January 20, 2018Box cameras are boxes with a lens. Simple. In Italy, Ferrania had other ideas and created one which just oozes style. The Ferrania Rondine was created when workmanship was still a priority, and even tools like a camera had to have a great aesthetic to them. In the wild, this camera brings out comments from “Isn’t that so cute!!” to…
January 12, 2018Square format, instant(ish) images, iconic and fun. No, not insta-social media, but a camera developed at the pinnacle of a company’s history. The Polaroid Sun 660 Autofocus Land Camera was sold at the time when Polaroid was a powerhouse in the photographic industry and was considered one of the most innovative companies across the world. There must be something hardwired…
December 7, 2017In the last couple of years there has been a resurgence in film manufacture. Several kick-starters have been successful and even the traditional manufacturers have announced some new emulsions with the balance being there have also been a few discontinuations. Before this resurgence though, Lomography had filled the gap to renew interest in film. The interesting approach Lomography took has…
November 18, 2017There is a saying that a camera is just a light tight box to capture the image. Box cameras are the best example of this, only one step more technologically advanced from a pinhole camera. In the early 1900s Kodak was introducing box cameras in all shapes and sizes for a range of different film sizes. The Kodak No. 2…
November 5, 2017Everyone knows that red cars go faster. Ok, they feel faster. Does this translate to cameras? It sort of does with this one, as the Olympus XA3 does meter for faster film than the camera it replaced, the XA2. The argument does break apart though, as they did come in black, blue and white as well as red, but as…
October 22, 2017Most people have a love/hate relationship with half frame cameras. They love that you can get 72 frames out of a 36 exposure 35mm film roll, but they also hate that it takes 72 frames to finish off a roll. Also factor in that the frames are quite small, which again leads for some people to like them for small…
September 15, 2017A camera to allow your photography to take flight? To release your creativity free as a bird? Probably enough bird puns for now. So, was the Pigeonflex a camera to set the cat amongst the Pigeons? Ok that was one more. Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) cameras are an interesting type of camera. They have a history in street photography, especially…
September 5, 2017The Agfa Isolette range of cameras have a cult following. That includes me as I own both Isolette and Jsolette labelled cameras. The ability to shoot medium format, especially 6×6, with a camera that is small and at a stretch pocketable, is very enticing. Throw in the fact that they look lovely, and you can understand the popularity. I personally…
August 22, 2017Scale focus cameras can be fun. There is no precise focusing, you pre-set focus points in advance, allowing a quick “draw” approach, and the viewfinder is very uncluttered. They are also generally cheap, so a very easy way to get into film photography. There is occasion though, where some precise focusing would be helpful, which is where accessories like the…
July 9, 2017When does a box camera not look like a box camera? When it is the Ensign Ful-Vue from 1946. Until then most were basically a box with a lens on the front. There were a few variants, including box cameras that had better viewing lenses and looked more like Twin Lens Reflex cameras, but still generally had a box…
May 27, 2017It’s 1926, you want to record details about your photo and don’t want to carry a notebook, enter the Kodak No. 1 Pocket Autographic. It might not be automatically recorded, but considering this was 91 years ago, that is quite progressive. Kodak folding cameras had been introduced just over 30 years earlier in 1895 and had slowly been progressing during…
May 7, 2017The camera made for the young soviet generation, the Lomo Smena 8M, has made its place in history. Smena (CMEHA) is Russian for “Young Generation” which is the market this camera was aimed at. Production over 35 years ensured millions of soviet families recorded their memories with it. It is somewhat of an enigma though, where it is very easy…