Those little things that freeze a moment…

At the end of September, I got myself my very first DSLR (a Canon EOS 500D), and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it, it’s become one of my best friends! However, I’ve read a lot about DSLRs, and I have a lot of books to do with them; and I can definitely mirror a lot of others’ opinions in the sense of if you’re only getting a DSLR to take pictures in the auto mode, and don’t really want to fiddle around with all the settings…don’t get one. It’s honestly not worth the money if you’re only going to use it in that way, and only use it occasionally. If, however, you’re going to really get your fingers dirty and get down to all the technicalities of the camera, go for it! It is definitely one of the best (and most expensive) things I’ve ever bought.

If you just want a camera to point at the subject and press the shutter, then go for any of the point and shoot cameras that are out there – there are loads to choose from these days, and a lot of them are just as good as DSLRs for quality pictures these days, especially with all those mega-pixels! Sure, there are advantages that DSLRs have over point and shoots, but I believe it’s more about HOW you use the camera, not so much the camera itself. I was using point and shoot cameras for years until I finally forked out for the DSLR, and it’s possibly why it took me so long to get one (well, that and the money). It’s all about really getting to know your camera well, well enough so that you can just whip it out of your bag and fiddle around for a few seconds, then point it…and shoot it. If you know the camera well enough, you should be able to understand how to get the shot you want, because you will have practised with it enough to know which settings will work best for the scenario. I haven’t discarded my Sony Cybershot either, it still comes out with me – I end up going out with two cameras now, the Sony and the Canon.

However, on Saturday, I went and got yet another camera! It was very much an impulse buy, I wasn’t planning on it, but we stumbled across a man selling old cameras on Portobello Road Market…and after a bit of haggling…I got it! It’s a 1979 Pentax auto 110, and it’s a pretty little thing. And little, it is! The best part was that it’s in the original box, and it’s got the flash, an extra lens, winder and the original instruction manual – not bad! Pictures below (from the web):

So, I don’t know whether these look pretty to you…but I certainly find them pretty! And, as one of my friends said: “Cameras are a beautiful piece of machinery” Enough said! Next up on my camera wish list is a polaroid camera – I’ve been wanting one for ages, I actually got one from a charity shop but it didn’t work. However, the boy has said “let’s see what Santa brings”…so we will see. Are you addicted to cameras? Do share in the comments, and share your favourite cameras, I’d love to hear about them. Happy Monday, hope you’ve all been managing to make it a good one!

Polaroid Effect

Been playing around a bit on Picnik, which is a great online photo editing site, and I really love Polaroids, so I started playing around with this effect, and I really like it…what do you think? I would love an old Polaroid camera – I got one from a charity shop a while back, but it didn’t work anymore, which was a real shame. The other thing to take into account is the cost of the film. I researched it a while back, and I found a company who were trying to reproduce the film again, but think the project didn’t go ahead in the end. Do you know of any good companies that sell polaroid film? Film that hasn’t expired! Anyway, hope you enjoyed my little edits

Polaroid 300 Review – Telegraph

A review of the Polaroid 300 Instant Camera, by Hunter Skipworth for the Telegraph:

The Polaroid 300 camera signals a return for the once iconic instant camera company. It brings with it the spontaneity and excitement that died with the company when it fell in the wake of the digital camera revolution.

The Polaroid had long been synonymous with trendy party snaps, awkward family photos and faded fashion shoots. But as digital imaging made taking and reviewing pictures cheaper and faster than Polaroid, the instant film company failed to survive the competition. Now, however, Polaroid is back and has returned with at least some of the style and fun the company once had.

The Polaroid 300 is not much to look at when compared to the retro design of the old Polaroid range. It essentially resembles a big plastic blob, which is precisely what it is. Don’t be fooled by this however, it feels good in the hand and is extremely robust, precisely what you want a Polaroid to be.

It is important to remember that despite this camera signalling Polaroid’s return, it is in fact a rebranded Fujifilm. Instant photography has been available for some time in the form of the Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s, which takes the same film and looks identical to its Polaroid cousin.

The camera is extremely simple to use with just four picture modes going from indoors to bright sunlight. I found the exposure to be extremely unpredictable, ending up shooting either at the brightest or darkest settings. But then this unpredictability is what makes Polaroid fun. At £12.99 for a pack of ten shots the excitement as the picture rolls out the camera is heightened by a combination of expense and the fact it could be totally wrong.

The lens you find on the camera is perfectly suited to taking Polaroids; it is big and wide and soft, providing those washed- out dreamy images you expect from an instant camera. The viewfinder however is slightly more problematic, it is far wider than the lens and can make composition a bit of a problem.

Loading film into the Polaroid is a joy; it is perhaps the simplest and easiest film camera I have ever used. The film comes in plastic packs of ten which simply slot into a door on the back of the camera. The packs appear to be light sealed which means opening the camera won’t have any adverse effects on the film.

One thing to mention about the film is its size. The 300 takes the same smaller film that you find in its Fujifilm brother. This film is slightly smaller than that of the original Polaroid film and dosen’t quite produce the colours of the original. The shift and desaturation is still there but for those of you who are Polaroid fanatics, you will be disappointed.

Due to the expense of each shot, taking a picture with the Polaroid feels like a treat. After carrying it round with me for a week I have found myself using my digital compact or phone for all but the best of fun and family snaps. But there have been a few moments when things really needed that ‘Polaroid feel’. For those shots, being able to shoot Polaroid again is a joy. The feeling you get when handing someone the results straight away from a shot you have just taken is rather special. But until Polaroid start releasing cheaper film, it will remain a feeling that we will have to save for decadent moments.

Original article can be found at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/7814302/Polaroid-300-Review.html