Voltron Camera Review

Voltron Star Shooter Camera

(Article originally appeared in Light Leaks magazine)

Manufacturer: Made in Macau for Impulse LTD.

Date: 1985

Format: 110 film

Price: $50-$75 US

Summary: Plastic construction resembling a robot

Technical Details:

• Single element lens

• Simple thumbwheel film advance

• Flash socket for Magicubes

Attributes:

• No noticeable vignette

• Slight peripheral blurring.

• Relatively sharp lens on center.

• 110 film produces small negatives.

Field Notes:

  Voltron is a giant mecha robot from the 1980s cartoon series: Defender of the Universe. Thanks to the Impulse company, we have todays featured toy camera. What a beauty he his. Able to transform from a cool Japanese anime robot, to a fake 35 mm film shooter. Although the main lens on the front is fake, inside the body of this robot, is a 110 film shooter. Aside from being one of the coolest cameras I have ever come across, it does take pictures fitting of  the toy camera genre. The camera is very easy to use, as you can only push the shutter button, and advance the film using a thumbwheel. It does have a socket for Magicube flashes, but I did not have any to test. Without the flash, indoor shots are pretty much out of range. Getting 110 film is also getting harder to come by. Once a staple for all small instamatics and toy store cameras, it is slowly fading away. I found a supply of drugstore branded film at the local Walgreens. Color 200 ISO was my only choice. Since 110 film makes a negative size of only 13mm x 17mm, enlargments are pretty much out of the question. There is quite a bit of grain on the 4.5 x 3.5 inch prints that came back from the lab. There was no in-house developing available at my lab either. They had to send the film out and it took about 2 weeks to return. In summary, if you can locate one of these at a decent price, they are worth adding to the collection. Even if you don’t shoot with it, it’s a gorgeous shelf sitter and conversation piece for your toyhead friends to envy. * 110 film can now be bought thru www.lomography.com 

PhotoFlex MX-35 Camera

"PhotoFlex MX-35"

Thanks to my friend Gilbert and his mother Leslie,  I have this new camera called the PhotoFlex MX-35. Its a variation model of the plastic Time (magazine) camera. They were built to look like 35mm SLR cameras but do not operate as such. The camera has a 50mm plastic lens that is fixed focus. You can adjust the aperture to F6,8,11, and 16 if the lens markings are correct. The camera does have a hot shoe so you can use a flash unit if you like. For this test I loaded up some expired supermarket branded film. Very easy camera to operate and I like my first results.

Holga Micro-110 Camera

"Holga Micro-110 Camera"
Finally tested one of Holga's smallest cameras- the Micro 110. Since 110 film is gaining some popularity due to the new films by Lomography.com, now is the chance to give one a try. I picked up the 110 camera from the good people at Four Corners Store The camera literally fits in the palm of your hand. Snap a roll of 110 film onto the back, advance the thumb wheel, and trip the shutter button. That's all there is. I used some expired Walgreens film for this test. You get a lot of grain working with these small negatives, but can be nice in the right situations. Lomography has fresh 110 film in stock and I get my 110 film processed by the good people at Old School Photo Lab

New Jersey Psychic

"New Jersey Psychic"
More Holga stuff shot with expired Fuji color film. Ocean City NJ.

Lucy the Elephant

"Lucy"
Margate NJ. Love this place. Lucy the Elephant Home Page Shot on a Holga 120 CFN, expired Fuji film

Juice Camera

Juice Camera

Manufacturer: Fuuvi

Date: 2011

Format: 35mm film

Price: $25.00

Summary: Plastic 35mm spy type camera

Technical Details:

 Aperture F9.5

 Shutter 1/100

 Lens 28 mm

Attributes:

 Wide angle

 Slight vignette

 Slight edge blur

Field Notes:

  Using this camera is as easy as stealing a juice box from your nephew. You can go 007 with this baby since it looks like a typical child’s juice box. It’s also as basic as you get with a toy/plastic camera. It has a simple viewfinder, thumbwheel film advance, and a secret straw type shutter button. For this test, I popped open the back door and loaded some color 35mm 400 iso film. After advancing the film with the thumbwheel, you just take a peek thru the viewfinder and push down on the straw shutter button. There is also film counter window to keep track of what frame you are on. When you trip the shutter a small lens cover slides out of the way before the picture is taken. It’s all part of the disguise! That’s about all there is to this camera. Small, easy to toss in the camera bag, and takes some fairly decent pictures. They make a bunch of different style drink labels to choose from. I bought mine from the good people at the Four Corners Store. 
http://www.fourcornerstore.com/    

Asbury Park NJ Part 2

"Asbury Park NJ Part 2"
A few more shots from the Holga 120 TLR camera.

Asbury Park NJ

"Asbury Park NJ"
Took a day trip down to the Asbury Park NJ boardwalk. A lot has changed for the better since my last visit in 2003. The beach is great and lots of cool shops and restaurants. Shot these pics with a Holga 120 TLR loaded with expired color Fuji NPH film. Roll was a little loose when removing so some of the images are fogged on the edges.

10 Pin

"10 Pin" 
From the archives. Shot with my modified Dacora Arrow camera

Naples Florida

"Naples, Fl.- Holga"
SHots taken with a Holga 120 CFN model. Shot on expired Kodak Portra and some Fuji NPH400 films.

Naples- Holga

"Naples-Holga"
From a recent trip to Naples Florida. This is what happens when you use the square Holga mask and set the film selector switch to 16. I did not do it on purpose, but this makes for a fun triptych. Shot on some expired color film.

Pink Duo

"Pink Duo"
Shot with a Holgamods waist level finder Holga. www.holgamods.com

Hoops

"Hoops"
Shot with a Holgamods waist level finder Holga. www.holgamods.com

Big Shoes

"Big Shoes"
Shot with a Holgamods waist level finder Holga. www.holgamods.com

NJ State Fair 2011

"NJ State Fair 2011"
Some more pics from the Lomo Sprocket Rocket camera.

Freak Show

"Freak Show"
Fun day a the NJ State Fair with the Sprocket Rocket camera.

Mickey Mouse Camera Part 2

"Mickey Mouse 2"
A few more from from the Mickey Mouse camera.

Mickey Mouse Camera

"Mickey Mouse camera"
This was something special. My mother had held on to this camera from when I was a kid. I found some 126 film and had to bring him back to life. I shot these at a 4th of July parade in Maywood, NJ. You would not believe how many people commented on this camera. For the processing  I was lucky enough to come across the good people at http://www.oldschoolphotolab.com/  They know film and do it right! They were able to develop my 126 film, and provide great prints and digital files (CD). Uncropped as requested to boot. My negs were sleeved nicely and I also got an "I Love Film" bumper sticker. I highly recommend them for your film processing needs. Follow them on Twitter @OldSchoolLab and Facebook OldSchoolPhotoLab. Tell Steve Gary sent ya :)