I Still Shoot Film

First Impressions

The Blackbird Fly is a 35mm twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera made by Superheadz in Japan. It’s also super cute, comes in a choice of colors and, in my opinion, is everything that’s right about plastic cameras today.

When I first saw the Blackbird Fly, I was like: I want one. This doesn’t surprise any of you because, as we all know, I am seriously addicted to cameras. In fact, the Blackbird Fly immediately took me on a nostalgic trip back to college when I had a Seagull, which is a 120 format plastic TLR camera. I lost it somewhere along the way and to do this day, I have no idea what happened to my Seagull or where it is. It’s the only camera I have ever lost.

I have other TLRs, but they are pretty clunky - like my Mamiya C330. The thing that I love the most about shooting with a TLR is that people don’t necessarily know what you’re photographing and that makes street shooting much easier. Needless to say I was thrilled when the generous folks at Superheadz agreed to let me test out a Blackbird Fly.

When I took it out of the box my first reaction was, “Wow it’s so small!” It’s also incredibly light… so much so you could probably forget you were carrying it in your bag or even around your neck. It only weighs 210 grams, which is probably the equivalent weight of a lens cap for most of my cameras. It also comes with a little plastic bird cage to store it in, which I happen to think is adorable and clever. Plus, it protects from dust which is very important if, like myself, you live in an urban environment. Or if you have long-haired pets.

As far as aperture goes, you have a choice between f/7 for “cloudy” and f/11 for “fine weather.”  For shutter speed, you can choose between 1/125 or “B” for bulb. The bulb function leaves the shutter open as long as you hold it. Not unlike the Holga, you would probably want to use a flash with the Blackbird Fly if you were shooting indoors or at dusk.

Shooting Formats

The Blackbird Fly gives you the option to shoot in three different formats: standard 35mm (24mm x 36mm), square format (24mm x 24mm), or full frame with sprocket holes. It comes with two masks: one for standard and one for square. For full frame, you simply remove the mask. Obviously, you have to choose which format you want and change the mask accordingly before you load the film.

It’s also very easy to make multiple exposures with this camera because you can pop the shutter as many times as you want without advancing the film.

Loading Film

When I opened up the Blackbird Fly to load film in it, I suddenly realized that I have never loaded 35mm film into a TLR camera and it was a little weird at first. It feels as though you’re loading the film backwards, but in fact not. I would say it took me about 15 minutes to load and I am a person who can load film into a camera with a blindfold and two hands tied behind my back.  I have included some nifty instructions and a video from Superheadz, in case any of you need it (I know I did):

Let’s move on to actual shooting:

Shooting with the Blackbird Fly is pretty straightforward. The shutter release is on the front and the winding knob is on the side. In case you are not familiar with TLRs, one lens takes the picture and the other lets you see the picture in the viewfinder. This means that, like a with rangefinder, you don’t actually see what you’re photographing. This is important to keep in mind, especially if you’re shooting portraits.

I shot a roll of Kodak Ektar 100, which tends to give a decent amount of contrast on its own. Combined with the Blackbird Fly and a super sunny day, I got this:

This is the Jardin des Plantes, which is a lovely park/garden in the 7th. A certain amount of contrast disappeared when I uploaded this, because my version is super bright and poppy. The vignetting is also more pronounced. In fact, I got vignetting on almost every single one of my shots and I was not using a flash.

I am quite pleased with this result, especially when you take into account that the lens is plastic. Here’s some more shots from the Jardin des Plantes and around Paris:

I also tested out some double/multiple exposures, which I find come out really well with this camera:

Overall, I really enjoyed using this camera. I feel like it does a lot of the things you want a plastic camera to do but don’t always get… a little image distortion but not too much, high or low contrast, vignetting and an overall vintage feeling. Plus the format makes it a little more accessible for people who don’t  labs that develop medium format film in their area. If you’re looking for a fun little plastic camera, this guy is worth the money.

Warranty

A plastic camera that comes with a warranty: now that’s classy. In fact, the Blackbird Fly comes with a full year replacement warranty. That means that if for whatever reason it stops working, Superheadz will send you a new one.

Tech Specs:

Film Format: 35mm (135 for Europeans)
Lens: 33mm f/7
Shutter Speed: 1/125 or “B”
Aperture: f/7 or f/11
Focus: from 0.8 meters (2.6 feet) to infinity
Weight: 210 grams (7.4 ounces)

Official Site: http://www.superheadz.com/bbf/

Where to Buy It:

Superheadz provides a list of official vendors on it’s website here.

But you can also get it online at:

B&H Photo
Amazon
Adorama
Four Corner Store

(Source: istillshootfilm.org)

So, you want to buy a film camera… you may think that they are no longer manufactured, but you would be mistaken. Fuji, Leica and Hasselblad are just a few of the companies that still manufacture film cameras - even if the latter may cost you your first born child after refinancing your house. Now is the perfect time to snag up as many film cameras as possible, while people are upgrading to digital and 35mm isn’t old enough to be considered “antique.” You would be surprised how often you can find great film cameras for a couple of dollars… I believe I paid $2.50 for my Moskva 5 and it’s one of the cameras I use the most. Purchasing used and vintage film cameras may seem intimidating if you are not familiar with them, but it’s actually easier than you think. First you have to remember: if you don’t buy the camera from a dealer or shop, there’s always a risk of something being wrong with it, even if it looks perfect. That’s a chance you’ll have to be willing to take. But let’s consider these important points:

First, ALWAYS stop at thrift stores. No matter where you are. I have found cameras in the following extremely obscure places: Cape Cod, MA, Owensboro, KY, Carthage MI, Culpeper VA and even the Jersey Shore. I have also found cameras in bustling tourist markets in Paris, New York, Barcelona, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh. Whether or not a place seems like it would have vintage cameras is irrelevant; always keep your eyes open.

