Tag Archives: Review

Ansco 35 Review – Guest Review by Al Mullen

Ansco 35
Ansco 35

The Ansco 35 is a plastic camera made by Haking of Hong Kong, and is also branded as the Halina 35. It was manufactured around 1980 and mine says made in Macau on it. It is obviously a toy camera in that it has designs that are just for show and is all plastic. Continue reading Ansco 35 Review – Guest Review by Al Mullen

Halina Micro 110 Review – Is it the 110 VUWS ?

This ultra compact plastic camera has grabbed by attention for a while. It is for a toy camera a wonderful piece of design and possibly the smallest mass produced camera for a common film format. Haking have made some corking fixed focus numbers IMHO and some howlers  but where does this sit and is it the 110 world’s VUWS ? (NOTE now updated here) Continue reading Halina Micro 110 Review – Is it the 110 VUWS ?

Agfaphoto APX100 – Canny B&W or not ?

Purveyors of cheap film Lupus Imaging probably best know for Poundland’s finest Agfaphoto Vista Plus 200 colour negative film but the company also sell APX true B&W film which is argueably the cheapest pre rolled B&W film available in the UK

Agfaphoto APX100
Agfaphoto APX100 35mm in boxes

How does this perform and for the budget shooter does it make cost sense given B&W D&P costs ? Continue reading Agfaphoto APX100 – Canny B&W or not ?

Balda Baldessa LF 2 Roll Review – The Clockwork Camera

I’d been after a Baldessa for a while. Balda was another legendary German camera maker decimated by the rise of Japanese compacts in the 1960’s and its Baldessa series take on a 35mm compact.

Balda Baldessa LF
Balda Baldessa LF a 1960’s 35mm German Viewfinder

Sadly my shutter went at some point in my first 2 rolls but did this camera tempt me back for another or was it auf wiedersehen ? Continue reading Balda Baldessa LF 2 Roll Review – The Clockwork Camera

Plastic Shoot out – Holga 135BC Versus Roniflex X3000

I’d recently mused about the alternatives to a Holga 135 series camera given the high cost. Just after that a newer color optical lens camera arrived and I managed to get a working 135BC.

Roniflex X3000 camera
Roniflex X3000 camera a Fixed focus plastic lensed 35mm camera


But which camera rode high if any and which one ended sadly up in the Bin ? Continue reading Plastic Shoot out – Holga 135BC Versus Roniflex X3000

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

Agfa Click Review – Retro Curveball

This Vintage number looks positively Art Deco but actually hails from the late 50’s and had a run into the 70’s

Agfa Click I
Agfa Click I a German Fixed focus 120 camera from the 1950’s

Widely available this makes an interesting alternative to the Holga or Diana F+. Continue reading Agfa Click Review – Retro Curveball

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