So the wait is over. Arriving from Melbourne this week was my Nana Camera from FilmNeverDie (FND). It’s a camera that perhaps has had one of the more controversial pre-release histories in recent years. But what is the camera actually like. Here’s my unboxing and comparison to something else…

What’s the story

I’ve covered this in detail before. So in brief, FND is a film supplier and development service based in Melbourne in Australia. The company had previously released the Niji camera which looked and specc’d out as a Dubblefilm Show clone.

But in 2023 they announced their Nana. It promised 3 things a metal body, motor drive and a fancy focus system that involved moving the back of camera not the lens. The camera had a prelaunch fundraiser which was followed by a Kickstarter (KS) earlier this year. I backed it before the KS.

So what’s the controversy

If you know anything about camera design the moving back thing just sounds nuts. Much easier to move the lens at front. And no surprise when it hit the KS stage the idea had been dropped.

Okay these things happen but there was a concern about transparency.

There was all the dubiety around the KS, which is frankly fishy. But read my old post as we’re looking at the camera. And this is where things get murkier.

The full retail of this camera was estimated to be $350 – 395AUD. And indeed has just gone on full retail around that (UK price before shipping is £185) for the limited edition. Now that’s twice the price of the LomoApparat which although doesn’t come with motor drive offers heaps of lo-fi fun add ons. Or you could buy 3 Kodak Ektar H35N the insanely good half frame with a retro feel. And the concern is the Nana is based on a mass retail camera you can by on AliExpress for $30USD in bulk.

And there’s already been a much cheaper branded version

What ? this camera was already available.?

I missed a trick as we’ll see. It wasn’t until this had it’s second fundraising round on KS that things came to light. But I should have spotted this. I hadn’t twigged until i saw Bellamy Hunter of JCH post on the Nana earlier this year and others. And they linked the NAna to the bulk order $30 camera on AliBaba. The MF-M301

And FND have pretty much fessed up to that but describe the new camera having a metal body and a tweaked lens (more on that later)

But looking at that camera suddenly made me realise I shot the same thing before except in rather more famous branding

Harman (who make Ilford film) back in 2021 launched the Harman EZ35. At the time I remarked

“My gut feeling is this is an off the shelf design but I haven’t found the OEM yet”

Turns out I wasn’t wrong. It was alright as I noted in my review. Whilst not quite as good as the Dubblefilm/Kodak M35 clones had some nice features. Back then it cost £47.99 and you get a free roll of film. And that cost I have no real problem with. As if this camera was being sold at $30 a pop wholesale by the time you add a roll of film, branded boxing, PR and other cost, it’s not like Harman was making shed loads .

And oddly FND sell EZ35 at the moment alongside the Nana for around original retail. So just over ¼ of the cost of the Nana

Today you can pick up BNIB for under £25 as a retail pack with a roll of film although it’s discontinued.

And that what I did. Lets compare both

Unboxing

In fairness FND did a great job with the box. I must point out the prelaunch and the current available models are launch limited edition so whether you get the same packaging and goodies once standard retail packs hit is to be seen.

I’m not so sure about the cover artwork but it is a pleasing box which bottom slides out

The EZ35 has a cartoon styled box with a pair of blue hands (yellow submarine blue meanies ?). It’s fine for the camera and does some eco cred but lacks the grace of the Nana box.

Inside the Nana has a more quality foam insert where as the EZ35 has just cardboard inset

What’s in the boxes

So the Nana I got is a limited edition launch. There is a nice leather effect wrist strap, a roll of 400 ISO ZATSU colour film (36 Exp), and the camera has a battery with a pull tag in it. there a instruction leaflet, warranty card and a metal FND key ring and a cloth bag. the camera also arrived with a 30mm UV filter on (FND branded). I have no idea about the film stock and the only info is it it is described as a vintage( desaturated) film . So maybe rebranded ORWO Wolfen NC 500 ?

Harman give you a simple cord wrist strap, a battery(in box) and a 36exp rolll of Ilford HP5+. Instructions are on the box.

