Category: All Reviews
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Unexpected adventures with expired ILFORD FP4 PLUS film
I have never used expired film or used a bulk loader until now. Not however for any particular reason, probably just because I simply didn’t feel the need to. I had been given a bulk loader and a handful of reloadable cassettes in a collection of darkroom gear by a retired professional. He no longer…
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Film Stock Review: FPP RetroChrome 400 (EASTMAN EKTACHROME High-Speed Daylight Film 2253) – by Simon King
FPP RetroChrome 400 is the name given to a stock of 35mm Kodak EASTMAN EKTACHROME High-Speed Daylight Film 2253 (PDF datasheet) that expired in 2004 and is bulk loaded and sold by the Film Photography Project. The film was apparently very well cold-stored, meaning that it is still very useable without needing to change anything…
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The Ricoh GR10: “piggy in the middle” GR sibling (plus GR1s comparison)
A year ago I was looking for the “ultimate film compact camera”, the Ricoh GR1 series, but I was somewhat afraid of what I’ve read on many websites: they’re fragile, they can’t be repaired (or at least, not easily and cheap), and I was scared of wasting more than 600€ that I could invest in…
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Choosing a 35mm film SLR? A quick look at six (vintage?) film camera manufacturers…
Since the publication of my original book, “Nikon Film Cameras, Which one is right for you?“, I’ve acquired a number of additional cameras and lenses which I describe and evaluate from personal experience in the newly released second edition, which recently went live on Amazon. In addition to the extra hardware, I tracked the prices…
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Camera review: the Contax S2, “Simple is Best”
Two years ago at a tram stop in Antwerp, I misstepped on the pavement’s edge and fell over. It was a bit embarrassing and it wasn’t helped by my own wife and daughter doubled up with laughter at my expense. “Why didn’t you put your hands out to break your fall?”, they asked. To them,…
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Ricoh GR1s vs Ricoh R1s: Is “premium” really worth the money?
Here’s a question you’ve probably asked yourself before: “Is it really worth paying for a premium compact 35mm camera when a lesser-known, lower spec’d camera can produce a comparable result?” To answer it, I decided to see if my “premium” Ricoh GR1s and not-so-premium Ricoh R1s were really as different as the marketing and internet…
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Compact camera mega test finale: 12+ high, mid and low-end 35mm point and shoot cameras head-to-head
One day, some time ago, I hatched a plan to do the biggest comparative test of compact film cameras that had (possibly) ever been done in the history of the human race. Surely it must have been done before? Well, not quite. Not as broad as the one you’re reading this very minute. This test…
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Shooting 100-year-old black and white film: Primor B2 Panchromatisch
“Where in god’s name did he find 100-year-old film?”, you might be asking yourself. Well I recently went to Budapest, Hungary for a vacation with some friends. During our stay, we happened to stumble upon a flea market on Gozsdu Udvar, a beautiful little street filled with bars and restaurants. One of the stands caught…
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Compact camera mega test: Yashica Zoomate 115, the poor man’s MJU Zoom
Welcome to the twelfth and final quick camera review for my upcoming 12-camera 35mm camera mega test. In this series, I’ll be comparing image quality, durability, speed and overall performance for cameras ranging from the very high end of the 35mm compact camera world to the very low – or close to it. I’ll be…
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Compact camera mega test: Samsung Vega 700, does Schneider-Kreuznach equal “better”?
Welcome to the eleventh in my series of quick compact 35mm camera reviews. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing a total of 12 of these articles as part of a 35mm compact camera mega test spanning cameras made from 1990 to 2003 – arguably the golden age of these pocketable beasts. You can find…
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Camera review: Polaroid Automatic 100 Land Camera
In 1963, the Polaroid Corporation introduced the Automatic 100 Land Camera (also known as the Model 100). Named after Polaroid co-founder and genius inventor Edwin Land, the Land Cameras would go on to be a successful line of cameras for the company, produced in one form or another until the early 2000’s. The Automatic 100…
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Compact camera mega test: Ricoh GR1s, the “stealth ninja”
Welcome to the tenth in my series of quick compact 35mm camera reviews. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing a total of 12 of these articles as part of an upcoming 35mm compact camera mega test spanning cameras made from 1990 to 2003 – arguably the golden age of these pocketable beasts. You can…
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Compact camera mega test: Olympus MJU Zooms, all of them
Welcome to the ninth in my series of quick compact 35mm camera reviews. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing a total of 12 of these articles as part of an upcoming 35mm compact camera mega test spanning cameras made from 1990 to 2003 – arguably the golden age of these pocketable beasts. You can…
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Film review: Kodak Gold 200 vs Fujicolor C200 comparison
I was a Kodak Gold 200 user forever. I’m not really sure why. I think it might have been taking those purple and yellow 3-packs out of my mom’s camera bag from a young age.
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Camera review: The Canon SURE SHOT Z135
It has come to the point in my life where I am the ‘camera guy’ to family and colleagues; I will not lie to you, I have brought this on myself, and knew it would happen. When Christmas or a birthday rolls around, I get camera-themed goods. At work I’d previously been given a camera…
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Compact camera mega test: Olympus MJU II / Olympus Stylus Epic, a meh MJU?
Welcome to the eighth in my series of quick compact 35mm camera reviews. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing a total of 12 of these articles as part of an upcoming 35mm compact camera mega test spanning cameras made from 1990 to 2003 – arguably the golden age of these pocketable beasts. You can…
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Compact camera mega test: The Nikon 35Ti, the world’s most sophisticated compact camera?
Welcome to the seventh in my series of quick compact 35mm camera reviews. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing a total of 12 of these articles as part of an upcoming 35mm compact camera mega test spanning cameras made from 1990 to 2003 – arguably the golden age of these pocketable beasts. You can…
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Expectations and anticipation: Shooting a Leica M3 for the first time
While my freshly shot and developed Tri-X 400 (using Kodak D76) is hanging up to dry, I would like to summarize some of my thoughts about shooting my new Leica M3 for the first time. I bought myself a double-stroke Leica M3 as a birthday present from a local seller who is also a member…
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Compact camera mega test: The annoyingly slow Leica C1
The Leica C1 was not on my list of ‘must-haves,’ but one came up cheap, so I thought I would try it. It is quite good in some ways, quite bad in others. It’s a Leica, which is obviously a big plus point for many people.
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Compact camera mega test: The Konica Big Mini’s transparent ambitions
Imagine the scene: one night in Tokyo, some Konica employees are drinking in a hostess bar. One of them looks through the bottom of his glass and has a brainwave. ‘Hey!’, he exclaims, ‘Let’s make a camera with a clear lens cover!’