February 23, 2019Kodak Instamatic 133 – Not really instant or automatic
The Kodak Instamatic 133 is part of an iconic camera line. See how it performs with expired and fresh film.
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February 23, 2019 Read More »
February 9, 2019Kodak Ektachrome – The first time that nearly wasn’t
A story on how the first use of the new Kodak Ektachrome went, with initial impressions and review.
January 25, 2019Yashica 44A – Twin in small package
The Yashica 44A is a TLR in a small package producing much larger results.
November 16, 2018Kiev 30 – Spy the grain
The Kiev 30 is a camera that inspires day dreams of cloak and dagger spy games. It belongs to the subminiature class of cameras, which are specifically designed to be as small as possible. In reality, if they were ever used for international espionage they had to be small to stay discreet. You’re not going to get away with breaking…
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 19, 2018BelOMO Agat 18K – Plastic Fantastic
The BelOMO Agat 18K is a bit of an oddity. It is a camera that by all intents and purposes sells itself as a toy camera, but has functionality which even some “better” made cameras lack. When you first pick it up is feels very light and is considered one of, if not, the lightest film cameras that use 35mm…
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…
August 31, 2018Minolta 110 Zoom SLR – The flat wonder
To try out 110 film there are only a few higher quality options, with the Minolta 110 Zoom SLR being one of them. This is very distinctive looking camera, possibly designed to resemble an original Cylon Raider! What it does show is that Minolta, in their heyday, was very progressive and not afraid to try new ideas. 110 film is…
August 10, 2018Nikon Lite.Touch 140 Zoom – A little bit of luxury
Everyone loves a little bit of luxury. The finer things in life. Not that surprising we then have a camera with gold trimmings like the Nikon Lite.Touch 140 Zoom ED AF. A camera that gives the feeling you are using something with leather seats and a top class gold finish. That is if you ignore the fact the camera body…
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…
June 1, 2018Werra 2 – Oh Carl, Werra art thou?
Beautiful. Clean Lines. Minimalist. These are all words uttered about the Carl Zeiss Werra cameras. Cameras with a top plate that only house a shutter release and an exposure value display, sitting within a smooth metal finish that would have made Steve Jobs proud. Only, the Werra 2 covered in this review was produced decades before Apple computers, yet alone the iPhone…
May 11, 2018Polaroid Spectra – Almost Instant
Square instant photography too limiting? Want a camera that fits nicely on The Love Boat set? You have a preference for the Polaroid integral instant film? There is one camera that fits this bill, it is the Polaroid Spectra! The Spectra uses the same film formula as the Polaroid 600 cameras but is in a wider format rather than the…