Sankyo EM-30 XL

Sankyo EM-30 XL

Year: 1979-81

Weight: 600 g

Lens: 1,2 / 10 - 30 mm

Macro focusing

Aerial Focusing

Manual / Auto Zoom

Frame rates: 18 + single frame

Shutter degree: 220°

Manual / Auto Exposure. An f stop meter is on the side of the camera and is used to set exposure manualy.

Flash contact

Remote control socket

3 x AA battery

Made in Japan

Manufacturer: Sankyo Seiki MFG Co.

Original price in England (in the year of introduction): £99

Prices on eBay:

• eBay USA:
  • US$23 in 03/2000

Comments

At the first glance Sankyo EM-30 and the Sankyo EM-30 XL seem to be the same camera. But they aren't since the non-XL-version has got a shutter degree smaller than 220° and no manual exposure. The lenses seem to differ, too. More: see Talk:Sankyo EM-30.

Auto exposure only supports 40ASA and 160ASA films.

Update 28/9/10 Redjohn

This camera is physically smaller than the EM40 XL and is probably a better point and shoot camera except for the fact that it will not expose Ektachrome 100D automatically without adjustment. It does have a manual exposure control and an external F stop meter. It is fixed at 18 frames per second with few extra frills.

There is a single switch in the film chamber to select between 25/40 and 100/160 ASA daylight/tungsten films. Unfortunately, as there is no cartridge filter detection pin, it will expose Kodachrome 100D as if it were 160 ASA. The filter switch has to be selected to tungsten (filter out) to use 100D film in daylight.

However all is not lost as the metering is non TTL having a very small turret above the lens, housing the light dependent resistor. Using some neutral density material inserted in the turret will enable the exposure to be increased by the required 2/3 of an stop.

I have tried using a thin slice of a glue gun stick, a milky material. This opens up the exposure dependent upon the thickness of the slice. You are looking for the exposure meter reading to drop by 2/3 of an F stop. I have not yet tested this with film though at the present time.

An alternative is to open up the camera and make an adjustment to the trimmers inside the camera but without the service manual this is difficult as there are three trimmers to adjust the exposure. I will report more on this at a later date.

A nice little camera.

Macro zoom with motor drive, it clutches in to the main motor to zoom.

Single frame and 18 frames running speed using an electromagnetic release.

It has full manual exposure control and an F stop meter on the side to access exposure.

Manual filter switching only. But with the potential of easy internal access to adjust the metering.

Read the EM40 XL page, its bigger and better brother. Ready to go with 100D film and lots of facilities.

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