1970s Ricoh Compacts, part 1: the Ricoh 35 ZF

The Ricoh 35 ZF is a zone focus, shutter priority (and full manual) 35mm camera from 1976. With a 40mm f/2.8 lens, shutter speeds from 1/500 to 1/8 (plus B), and an ISO range of 25-800, there isn’t too much to worry about: set the shutter speed (1/250 or 1/500 in daylight), put the aperture …

Missed a Spot!

I inherited a shiny little Ricoh 35-ZF some time ago and put a couple of rolls through it back during my photowalk days in 2011 or 2012 (and started another that took me 2+ years to finish). While I liked it well enough, it did have two annoying little issues. First off, the strap lugs made this great clacking sound at the …

Apples and Errors

I got off work yesterday at 2:30pm and arrived home by 3:15 or so. I had a very brief nap, shot a quick unboxing video of the SP-445 and had it posted by 5:15. By 6:15, I had two negatives drying in the shower and was changing clothes to go mow the lawn. I expected …

Agfa Optima Sensor 535, unboxing and overview

During my mad rush for a compact rangefinder, I went on a hunt for an Agfa Optima Sensor 1535, one of the more unique- and interesting-looking, and one of the last, compact rangefinders out there. They’re fairly rare, and usually in the $100+ range, so when I spotted one on Etsy for $50, I jumped …

New Toys: caveat emptor!

As mentioned, the FG was on the fritz, so I did a good bit of research and then picked up a Nikon FE from the ‘bay for a decent price. Here’s the seller’s complete description: This camera functions as designed and while used is in excellent cosmetic and functional condition. See pictures. Serial number is …

Enter the Diana Mini

Thanks to my darling, adorable wife and my awesome Mom, when my birthday arrived, everything on my wish list had arrived and was sitting in boxes next to the door. One of the boxes held a couple of fun new toys from Lomography: the Diana Mini, and the LC-A Instant Back! More about the instant …