arhphotographic

During the 1980’s the Dixons retail company here in the UK owned the rights to the Miranda brand. The Miranda MS-2 Super’s plastic construction and sytling actually belong to Cosina and Dixons gave it the Miranda stamp.

There’s not a great deal to be said about the cameras specs. The Miranda MS-2 Super is around the same size as a Nikon EM. It requires two LR44 batteries to operate both light meter and shutter functions. In Auto mode it operates as an Aperture priority camera. In Manual mode you get to choose both shutter speed, selected by using an up/down rocker switch, and aperture. In the viewfinder there is a scale of shutter speeds, bulb to 1000, located on the left of the viewfinder and you simply have to use the rocker switch to match the red LED with the one the camera suggests. Or you can over/under expose by ignoring the suggested exposure. I found the viewfinder refreshingly uncluttered and bright.

So let’s see what this basic camera can do!

My first observation was with the split screen focusing aid. I would have to say that it is one of the best I’ve used for ensuring sharp focusing.

Our first crop of home grown potatoes. Ummm yummy 🙂

The 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 lens had a really useful macro function that has a button to lock it into place. This allowed me to get surprisingly close. Not bad for a ‘kit’ lens.

So what does the shutter sound like then? Have a listen with the video below.

The film wind on is smooth and shutter nice and crisp.

While I’m not a great fan of the rocker switch to change shutter speeds, on this camera it worked exceptionally well. As for the cameras metering, I was well impressed with the results. The picture of the poppy head above was the only image I had to do any exposure adjustment to. The 35-70mm lens delivers a buttery bokeh, blurred background, equal to more expensive lenses.

Equally yummy home grown tomatoes. You can stop salivating now!

Another example of the metering capability of the MS-2 Super.

While this camera may not be in the same league as the Nikon’s and Canon’s in terms of it’s fit and finish, it does equally well in receding into the background and letting you get on with the business of taking great photos. I found the cameras ergonomics very much to my liking, no doubt due in large part to the well placed grip.

Once again my initial impressions have been wrong. Will I ever learn? While I like holding a Nikon or Pentax in my hand, this ‘cheap’ camera has delivered the goods with images that I am very pleased with. 🙂

I have a couple of other Miranda cameras and look forward to using them in the future.