Fujica ST801
 
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| with 55mm/1.8 standard lens image by clicks_1000 (Image rights) |
The Fujica ST801 is a manual SLR 35mm film camera made by Fuji between 1972 and 1978. It was the first 35mm SLR to use viewfinder LEDs, replacing the traditional centre-the-needle meter display with a centre-the-indicator-light system. This electronic light metering system was developed to eliminate mechanical failure, and needle deviation caused by shocks.
Contents
Feature summary
- M42 mount. Fuji created a modification to the standard 42mm screw mount, adding a very small tab on the back of the aperture ring to communicate with the body's light meter and permit open-aperture metering. Fujinon lenses with this tab will fit on most other M42-mount camera bodies, but with stop down metering only.
- TTL average light meter, with LEDs
- Open-aperture metering using silicon photocells, more sensitive and faster-responding than CdS cells
- Shutter speeds up to 1/2000 s
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very bright viewfinder (probably brightest finder on an M42 body, save the Bessaflex)
- LEDs of the light meter are visible in adverse light conditions, and show 3 stops over and under exposure in 1/4 stop increments
- Open-aperture metering when used with matching Fujinon M42 lenses
- Very compact for its time.
Cons
- Stop-down metering has to be used with non-Fujinon lenses. (Open-aperture metering is also available with TX-system lenses from Vivitar if the specific F/ST mount adapter is obtained.)
- Only 1/60th sec flash synchronisation
Gallery
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| Body only image by Joel Emberson (Image rights) |
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| black body photo image by Paulo Moreira (Image rights) |
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| image by Yumi Abe (Image rights) |
