Category Archives: Cameras

Broad Category for camera reviews or discussion

Perestroika shooting – LOMO Smena 35 Review

Remember the Smena 8M ? A Soviet Camera that combined a killer lens, 50’s shutter and cheap plastic body ? Well the folks at LOMO didn’t stop with the Smena 8M, refining it further finally producing a last gasp bad boy – the Smena 35 (Смена-35). But whilst there is a lot of improvements there are issues to be aware of.

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It’s a ‘Roid Jim but not as we know it – Polaroid 170BV Review

Polaroid produced some of the most Iconic cameras of the latter half of the 20th century and were the pioneers of instant film decades before the term instax was dreamed up. However this isn’t one of those and actually is just a ‘roid in name only. Does it stack up as just another cheap basic camera or is there more to meet the eye ?

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The Olympus Lomo ? – The Olympus Trip 500 Review

The Olympus Trip 35 is one of the most revered compacts ever made. Sadly Olympus had a bad habit of producing some decidedly basic & sometime awful cameras trading on its name. However  not all are that bad  But has this plastic trip the potential to be Olympus’s Lomo ? Continue reading The Olympus Lomo ? – The Olympus Trip 500 Review

Smarty Pants ? – The Halina Vision Smart S Review

Another year another Halina ! The smart S is one of Haking most recent recent 35mm cameras and  their site still lists the its sibling the Vision smart as an active product. But is this modern spin on cheap and cheerful any good ?
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Leica Likely ? Minolta Riva/Freedom Zoom 90c review

Most film photographers dream of owning a Leica, if even just for the Kudos. Social services got a bit upset when I tried to swap one of the weans for a mint M6 (with lens I hasten to add). But there are a few routes to owning a Leica for less financial pain. One is where this Minolta kinda comes in if you get a working ‘un Continue reading Leica Likely ? Minolta Riva/Freedom Zoom 90c review

Battery Replacement in the Ricoh L-20/YF-20 Super Date

yup I got another of Ricoh’s YF-20 series. A full review will be coming for this later model that adds a distance focus but this one came with the Data back. Although you can see the standard manual online, I couldn’t find any info about the data back. Having almost wrecked the camera in trying to replace the battery, I click it was quite easy and hopefully this will be of help

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The Car Boot £3 Classic – The Olympus XA Review

I’d never been convinced that Car boots are always work outs great for camera hunters. Sure you’ll find late AF zoom compact for the same price as you’d pay on eBay  less postage  but IMHO til then true bargains are rare and balanced by someone trying to sell a Knackered Praktica for 50 quid. All that changed when I spotted this grubby number.

How much ? Three Quid  – I didn’t stop to haggle.

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