April 3, 2026
Remembering Ricoh – once prolific, now a cult camera
It’s easy to forget some of the big names that once dominated the camera industry. Take Ricoh, for example. Launched in 1917 under the name…
March 3, 2026
The French connection – the forgotten pioneers of photography
France isn’t a country whose name instantly leaps to mind when it comes to camera makers. So, really, what did the French ever do for…
February 23, 2026
Unexpected automation – ingenious ways mechanical cameras tackled automatic exposure
At the heart of a camera’s automatic exposure system lie three basic procedures. First came shutter priority, in which the photographer chose a shutter speed…
February 17, 2026
The Kookie – More toy than camera – but fully functioning?
Here’s an unusual camera that was aimed at children to take pictures indoors or outdoors and then develop them on the spot. It stands at…
February 7, 2026
Classic film cameras: Bell & Howell Electric Eye 127
Bell & Howell was most famous for its cine cameras, and this still camera adopted technology from the Electric Eye Autoset movie models. It’s an…
February 1, 2026
Lomo’Instant Square Glass review – irresistible instant charm
Amateur Photographer verdict The Lomo’Instant Square Glass is utterly unique, with its dual print formats and folding design. Instax film gives great results, too. For…
January 30, 2026
Fun early digital cameras under $65/$50
Let’s start, not with a digital camera, but with an image. Look at the picture of the cat below. Notice how the eyes, the fur,…
January 13, 2026
Film stars – how roll film makers tried to fight 35mm and lost
The Leica wasn’t the very first camera to use 35mm film, but it was the one that made the film truly viable. Looking back now,…
January 12, 2026
The classic Rolleiflex camera – a century of legend and legacy
The idea of a camera with twin lenses, one to take the picture, the other to reflect its image up to a viewfinder on the…
December 22, 2025
Classic film cameras – Purma Speed (127 camera)
The common practice among camera manufacturers has always been to improve the specifications of their cameras with each new model introduced. Purma did things differently.…
