New Half frame cameras are the range in film photography at the mo. But what if you’re budget can’t stretch to a Pentax 17 nor even to a humble Kodak Ektar H35 ? Well you could try the half frame versions of the dubblefilm show. Or you could try this ? Or it’s clones like the Flic film Double shot. But it might look a little familar….
When I got this it seemed an unknown camera on Chinese sites like AliExpress from whence this came. But within a few months it’s turning up on bigger retailers like Amazon, Walmart and the Bay. It also has at least one vaguely known re-badging . And that rebrand confirmed my suspicions on what this was based.
I’d clocked the link once I’d got the camera but this Flic film one gave the game away straight away. It really looks familiar and it was…
modding the full frame
You see these are based of a full frame camera that’s been around for a wee while. That camera is sold under various names but I first met it as as the LensFayre Snap LF-35M.
Now that’s sold under various brand names like the TK Maxx special I found last Christmas the Cylo 35mm. Broadly if you buy a simple plastic fantastic 35mm camera with a flash that looks like these it’s either clones of these. Or more commonly clones of the Dubblefilm Show/Kodak M35.
And you can buy the BHF-01 as a full frame version.
Essential these 2 lensFayre and Dubblefilm clones pretty much suck up the entire budget plastic fixed focus with flash market. You having to go up to the likes of Lomography LomoApparat, the revised Yashica MF-2 Super and Reto’s Kodak Ektar H35 models (half frame).
The only plastic fantastic exception is the Kodak i60 with it’s pop up flash. But I suspect it shares underpinnings with the Dubblefilms bar aperture changing.
LensFayre V Dubblefilm spec (and therefore our BHF-01 Spec)
The BHF-01 & LensFayre class cameras all share the same spec. That’s a single element 28mm 1:8 one aperture lens with a shutter around 1/120. Flash power can vary. The BHF-01 needs a AA battery only for the flash like the rest of class. It claims a flash range of 1-3m and a focal range of 1.2m to infinity.
The Dubblefilm cameras have a a slightly moveable feast of specs. But the key feature is the camera has 2 apertures a small one around f/11 or smaller in us. And the listed aperture often f/9 (or f/8) when you turn the flash on. Now that’s important as we’ll see as it gives the Dubblefilms an advantage in normal light. The lens is usually described as 31 or 32mm
Dubblefilm clones are Legion and by far the more prevalent. they also have had half frame versions for some time. For example here’s Agfaphoto’s full frame and half frame versions. Note the weird 50mm 1:5.6. It’s the same fricking lens but someone goofed and has listed the equivalent lens length and goofed the aperture . This seems common on these half frames.
But now LensFayre Half frames are starting to arrive
BHF-01 – never heard of ’em
So I stumbled across this by chance. If you look on eBay for new half frames you’ll not find these. You’ll plenty Ektars, Dubblefilm clones, Lomography Diana Minis, Pentax 17 etc. I had to go hunting on the likes of Ali Express. Initially I found loads of Dubblefilm clones (given away by the weird 50mm 1:5.6)
But then I chance on the BHF-01. It can be found in both full and half frame variants. Mines arrive and then I read Aly’s Vintage Camera Alley’s review of Street Candy MTN100. Which led me down the Rabbit hole of Street Candy’s rebirth thanks to Canadian re-spooler Flic Films. And on their site I spotted the Double Shot. Like many other copies I found the Double Shot is sans battery (my BHF-01 arrive with typical budget AA).
I’ve since seen a fair number of odd or no brand 28mm 1:8 half frames which are more than likely just BHF-01’s. This includes HDVYR & but on Walmart you can find loads of these sold by various weird sounding 3rd parties like Kiplykias below. You can get them modern solid colour or two tone with either black, white or silver as base
Be aware this is also sold as a full frame camera so check which one you’re buying.
