Shots: Kodak Vest Pocket Camera

I got hold a vest pocket camera some time ago, but never got around to testing it (mostly due to the fact that only one company still makes the film). A couple of days ago I tested it in my new favorite method; using photo paper.


I cut some sheets to the size of the camera and popped them in the camera. The first image I took was with the widest aperture in bright sun with a 1 sec shutter. Completely over exposed.

I tried it again with the smallest aperture and got a beautiful result.

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!

Baby Rollei

Another post about owning a Rollei, but this time it's not as cheap. What you're looking at isn't a '20s antique, but the Rolleiflex Mini Digital camera. 5MP, auto focus and the ultra-cool head-down LCD. It goes the whole hog as well, with the film advance crank and a cool leather strap. It might not be the many thousands the its medium format cousins, but it will set you back about £200 ($400), which can only really be justified by the novelty value. I certainly won't be buying one in the near future, but if you can't resist one, let me know how is feels and the quality of its shots.
[geeksugar]
[UrbanOutfitters]

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.