The Blackbird Fly is a 35mm twin-lens reflex (TLR) camera made by Superheadzin 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)
Shot #2: Street Painting, Village Saint Paul, Paris
Film: Kodak Portra 400
Camera 1: Yashica Electro 35 GTN, Camera 2: Nikon FM2
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About Yosuke Suzuo
Age: 29, Location: Kobe, Japan
Bio: Born in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1982. Currently live and work in Kobe, Japan. Started shooting film photos in 2005, when I was working as a 35mm cinema projectionist at a movie theater in Kobe. I love film photography. I’m mainly interested in a street photography. My aim is taking a photograph as if it has own scent or sound. Tells history behind people’s faces. As you know, we hit by the terrible disaster on 3.11, and its effects are still ongoing. At now, we share the firm belief that we rebuild from the devastation. We are deeply grateful for your help from all over the world.
Camera 1: Yashica Electro 35 GTN, Camera 2: Nikon FM2
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About Yosuke Suzuo
Age: 29, Location: Kobe, Japan
Bio: Born in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1982. Currently live and work in Kobe, Japan. Started shooting film photos in 2005, when I was working as a 35mm cinema projectionist at a movie theater in Kobe. I love film photography. I’m mainly interested in a street photography. My aim is taking a photograph as if it has own scent or sound. Tells history behind people’s faces. As you know, we hit by the terrible disaster on 3.11, and its effects are still ongoing. At now, we share the firm belief that we rebuild from the devastation. We are deeply grateful for your help from all over the world.
Shot #1: The Great Buddha Statue, Hyogo, Kobe Japan
Shot #2: Quai Bourbon, Paris
Film: Kodak Portra 400
Camera 1: Yashica Electro 35 GTN, Camera 2: Nikon FM2
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About Yosuke Suzuo
Age: 29, Location: Kobe, Japan
Bio: Born in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1982. Currently live and work in Kobe, Japan. Started shooting film photos in 2005, when I was working as a 35mm cinema projectionist at a movie theater in Kobe. I love film photography. I’m mainly interested in a street photography. My aim is taking a photograph as if it has own scent or sound. Tells history behind people’s faces. As you know, we hit by the terrible disaster on 3.11, and its effects are still ongoing. At now, we share the firm belief that we rebuild from the devastation. We are deeply grateful for your help from all over the world.
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About Katarina Ribnikar
Age: 18, Location: Slovenia Bio:Hello, I’m Katarina and I was born and raised in a little country called Slovenia in Europe. I’m eighteen years old and I’m enjoying life to the fullest. In my life there was always room for art in all forms. I love movies, music, books, theatre and I always had a thing for photography, but usually I was standing on the other side of the camera, as a model. Then I discovered the charms of film photography and it still fascinates me. I like taking photos of beautiful people all over the world, cute vintage objects and details that often attract my attention. Links
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About Katarina Ribnikar
Age: 18, Location: Slovenia Bio:Hello, I’m Katarina and I was born and raised in a little country called Slovenia in Europe. I’m eighteen years old and I’m enjoying life to the fullest. In my life there was always room for art in all forms. I love movies, music, books, theatre and I always had a thing for photography, but usually I was standing on the other side of the camera, as a model. Then I discovered the charms of film photography and it still fascinates me. I like taking photos of beautiful people all over the world, cute vintage objects and details that often attract my attention. Links
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About Katarina Ribnikar
Age: 18, Location: Slovenia Bio:Hello, I’m Katarina and I was born and raised in a little country called Slovenia in Europe. I’m eighteen years old and I’m enjoying life to the fullest. In my life there was always room for art in all forms. I love movies, music, books, theatre and I always had a thing for photography, but usually I was standing on the other side of the camera, as a model. Then I discovered the charms of film photography and it still fascinates me. I like taking photos of beautiful people all over the world, cute vintage objects and details that often attract my attention. Links
Shot #1: Entrance of Bellas Artes Subway Station, Caracas, Venezuela
Shot #2: Mona Lisait Bookstore, Paris, France
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About José Orsini
Age: 23; Location: Caracas, Venezuela Bio:I’m José Orsini. I’m 23 years old and I live in Caracas, Venezuela. 10 years ago, I read an article in a magazine about the Lomo LC-A and from that moment I fell in love of Photography. To me, it’s more than just a hobby or an artistic expression: every photo is full of life and meaning. Photography makes every moment to stop in time and record it into something that lasts more than our memories. That’s why I always carry a camera in my bag.
Shot #1: Surroundings of Venezuela Square, Caracas, Venezuela
Shot #2: Moulin Rouge, Paris, France
This image is part of I Still Shoot Film’s World Wide Film Swap, which features photographers from 12 different countries. More information on the film swap can be found here.
About José Orsini
Age: 23; Location: Caracas, Venezuela Bio:I’m José Orsini. I’m 23 years old and I live in Caracas, Venezuela. 10 years ago, I read an article in a magazine about the Lomo LC-A and from that moment I fell in love of Photography. To me, it’s more than just a hobby or an artistic expression: every photo is full of life and meaning. Photography makes every moment to stop in time and record it into something that lasts more than our memories. That’s why I always carry a camera in my bag.