Looks & Build

Look these are the same cameras underneath the shells with perhaps something going on at the lens end.

Currently the Nana has single metal front that acts as top plate and part of sides. the rear, base and battery door is plastic. They’re all been sprayed in the metallic light brown colour. . It’s somewhere nearer bronze than gold. the front panel has a small leather effect patch as hand grip area

Bar colour and a flatter design the other obvious change is the 30mm filter ring. The limited edition camera comes with a FND branded 30mm UV filter

The EZ35 is an all plastic affair in black and green. One plus the cheaper EZ35 has is a small ridge beneath the flash to help you avoid getting your fingers in the way. It also has a slightly protruding grip (the green ellipse)

Specification

The spec sheet is identical. They both have a fixed focus 31mm single element lens with a single aperture of f/11. They have a single shutter speed (Nana manual says 1/125sec) and have a built in flash with red eye reduction. That and the motor drive is powered by a single AA. The Nana manual suggest a good quality battery will last just 2-3 rolls. There’s a curved film plane. There’s no metering or low light system.

They give slightly different focus ranges (EZ35 1.5m to ∞, Nana 2m to ∞). that’s likely to do with interpretation of depth of field and how soft they’re happy for the images to get. An optimised 31mm 1:11 lens will have a hyperfocal point of around 2.87m (~9.4ft) with a near tolerable focus of just over 1.4m (~4.6ft).

The Nana obviously has a 30mm filter thread and the company claimed to have “world’s first known aspherical single-element lenses in this new 35mm full-frame form factor”. which they indicated was an upgrade to the previous design. I worry slightly with their “uses Japanese optic technology” which smacks of “Japan Lens” that wonderful (not) badge of quality on cheapy film cameras of yester year.

And you could easily DIY a filter or filter ring on the front of the EZ35.

That’s the unknown at the moment. The test shots do not look that different to shots I took with the EZ35 however.

Function

Both the same. 3 point slider beneath the lens opens it by sliding the lens cover to the side and then on 3rd point turns on flash. Only other control is simple shutter button and a rewind switch on base when you reach the end of the roll. There is an easy load drum system. There is no metering

Whot no photos taken on it ?

Ah well I was hoping to shoot this weekend but that’s not happening. Blame Bert.

What’s That muppet got do with it . Has he gone evil again ?

Thankful he’s not gone evil again due to the hard work of Ernie

Nope it’s down to being in onewon od the wettest part of the UK with the camera arriving on a bright sunny day shortly to be followed by Storm Bert sweeping in this weekend. This was my weather report on Friday the 22nd and next weekend ain’t looking much better.

And This morning it was match the overnight sleet and snow before the rain and winds hit

So not great to test. It will be into December before I can test out this camera. We’ll go head to head with it, the EZ35 and a mystery “new” £30 camera from AliExpress

Thoughts for Now

So the Nana does look good and is what we expected. The filter ring is a nice to have and it’s well packaged with posh accessories.

But unless that lens really needs to impress on test. FND ‘s own photos don’t convince me this supposed world first single element aspherical lens is that great. And if it doesn’t prove to be any different you can buy 7 Harman EZ35 for the same price – which is quite a steep jump for a little bling in the box and metal body.

The LomoApparat offers bling & a lot in the box for half the price and has a quality feel and never made any wacky claims. It’s filter system is proprietary however but could be adapted. The Ektar H35N offers one of the best lens in a plastic fantastic and redefined expectations for a cheap camera. And that’s a half frame. It has a filter tread as well as a built in switchable filter, Bulb mode and 2 apertures if you exploit the flash setting. You’ll snag around 3 of those for the same price or 4 of its more than serviceable predecessor the H35. And of course for £25 you can buy a Agfaphoto analogue or KodakM35/38 or one of a legion of clones.

I’ll try to shoot as soon as weather allows. And how good it is hinges on the lens. But for now I’m inclined to say save yourself over £150 quid and get the Harman and if needed buy yourself an empty 30mm filter ring and some glue.