20250302 - Begining
Film photography interests me. It brings a certain emotion. Twisting a screw into the wall. Shuffling a deck of cards. Plucking a guitar string. Film photography is tactile. In May 2024 my partner and I were visitng family in Kilarney. The south west of Ireland. Couple hours drive from where I live today. On the last leg, an antique shop appears. I passed this shop as a child with my dad many times, but never stopped. Now, an adult with my own money and time to waste we stop. Between copper garden statues and revolutionary memorbilia I found my first film camera. It was wrapped in a leather case. Well worn. The camera inside. Minox 35 GT golf. I barely knew what any of those words meant. For €20 it was worthy of the novelty. In the 10 months since then my interest in cameras has grown. As I write this I now own three cameras. I am eagerly awaiting my first roll of film to be developed. This brings me to today. A document, or timeline of my camera journey. My end goal is vague. For now this is a diary. You are welcome to give it a read. Share your experiences, and maybe help me along the way.
In the remainder of this article I will run through some key moments in my camera journey. Subsequent articles will feature updates, and articles on the specific cameras I use.
Camera Collection Summary
As of today I own five “cameras”. Some of them are more serious than others. But here is the summary as of this articles.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
Not a camera in the traditional sense the Fold 3 excites me. This phone is a traditional black rectangle that folds out to a tablet sized device. I do not know if the cameras are particularly good. The Fold’s form factor is the key. Folding the device makes lining up shots easier. You can hold the phone very naturally and fold the phone to adjust the angle. Shots from extremely high/low are much easier. You can place the phone on the ground, and it will sit straight. No need for a stand. Lastly, you can shoot from the hip very effectively. By holding the device at a right angle you can look down at the display while the main camera points at your subject.
I have no idea if any of these features have merit. But, they’re fun.
Main Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76”, 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6”, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm
Under Display Camera: 4 MP, f/1.8, 2.0µm
Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3”, 1.22µm
Hoco DV200 Kids Camera
This is a canera designed for children. I love it. This camera comes under many names and brands. It is most likely designed on mass and licensed out to businesses. My specific one is the Hoco DV200 but you will find others just like it on Amazon, Ali Express, or local electronics/toy shops. The concept here is simple. The camera uses a thermal printer to print out photos instantly. This is the same technology used in receipt printers. Images are burned onto the paper. No ink required. The photos have a grainy lo-fi quality. I adore this camera. Taking photos on the go, sharing them with people, and having no real “cost” when compared to traditional film.
I am not going to waste time talking specific specs. Its a toy first and foremost. Of note, I have two thermal printing devices. The Hoco DV200 and a bluetooth thermal printer from Flying Tiger. The later does not have a camera. Instead printing images directly from a phone. The images here came out much nicer than the DV200. I do not know if this is down to image quality, the printer tech, or a combinaiton of both. I would love to see a marage of ideas. A decent sensor/lens on a camera that can print instantly. For now I’ll enjoy this pair for my novel photos.
Minox 35 GT Golf
This is the first “serious” camera to discuss. 35mm film in a tiny form factor. A drawbridge reveals the camera lens. If the camera was any smaller you would not be able to fit the film. There are various Minox 35 models. The GT introduced a timer. The camera-wiki has some great info.
I am not sure if this camera works. For power it uses 4.5V lead battery, discontinued for obvious reasons. I managed to fit three 1.5V button batteries in its place. It powers on. However, I do not see the aperture open when I click the shutter button. This might require some work. I shot a roll of film before realising this issue. I guess we’ll wait and see.
The lens features a manual focus ring. It is tiny on this camera but ledgible. This is how I learned to read a manual focus.
Yashica MF-1 (1979)
Yashica has two cameras with this name. Mine is from 1979. The newer version is a 35mm reminiscent of classic disposable cameras. I have no idea why they used the MF-1 name for this camera. It has no resemblance to the 1979 version. From now on when I refer to the MF-1 I am talkng about the 1979 version.
I bought it in March 2025. All black, with a textured feel. This feels like a camera. The focus wheel is simplified. Four images help illustrate the ideal focus distance. The underside has corresponding numbers for the focus too. As of today I am carrying the MF-1 everywhere. It is pocketable, albeit not as small as the Minox 35. The simplified focus takes away the stress. Just set it and forget it.
The camera is filled with 35mm black and white ISO 100 film. Hopfully, I will get this developed in April.
Polaroid
Polaroid cameras inspired my interest in the Hoco DV200 seen prior. I love the instant development concept. Before I discovered the Hoco camera I wanted to turn a Polaroid into a thermal printer camera. Inspired by this Petal Pixel blog I bought a Polaroid but never got around to installing a thermal mechanism. Too many projects too little time.
This camera is untested. Removing it from the shell I can see much of the internals. It looks fine coming from me, but I have no idea what I am doing. Polaroid still produces film. I could buy some SX-70 film and try it out. But, for now it is just sitting on my shelf as a pretty paperweight.