From The Shelves: 2 Tiny Cameras

     What are the things that attract me to film photography and and toy photography?  I suppose the biggest allure is discovering for myself the complexities of film and the techniques that can define a person's style.  Another big one is nostalgia.  I remember having a cheap point & shoot camera as a kid and burning through rolls and cartridges of cheap film, with no idea what was going to happen after my mom took the film to be developed (whatever that meant).  After starting to become interested in photography again in my early twenties I feel I am going through the same things all over.  The advances in my reading and comprehension that come along with being a vicenarian make this more exciting.  Also, I don't depend on my mom to get my film developed anymore.

     The reason I started this jag on nostalgia is that I am going to talk about a couple of cameras that use 110 film cartridges.  I remember 110 film being the film of choice for inexpensive, plastic, childrens' cameras in the early 90's, so I remember handling it early on.  It was invented in the early 70's and lasted into the late 2000's and was seeming like it was going to disappear completely a few years ago.  I have been finding expired, Chinese brands of 110 film the last several years and have been using that, but even that seems to be scarce these days.  Then, in May of this year, Lomography announced that it would be manufacturing new 110 film - both in B&W and in color.  The B&W film is being branded under the name Orca and the C-41 under the name Tiger.  The film I had been using (until I just used my last 2 cartridges) was Quality brand.  That's the actual name.  I think it was a few years expired, but that only adds to the excitement.

     I had almost forgotten about the cartridge of 110 film sitting in my film bag in my fridge when I received a package in the mail from a friend and former couchsurfer from San Francisco.  The package contained not one but TWO tiny 110 cameras.  The first was the Tom Thumb camera in the original box, complete with very dated graphic design.  The second was the Demekin, which is a camera made by one of my favorite toy camera manufacturers: SuperHeadz/PowerShovel.  I will not offer up the link to their website because it is impossible to comprehend and navigate.  You can find it yourself if you want an peek into the Tokyo web-design underworld.  The Demekin has a fixed fisheye lens, which makes sense considering demekin is also the name for those goldfish with the giant eyes protruding from the sides of their heads.  Peep the 'kin:

Demekin Camera
Taken with iPhone

     I'm getting better at photographing my cameras, huh?  The second camera I dug up was my old Argus 20 camera I've had for years.  I pulled it out of one of my camera shelves and there was already some Quality film in it!  Here's what the Argus looks like:

Argus 20
Taken with iPhone

     This one has a regular, non-fisheye lens.  Check out the sophisticated viewfinders on these guys.

     Ok, as for a shooting location I completely lucked out.  My friend and bandmate Jason scored me tickets to Doe Bay Fest in Doe Bay, Orcas Island, Washington.  Not to brag, but Doe Bay Fest is a super exclusive music festival that releases only 1000 tickets for the 3-dayer, and it typically sells out in less than 30 seconds.  I was teased by my friends, but I wore my cameras (one at a time) on a string around my neck to ensure I would always have one at the ready.  The only unfortunate thing was that I had only 2 film cartridges.  I loaded one into the Demekin, or more accurately I put the camera on the film (the cartridge is about the same size as the camera).  I plowed through the film more quickly than I should have, but made a conscious effort to include people in my photos.  Most of these people were my friends, but I did get a couple crowd shots.  Here are the highlights from the Argus:

William, Surveying the Campsite
Taken with Argus 20 on Quality film

Doe Bay Rocks
Taken with Argus 20 on Quality film

Orcas Island Forest
Taken with Argus 20 on Quality film

Whitney Waiting for the Ferry
Taken with Argus 20 on Quality film

      The photos turned out pretty good for expired "quality" film shot through a plastic lens.  There were plenty of light leaks - most noticeable in the picture of the forest.  Those are not telephone lines.  By the way, all this film was developed by the legendary Dwayne's Photo in Kansas.  Here in Seattle we do have places that will develop 110 film, but I decided to give Dwayne's a try because I've heard so many great things about them.  Needless to say, they did not disappoint.

     For the Demekin, I got even more light leaks, and tons of sun flare, which I expected with the giant plastic lens.  I got some pretty great ones with this camera!  Thanks, Kim!

Doe Bay Resort
Taken with Demekin on Quality film

William & Whitney
Taken with Demekin on Quality film

Doe Bay Harbor
Taken with Demekin on Quality film

     To wrap this all up, the Argus 20 was awesome with its simple setup and child's-work-like results.  The Demekin provided the "mistakes" toy photographers love and had just the right amount of fisheye effect (in my opinion).  The Quality film held up its end of the bargain.  Dwayne's Photo was quick, inexpensive, and professional.  Doe Bay Fest was awesome.  And I was having fun.  My favorite band of the festival was Portland's Radiation City.  Buy everything they have ever put out and will ever put out.  Though I don't normally endorse buying Lomography's film (it's overpriced and nothing special) I say it's ok to buy their 110 film so they know there is interest and keep making it.  Somebody's got to.