March 30, 2019Rank Mamiya – What’s in a name?
The Rank Mamiya, also known as the Mamiya Ruby or 4B, is a rangefinder from the 60’s with an unfortunate name.
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Tag Archives : rangefinder
March 30, 2019 Read More »
January 11, 2019Mamiya 7 – First Impressions
First impressions on the Mamiya 7, an extraordinary camera which came as the most luxurious birthday present.
October 26, 2018Kiev 4 – The Non-Clone
The Kiev 4 is a beautiful, silent and graceful camera. It has a classic rangefinder design which just makes you want to pick it up and start shooting with it. Paired up with the well regarded Jupiter 8M Contax mount lens, it forms a formidable team. Especially with a very accurate focus, achieved through one of the widest available rangefinder…
October 12, 2018Combinations – Zorki 4 and Redscaled Film
Shooting with the Red October theme is one thing, shooting a Soviet Zorki 4 camera with redscale film is a combination that doesn’t get any more red. This ensures that the tool is red (aka Soviet), but also the result (aesthetically). The thought of this came through a suggestion from a friend on the yearly Red October theme that is…
September 21, 2018Kodak Retina IIa – Coat Pocket Rocket
The Kodak Retina is a camera that holds a certain amount of mystique. It was made by a company that by the 1930s was more focussed on manufacturing film and generally created cameras to support that and the multiple formats they were introducing. Kodak never seemed to aim for or achieve anything above a second tier camera manufacturer, but the…
July 20, 2018Combinations – Fuji GSW690iii and Kodak Ektar
Combine two classics like the Fuji GSW690III and Kodak Ektar 100 and take them out the Australian countryside. The results are sure to be good.
June 29, 2018Jupiter 8 – A giant amongst the stars
Sonnar at a budget price. Those are the thoughts when purchasing a Jupiter 8 lens. A lens design which has become quite a “must have” for a photographer, but can be out of reach in many cases. This is where the wonderful Jupiter 8 (ЮПИТЕР-8) comes in, with a very useable L39 Leica Thread Mount or Contax bayonet mount, both…
April 27, 2018Zorki 4 – Attempted equaliser
Very often it is considered a form of flattery to be copied. It means you have achieved something causing envy amongst others and they would like to also have it, but not necessarily have the means to get it. That is the case with Leica cameras. Whilst not everyone covets them, there is many people that do. This spurred on a…
November 5, 2017Olympus XA3 – Red cameras go faster
Everyone 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…
August 22, 2017Watameter – What the?
Scale 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…
May 7, 2017Lomo Smena 8M – The Comrade for the Young Generation
The 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…
March 2, 2017Fuji GS645S – Camera with a Roo Bar
Medium format in a small package, the Fuji GS645S Professional gives that to you in spades. Apart from some of the folding cameras, this is one of the smaller cameras I have come across which shoots 120 roll film. I really enjoy cameras where they have been designed in a thoughtful way to achieve a specific outcome and again this…