Shots: Yashica J

This is the Yashica J, released in 1961, is a rather nice little rangefinder from Japan. It's not a high-end model, but more of a basic without the light metre of other Yashicas at the time.

Format: 35mm film
Lens: Fixed, 45mm, f2.8
Shutter: Blade, B - 1/300
X-sync Shoe

I shot my first roll on this a couple of days ago, and I must say I love the look it gives the photos. It's a slightly low contrast with nice shallow depth of field. All the photos I took were in focus and well exposed (which kind of surprised me) and I got some good shots from it!

Presenting: The Blackbird, Fly

A new TLR has been unleashed on Japan. A plastic beast that takes 135 film; The Blackbird, Fly.

These little toy cameras are the latest thing to come from Japan. Well... there are only available in Japan at the mo, for ¥12,600 (about $127, £75 or €94).

Like the 35mm Holga back, it comes with different mattes, allowing you to take the classic TLR square images. 3 masks allow; standard 24x36 - for portrait shots, 24x24 - for small square images, and full frame - 36mm high and completely exposing the sprocket holes.

It can be used with the regular top-down view, or to achieve better landscape shots, rotated 90 degrees for use with a viewfinder.

The photos I've seen from it all look quite good, for a 'toy' camera. I really need to brush up on my Japanese and fly over there and try one out.

Stats
Focus - 0.8m - infinity
Aperture - f7 and f11
Focal distance - 33mm
Shutter - 1/125

Features
Bulb/Normal modes
Hot-shoe
Tripod mount

That's all I can get from my very limited Japanese, if you're better than me - http://www.superheadz.com/bbf/index.html translated it yourself.