In my last review of a Polaroid Camera, I spoke on the age of the camera is a deciding factor on getting the camera. And while the PolaroidOne is one of the best options, there are others that still give that somewhat stable performance even if they are older. The late 1990s saw a shift in camera styling for Polaroid, going from the squared off box to a sleek and rounded form factor, like the OneStep AutoFocus. Internally it’s the same camera as the older Type-600 cameras, a slightly better lens, newer electronics, and a clean modern look. Thanks to Tom Stekner for the camera!Read More →

There are plenty of unique cameras that you can get your hands on, most of them come from the era of film. And one of the cameras in the group is the Contaflex 126. While you may recognize the Contaflex name, I have reviewed a pair of them (Contaflex Super and Super B) the Contaflex 126 is not a common camera and if you’ve got a keen eye you will have already guessed the reason. Yes, the Contaflex 126 takes the 126/Instamatic cartridge format introduced by Kodak in 1963. While Instamatic cameras are a dime a dozen, SLRs that take the format are rare, inRead More →

I’m a Nikon shooter and have shot a lot of Nikon Cameras, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a fine Canon. Of the modern Canon EOS cameras, I’ve shot the Elan 7ne is probably the best camera, I mean I’d take this over an EOS-1. But the Elan 7n/7ne are unique cameras in my view, one of a few the others being the Canon T90 and Nikon F90. These cameras have the specs and could very well be professional models but often are left aside. But if the three, the Elan 7ne would get the most publicity, but to be honest, if I hadRead More →

In all cases, it’s all about picking the right gear for the job, so this episode the gang talks about the cameras they use when they’re in specific situations from street photography to travel, sports to portrait work. It’s all about picking the right poison for the job. Portraiture – James is an amazing portrait photographer who has done hundreds of wedding and even taught on the subject. And while he does shoot plenty of digital images when out doing portrait work he uses a few film cameras. The iconic Hasselblad 503 and more importantly the Carl Zeiss Sonar 150mm f/4 lens and the otherRead More →

The first time I picked up the Minolta XG-M, it felt as if I were coming home. If you’ve been following along with these reviews for some time, you’ll know that my first real camera system came from Minolta, first with the SR-T 102 and then the X-7a. When I had the chance to get back into the Minolta cameras, I had no qualms about getting an XG series as they have plenty of good options, but out of all the XG line from Minolta, the XG-M is the one that suited me the best. A real camera of the 1980s yet carries on theRead More →

When it comes to exciting cameras, there are plenty out there that I have never heard of before starting to review them. And I’ve come across some that are awesome and others that it came as no surprise why I had never come across them before. The Wirgin name is one that isn’t well known in North America; yet have produced a wide range of cameras that sold in the German Market. I first heard the name on an episode of the Film Photography Project where Leslie reviewed the older Edinex. So when I had a chance to try out the Edixa II, I figuredRead More →

The funny thing is, the Bronica SQ-Ai is the camera where I first developed a love/hate relationship with Bronica cameras, especially the black plastic ones. I got mine, back after the SQ-Am body kicked it (I do not ever want to see another SQ-Am). I figured the SQ-Ai would fill the need in my kit for an interchangeable lens, SLR for medium format 6×6. And for a while it did, but then a few things cropped up, mostly because of configuration, and design flaws that made me dump the camera. While not a bad camera, you need to be careful about which model and whichRead More →

One of the oldest lens mounting technologies is surprisingly simple, a thread. Leica would be the first with the Leica Thread Mount or M39 as it became known in the 1930s with the Leica I (C), in the 1940s Zeiss Ikon would put forward a much larger diameter thread mount, known as the M42. The camera would be the Contax S and marked the start of the modern SLR. Eventually, the M42 mount would take on additional names like Universal screw mount, Pentax screw mount, and Praktica screw mount. In this episode, the gang takes on some of their favourite screw mount cameras. Cameras FeaturedRead More →

The iconic Leica camera, often cloned and duplicated by many, the Russians with their Fed line, and the Japanese by Canon, Nikon, and Yashica. Wait, Yashica? Meet the Yashica YF, a camera that I didn’t even know existed until fellow photographer and friend James Lee showed it off. The YF, based on the Nicca 3L, which Yashica bought up the whole company, is a wonderful combination of the Barnack Leicas and the M-Series. Combined in such a way to produced a spectacular camera that shows off exactly how a rangefinder of the era should look and behave. Big thanks to James Lee for loaning outRead More →

I don’t mean to knock a camera right off the bat, but honestly, Pentax could have done far better than the Pentax MG. Built as part of the compact M series of Pentax SLRs following the release of the Olympus OM-1. Designed as an entry level camera and it shows, bare-bones, simple, and so small it hurts. But you have to take the good with the bad in these reviews, and it’s been a while since I found a camera that I immediately disliked the moment I picked it up. Thanks to James Lee for loaning out the MG for review. Disclaimer: This is anRead More →