The Mercury was fun to shoot, if a bit different. Focus is by scale only. Aperture is varied on the front of the lens. There is a depth of field scale on the front of the ‘parking meter’ bump, and a complicated manual exposure scale on the back of the camera. (I ignored it and used the Sunny 16 rule.)
Shutter speed is changed by adjusting a knob on the front of the camera, and a similar knob is used to wind the film and set the shutter.
The only control on the top plate is the shutter release.
In use, the rotary shutter design gives no audible feedback about speed. 1/1000 takes just as long and sounds the same as 1/15. It feels odd. There is also no way to verify film advance.
And there is the problem.
When I unloaded to develop it felt like the film had not been advancing correctly, and the developing tank confirmed my fears. Blank.
Better luck next time.
(Coming up: either the Nikon L35 or Olympus Stylus. I haven’t decided yet.)
Notes from Mosquito Hill 