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)

After my natural portrait test with the new Kodak Portra 160, I decided to see how it performs in a plastic camera. I have an original Holga 120S and a Woca (amongst many other plastic cameras), but I must admit I prefer the Woca’s glass lens. Ironic, no? So I popped a roll of Portra 160 into my Woca and headed out to the Jardin du Palais Royal. The first thing I am noticing about this film is that it basically reproduces the actual conditions you see. When the sun was out and everything was bright, I got this super vibrant result:

This has no adjustment for contrast for the sake of this review and as you can see the color is significantly more intense than the natural portraits I did for the first test (the sky was cloudy). To prove my point, have a look at this shot (also from the Jardin du Palais Royal) taken 10 minutes later when the sun ducked behind a cloud:

This is a lot more muted and flat compared to the first shot. Granted, the color palette is also muted compared to flowers, but this shot doesn’t quite pop like the first one. So far my official opinion of the new Kodak Portra 160 is that you definitely get what you see.

Up Next: I am pushing Kodak Portra to 3200 to see if it lives up to the Portra Push reputation.

*Now, as for comments about my current scanner, I test with what I have. That’s what a real test is. I think there are a lot of people who would like to know how this film performs with the equipment they have, as opposed to how it performs with top-of-the-line inaccessible scanners. That being said, if you would like me to use a higher quality scanner for future film reviews, feel free to buy me one :)

Ok, so I have now had my Fuji Natura Classica for about 6 months and have played around with it sufficiently to finally give you guys a decent review.

Let me start with the Pros:

1. It’s small (easily fits in purse/pocket)
2. It’s light as a feather
3. It makes very little noise
4. It’s great for dark interiors and dusk
5. Generally it replicates the exact same colors and light as your shooting situation
6. NP mode with 1600 film is fabulous.
7. It’s easy to use.
8. It has a remote. Sweet.

Now let’s take a look at the Cons:

1. It’s expensive (for a point and shoot)
2. It doesn’t like bright light. So far this is my biggest problem. The aperture on the Fuji Natura Classica goes from 2.8 to 5.4, which means that even with ISO 50 your shots are overexposed in direct sunlight. I would not use this camera at the beach, for example.
3. Camera shake. This is not a “walk and shoot” camera. Not unlike a Holga, you have to stop moving and hold the camera really still for a truly sharp image. 
4. No manual settings. You can tweak this guy a little bit (for example it has a slow shutter mode) but you’re mostly shooting automatic.
5. Generally it replicates the exact same light and color as the shooting situation. Yes, I listed this as a pro as well, but I can’t decide if it’s good or not considering I use a lot of Fuji Velvia and Provia because I likes me some hot poppy color.

Overall, if you buy this camera with the intention of using it as you’re all around go-to camera for any situation, you will be disappointed. However, if you buy this camera with the intention of using it for what it was designed for, you will love it. This little guy is specifically for low-light, and that’s when it really shows it’s capabilities.

Let’s take a look at some of the shots from my wedding reception ((these were shot by az2dc aka Man Flame, because I was too busy briding-it-up): correction these were totally taken by my TWIN FLAME aka meauxwastaken on Tumblr)

This is the courtyard at dusk:

and this is the same shot at 10:00pm

I feel like both of these are really pretty, and I think I would have had a hard time getting natural light shots like these even with my FM2. Obviously, I could’ve cleaned up the dust a little more but let’s not get too demanding now…

Moving on, we have inside the tent at dusk (around 7:30-8:00pm):

and inside the tent at night (around 10:00 pm)

Keep in mind that there are no other lights besides the Japanese laterns and fairy lights around the tent. That’s why they call it the “Natura Classica”

and last but not least, this is my wedding cake, shot inside at night:

Isn’t it pretty? (thanks Edna!) Notice how the shadows and highlights have a great tonal range… not one bit of white on that table cloth is blown out (hello, advantage of shooting film).

I get a lot of questions about where I bought my Fuji Natura Classica; it was given to me by my husband but he ordered it off of Japan Direct Shop: http://hovanfue.com/products/Fujifilm-NATURA-CLASSICA.html

More samples I have shot with the Fuji Natura Classica: http://istillshootfilm.org/tagged/fuji_natura_classica

Overall, do I recommend the Fuji Natura Classica? Yes!

Recently, a lot of people having been asking me which digital camera I would recommend and what’s my favorite camera… as I have said before I am not an expert on digital SLRs but I figured it would be nice to do a quick rundown of some of the options out there for all who are interested.

• As per many of your questions, my “dream camera” is a Mamiya RZ67. I would also theoretically purchase a digital back to go with said dream camera. The whole package is about $21,000, so maybe not right away…
• My favorite camera that I own is my Nikon FM 2. I have had it since I was 10 years old and it has never failed me. EVER.
• My 2nd favorite camera is my Kiev 88 (a Russian copy of a Hasselblad). It’s super heavy but takes amazing photos. I use it for work a lot.
• I do not recommend buying automatic and/or new film SLRs. The body and lenses are made from plastic instead of metal, and there’s a big difference in the resulting images.

Moving on…

• The digital camera I work with is a Canon EOS 20D. I bought it because it’s cheap and takes studio lights. To be honest it’s served me well, but I’ve been wanting to get rid of it for a long time. I would recommend it (well the equivalent, they don’t make it anymore) to someone looking for a mid-level SLR that’s not too expensive.  I have upgraded to a Nikon D300s, it takes all of the old lenses I had for my FM2 and I am very happy with it so far. 

But…

• The digital camera I want (besides forementioned dream camera) is a Nikon D700.  I need lower noise, it’s out of control and an editor even mentioned something about it the other day (ahhh). In fact, I think I might sell my Canon and buy the Nikon. Obviously, I did not end up getting this model as previously stated.

Which leads us to: Stats

Nikon (under $1000)

• D60: 10.2 megapixels, no price listed on website
• D40: 6.1 megapixels, $499.99 (this is really really small for resolution)
• D3000: 10.2 megapixels, $549.95. This is definitely a good option for a starter
• D5000: 12.3 megapixels, movie mode, $629.95. Also a good choice to start with.
• D90: 12.3 megapixels, $899. I know professionals who use this.

Canon (under $1000)

• EOS Rebel XS: 10.1 megapixels, $569.99 (kit)
• EOS Rebel T2i EF-S: 18.1 megapixels, movie mode, $899.99. This guy gives super high quality images for the price. In fact, as I am writing this I am wondering if I should buy it.
• EOS Rebel T1i EF-S: 15.1 megapixels, HD video, $799. This also seems like a pretty great deal for the quality level.

Fuji

• S Series: I have never actually tried a Fuji digital product, but I love Fuji for film products (especially since they still manufacture EVERYTHING). While you can’t change the lenses on the Fuji S Series, they seem like they would definitely be a good option for beginners.

Pentax and Olympus might also be good places to look, although to be honest I don’t know anyone who works with either so I can’t say much about quality. Another thing some people might be interested to know: a lot of professional photographers (myself included) rent expensive camera equipment just for the day of the shoot. Same goes for lights, studio, and sometimes even assistants. Which means theoretically if you wanted to test a camera, you could rent it for a day and see how you feel. Or if you have a super limited budget, you can rent when you need to shoot. Hope this helps!