I recently saw a Fujica Rapid S2 camera at a garage sale and it really appealed to me because of its interesting shape, solid build and nice condition. After some hard bargaining, I bought it at a very low price. I then realised that it required the use of some "rapid" film cartridges which are both missing from the camera. It uses 35mm film but appears to take a "square-shape" print rather than the normal size. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this kind of Fujica camera. It would be nice to know whether it is capable of taking good photos. I can hardly find any info on the net. Please Help!

In the meantime, I will try visiting all the camera stores to see if I am lucky enough to find those rapid cartridges!

By Winfried on Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 01:16 am:

The 'Rapid' cartridges (originally introduced by german Agfa) are no longer available. You always need an empty cartridge since the film is advanced from the full to the empty cartridge. If you find two of them, you can try to 'load' them yourself, they use standard 35mm films.

Most cameras using the Rapid cartridges had 24x24 format or 18x24 (half frame) since the cartridges could accomodate film for 20 frames only (24x24).

If it is a camera with automatic exposure or lightmeter without manual ASA setting, you have to get the right cartridges for your films. These cartridges used an early method of 'DX coding'. They were available for 50 or 100 ASA only. The film speed was told to the camera by a cam on the cartridges which actuated an ASA setting pin.

Some russian cameras (like the Smena SL) and some east german ones (all 35mm cameras with an SL designator, SL stands for 'Schnell-Lade-Kassette' = quick loading cartridge) used this system, too (although with a different designator). Most of them are rather simple designs.

As a boy I had a 'toy camera' with Rapid cartridges, the picture quality was not good. But since the Rapid system uses a fixed film guide (different from the 126 cartridges) picture quality of better-made cameras should be at least acceptable.

By Frank on Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 05:04 pm:

Thanks for the info, Winfried. This Fujica camera has an interesting shape, it is fairly long length-wise but very short height-wise and has a round profile on one end. It sort of reminds me of a modern Sony Cybershot camera. It has a very nice metal construction and feels very heavy. It has a 28mm/f2.8 lens with a selenium meter ring surrounding the lens. Overall, it feels like a good quality camera. The only info I got is that it is a 1965 model. It has really got my curiosity sense going and I'm desperate to know more about this camera. Would appreciate any info anyone can offer with thanks. (P.S. I still haven't managed to find those rare rapid cartridges. Does anyone know a source of buying them?)

By Winfried on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 01:04 am:

I faintly remember that someone wrote an article about a Fujica half-frame Rapid cartridge camera in a german camera collectors magazine. I will check this.

By Winfried on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 12:07 pm:

The camera mentioned in that magazine was the Fujica Mini, claimed to be the 'smallest 35mm camera of the world' (with half-frame format, of course).

By Winfried on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 12:09 pm:

...and, BTW, there is a website dedicated to half-frames and miniature format cameras:

http://www.sub-club.org

By Winfried on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 12:13 pm:

Should read

http://www.subclub.org

Sorry!

By Frank on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 05:56 pm:

Thanks for the info again, Winfried. I had a great time looking through the "subclub" web-pages. I noticed that they have a Fujica Rapid D1 on their list, however, I didn't see my "Rapid S2" included there, probably because its size is not small enough to be considered mini. Unlike the Fujica Mini, the Rapid S2 has some rather odd physical dimensions as mentioned earlier. It has a chrome finish with black-textured inserts and a rather substantial lens with both scales & zones focussing. There's the usual "A" setting on the aperture ring for auto exposure and manual adjustment (f2.8 to f22) with a fixed speed. There is no shutter speed dial.
Could it be a rare camera?

By Winfried on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 01:15 am:

I do not think it is very rare. Many japanese cameras from the early 60s were not officially exported. Mass exports to Europe started in the late 60s. So the german camera manufacturers hardly were aware what was lurking in the far east and were quite surprised when their things sold better than the domestic ones... Also, some japanese manufacturers sold the same camera with different designators. And the rather simple cameras with Rapid cartridges are not very sought after by collectors, so you probably aren't rich now.

By Roland Givan on Saturday, January 12, 2002 - 07:16 pm:

A couple of places that may be able to sell you rapid cartridges are:

http://www.marriott.u-net.com/ccm.htm

http://www.processc22.co.uk/

Both have had them for sale in the past. I think ProcessC22 was the cheapest (you may have to email the webmaster to check availability etc) - but either way Rapid cartridges are not expensive.

Also I've had confirmation that Process C22 are able to process C-41 colour neg in Rapid cartridges and return the empty cartridge with the negs. I've not tried this service yet - but may prove a good way to use Rapid cameras if you don't have your own darkroom facilities.

Another place worth visiting is:


http://www.toptown.com/nowhere/kypfer/Rapid/index.htm/

:-)

Roland.
www.rolandandcaroline.co.uk

By C Wong on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 09:38 am:

Hi Frank,
Have you checked this? http://www.toptown.com/nowhere/kypfer/fujica2.htm

By Frank on Sunday, April 14, 2002 - 09:38 pm:

Hi, C Wong,

I have previously looked at the website that you quoted. However, there is hardly any useful info on the fujica rapid s2 except for the lens specs.

I have recently found some rapid cartridges from an old camera shop here. I'll probably load it up with 35mm film when I get a chance just to see if this camera will shoot good photos.
Thanks everyone for the info.

Frank

By Winfried on Monday, April 15, 2002 - 12:00 am:

I think you know that the maximum film length insertable into Rapid cartridges is limited? AFAIK it's the length equivalent to 20 24x36 frames.