The 1970s were the heyday of consumer compact rangefinder. Many models such as the Konica C35 or the Olympus 35 RC are rightly hailed as classics but that means other models are often overlooked that were rivals at the time. The good news is that you can get crackers like the 35EE for a song.
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→
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 ?
This absolute corker from Japan IMHO is one of the best point and shooter ever to be based on a rangefinder. Its crisp, accurate lens and exposure deliver like no other rangefinder based P&S.
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→
This 50’s rarity is arguable one of the first metered 35mm point and shooters (P&S) on the market and whilst basic and bulky had much in the ways of the compact P&S like the Olympus Trip 35 that followed it a decade plus later. And you know something, it still works and takes pretty good shots. Continue reading The Fujica 35 Automagic Review : Futuristic 50’s Automagic→
Halina 6-4 120 roll film camera. Note kickstand under lens
This 120 roll film camera is a bit of an oddity for Haking a company with a TLR (Halina A1) and a smattering of pseudo TLRs (e.g. the Halina Viceroy. But it perhaps serves as model for how Haking cameras were to become in the 35mm age and the styling is more like a 35mm than 120 film camera of the era.