“The nice thing about the Halina 35x is you’re not likely to get mugged for it and if you do you can use it as a deadly weapon.” The poor Hong Kong made 35x is the butt of many a joke and scorn in the camera world.
But this 1959 “Empire Made” viewfinder did sell rather well and has cult following amongst some. So is it really all that bad?
Continue reading The Lada of The Camera World OR NOT ?- The Halina 35X ReviewToo often I have to do a review based on just a couple of rolls. But some cameras hang a round longer and I thought it might be worth revisiting those. We begin with the my Superheadz Wide and Slim, a clone of the Vivitar Wide and Slim (VUWS). This is often seen as one of the best Lo-Fi cameras still made
But does it deserve that ? And why you should by a a Black one ?
Continue reading Filthy Beast – the VUWS/Superheadz Wide and Slim Re-Appraised after 1000+ ShotsLaunched in the 1950’s the Coronet 6-6 was yet another no frills Bakelite roll film camera, But the folks at Coronet decided to re-brand this camera as the Rex Flash. But is it King or just Flash in the pan.
Continue reading Brummie Deco – the Curious case of the Coronet REX FlashI’d already nailed a good SLR body with the Pentax MZ-5 for the Poundland challenge this year. But a AF SLR Nikon body also arrived for a 99p plus postage. So how does the F65 fare ? and how does it compare to other bodies.
Continue reading OPPS I DID IT AGAIN ! – Poundland Challenge 2019 – The Nikon F65/N65 ReviewWhen Cosina launched the the CX-1 & CX-2, little did they know they would become more famous as the cameras that inspired the Lomo LC-A. But that spark was not limited to the (in)famous Russian copy. Several other makes produced similar designs and here’s Hanimex’s take.
We’ve trod this ground before with the Halina 35 Micro (aka the Hong Kong Lomo) which was disappointing due to lack of focus, exposure control and any over-riding of an overly sensitive auto flash. The Hanimex instantly won me over as it resolves all 3 of those. But is it any good and is it a lomo rival ?
Continue reading The Aussie Lomo ? – Hanimex 35 Micro FlashWhen the Yashica Y35 arrived last year it got a bit of a pounding. Much of that was to do with overvalued expectations about this retro styled digital shooter. It’s essentially a lo-fi beast that has does do a slow film style shooting well. It has imitations mainly the hefty current price tag and limited optics. But often it’s compared to much more technically able digitals. So how does it if fare against another retro inspired but analogue lo-fi favourite the Halina 1000.
Continue reading Lo-Fi Stand Off – The Halina 1000 v The Yashica Y35In my 10 35mm alternatives to buying a Diana F+, I recently mentioned that you could buy an adaptor allowing you to use a Diana F+ lens on a SLR.
So I got one for my Nikons to try. But is it any good ?
Continue reading Call The Mounties – The Lomography Diana F+ mount for SLROne 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 ReviewWhen I decided to relaunch the Poundland Camera Challenge, I was pleasantly surprised when 2 Voigtländer turned including this quite stylish but basic viewfinder. But sadly this wasn’t going to be a camera that even got to the test bed. The lens was Fungus central
Continue reading Voigtländer Vitoret – 99p for FungusThe Konica pop has acquired some zeitgeist as the a potential king of the fixed focus flash compacts. But how does it measure up wehn compared against it’s successor the Konica pop 10 (here in the sought after Konica Tomato guise). Which one is flavourful and which is a bit mushy ?
Continue reading Popping the Tomato – A tale of 2 Konica Cameras
