Golden Half Toy Camera

[JoeV]

While perusing the Interwebs for sites dedicated to toy cameras, I came upon a review of the Golden Half camera, manufactured by SuperHeadz of Japan. In the review, on Nic Nichols' website Four Corners Dark, he commented about the relative high quality of the design and construction, as compared to other half-frame toy camera offerings such as the Diana Mini, which seems to be constructed with a noticably lower build quality.

I ended up ordering the Black Mountain version of the Golden Half, and received it in the mail today. It comes in an elegantly designed package (it seems everything about SuperHeadz is done with an intentional aim towards carefully thought out design); the camera itself sports a very satisfying rubbery finish (similar somewhat to my much higher priced Lumix G1, of all things) and offers a simple one shutter speed (1/100 sec) and two lens aperture settings (f/8 and f/11, plus flash via a standard flash mount on the side). It comes with a complimentary roll of Kodak Gold 400, yielding 48 images on the otherwise 24 exposure roll. The camera seems built with a high degree of quality for a plastic toy camera. The lens is preset hyperfocally for a range of 1.5 meters to infinity, or thereabouts.

And, did I mention, this thing is small? It's tiny; truly a pocketable camera, it easily fits in the front pocket of my work shirt, including wrist strap, such that it is entirely unnoticeable.

I've begun capturing images today, so won't have any results to share for some time. I borrowed the flash from my Pocket Fujica 110 camera for use with the Golden Half under indoor and night lighting situations.

I'm certain this new camera won't produce results of the same quality as my Olympus Pen D; but then again, this is the highest quality half-frame camera being built in the world today.

~Joe

 

[Al Kaplan]

Fifty bucks! That's about what a D used to cost new.

 

[jsrockit]

Wait, aren't toy cameras supposed to not be high quality? I'd rather it be weird and off... I guess the Diana Mini is more for me.

 

[Walt G]

I've been thinking about one of these.

Can't wait to see some results.🙂

 

[JoeV]

First Images from Golden Half

First Images from Golden Half

Kodak Gold 400 film. Processed at Walgreens. They printed each image 4"X6", so I got 48 prints from one roll! Scans of prints.

The image on the right, the storefront of Mask y Mas in Albuquerque, used fill-flash from my Pocket Fujica 350 camera's detachable flash, which I'm now carrying with the Golden Half.

 

[JoeV]

Three more. The blue gate image shows the wide depth of field with this fixed focus lens.

 

[JoeV]

Three more.

 

[JoeV]

The wheelbarrow image was taken at night using the flash for my Pocket Fujica 350 camera. This small flash is a great companion to the Golden Half.

The roadrunner image is a good example of a quick grab shot. The bird ran out from an alley between two buildings, as I was looking for street shots. He was still on the run when I captured his image. You'll also notice the lens flare is nicely rendered without the usual optical artifacts.

This camera is really a nice street shooter, due to fixed focus, and only three lens aperture settings, which are usually preset to the kind of lighting available. I can't imagine a digital point and shoot with quicker response. The only slow part of the operation is ratcheting the film winding knob between shots.

The mural image is a good example of how shooting with print film enables a wide dynamic range; this shot would have been difficult to manage with a digital camera, due to the wide dynamic range between the shaded and sunlit parts of the alley.

 

[JoeV]

Here're both the Golden Half and its companion flash (from my Pocket Fujica 350 camera). They both fit into one hand, and are easily pocketable. I normally keep the camera in my right hand jacket pocket, with the flash in the left; they get mated together should I see the need for flash.

This image captured with a Lumix G1 and 20mm-f/1.7 lens. The portable manual typewriter in the background is a Singer Scholastic, rescued from a thrift shop for $20. A Luddite's dream come true.

~Joe

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Looks like a fun camera to use. I didn't catch a listed focal length of the lens. From the pictures it looks a little wide.

 

[JoeV]

Fixed focus at 22mm f.l. F/11 for the sunny and flash settings, F/8.5 for the cloudy setting. Shutter speed fixed at 1/100.

I haven't tried the flash with the shutter set to the cloudy (F/8.5) setting; if it fires, then this would offer a second flash exposure setting.

~Joe

 

[Steve M.]

I'm in Las Cruces, and can confirm that it's pretty hard to get a shot of a Road Runner. They're easily spooked and like a nice large comfort zone around them. Maybe you can find a long zoom for your camera 🙂

Love that Kodak Gold. I seldom shoot color and when I do I use the cheap Fuji 200 as that's what I have, but the Kodak Gold is a lot warmer than the Fuji. Does a much better job w/ fall colors, which in New Mexico tend to be mostly yellow w/ a little red here & there..

 

[pggunn]

Nice shots! I've been watching the Golden Half for a while on the Four Corners site and others and your post is making my mouse finger itchy. Might be clicking on "add to shopping cart" soon. I love toy cameras. Of course in my hands they're all toy cameras!

 

[JoeV]

I updated my blog with a story about the Golden Half.

~Joe

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Nice typewriter, dude!

 

[Walt G]

I updated my blog with a story about the Golden Half.

~Joe

Very interesting Joe. Thank you.

 

[JoeV]

More Golden Half Images

More Golden Half Images

I just finished another roll through the Golden Half, this time Walgreens (Fuji) brand 400 speed. I was able to get 56 images out of this one 24 exposure roll, due to judicious film loading. Some of the ones I liked.

~Joe

 

[JoeV]