lower
price than many of it's contemporaries.
From Ross McNeil:
I have a Fujica ST601, inherited from my Father a while ago. It is
the best camera I have ever used. I have a Nikon F65, but still love to
use the wonderful 55mm lens and the 200mm is amazing.
I live in Brisbane and I have been searching for an eyecup
that fits over the eyepiece on the Fujica. It is a shame that parts
are hard to find. The only thing that has ever gone on the old girl
is the clutch, which I managed to get replaced for the lovely sum of $175.
If anyone in Brisbane has any acccessories or lenses, etc.
I would be happy to hear from you.
From Alex B:
I bought my st801 new in 1975 or 76, and agree with other commnetators
that the 801 is a great camera. As well as the standard 55mm f1.8 lens I
have an f2.8 Tamron Adaptall-2 28 mm and a f3.5 35 to 135mm
Tamron Adaptall-2 zoom.
Both are great lenses and provide amazingly sharp results even with todays
faster films. The camera has needed service twice in its life, once to repair
non functioning metering, (when only about 5 years old), and again recently for
a good clean out and general service. If they still made them, I'd buy another
tomorrow.
(From aab: Hmmm - Judging by the price of the new Bessaflex ($299 US)
I would probably stick with the second-hand one ;-)).
From Bill Borsheim:
My 1st ST801 lasted 20,000 pictures & I bought 2 more. The LEDs are
the way to go in low light. People were stunned at the quality of my slide
shows. Fortunately, I was tiring of photography or would have died taking
pictures of Mt. St. Helens. Quit for 25 years, while studying astronomy, but
getting interested again, and my fujica lenses are ready, being as sharp as
anything on the market now...somehow I have 3 ST801s now! They must multiply!
(From aab: They do, they do! At least that was what I was trying
to convince my wife when she was counting my cameras ... :-).
No one did LEDs better than the ST801, being
able read to 1/3 stops. I thought the
lenses sharp, but not as good as Zeiss. But dollar value is much higher than
Zeiss.
Half a year later:
Since that writing, I have undated my Fujica screw mount lenses with
bayonet AX-3($12.50 for beautiful mint condition) & AX-5 cameras($17 got me battered
pixer with pieces falling off it, but still functioning). With adapters my lenses work in
Programmed mode & wiped 15 years off their ages. But walking any distance the
ST801's are still my camera of choice to pack.
From Clive Hogg
Bought my first 801 in 1977. Ploughed thru masses of B&W and slide
film before I traded it in in the mid 80's. Did a deal on my mothers ST801 at
that time to find that it was only one serial number away! She bought it on
1983 from a user who had only operated it a few times, still in plastic
bag in box! Have since migrated to pentax MZ-50 for lens and focus
convenience but still find the 801 to be a superb camera.
I guess my oldest will cut his photography teeth on this old beauty too.
From Jun:
How I love this camera! I am fortunately to have a very rare
50mm/f1.4 EBC Fujinon attached on it when I bought it.Very bright viewfinder,
and when some days ago I heard abtout the Cosina made Bessaflex for over 200
USD, it's really a shock for me. Actually, I have (ever) had 4 of Fujicas:
FUJICA ST701(one chrome version,without hotshoe and another one: a Black version
with splitted focusing screen and hotshoe),a chrome ST801, and finally this
black ST801, I sold out three of them and reserved for the black ST801--I
believe I will never trade it out. It is a very loyal servant for me, it has
never developed any mulfunction, it keeps working regardless if it rains or
snows, it gives me full of pleasure, and I am in China this is so special to
have such a machine camera amoung those who are using and showing off their
electronic junk cameras!
From Bill Borsheim:
Additional comments: 2 of my 4 Fujica ST801's meter 2stops high. I
heard other people have this "problem" too. You can just reset your ASA dial to
ASA25 for ASA100 film, etc., or let your meter ride 2stops high. But there is a
real advantage to cameras metering 2 stops high. The meter will respond to low
light levels needing exposures much more than 1 second. Depending how much I
want to play with the ASA dial & let the meter "run low", my high metering
camera can meter lite to 20 or 30 seconds(more?). All power to Fujica silicon
cells & high running meters!
From John Falkenstine
This ST705 was part of a mass junk buy from a bicycle shop. Extensive
cleaning of the outside was required to remove an incredible cigarette stench,
and to remove a heavy deposit of dirt on the outside of the unit. Several days
of careful cleaning was required until the smell and dirt were completely gone.
