This ended up being my first truly vintage pound or less camera. This scale focus number was launched in 1959 as an update to the Mark I launched a couple of years earlier (the mark III was in by the end of 1959 !!). But how does Ilford’s challenger to Kodak’s retina/retinette measure up ?
Continue reading Ilford Sportsman Review : Poundland Challenge Camera No 5
The Canon’s Sure Shot AF-7s (aka Sure shot Owl PF or Prima AF-9S) was launched at the turn of the century. It is essentially like a restyled version of the 1997 Sure Shot AF-7/Sure Shot Owl and carried on the characteristic large viewfinder (hence sold under the Owl name in the US). Mines arrived with a case and batteries (thankfully not corroded)
Continue reading Canon Sure Shot AF-7S Review : Poundland Challenge Camera 4
This wacky fixed focus number arrived early on into the Poundland challenge. This quirky 2 lens camera was also sold as Cronus 35DL and Kin Son 35 DL and is closely related to the Miranda TL-200 and its clones. Sadly mines arrive with some batteries in – possible the most corroded batteries I’ve ever had. But could I get it working and was it worth the effort ?
Continue reading Hanimex 35 DL Review : Poundland Challenge Camera No 3
This late Olympus camera was actually the first bought as part of the Poundland challenge but the Halina Speedy 33 arrived first. This was one of the last film cameras made by Olympus, a company with an excellent history of making P&S such as the Trip 35 and the XA2. But how does this late autofocus, zoom compact measure up ?
Continue reading Olympus Superzoom 80S Review : Poundland Challenge Camera 2
This was the first camera to arrive from my Poundland challenge. For less than a quid (99p plus P&P) this was the first of the poundland challenge camera to arrive and my first red halina. But Did I end up red faced or flushed with excitement with this 99p fixed focus number.
The Poundland Challenge proved to be so tempting that not surprisingly I haven’t been able to keep it to just one camera a month.
Continue reading Poundland Challenge Update #1
I’ve heard folk rave about modern film cameras before. There are some serious devotees to the cult of Lomography and all that LSI makes for example. But Sunpet’s tiny wide angled camera originally sold as the Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim (VUWS) and today is sold as the Superheadz Wide and Slim or the Eximus has developed a similar cachet. But does it live up to it’s tag as “The Poor man’s Lomo”
Continue reading Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim/Superheadz Wide & Slim Review : wide out fun
I’ve decided to set myself a wee challenge this year and buy a camera a month for the price of a Roll of film or less from my favourite discount film supplier (hence the Poundland challenge). Although the first camera to arrive is the Halina Speedy 33 shown below I’ve actually been able to get one of the last Olympus film compacts for 99p as well and just missed out on a Classic Mamiya 4b rangefinder from the 60’s (knocked out by £1.20 with 4 seconds to go)
This weekend my Halina Autoflash 35 gave up the ghost. I’ve only shot a roll or 2 through it but have a sense of how this rather flimsy zone focus with compact flash worked.
Continue reading Halina Autoflash 35 Review : Farewell my Flimsy Friend
The Isoly series is probably best known for the humble Isoly I, the camera that launched a 1000 Diana clones. But the series also feature a range of other models including the top of the range Isoly III which makes for a rather good 120 P&S