If a camera is less than 5 bucks and it’s not in shit condition, buy it. Who are you kidding? You know you want to, so why bother playing this game with yourself. You can always take it apart and use the pieces for a super cool camera hack.

If you go camera shopping at flea markets, GET THERE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Seriously, I am that person who shows up at 7:00 am, buys every camera for sale and leaves before anyone ever even knew there were vintage cameras available. I have gotten TONS of super fabulous cheap cameras like this, including my Kodak Retinette, Dacora-Matic and Zenit-E.

When you are considering buying a camera, start by looking at the body. Normal wear and tear is no biggie but these are the things you should look for in a working camera:

• a smooth shutter advance
• a back that fully opens and closes
• shutter pops at all speeds (open up the body and watch the shutter pop to make sure, I usually pop the shutter at least 10 times to verify it’s working properly)
• you can easily slide the aperture ring
• you can easily adjust the shutter speed without the dial getting stuck

On top of these, it is also important that:

• the interior of the body has no mold or fungus
• the lens is free of mold and fungus (very small spots on the lens are okay - they’ll give your photos a vintage touch, but if you look through the lens and it’s cloudy, blotchy or you can clearly see foreign matter, it’s a no-go.)

On another note, beware of people selling their cameras for over $50, and even at $50 it should be a kit with multiple lenses or extra accessories. If someone tells you their camera is worth x amount and they’re not willing to bargain, walk away. I’ve seen my beloved FM2 for sale for under a hundred bucks and it makes me sad, but film cameras are not worth what they used to be. *Obviously, this does not apply if you come across a magical suitcase of medium format Mamiyas or something glorious like that.*

These are the main things that I have looked for and it hasn’t failed me yet. You can also get great deals by buying a body with a damaged lens and then a damaged body with a clean lens and swapping the two (obviously they need to be the same model, but it’s easier to find than you think; I once saw 5 Canonets in the same flea market).

That being said, I now release you into the wild to buy your own vintage cameras. Feel free to submit any babies you find :)

submitted by theanatomyof

I know, I know. You all relied on me for eBay deals and then they just disappeared, and I am very sorry. I keep intending to bring them back but I am just so swamped with work that everytime I sit in front of my computer, I never make to eBay. But, I have made some time to bring you eBay deals just before Christmas… nevermind that I am a Jew, that’s not important. Moving on, I bring you EBAY FILM CAMERA DEALS YAY!!

Here are the goodies:

• Pentax K1000 (KIT): starting bid 99 cents (yes, seriously and everything works so get on it), comes with 50mm f/1.4 Pentax lens, 28mm f/2.8 Vivitar lens and 80-200mm Albinar ADG lens, Vivtar UV filter, external flash head, extra camera battery, lens duster and lens cleaning cloth - PLUS - the instruction manual. Ends in 6 days. http://bit.ly/gwfjtF

• Smena 8M: starting bid $15 or buy it now for $16.50, ends in 6 days. This little guy is not a fully manual SLR, but I have one and I love it and this is a great price, so I thought I would throw it on here. http://bit.ly/gANAGn

• Minolta XK: starting bid $9, comes with 39-80mm Sigma lens, ends in 4 days. http://bit.ly/gLt50S

• Ricoh Singlex TLS: buy it now for $35, comes with 55mm Fujinon lens, ends in 29 days. http://bit.ly/ehsjCq

• Minolta X-700 (KIT): starting bid $25 or buy it now for $65, comes with 35-70mm f/3.5 and 80-200mm f/4.5 lenses, Vivitar Auto 2600 flash, and Samigon auto-winder, ends in 9 days. http://bit.ly/dR5DjI

• Pentax K1000: starting bid $34.99, comes with what appears to be a 50mm lens, ends in 6 days. http://bit.ly/f9OYaU

• Miranda Sensorex: starting bid $79.95, comes with f/1.8 50mm lens, ends in 6 days, US shipping only. I have never heard of this little guy, but it’s Japanese, pretty and in great condition. http://bit.ly/fjtRco

• Pentax K1000: starting bid $29.99, comes with 50mm f/1.2 lens, ends in 4 days. http://bit.ly/fM0efn

• Nikon FM10: buy it now for $79, comes with 35-70mm f/3.5 Nikon Lens and leather carrying case, ends in 6 days. http://bit.ly/gjsH9f

Splurge:

• Nikon FM2: starting bid $175, comes with 24-70mm Vivitar lens, ends in 6 days. I have had this camera for almost 19 years and it is a beast. It’s totally worth $175. http://bit.ly/hHvR96

(Source: istillshootfilm.org)