Category Archives: Point & Shoot

For Point and Shoot Camera stuff. For Any camera that either has fixed or guess (scale or Zone Focus) focus

Olympus XA2 Review : Good yes but classic…..

I suspect this review may get me flamed, but I have to be honest whilst the XA2 is a good P&S camera IMHO it isn’t the classic it’s often described as

Olympus XA2
Olympus XA2 open & closed

That said it’s not a bad choice and can give you great shots.
Continue reading Olympus XA2 Review : Good yes but classic…..

Halina Paulette Series Review : Vorsprung Hong Kong Technique

These 60’s viewfinder point and shoot cameras drew influences from the German models of the day. But how do they fare as a retro shooter today and compared to their 70’s successors the Halina 2000 & 3000 ?

Prinz Mastermatic III
Prinz Mastermatic III (a rebadged Halina Paulette Electric)

Continue reading Halina Paulette Series Review : Vorsprung Hong Kong Technique

Minolta Hi-matic G Review : Polished but Vanilla P&S

Minolta’s Hi-matic series of compact cameras span more than 20 years of production and were usually rangefinders such as the  well-regarded Hi-matic 7sII. However the series also gave rise to  a few Point & Shoot (P&S) most notably the Hi-matic G launched in 1974.

Minolta Hi-Matic G
Minolta Hi-Matic G 35mm viewfinder camera

Continue reading Minolta Hi-matic G Review : Polished but Vanilla P&S

Diana Mini Review : Ultra compact abet challenging fun

Irony shot on instagram from 2013
Diana Mini ironically captured on instagram. In classic Blue black

The Diana Mini has been one of Lomography Society International (LSI) best-selling products and is a gorgeous re-imaging of their simple 120 film Diana F+ in mini form taking 35mm film. But like its big brother, it is a camera of 2 halves good and bad. But do those halves balance out in this toy class manual shooter ?

Continue reading Diana Mini Review : Ultra compact abet challenging fun

Agfa Isoly I Review : The camera that launched a 1000 clones

Agfa Isoly I
Later Agfa Isoly I

The Agfa Isoly is perhaps one of the most influencial basic 120 point and shooters there has ever been, setting the scene for the Diana cameras and their more recent re-birth with LSI’s Diana F+. But how does this classic stack up ? Continue reading Agfa Isoly I Review : The camera that launched a 1000 clones

Diana F+ Review : Or How I Learned to love the Plastic bomb

Diana F+ Edelweiss Variant
Diana F+ Edelweiss Variant (note plastic chuck on left for wedging shutter open in bulb

Lomography’s plastic classic left me strangely disappointed when it arrived. I’d been impressed by its little brother, the Diana Mini, but this seemed a shoddier affair and worryingly idiosyncratic. However a few rolls later and I’m warming to it. Continue reading Diana F+ Review : Or How I Learned to love the Plastic bomb

A fond farewell ? : Boots Pacemaker 35 / Franka 125 Review

Sadly last week my Boots Pacemaker 35 died. This basic camera  is actually a re branded Franka 125 made by the long gone West Germany company in the 1960’s. But was it retro fun or rightly dated ?

Boots Pacemaker 35
The lamented Boots Pacemaker 35 (aka Franka 125)

Continue reading A fond farewell ? : Boots Pacemaker 35 / Franka 125 Review

Smena 8m Review : Good clean plastic Fun

smena 8M
Smena 8M 35mm Camera (late 3rd Series)

This little plastic corker was one of the best selling classic soviet Cameras of all time. But why does a plasticky unmetered camera with 1950’s mechanics still deserve a loyal following. The answer is its simplicity and its killer lens. Continue reading Smena 8m Review : Good clean plastic Fun