Miranda's 1987 autofocus compact — 38mm f/4.5 lens, motorised wind, AA power, Dixons-era badge
The Miranda Auto Shot was a fully automatic 35mm compact launched in 1987 under the Miranda name, which by the 1980s belonged to British high-street retailer Dixons and was used for badge-engineered cameras rather than the Japanese SLRs of the original Miranda Camera Company. It sat in Dixons' entry-level autofocus range alongside models like the Miranda Solo series.
It carries a fixed 38mm f/4.5 autofocus lens with automatic exposure, a built-in flash for low light, and fully motorised film advance and rewind. Film speed is set manually with a switch offering ISO 100 or ISO 400 positions rather than DX coding, and the camera runs on two AA batteries, which keeps replacement power cheap and easy to find. Documentation for this model is thin, so further specifications are not reliably recorded.
As a straightforward point-and-shoot it suits beginners and anyone wanting a no-decisions film camera for everyday snapshots. The 38mm lens is a classic walkaround focal length, though the modest f/4.5 maximum aperture means it leans on its flash indoors. Collectors of Dixons-era British-market badge cameras also pick these up as inexpensive curiosities.
The Auto Shot needs working AA batteries to fire at all, so confirm power-up, autofocus actuation, motor wind and rewind before purchase. Check the flash charges and fires, inspect the battery compartment for alkaline corrosion, and look over the film-door seals. Remember to match the ISO switch to the loaded film, since there is no DX override. Values are low and many examples sell untested.