I shot my first pix with my BBF today. I would like to share my thoughts on using the camera.
I can't comment on the pix it makes yet, as they are unprocessed. This is more of a commentary on my first impressions of using the camera.
Pluses:
- Extremely FUN to shoot (!)
- Takes 35mm films
- Weighs nothing
- Has a hot shoe
- Has a pretty wide lens (33mm covering 36x36 format)
- Can be focused from 0.8M to infinity via scale.
- Actually has known apertures and shutter speeds ('125 fixed, and f/7 or f/11 selectable), so you can get many decent exposures with transparency film, especially if you use a fast film and carry ND gels and some tape with you.
- Easy to operate: aperture lever, shutter lever, focus, and advance do not feel awkward in any way
- Well designed. It is not a toy designwise. It was made to be shot by "actual" photographers, for sure.
- Has a self cocking shutter that is not tied to the film advance in any way.
- Is relatively quick to use. Film advance is quick and has a click stop, so you don't have to babysit while advancing.
- Bulb mode is simple to use, although there are no provisions for attaching a cable release. Bring a black box to use on bulb.
- Sportsfinder is a welcome inclusion. Very, very handy.
- Small and goofy looking, yet could probably snag some quite nice pix, as nobody would take you for an "actual" photographer.
- I simply love composing in the TLR method and aspect ratio.
Minuses:
- It is a bit slow to load, although not terrible. Certainly could be done more quickly than a Leica once you get the hang of it.
- It is overpriced. I got mine for $75 each because I got three at once (one for myself, and two for X-mas gifts), but I still feel that this is a bit high, and I would really have to think long and hard before paying Freestyle's asking price of $120 (unless I was actually making money with the camera - HA!).
- Even though you look through a viewing lens that is coupled via gear to the taking lens, it is still scale focus only. As you change focusing distance, the image in the viewfinder does not change focus. This is a big deal, as I thought one of the coolest things about the camera would be that it is a true reflex camera, which would make it great for close focusing....well, IT ISN'T!
- If using the 24x24 mask, you still only get 36 pix per roll.
- Although it is relatively well designed, it is not terribly well built. I am not entirely confident that it will stand up to the heavy use I would like to give it. I am worried about some plastic moving, clicking, switching part giving up the ghost. Only time will tell. I certainly plan on using it till it breaks.
- The masks seem cool, but really have little use. You might as well just shoot 36x36 all the time, and crop as desired. Perhaps if they help film flatness, they might be worth using.
- Non-perf films will not register on the film counter, and may not even be usable at all without making a small hole for the takeup spool to catch.
- Viewing must be done from a distance. You can't put your eye right up to the WLF. Since you can't see the focus anyhow, this really isn't such a big deal.
- No cable release threads
- Would have been very easy for them to have included filter threads or a gel filter slot, but there aren't any.
- Tripod threads are on a small "island", which I have always found to be a very stupid design. They will work, but won't be as stable as they could be.
Although the minuses are a much longer and more detailed list, my overall impression of the camera is a good one, and I will be using it quite a lot.
I can't comment on the pix it makes yet, as they are unprocessed. This is more of a commentary on my first impressions of using the camera.
Pluses:
- Extremely FUN to shoot (!)
- Takes 35mm films
- Weighs nothing
- Has a hot shoe
- Has a pretty wide lens (33mm covering 36x36 format)
- Can be focused from 0.8M to infinity via scale.
- Actually has known apertures and shutter speeds ('125 fixed, and f/7 or f/11 selectable), so you can get many decent exposures with transparency film, especially if you use a fast film and carry ND gels and some tape with you.
- Easy to operate: aperture lever, shutter lever, focus, and advance do not feel awkward in any way
- Well designed. It is not a toy designwise. It was made to be shot by "actual" photographers, for sure.
- Has a self cocking shutter that is not tied to the film advance in any way.
- Is relatively quick to use. Film advance is quick and has a click stop, so you don't have to babysit while advancing.
- Bulb mode is simple to use, although there are no provisions for attaching a cable release. Bring a black box to use on bulb.
- Sportsfinder is a welcome inclusion. Very, very handy.
- Small and goofy looking, yet could probably snag some quite nice pix, as nobody would take you for an "actual" photographer.
- I simply love composing in the TLR method and aspect ratio.
Minuses:
- It is a bit slow to load, although not terrible. Certainly could be done more quickly than a Leica once you get the hang of it.
- It is overpriced. I got mine for $75 each because I got three at once (one for myself, and two for X-mas gifts), but I still feel that this is a bit high, and I would really have to think long and hard before paying Freestyle's asking price of $120 (unless I was actually making money with the camera - HA!).
- Even though you look through a viewing lens that is coupled via gear to the taking lens, it is still scale focus only. As you change focusing distance, the image in the viewfinder does not change focus. This is a big deal, as I thought one of the coolest things about the camera would be that it is a true reflex camera, which would make it great for close focusing....well, IT ISN'T!
- If using the 24x24 mask, you still only get 36 pix per roll.
- Although it is relatively well designed, it is not terribly well built. I am not entirely confident that it will stand up to the heavy use I would like to give it. I am worried about some plastic moving, clicking, switching part giving up the ghost. Only time will tell. I certainly plan on using it till it breaks.
- The masks seem cool, but really have little use. You might as well just shoot 36x36 all the time, and crop as desired. Perhaps if they help film flatness, they might be worth using.
- Non-perf films will not register on the film counter, and may not even be usable at all without making a small hole for the takeup spool to catch.
- Viewing must be done from a distance. You can't put your eye right up to the WLF. Since you can't see the focus anyhow, this really isn't such a big deal.
- No cable release threads
- Would have been very easy for them to have included filter threads or a gel filter slot, but there aren't any.
- Tripod threads are on a small "island", which I have always found to be a very stupid design. They will work, but won't be as stable as they could be.
Although the minuses are a much longer and more detailed list, my overall impression of the camera is a good one, and I will be using it quite a lot.
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