Miranda Sensomat
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Miranda SensomatEntry/Object ID
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IconicDescription
The Miranda Sensomat is a quintessential representation of the "poor man's Nikon" era—a rugged, high-quality Japanese SLR that offered professional features at a fraction of the cost. Introduced in 1969, the Sensomat was distinguished by its interchangeable pentaprism, allowing photographers to swap the standard eye-level finder for a waist-level or high-magnification finder, a feature typically reserved for much more expensive system cameras like the Nikon F.Technically, the Sensomat features a unique "dual" lens mount: it has an internal 44mm screw thread (for older lenses) and an external four-claw bayonet mount for the newer "Auto" series. The camera utilizes a front-mounted shutter release button, which many photographers find more ergonomic than the top-mounted buttons found on modern cameras. It features a TTL (Through-The-Lens) CdS meter that operates in "stop-down" mode—you press the button on the front of the camera to engage the meter, which dims the viewfinder as it measures light through the taking aperture.The attached Auto Miranda 50mm f/1.8 is a well-regarded prime lens known for its distinctive "swirly" bokeh, similar to the famous East German Biotar lenses. This specific unit bears a "JCII PASSED" sticker on the prism, indicating it passed the rigorous quality standards of the Japan Camera Industry Institute. Like most Mirandas of this age, it is a purely mechanical beast that can fire its shutter at all speeds ($1$ to $1/1000$ sec) without a battery, relying on a small 1.35V cell only for the light meter.Category
Camera, SLR, 35mm Film
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