Tag Archives: 35mm

35mm is the most widely available camera film type in the 21st century and is also used to describe cameras by the film they take

The spy who blurred me – Beier Beirette K100 Review

This is my second dalliance with this East German camera. This series of basic viewfinders have a sound a like name to Bond’s original firearm before Fleming gave him the  Walther PKK and like its namesakes compact and stylish. But is this camera worth taking on her majesty’s secret service or has been a Quantum of Solace ?

Beirette K100 35mm Soviet era DDR zone focus simple camera. #film
Beirette K100 35mm simple compact from 70’s East Germany

Continue reading The spy who blurred me – Beier Beirette K100 Review

Panorama Wide Pic Camera : Poundland Camera Challenge No 18

This lump of plastic arrived in 2 of the Poundland job lots. It’s providence is unknown  but eBay seems awash with them. However there is a reason – they’re Rubbish.

Panorama Wide Pic 35mm Plastic Camera
Panorama Wide Pic 35mm Plastic Camera. Fixed focus shutter and aperture.

Continue reading Panorama Wide Pic Camera : Poundland Camera Challenge No 18

FED Mikron Camera 1 roll Review

Since I got my Olympus PEN EE-2, I’ve been seeking out a more focusable Half frame camera. As well as the obvious EES-2, one camera caught my attention from the Old USSR, the ФЭД Микро or in English  the FED Mikron/micron sometime dubbed the Soviet PEN.

FED Mikron (ФЭД Микро) half frame 35mm soviet camera
FED Mikron (ФЭД Микро) half frame 35mm soviet camera

So when I finally got a working one I headed out with a roll of trusty Kodak BW400CN.

Continue reading FED Mikron Camera 1 roll Review

Kodak Star 735 : The Brazilian Job

This fixed focus shooter came to me as BNIB in eBay parlance. The camera was still sealed in its retail pack with film and batteries and was in pristine conditions.

Kodak Star 735
Kodak Star 735 fixed focus 35mm 1990’s compact

Kodak had a knack of making a good basic cameras but how did this 90’s time traveller fare ? Continue reading Kodak Star 735 : The Brazilian Job

Cosina CX-2 Review – The Grandfather of Lomo ?

Lomography’s Mythology¹ describes this quirky zone focus shooter as the progenitor of the camera that started Lomography, the LC-A. But how does this camera that the Russians so slavishly copied, stand up on its own ?

Cosina CX-2 film Camera
Cosina CX-2 35mm film Camera. The alleged inspiration for the LC-A

Continue reading Cosina CX-2 Review – The Grandfather of Lomo ?

Halina Vision XF – Poundland Camera Challenge No 16

Another plastic-tastic number from Haking arrived in one of the Job lots for a quid.

Halina Vision XF 35mm Camera
Halina Vision XF fixed focus basic 35mm Camera (note flash switch & lens cover switch)

But did the lump of plastic live up to Haking’s ability to make not bad cheap shooters ?

Continue reading Halina Vision XF – Poundland Camera Challenge No 16

A Braun Paxette Review : A shape of what would come

I’ve a bit of a thing for German Cameras of the late 50’s and 60’s. I still miss my Boots badged Franka 125 and the German made Ilford sportsman was one of the Joys from the Poundland Challenge. I’ve always fancied a legendary Braun Paxette series camera and a viewfinder version came my way a few weeks ago

Braun Paxette
Braun Paxette 50’s 35mm viewfinder (precise model unknown)

But was it Braw or Poxy ? Continue reading A Braun Paxette Review : A shape of what would come

Yashica Samurai X4.0 – failure to launch

I don’t really like reviewing cameras that haven’t worked but I recently acquired a Yashica Samurai X4 which had a a sticky shutter. The actual other mechanics of the camera worked (bar flash) so these are my musing on this unique camera half frame SLR despite not actually successfully taking a shot on it

Yashica Samurai X4.0
Yashica Samurai X4.0 half frame AF SLR from late 1980’s

Continue reading Yashica Samurai X4.0 – failure to launch