I now know that cigarette smoke can destroy the resale value of a camera. The
55mm Fujinon Lens was in good condition after the housing was cleaned. A test
with a roll of film in Bright Arizona light with some fresh batteries showed an
excellent light meter with good averaging and none of the typical "AZ" blown out
highlights in bright light. The age of the camera meant that the foam mirror
damper was deteriorating rapidly and dumping junk into the camera, so I removed
the leftovers with tools today and will install a new bumper sometime this week.
The construction of the camera is "standard japanese, OK with me" and it does
not impress me as being fragile at all. The unit will also be used as a light
meter for some other equipment I currently have. Considering the fact that the
camera cost me only about $12.00, the test roll of film and the batteries have
only cost me another $20.00 I am satisfied. Even tho I'm a very heavy digital
camera user, this type of equipment is still more satisfactory to use, and
doesn't have the junky plastic feel of newer equipment
From Andy
My parents gave me a new Fujica ST-605 for Christmas in 1977. It was
my first 35mm SLR and I took it everywhere from school to vacations. I must have
shot thousands of rolls until 1982 when I decided to buy a Canon A-1. The Canon
became my primary camera and the Fujica was tucked away in a box. There it sat,
never seeing the light of day even as I moved from place to place. Several
months ago, I was unpacking a box and I found the long forgotten Fujica. A wave
of nostalgia swept over me and I decided to see if the little camera was as good
as I had remembered. The light seals were degraded so I decided to send it off
for minor maintenance to Vermont Camera Repair. They came highly recommended
from a nearby professional photographer and they did a wonderful job for a
relatively small fee. The Fujica and I have been inseparable ever since. I've
used it at family functions, sporting events and political rallies during the
recent election campaign. It's even been to the Boston Red Sox victory parade.
The pictures have been even sharper than I remembered. Flash pictures are
incredibly clear and well detailed without any washed out or underexposed areas
in the frame. The Fujica has even made the leap into the digital realm as I now
purchase a Kodak Picture CD with every roll processed. You'd have to spend a
fortune to get a digital camera that can take better pictures than my 27 year
old Fujica ST-605. If you want to rediscover the fun of manual photography then
I give my complete endorsement to the Fujica ST series cameras. They can be
found all over Ebay and other used equipment sites along with many accessories.
From Patrick Perron
This [Fujica ST-801] was my uncle's camera. He loved it. I remember as a boy being
given the rare chance to handle it. Well, 25 years later, my uncle has sold it
to me. This camera is great. I have two Nikon SLR (F65 and F75) and a
Panasonic Lumix FZ10 (Leica f2.8 lens). The Fujica enables me to broaden my
scope. It handles and feels different from my other cameras. The viewfinder is
very luminous and I find you can't beat the feeling of fidgeting with the
aperture ring.
From Alan Kirkby
I bought Fujica ST605 camera in 2004 on Ebay when my Praktica gave up the
ghost. It's a gem - small, light, excellent handling and very quiet. Although 28
years old everything works perfectly : the meter's accurate and exposures spot-
on. Wish I'd bought one back in 1977 instead of waiting 28 years!
From Crispin Sanders
I started with a St 701 in 1998, because I looked for a mechanical upgrade
for my M42 lenses. The viewfinder size and brightness of all Praktica was
simply unbearable. The 701 worked well but I changed to a ST 801 when I noticed
the LEDs quick response, the full aperture metering and the easily obtainable
batteries (PX 28). Unfortunately Fujinon lenses are not that common. The best
I own is the non-EBC 1,8/55. Contrast of the EBC is a little better, but
the overall definition looks just perfect on the "standard". Unfortunately both
diaphragms have stuck and I still wait for someone to show me how these well
built optics get opened. As mentioned, I looked for the "best" M42 body to
use and I think that the ST 801 has won the race.
Still I wouldnt dunk my spotmatic or the later Chinon/Revue SD1, which was
the last M42 from Japan,it is just that he Fuji is just much quieter, brighter
and quicker to handle than its competitors. Mine has worked fine up to minus
15 celsius (I didnt check tke others) and I think that they are on the way of
becoming a classical camera of their own, despite their "wrong" name and
strictly nonpro marketing . I am happy if I run across other fujinon lenses.
Here are the imperfections:
Viewfinder darkens quickly from f 2,8 on. Some telephoto lenses get hard to
use. Viewfinder magnification is lower than on spotmatic or Chinon.
Shutterbarrel is hard to move, at least you cant keep yr eye on the when moving it.
Winding lever is somewht feebly built. Later EBC Fujinons get plasticky and
lack manufacturing accuracy. A good optical Formula can be spoilt by this. You
will have to buy sparepart Fujicas for the future as there seems to be no
maintenance support.
What do you think about Fujica cameras?
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