I can't find a lot of information on Nikon's first autofocus camera. I know it debut in 1983 but other than that there is not a lot of info out there. Can anyone direct me to a site or tell me if they are any good? By the way, how much did they sell for in 83? Thanks in advance!

-- Nick (Nick_m99@yahoo.com), July 01, 1999

Answers

I have one in the car with Tri-X loaded. It works OK, but the lens is not labeled "Nikkor" (if you care) and the battery door and bottom plate are broken on mine (no light leaks yet). The bottom plate looks like a weak design. The manual film speed setting is nice, but it maxes out at EI400. I like the positive "no flash" mode, accessed by pushing the flash down after it pops up. I don't have a manual, so if that's not the "right" way shut the flash off...

As a user camera, it's going to be replaced after this roll -- someone just donated an old Autoreflex T kit to serve as my car camera. The L35AF is just too big & heavy to be a P&S anymore.

-- John O'Connell (oconnell@siam.org), July 02, 1999.

Hi,

We bought L35AF camera around 1984, complete with data back. Was used mainly for children photos and we have had fantastic results. Time has caught up with the camera, and the battery cover on the bottom caused problems from an early stage. Secondly the batteries ran down with the camera switched off. These two problems could not be repaired, so I worked around them by only closing the battery cover. when I wanted to take photos.

Saw a later model - different battery compartment and changed switch with different focussing machanism - with the same looks.

To get back - gave exceptional results at the time.

-- Leo Theron (leot@isdial.com), July 04, 1999.

I've been very impressed with my Nikon L35 AF (bought cheaply off ebay.co.uk in Oct 2000).

Features

The design and build quality are superb. There is a short (1/4 sec?) delay after pressing the shutter before the picture is taken, which is pretty good for an AF compact.

A viewfinder scale gives an indication of the distance being focussed at, and provides useful feedback in tricky focussing situations.

Close focus is about 0.8m which doesn't compare too well to some modern compacts. There are enough focus 'steps', though, to assure accurate focusing, but I don't know how many there are.

The Pictures

The exposure system is very accurate, whether ambient, flash or fill-flash is used. The flash coverage falls off towards the picture corners, but there are absolutely no hot-spots and fill-flash results are very pleasing, as are flash-only ones.

The 35 mm f2.8 lens is very sharp and contrasty centrally, but falls off a little towards the corners. I'm not aware, though, of any distortion (either barrel or pincushion). Flare is well controlled, and only becomes a problem if the lens itself is in direct sunlight. (The lens quality puts to shame a number of respectable 'consumer' zooms which I have been quite happy using on a Nikon SLR!)

I'm soon hoping to compare my results with those of an Olympus Mju II (Stylus Epic) for picture quality, but am actually VERY happy with the Nikon L35AF

Phil

-- Phil Musk (kamwm@netcomuk.co.uk), November 14, 2000.

Hi- I was looking for information about a camera I picked up at auction, and came across your comments. I have a Nikon L35AF, with film speeds to 1000. I am looking for additional information on the cameras features. Do you know where I could download a copy of the instruction manual. ? When I look through the viewfinder, there are symbols along the bottom, are these selected manually, or auto selected? Some times when I press the shutter button, it seems to "lock", not fully depress, and not index to one of the symbols on the viewfinder. If I press several more times, it will usually select a symbol and take a picture. Am I doing something wrong, or is the camera malfunctioning.

I have taken a 12 exp test roll and I agree that this is a really nice little Nikon. If you have any information that would help, I would appreciate a response.

Thanks in advance Richard Clarke

-- Richard Clarke (rjclarke@ev1.net), March 07, 2001.

I recently got a camera nikon l35af from a frined of mine on the ranch here in Texas. Well it seems that she thought the camera was broke since it didnt work, but somehow I got it to work, and thought I would go take some pics since it had a roll of kodak film in it. So off I went and I took some squat shots (means at almost ground level) of some very beautiful wildflowers, that believe it or not, dont bloom at that time of year, but due to unusual rains, they bloomed and grew to complete a sea of yellow across a mass field used for rolling hay. Thinking I would get a cheesy roll of over exposed or under exposed film, I took them all the way to town and dropped them at the local walgreens, man the pics I got back, blew me away. They were better than any roll of film I ever took in any camera I ever had, all this from a cheesy compact. These pics looked like they were done by a serious professional, but I have come to appreciate the camera and yes mine has the push button delay problem as well, and sometimes it loses its batteries from the bottom flap, but velcro strips and crazy glue solve that problem real quick, but my question is, whats the trigger on the side of the lens for?

-- scooby doo (mbcts@hotmail.com), October 17, 2001.

I have one to sell that I bought new in 84'. I haven't used it since. Just put batteries in it, and walla.....it started flashing away. My recollection is that is was over $125 in 84. I'd take $15.

-- Scott Breunig (ScottBreunig@attbi.com), March 14, 2002.