Recently I’ve been trying out some analog photography again. I wanted to be low-budget at first. So I browsed my favorite shops and got myself the Agfaphoto 35mm camera. And I love that I bought that little plastic box, here’s why!
The Agfaphoto is easy to take with me
The Agfaphoto a small box, so it’s very compact. I find that you can even just fit it in your hand, and I am carrying it around as if it were a smartphone. The manufacturer also adds a lovely pouch in the packaging for you to store it. I often have it in my backpack in case I want to go out and make analog photos.
It’s the ideal lunch break activity.
No need to think about settings
The settings on the Agfaphoto camera are fixed at 1/120s shutter speed, f9 aperture, and focus to infinity. The only control you have is the ISO. And that choice is made when you load the film. As soon as it’s in, it’s out of your control—no way to change it.
So when you go out on the street, all decisions are made. Well, apart from one…
It’s all composition
You still have to think about composing. That’s all you need to think about. The viewfinder and lens aren’t connected, so you don’t exactly make the photo as you see it. But it’s close enough, especially with the 31mm lens. You see sufficient and can visualize what you are doing.
Just make sure your fingers aren’t in the frame.
It’s crappy, but that makes it fun
The lens is plastic, which makes the image quality less impeccable than my Nikon D850. But that doesn’t matter. You can anticipate the less sharp photos and compose for them. Maybe the Agfaphoto will help you find new subjects to photograph.
Thinking ahead, not looking afterward
With digital photography, we often take photos and look on the screen at what we could improve (unless it’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment, of course). That can be an excellent strategy for taking photos; sometimes, it’s a good way.
But for me, it’s fun to think ahead. I have a limited amount of frames, and I can’t do bursts as I have to reload the next shot manually. Thinking ahead is essential when using a little analog camera like this.
The specs of the Agfaphoto camera
It’s a small plastic box, yet there are some specs to keep in mind when using it.
| Compatible films | Black and white + color |
| Lens | 31mm |
| Film ISO’s | 200, 400, and 800 ISO |
| Flash | Yes |
| Aperture | f9 |
| Shutter Speed | 1/120s |
| Focus | Fixed |
| Dimensions | 115 x 64 x 44mm |
Some of the photos I made with it
Though I haven’t had it for super long, I got some lovely photos with it already.
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