With the encouragement of Stephen Dowling of Kosmo Photo, a group of camera bloggers were asked to write about three cameras they discovered in 2022 and what each one meant to them. Well, I thought, why should they have all the fun? So I came up with the three cameras that I most enjoyed using during the year.
The Ikkosha Start 35k
Since discovering the Kamerastore in December 2021 (has it only been a year?), and plunging into vintage analogue with the purchase of an Outlet Box, I have regularly scoured this second hand site for bargains. In April of 2022 they were offering an Ikkosha Start 35k, which really intrigued me.
The Start 35k is a simple Bakelite camera made in Japan by the Ikko Sha Co. Ltd. Introduced in 1952, it is as simple a camera as can be, with one shutter speed (and bulb), one aperture and … well that’s about it.
What appealed to me, though, was that although it takes 35mm film it is not wound into a cassette but as a Bolta spool, a paper-backed roll of film like 120 film, with about 12 exposures per roll. Naturally, these are not made any more so I created my own using 12-exposure rolls of expired Konica VX100 film wrapped into home made paper from old 120 films.
The camera has been a joy to use and I take it out whenever I can. The only downside so far is that I think the expired rolls have either been poorly stored and the colours have degraded, or the lab processing is uniquely awful, because it’s proven so difficult to get a decent enough image. Mind you, it certainly fulfills my idea of the #ShittyAesthetic.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ8
My first attempt at full-spectrum conversion for infrared photography, with a Canon Powershot A1400, was not completely successful. Although I removed the IR cut filter in front of the sensor, when I replaced the sensor it wasn’t quite in the focal plane and the images were slightly blurred.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on another Outlet Box from Kamerastore, this time of digital cameras. One of the cameras was a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ8, though this one had a large black spot on the sensor. Presumably the reason it was included in the Box.
Apparently the Lumix was a good contender for full-spectrum conversion, and with the spot on the sensor I had nothing to lose. Buoyed with confidence from the Canon conversion I set to work, and conversion was really straightforward. The spot on the sensor turned out to be a large grain of sand on the IR cut filter, and this was removed with a swift jet of air before removing the filter.
With an Urth 720nm Infrared filter screwed to the front, the full-spectrum Lumix is my favourite camera, especially during the summer months. I’ve even tried some digital infrared trichromes.
The Handle
The Kodak EK2 was an instant film camera produced from 1977 to around 1982, when Kodak lost a lawsuit to Polaroid and was forced to stop production of its instant film and cameras. Known as ‘The Handle’ because it uses a handle to eject the exposed film instead of motorised rollers, it’s a strange looking and really basic camera.
The Handle joined my collection for the #shittycamerachallenge competition #instantregret, which was intended for instant film cameras. It uses Kodak PR10/PR144 instant film, which of course is no longer available, so get the camera working again I made some thin plastic mounts for Instax Square film, and after a little practise I managed to get some reasonably well exposed images.
So these are the three cameras I have most enjoyed using during the year. I have others that are worthy contenders, like the ‘broken’ Olympus Pen mirrorless camera and the Lomography Experimental Lens Kit, or the Koroll half-frame 120 camera, or the Lomo Sputnik, with only one working shutter speed, or what I hope will be my go-to medium format camera, the Holga. But that, hopefully, is for next year.
If you are reading this and fancy entering your own three cameras, please go ahead, and if you could add a link to this post, that would be awesome. If you fancy reading the original posts from the challenge then they can be found at the links below.
Alex Luyckx at alexluyckx.com
Aly Chiarello at Aly’s Vintage Camera Alley
Peggy Marsh at Camera Go Camera
Alan Duncan at Austerity Photos
Jim Grey at Down The Road
Mike Eckman at mikeeckman.com
Theo Panagopoulos at Photo Thinking.
Eric Jason at Aperture Preview
Johnny Martyr at The Thoughts & Photography of Johnny Martyr
Shawn Granton at the Urban Adventure League.
Stephen Dowling at Kosmo Photo
Dan at Going Lomo
Have a good year and see you in 2023.
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I love your choices. Your second infrared photo is stunning.
Thank you. I think that infrared photo is my favourite, too.
Oh wow! Thanks for adding me to the list. Much appreciated.