Toy Camera ❤

Spleenrippa said:
I'd like to play with a Blackbird, but they're so expensive! Hell, I can buy a Yashica D for the same amount of money-
Click to expand...

That's what I thought! I looked at the page and wondered why that thing would be that expensive and yes, I thought of my seldom-used Yashica D as about the same price. LOL!

Maybe it's just me, but I just don't "get it" as far as toy cameras are concerned, particularly those sold (as a fashion accessory?) for obscenely high prices. There's much I guess I just "don't get" about the whole lo-fi scene. I did try redscale - once. 🙂

I realize that a good camera does not make a good photographer, but I really believe in this threshold of quality, above which any "improvement" in the gear will be negligible in terms of the improvement of one's images.

Oh well ... 🙂
 
I like the product concept of the BBF, but personally dislike it's marketing concept. (again, personally!)

Toy cameras are fun when they are priced as toy camera. BBF is clearly marketed towards hipsters shopping at Urban Outfitters. There is nothing wrong with it, but I think most of kids buying these overpriced "toy" cameras stop shooting after realizing the cost and time of film processing and the camera ends up on cluttered desk or craigslist.
 
I think, if you've got an iPhone, that something like the Hipstamatic 150 is the way to go Lo-Fi. Even with all the add-ons, it's only six bucks. It makes pretty good-looking files, too:







 
I agree on the price of the fly and the results I have seen have not been very impressive. I do really like your iPhone results. I have a first generation iPhone though and do not think I can get those apps for it?

I did recently make this sweet find and want to try shooting some film with it...

4146485851_d3a79d5988.jpg


Full post here.
 
I also like the Blackbird in theory. In practice, I haven't decided to spend the $ for one. I did get my self a Gakkenflex, though, and it is very fun so far! It was fun before I put any film in it; it comes as a kit to be put together. I'm still on the first roll so I'm not certain if I'll keep using it.
Rob
 
I got a Blackbird today, as a present for my daughter. I hope it might get her interested in photography. I shot a roll at the office, to test it out, and uploaded a couple of scans to the gallery.

My disappointment with it is the viewfinder does not handle focusing: the view doesn't change. It is entirely zone focusing using meter numbers on the lens dial. Not an awesome thing to learn the joys of TLRs with... But, it is cute, and doesn't take a loathesome picture. f/7 lens, so bring some light.
 
Spleenrippa said:
I'd like to play with a Blackbird, but they're so expensive! Hell, I can buy a Yashica D for the same amount of money- or a 124 G if it's a wicked deal...
Click to expand...

In the UK, a second hand Blackbird Fly seems to be about £40 - £50, a Yashica D about £140, but of course those prices will vary a lot.

I'm not saying the Blackbird, Fly is good value, I don't have one, but we do have to bear in mind that they are not mass market products. Designers, manufacturers, distributors, marketers, managers, investors, box-makers, manual-printers, all need to be paid. We could of course get a Ricohflex or something for about the same money, but those were made in a different time, when money had a different value.

And of course the Blackbird, Fly shoots 35m film and covers the sprockets, if you like that sort of thing (I think it's got it's place), then you can compare it to much else really.
 
I had a BBF a while back, but sold it after a bit of use. Biggest issue was that I felt it should have had much better IQ and build than it did for the price. I wrote a blog entry about it at the time that goes into it in more detail if you're interested: http://www.emasterphoto.com/2010/06/30/blackbird-fly/

Now, I use my Salvation Army cams for lo-fi work and get great results w/o breaking the bank, and when I want some pseudo-TLR action like the BBF I pick up my 127 Brownie Reflex Synchro that was only $8.50, has a much better viewfinder, is still is pretty stylin', and shoots larger negatives.

4562111441_a4baf148c5_o.jpg
 
The Blackbird.Fly as I understand it is fixed focus and overpriced.

If you want to have fun with a plastic 35mm TLR, I'd recommend the 'Gakkenflex'. This was produced as an issue of Japanese magazine 'Otona no Kagaku' and is a kit TLR you assemble yourself.


My Gakkenflex, assembled. by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr

OK, so instructions are in Japanese, but the diagrams are clear enough that if you can assemble IKEA furniture you should have no problems. I believe you can also find translations online.

I've had some interesting results, and Ektar 100 works really well!


bgflex-009 by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr

It does have a focusing mechanism where the two lenses are geared together, although it vignettes more as you focus closer in.


Fire buckets by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr

I believe the 'Recetsky' is a clone, without the magazine, but if you can get your hands on the original the magazine has some nice illos even if you can't read it!

It was way cheaper than the Blackbird.Fly, and I'm quite happy with mine!
 
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