When Reto launched the Kodak Ektar H35 last year, they must have thought they’d carved out a niche. There was quite buzz for the new half-frame. But with Alfie Tych launched on Kickstarter it looked like there was some momentum behind the recurrence of a historic format. And now Agfaphoto has entered the frame with a tweaked version of their Dubblefilm Show Clone shooting half frame. Agfaphoto Half Frame with Kodak Ultramax 400. Carlisle, March 2023. Processed and as scanned by Photo Hippo. click on image for full size on Flickr Half frame cameras had their hey day in the 1950’s & 60’s wit ..read more

2022 felt like Reto’s year. The plucky HK based disrupters had garnered huge praise for their relaunch of the VUWS. But then the pulled a blindside we never expected. Half frame and in Kodak clothes. The Kodak Ektar H35. And in the summer of ’22 the web lost it’s sh*t for this camera with vlogs and blogs a plenty. But does it really live up to hype ? Kodak Ektar H35 + XP2. Carlisle Feb 2023. As scanned by Photo hippo. Click on image for full size This review has been a bit of a Odyssey. I shot my original rolls back in Summer and was a bit Meh… but then I chanced upon George Griffin’s Flaneur ..read more

In 2020 I got a chance to test one of the best accessory light meters on the market the Hedeco Lime One. But Johannes Heberlein, the brains behind the brand has not rested on his laurels. A new improved version is just out and I’ve had a chance to test a pre-release copy. To be clear I had a final pre production copy so things have been mildly tweaked in the finished product (mainly cosmetically). I haven’t been paid to do this post and the only incentive I have had the chance to try it out. These views are mines and not influenced by Hedeco. The Lime One appeared late in the race for the affo ..read more

I’m a bit of a fan of kickstarter and from a photo point of view have generally been happy with what I’ve received with the exception of the Robert Hamm’s disappearing Box Cameras. But a new kickstarter digital camera caught my eye. A 4K vlogging camera to challenge the likes of the Sony ZV-1 or Lumix G100 for early bird less than a $100USD. But just how good is this ? There is now a product preview video that answers a lot of this and led me to cancel Budget or Bodge it ? Let’s be clear this is in some ways an interesting proposition. This ticks the boxes for a current handheld vlogging camer ..read more

As we stagger into an uncertain 2023, last year turned out to be an interesting one for the photographer. With more juicy surprises than Prince Harry’s memoir there was a lot going on. Here’s my take We’ve got new film cameras galore, film surprises and shortages and even the Boss turns up. Come on in. News Stories of 2022 Mean Streets – The demise of Street Candy Street Candy’s wonderful film pods sadly will soon be a thing of memory Vincent Moschetti’s Street Candy brand of rebranded ATM film arrived in 2017 and was much beloved as one of the new boutique brands. A movie film base film follo ..read more

Theo from Photo Thinking recently reviewed the Lumix FX07. That’s aa day to day travel digicam. This got me thinking about what film cameras I’ve used as a travel cameras. Handily this came in useful when Stephen Dowling from Kosmo Foto challenged us bloggers to write about 3 cameras. When the challenge came in, I was a bit stumped. My fellow bloggers all all rose to the challenge (see here). But what should I cover ? But then I though. Let’s go with what I’ve actually consciously taken on travel for my needs not the blog. Turns out just 3 film cameras came abroad with me this year, a quite di ..read more

As Halloween  disappears into the rear-view mirror, Christmas finally approaches. But what options do you have to buy your loved ones, secret Santa or ask for yourself ? Turns out you can buy loads of new film cameras. And here is my pick of 12 for all price tags. I’d started out doing a Xmas camera for under a £100 quid but turns out there were loads  so I thought we’d go large. That said this expanded price list feature 12 cameras for all your Festive desires from a few quid to hundreds. And we have not one but 2 SLR on the list !! My criteria was simple. The camera had to be avail ..read more

The 90’s was a era of massive change in both society and the camera worls. Against a backdrop of Brit Pop, Canon usurped  Nikon’s lead role by the start of the decade. But  Nikon would fight back with new models. A lot of focus on is on the F90 and the F70. But alongside these notable cameras  the F50 (N50) was released aimed at the less demanding punter. Turns out it was a bit of a re-hash. Nikon F50 with AF Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G using Expired (’21) Kodak P3200. 2022. Click on image for Original The F70 and F90 offered the use of new faster AF-S lenses designed to compete a ..read more

The Olympia camera brand has a legendary status. It is as the archetype Scamera. Perfidiously sold as a high end model to unsuspecting smucks, these lumps of plastic are the most famous of the legion of Color Optical Lens Scameras. The OY4040 is one of their midrange models. But just how bad is it ? Olympia OY4040 with Pro Image 100. 2021. Click on image for full size In my defence I knew what I was getting. I’ve trod this ground before and have at points owned a Mintax, Nikai, Roniflex as well as some less scammy color optical lens cameras. It was also a charity auction – and given the OY4040 ..read more

In 2004 the A400 got good reviews for a budget digital P&S. But with the eye of hindsight how does it stack up in the 2020’s as a vintage digital that can be got for a few quid ? As ever there isn’t an easy answer. Image taken on A400. 2022. Click on image for full size in Flickr By 2004 Canon had become the biggest camera manufacturer in the world. It represented ⅕ of every digital sold that year. But today subject is not a dSLR or Pro orientated PowerShot G series camera. Nope it’s bottom of the rung consumer P&S. A series models have always been more budget orientated.  They we ..read more