Tag Archives: Film

Konica C35 AF – 1st Roll Impression

If you’ve followed my blog you’ll have seen me mention this Ground breaking but now relatively obscure 70’s compact.

Konica C35 AF
Konica C35 AF. The world’s first commercially produced AF camera

The reason why this compact is so important is obvious by the name. This was the world’s first commercially produced Auto focus camera. Continue reading Konica C35 AF – 1st Roll Impression

Holga 135 TIM : Nice But Dim

I was quite entranced by the Holga 120N and with prices rising I thought I’d try this little plastic Half frame 35mm  camera that also offers 3D stereo shooting

Holga 135 TIM. Half frame #35mm #film camera. Cute or Creepy ? You decide
Holga 135 TIM. Half frame 35mm film camera. Cute or Creepy ? You decide

That said it isn’t a camera without issues. Continue reading Holga 135 TIM : Nice But Dim

Top 10 Plastic-fantastic Cameras

If you like lo-fi photography or want to give it a go at some point you’ll end up with the desire for a plastic lensed beauty. Here’s a list of ten of the best both available new or widely available second hand.

Unimpressed
Glasgow Botanics, 2015. Superheadz Wide and Slim (aka VUWS) with Agfaphoto Vista Plus 400

Continue reading Top 10 Plastic-fantastic Cameras

Holga 120N Review : End of a (Plastic) Era

Late in 2015 Holga production ceased. A sad fate for an iconic plastic camera that helped drive the Lo-Fi photography movement and remains much beloved today. Luckily you can still buy ’em brand new.

Holga 120N
Holga120N, a film camera captured ironically by instagram

But how does the 120N (the closest to the original 80’s Holga) fare today and compared to the obvious rival product from Lomography,  the Diana F+.

Continue reading Holga 120N Review : End of a (Plastic) Era

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

20th Century in Film by 9 Point & Shot Cameras

The last Century saw the rise of the average man as a photographer. We now think that we’re in era with mobile phone cameras of being ever-ready shooters but we forget that by 2000 most of us would carry some form of film camera to almost every leisure event we did. Point and shoot cameras (P&S) have little in the ways of user controls and just either fixed, basic scale/zone focus or later AF.

These 9 cameras for me chart the people’s choice of Cameras and not necessarily what are now deemed classics Continue reading 20th Century in Film by 9 Point & Shot Cameras

New hand at Ilford – What does this mean for the future of C-41 B&W ?

In the last few weeks, Harman Technologies (aka Ilford and Kentmere) has been taken over by a venture capital group.

Unattended Kids
Carlisle, UK, April 2014. Olympus XA1 with Ilford XP2

But what does this hold for the C-41 B&W market especially as Ilford are the last makers ? Continue reading New hand at Ilford – What does this mean for the future of C-41 B&W ?

Olympus PEN EE-2 Update – Fixed for Good ?

Earlier this year I got my hands on an Olympus PEN EE-2 half frame compact. I took an instant love to the camera and rushed out a 1 roll review

Papa's got a Brand new Half Frame bag
Olympus PEN EE-2 half-frame 35mm camera

But how is it bedding in and does it still deserve the raving I gave it. Continue reading Olympus PEN EE-2 Update – Fixed for Good ?

10 Fixed Focus Wonders

Fixed focus cameras have lasted as long as consumer photography has existed and beyond from the Kodak Brownie launched in the 1890’s right up to date with the still in production clones of the Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim. Easy shooters often derided but popular with the public and pre-AF often the choice of the casual snapper.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Taken on Disposable fixed focus Kodak Fun camera (Camera in shot is a fixed focus Olympus XA1)

Over the years we’ve had ones that have no controls right through to fully automatic exposure models. Here’s my thoughts on some Continue reading 10 Fixed Focus Wonders