Build & design specifics of the BHF-01
The BHF-01 I got is a two-tone silver/black plastic affair with a fake leather front plate. Mines has a mid brown leather with that shade of brown new parents know only too well. As said I could have had a range of colours and front panels
It’s well enough made and although they’re the same camera felt less creaky than the Cylo. This would suggest perhaps more than one factory making or highly variable QC. #
Inside the camera has the same design as the LensFayre/Cylo but has a small pull out frame mask. Yup you could convert this easily to shoot full frame by winding on twice between shots.
And once out it perfectly matches the inside of the LensFayre et al
The finder is ….’erm.. square !?! No idea there. It is useful from getting central point but for close objects you get a degree of parallax error. You’ll notice the subject in close shots sit slightly to the left.
In Use
The camera has the slighty more modern loading system with just toothed uptake. Pull your film the take up spool and try and snag onto a tooth. Wind on and if securing close rear.
It’s a wind, shoot repeat number. There are no controls other than turning on the flash. As is typical at this price point turning off the flash does not shut down the flash circuit. And if you’ve charged then changed your mind it will flash. It at least doesn’t start charging again unlike some disposables (kodak 400TX looking at you!!!)
End the roll, then just depress button on base and rewind. Both Rolls went to Photo hippo for processing
Film speed chart
So lets look at film choices. Don’t shoot slide unless you’re really happy giving you’re Lo-Fi tendencies a go with this
We have a f/8 lens with a shutter of 1/120 according to the box. Meaning in Sunny 16 conditions this would be optimally pared with ISO 25 film !!
| Condition | Optimal | +/- 1 EV | +/- 2EV sensible limit | +/- 3EV XP2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Sun | 25 ISO | 12-50 ISO | 6-100 ISO | 3-200 ISO |
| Hazy Sun | 50 ISO | 25-100 ISO | 12-200 ISO | 6-400 ISO |
| Cloudy Bright | 100 ISO | 50-200 ISO | 25-400 ISO | 12-800 ISO |
| Cloudy Heavy | 200 ISO | 100-400 ISO | 50-800 ISO | 25-1600 ISO |
Results
Okay that aperture is gonna be a problem. Full frame this camera lagged just behind the Dubblefilms . They have a better Depth of field making images just that bit sharper. Now here you drop to half that frame size so issues are more notable.
The images are universally more softer than the Agfaphoto and other Dubblefilm half frames and even the Ilford Ilfocolor Rapid Half Disposable. It’s worse on longer shots with object 2-10m away being much better.
You also get more softening and corner distortion than you do on rivals especially on the right corners in portrait mode (top landscape as below). Pincushion distortion is evident but it’s not awful and par for the course with this class
Flash is what it is. It’s pretty weak even when using 400 ISO film as below.
It’s not awful and I guess if you want lo-fi but…
Final Thoughts on the BHF-01
The BHF-01 is alright in a Lo-fi way but it lags behind the agfaphoto and other Dubblefilm based clones and even the the ilfocolor single use. It is not too bad close up but long shots are not great and even on close shots it doesn’t match the half frame dubblefilm clones.
Alternatives for new half frame ?
If you’re a true lo-fi fan whom wants a few cheap new plastic half frames this might make sense. But for everyone else there are better cameras. The Kodak Ektar H35N and its predecessor the H35 are the best in the budget class with a lens based off the the VUWS (and enhanced in the H35N). If they’re too pricey or clinically good for you a dubblefilm clone may make sense. There is no different and depending on where you live either the Agfaphoto half frame or the Escura Snaps 35 Half may make best sense financially
For something quirky, you can still find a few of the last Lomography Diana Mini (i’d body swerve the Lomourette it’s cut down successor). It’s a tough fickle mistress but Lo-fi genius can be had in both half frame and and a novel square format .
For those who want more high end you now have a fighting choice between 2 cameras. In one camp, the Lomography LC-A wide a veritable swiss army knife of a camera which is a native full frame ultra wide compact but with an option to switch to half frame. Then there is the Pentax 17, newly arrived and arguably the best half frame compact ever made with an incredible range of features
