The beauty of a Beater Camera

[Nesster]

We all have our treasured equipment that give us satisfaction - and we hope, excellent results photographically.

But, even with the weather sealed uber DSLRs, there are times when the weather's bad, the temperature is below freezing, or the danger of dropping the camera is great. That's when you need the Beater - preferably film, though an old digital would work if you don't mind if it gets ruined...

My Beater has been the Fujica ST605 - the first one I paid $15 for and ended up giving away... the replancement ST605 I paid a whole $3 for, lens and all.

What makes the ST605/n special, beater-wise?
1) the shutter seems bullet proof
2) the battery lasts for ever, and even if it freezes, the shutter is mechanical
3) that extra-special 1/700 top speed
4) ISO range of 25-3200! take that, Pentax!
5) screw mount lets you use an arsenal of beater lenses. I use the Fujinon 55/2.2 that comes with, or a Yashinon DX 35/2.8

There are some differences between the two - the ST605n adds the frilly shutter speed indicator to the view finder. The vf by the way is wide and very decent, and contains a horizontal split prism. To turn on the meter and stop down the lens, you use your right hand to push in a button next to the lens mount - this is very nice indeed.

My original ST605 was a trooper - I used it in -20F cold on the Jersey Shore at dawn, and for several hours long tramp through a very rainy Manhattan - so wet that at times I couldn't use the view finder, as it fogged, and had to go into box camera mode... Never a complaint, never a miss...

Here's the original, quite a handsome beasty:

fujica 6443 by Nesster, on Flickr

A picture from the below freezing Jersey Shore jaunt:

Sand Fence by Nesster, on Flickr

And one from the rainy day in Manhattan:

54610024 by Nesster, on Flickr

The replacement $3 ST605n is something special, and really deserves some appreciation:

$3 camera by Nesster, on Flickr

This camera features a base plate held on by 1 screw only (the other end either flaps or I tape it); a missing film release button (I stab it with a pen, if that doesn't work, the camera goes into the dark bag); and the lens has been chipped away at by some demented former owner, as the focus ring is nearly all gone, exposing the focus helicoid underneath. But because of all of this, the camera works and makes an excellent Beater.

The Fujinon 55/2.2, even in this partly circumcised state, can be very sharp indeed...


Dodge rust by Nesster, on Flickr

Please tell your stories about your Beaters - those ugly ducklings that do their job, regardless...

[Esox lucius]

I don't have a real beater in the $3 meaning, as I sold off all my low-value stuff last winter. But, I paid 100 for the FM2n and that lens came for free, so I think my FM2n + Nikkor 50/1.8 Ai-S lens is the closest match I can make.



Fully mechanical, only light meter requires battery (which lasts forever). Shutter goes to 1/4000s and meter supports ISO up to 6400. Built to last a lifetime, has lots of brassing and dents hidden in the bokeh of the photo above. Camera has already survived one robber, who didn't want it because it was film

[Nesster]

Yes, THAT Nikon I'd be proud to carry in the rain She's a beaut.

[LucisPictor]

I've got a digital beater camera: my EOS 300D (manual focus = defect AF).
If anything happens to this cam it's not the end of the world.

But for really rough times, I have those:

Nikon F
Canon FTb QL (a real tank)
a noname M42 cam, most probably a Praktica.

BTW, I am selling the FTb QL as a whole set with 4 lenses. Give up the FD system. Too many weddings to dance on...
So if anybody is looking for a great beater cam, contact me. I'm going to put the offer into the marketplace tomorrow.

[fish4570]

good thread, Jussi.
i still have one ST605 that needs a CLA.
my beater - and all around everyday workhorse - is my FE2. at some point gonna get an FM2 like Esox's to match it.
boy, do i love a camera with an optically corrected eyepiece diopter ...

[gaeger]

Nesster, that sand fence photo is really nice.

[cooltouch]

My first two Canon F-1s were beaters. Looked like somebody used them for hockey pucks -- before I bought them. But both of them were stone-cold reliable and never missed a lick for the several years I owned them.

Right now, the closest I have to a beater camera is a Pentax MV that a forum member gave me a while back. It works most of the time, but it's aperture-priority only, so I just really have no interest in using it. But I reckon if I had to take a camera into an environment where it might not survive, I'd take the MV.

[magkelly]

I guess my FX-2 is that camera for me though I don't treat it like a throw away camera. I'm always good to my cameras no matter if they look good or not, shrug. I don't believe in abusing my equipment and I don't like the idea of losing any of my cameras really. The FX-2 works fine but has some cosmetic issues, etching mostly.

If I have to go somewhere and I'm not too secure about things in terms of safety I'll likely take that one because it doesn't really attract attention and the etching makes people who don't know it think it's in much worse shape than it is, but I don't look at it and think it's any less of a camera because someone scratched their name on it at one point.

I do tend not to take my best gear with me when I am running around town though. This town is not nearly as safe as it was when I was growing up. People get mugged here in broad daylight these days, even car jacked. As a woman I feel distinctly uncomfortable even going downtown or taking a local bus. It's just gotten that bad.

Inside the boundaries of the gated community in which I live it's not so bad. People who live here look out for each other, but I've actually had less qualms about taking my better gear with me in the big cities I've lived in than I do in this city, which is nothing in terms of size to San Francisco, let alone NYC.

I carry a budget pay as you go cell and usually an old film camera of some sort in my purse when I go out unless I am in the company of my teacher, friends, or going somewhere I know to be relatively safe. If I can't even go to the grocery store and leave a bag of food or a couple of library books in the car without risking getting my windows smashed? I'm not about to take my DSLR with me. I wish I could, but not in this city, not lately.

[LucisPictor]

[DigiChromeEd]

This is my 'beater' camera bought for £17 on ebay. The power drive was given to me for the cost of postage by another very kind forum member.

[Xpres]

I did have an ST705 - very well worn but great worker, but sold it a couple of months ago (all the way to Japan!) as I picked up a minolta 9000 for free.

The camera I really don't worry about, and use in all conditions, is my Mju II.

[Nesster]

Damn, that Chinon's shutter dial is BUTCH!

[DigiChromeEd]

[Attila]

[cooltouch]

[DigiChromeEd]

@DigiChromeEd, I'm not familiar with the Chinon CM-3, but I gotta say that's a very handsome camera (and lens and motor) to be a beater.[/quote]

You're right Michael, but the whole rig cost me no more than £35 and given the choice between taking this camera into a situation where it may not survive or taking my Canon 5DII outfit, I know which one I'd choose!