Tag Archives: 1990’s

Just Like a mju ? – The Olympus AF-10 Super Review

For the canny photographer, there have always been bargain cameras that are nearly as good as more expensive classic. But one camera recently I’ve noticed has been had that status elevated above that. Enter the Olympus AF-10 Super (aka infinity Jr) , described by some as “Just like a mju

But does this more humble camera measure up to arguably the prototype for the elite compacts that would follow ?

Continue reading Just Like a mju ? – The Olympus AF-10 Super Review

The Flaming CrossHair of Low EV – Olympus View Zoom 80 Review

Canny de Camera strode across the land wielding his His Holy Olympus with the its cross hair of holy fire shooting Demons and Family portraits with easy. Welcome to the surreal experience of the View Zoom 80 (the Accura View Zoom 80 in the US) a 35mm zoom compact camera with a flaming red cross in the viewfinder. You’ll feel at home if you’re a fan of 70’s Italian Horror movies, 90’s FPS or religious things. But is it any good ?

Continue reading The Flaming CrossHair of Low EV – Olympus View Zoom 80 Review

A Quick Dirty Booty Call – The Olympus Mju Zoom 105 Review

Car boots are often is bit hit and miss for the cheap camera hunter. I’ve scored some great wee finds over the years from my £3 XA, a K1000 for a £5 that I sold on to my mint £2 Espio 120SW. But at times you find nothing but the odd instamatic and true tat. The bank holiday weekend on in Dumfries however flung up a grubby mju zoom 105(aka ∞ Stylus Zoom 105) for two quid that literally worked for one roll and then died.

Was it £2 quid well spent despite this ?

Continue reading A Quick Dirty Booty Call – The Olympus Mju Zoom 105 Review

Budget Zoom-Off – Vivitar Mega 200 Versus Ricoh RZ-728

As the Poundland Challenge 2019 has proved again you can actually buy a lot for a quid. So why don’t we take 2 AF compacts for a walk that cost around a quid and see what you get for your buck.

Continue reading Budget Zoom-Off – Vivitar Mega 200 Versus Ricoh RZ-728

A SLR for 99p ? – Pentax MZ-5/ZX-5 Technical Review

One of my targets in my Poundland Challenge of getting cameras for a quid or less was to get a SLR body. I knew this was still likely and I’d come close with a Mamiya camera with a non interchangeable lens (some sneaked in at last minute with a £1.20 bid. I’d also passed on a Nikon F55 (already own) and a Praktica BM series body that went for 99p. Still I was bit surprised when the MZ-5 (ZX-5 in US), a 1996 Pentax prosumer AF SLR arrived for just 99p.

Continue reading A SLR for 99p ? – Pentax MZ-5/ZX-5 Technical Review

1 roll good one roll bad -Tentative Ricoh Myport 330 Super Review

This was a chance finding on eBay earlier this year and on paper what’s not to like. Also known as the RZ-3000, the Shotmaster 130Z, or the Q-130Z, this is a Ricoh compact but in zoom format.   it’s as cheap as chips and feature laden including Passive AF.  But did it live up to the promise of being a bargain for those of us who can’t afford a GR1 ?  Sadly on the 2 rolls I shot, it’s a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde number.  And that’s not just down to the optics.

Continue reading 1 roll good one roll bad -Tentative Ricoh Myport 330 Super Review

Le Clic est Freak ! – The Le Clic 170/C170 Review

At first glance things don’t look promising.  We’ve a basic all plastic camera with its basic design and no features. It also come with that badge of dubious quality ‘Japan Lens’.  So if you’re a fan of plastic cameras is it worth your time to click this le Clic ? Continue reading Le Clic est Freak ! – The Le Clic 170/C170 Review

Mini Brexit ? – Konica EU-mini Review

I’ll honestly avoid being too political about Brexit here.  But as I type this the UK is still in the process of negotiating its departure from the European Union .  Whether this leads to a prosperous future,  disaster or somewhere in between remains to be seen. But is this oddly apt camera from Konica, a  Negotiation Disaster or Brexit busting Deal. Continue reading Mini Brexit ? – Konica EU-mini Review

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.

Continue reading Perestroika shooting – LOMO Smena 35 Review

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 ?

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