JCH point & shoot camera speculation, news, rumors, and wishlists

[aizan]

It's been over a year since Bellamy Hunt announced that he has started working on a 'premium compact camera.' What do you think the camera is going to be like?

After reading Bellamy's blog post on the future of p&s cameras and the interview on Emulsive, it's clear that things were up in the air last year, but he had definite wishlists, and wants to:

mix and match the best features of compact premium point and shoots from Contax, Minolta, Ricoh and others. Things like custom modes / user profiles, some form of fixed-focus mode and definitely no auto-on flash are really important to me.

It will also be made out of metal and have manual ISO selection.

There was no interest from the large camera companies, so that might lead to some technological constraints like no autofocus and retracting lens, or maybe no motor wind. On the other hand, he says in the Emulsive interview that there will be a smartphone app (like the Polaroid i-1 and OneStep+):

the capabilities we’re looking at include those that digital shooters have come to expect, whilst also making sure that it serves needs that are unique to film shooters.

What do you think those capabilities could be?

A working prototype was projected for late 2018, but that was back in late 2017. There haven't been any rumors or announcements about it yet. Have you been waiting for more news on the project and coming up with your own wishlists? What do you think is feasible?

 

[Archlich]

I'd like a GR1v with 35mm lens, but in reality a refined version of the ill-fated Yasuhara T012 Akizuki would just do.

Hope it doesn't come with some uncanny gimmicks like social media tagging.

 

[jsrockit]

Well, without autofocus it will not be the type of camera he is referring to...

"Hunt gave few concrete details about the camera, other than it would be a “premium compact” camera, a market that peaked in the 1990s with designs like the Nikon 28Ti, Minolta TC-1, Contax T3 and Yashica T5."

These are the compacts that are super expensive and/or not going to be available in the future.

Compact RF cameras are still around and fixable, there are plenty of small scale focus cameras available used, and we even have some brand new scale focus cameras on the market right now. This wouldn`t be what he is talking about... though RFF users are always ok with another RF coming into the market.

I would hope that he can do it with AF, but it cannot be easy to do in small numbers by a small company. Maybe he will find some old stock and re-badge it. 😉

 

[Ste_S]

To be honest I think the project has quietly died. Hope I'm wrong though...

 

[HHPhoto]

A working prototype was projected for late 2018, but that was back in late 2017. There haven't been any rumors or announcements about it yet. Have you been waiting for more news on the project and coming up with your own wishlists? What do you think is feasible?

I think this has been just a marketing stunt or scam. Because he has
- absolutely no knowledge in designing a camera
- absolutely no knowledge in engineering
- absolutely no knowledge in camera production and building up a manufacturing line.
He is only a marketing guy and camera dealer. Nothing more.
And in the industry he has a very bad reputation because of his scams.
For example his "Street Pan" Film. He was unhonest right from the beginning. Instead of being new film this is just old, long expired leftover Agfa (Belgium) stock (this film was coated over ten years ago!).
And it isn't real ISO 400 film either. Even in the best speed developers it is impossible to get more than ISO 200 (correctly measured at 0.1 logD for Zone I) from this film.
And it is sold at insane rip-off prices.
So it is indeed a triple scam.

Another example is that he tried to fool distributors by telling the story that Bergger has own R&D and production. Which is completely wrong (everyone in the business knows that). Bergger ist just a tiny distribution company with absolutely no own production or R&D. Their paper is made by Ilford, their Pancro film is made by Inoviscoat, their chemistry is made by Moersch.

Cheers, Jan

 

[retinax]

Maybe he has understood there's no point. Even if he was successful bringing it to market, it would be more extensive then the premium point&shoots on the used market and the main problem with them, mid-long-term repairability, would be equally bad with this thing if he can't get one of the major manufacturers with their design expertise, parts inventory system and repair network on board.

 

[B-9]

Maybe the premium compact was actually the JCH disposable!

 

[Muju79]

Have you tried asking him about it on Instagram, Twitter or email? He's usually very responsive on social media.

 

[Contarama]

Bellamy if you're reading may the wind always be at your back bro

JCH is sacred in my books

TCS is like a god or something

Imagine if they colluded on something like this

 

[Scope79]

I think this has been just a marketing stunt or scam. Because he has
- absolutely no knowledge in designing a camera
- absolutely no knowledge in engineering
- absolutely no knowledge in camera production and building up a manufacturing line.
He is only a marketing guy and camera dealer. Nothing more.
And in the industry he has a very bad reputation because of his scams.
For example his "Street Pan" Film. He was unhonest right from the beginning. Instead of being new film this is just old, long expired leftover Agfa (Belgium) stock (this film was coated over ten years ago!).
And it isn't real ISO 400 film either. Even in the best speed developers it is impossible to get more than ISO 200 (correctly measured at 0.1 logD for Zone I) from this film.
And it is sold at insane rip-off prices.
So it is indeed a triple scam.

Another example is that he tried to fool distributors by telling the story that Bergger has own R&D and production. Which is completely wrong (everyone in the business knows that). Bergger ist just a tiny distribution company with absolutely no own production or R&D. Their paper is made by Ilford, their Pancro film is made by Inoviscoat, their chemistry is made by Moersch.

Cheers, Jan

And let's not forget his silly attacks on fujifilm for cutting their film production that later every "analog expert wanna-be " repeated on their blogs/ websites.
As for new compact, why not make new parts for old cameras instead, like plastic gears or shafts?

 

[Scottboarding]

And let's not forget his silly attacks on fujifilm for cutting their film production that later every "analog expert wanna-be " repeated on their blogs/ websites.
As for new compact, why not make new parts for old cameras instead, like plastic gears or shafts?

That's one of the biggest thing that bothers me about him. Fujifilm is a business and businesses have to make money. If they're losing money on something, or barely profiting off of it, then it's in their best interest to cut it out. It's ridiculous to expect a company to lose money on a product just to please a niche group of people.

 

[Argentia1]

I think this has been just a marketing stunt or scam. Because he has
- absolutely no knowledge in designing a camera
- absolutely no knowledge in engineering
- absolutely no knowledge in camera production and building up a manufacturing line.
He is only a marketing guy and camera dealer. Nothing more.
And in the industry he has a very bad reputation because of his scams.

Exactly that.

For example his "Street Pan" Film. He was unhonest right from the beginning. Instead of being new film this is just old, long expired leftover Agfa (Belgium) stock (this film was coated over ten years ago!).
And it isn't real ISO 400 film either. Even in the best speed developers it is impossible to get more than ISO 200 (correctly measured at 0.1 logD for Zone I) from this film.
And it is sold at insane rip-off prices.
So it is indeed a triple scam.

Exactly that. I've tested this film, too. Very intensively.
This film is indeed long expired, has too high base fog and too low sensivity. And is completely overpriced.
If you really want this high-contrast look with empty shadows you can get the same look with either
- Superpan 200 at less than half the price
- any other normal BW film just by underexposure and then push-development.

Another example is that he tried to fool distributors by telling the story that Bergger has own R&D and production. Which is completely wrong (everyone in the business knows that). Bergger ist just a tiny distribution company with absolutely no own production or R&D. Their paper is made by Ilford, their Pancro film is made by Inoviscoat, their chemistry is made by Moersch.

Yes, another of these weird marketing fairy tales. Told again this last Photokina this fall.

 

[Argentia1]

And let's not forget his silly attacks on fujifilm for cutting their film production that later every "analog expert wanna-be " repeated on their blogs/ websites.

You are absolutely right. His hate and boycott campaign against Fuji is totally counterproductive. It has led to significantly decreasing demand, so that further niche films had to be discontinued. The victims are we all, the whole film photographer community.

As for new compact, why not make new parts for old cameras instead, like plastic gears or shafts?

+1.
There is a lot to gain by making of new spare parts.

 

[lonemantis]

Out of full disclosure, I've been a client of Bellamy's in the past, and have been very satisfied with his services. That said, whether this P&S Project is real or not, I don't believe it is the best use of time and resources to help sustain the film photography community.


Let's say he manages to develop and release a fully-formed, all-electronic film camera. What happens to all of these cameras in 20 years? Likely the same fate that has befallen many Contax T2s and Ricoh GR1s now - failure beyond repair. Even if the camera is a runaway success, it will rely on 3rd party electronics that will, one day,, no longer be produced.


A better use of time would probably be a very simple, pocketable, all-mechanical rangefinder. Even scale focus would be fine - the Lomography crowd doesn't seem to mind. Imagine something like a Rollei 35, with a tiny 28 or 35mm lens designed by MS Optics - that would be quite something.

 

[Sumarongi]

It's been over a year since Bellamy Hunt announced that he has started working on a 'premium compact camera.' [...]

Hence this thread here and this thread https://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2723056 should be merged.

IMHO.

 

[B-9]

Not sure if he is a smoker, but this is surely a pipe dream!

Great click bait for JCH.

Also one of the few confused with his critical comments about Fuji...

I would love to be wrong and this to be a real project.

 

[Skiff]

What do you think those capabilities could be?

A working prototype was projected for late 2018, but that was back in late 2017. There haven't been any rumors or announcements about it yet. Have you been waiting for more news on the project and coming up with your own wishlists? What do you think is feasible?

Honestly: Nothing.
This is just another clickbait and artificial marketing hype created by him.
A one-man show in camera trading without any education, qualification and experience in camera design and construction and no financial resources cannot make a high quality camera.
Period.

And I look at his track record: It is full of lies and scams.
On the one hand all the numerous lies he has told about Fujifilm, Bergger and several other companies in his blog and on social media.
And on the other hand the fraud with his "Street Pan" film: I've tested this film intensively (I reported here on the forum about my results). It is just very long expired former Agfa surveillance / aerial film. Significantly damaged quality because of its age (very high base fog, much decreased speed/sensivity: loss of about two stops). And all this crap for an insane price: It is the most expensive BW film on the market. He is totally cheating his customers.

We will have new film cameras in the future. Made by those who are competent: the camera manufacturers.
The collapse of digital camera sales in the last years has again accelerated this year. And this decrease will continue in the next years. On the other hand demand for film cameras is increasing. The camera manufacturers will discover that there will be a future, interesting and attractive niche market for new film cameras.

 

[GarageBoy]

I like how the JCH blog is mainly "what's in some random dude who happens to shoot film's bag" or "what's in some dudes fridge"

 

[Mooshoepork]

Any updates from this ****ing clown?

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Any updates from this ****ing clown?

Necessary?