Polaroid hack.

I found this amazing Polaroid body hack yesterday, I realize it is old at this point, but still very, very cool. mark, the author, took a Polaroid One Step (1000) and gutted it, but added a web cam inside. (the author has passed away too, so sad, look around his site for other amazing stuff). Click the link for more pictures and build out.

This would be even greater with a nice lo-fi .3 megapixel sensor inside, and a nice small screen on the back side, for a portable camera. If you could jam a Polaroid printer inside, even cooler!

If anyone tries this, please e-mail me. I might even try it myself.

via. 

Toy Camera 3D.

This Takara Tomy 3D Toy Camera was a bit all over the web the past few days, an interesting concept. Lo-fi digital 3D, that must be printed and viewed with a special viewer. I would be interested in overlaying those images in Photoshop though, that might be much cooler, and more 'portable'. Hooray for .3 Megapixels. At $70, it is definitely not an impulse buy, though it is fair for what it does, and uses SD cards, so that helps a bit.

Add to the want list.

via Engadget. 

10 Best iPod Touch Camera Apps

Now that Apple has finally released an iPod Touch with a camera, iTouch users can experience the same photo fun that the iPhone users have had for years. Since the quality of the camera is lower than that of the iPhone, I have pushed these more toward the toy camera angle, plus since that is really the focus of this blog. I also have added the ones I have found the most useful, and what I use most often.

1) Hipstamatic - $1.99, additional effects are .99¢
Hipstamatic is the the gold standard for toy camera emulators for iPhone. Both in it's design, and in it's function and end product. Well thought out all the way through, well designed, and it takes great, dreamy photos. It is a bit pricey though, and is quickly becoming the new "myspace photo angle" meaning it is a very saturated app. Still definitely worth getting, it is the one app you need to start from really.

2) Classic Toy Camera - FREE, but effects are .99¢
Classic Toy is fastly becoming my favorite camera app, it is the one I use the most for sure. Not only does it take great pictures, it has many more  different options than Hipstamatic. I generally use it on the pinhole setting, but it also mimics multi-frame images like the Pop Cam and the Lomo Action Sampler, and the Pop 9. Lots of great film effects as well, from damaged, to saturation, all for a great price. Highly recommended.

3). Photoshop Express - FREE
Comparable to Photoshop 1.0 on a computer, this free app comes in really, really handy, for turning the orientation of pictures on the fly, desaturating, cropping etc. Trust me, you will use it much more than you think, and it is free.

4) PicasaSync - $1.99
Again, another app that isn't necessarily a picture taking app, but this one you will appreciate later on, especially if you buy it early on as I would recommend-before you have a ton of photos. Basically what it does is it uploads the pictures you take to your Picassa account, which you have free if you have a Gmail account (also free). It isn't automatic, but it is fast over wi-fi, and easy enough to upload 20-30 pictures a week to back them up. The lite version doesn't do much, but nice to see if you would want to use it. Of course, you do have a backup on your computer each time you sync, but having an additional cloud backup is definitely nice.

5) More Lomo  - FREE
More Lomo is one of a slew of Lomo styled apps. I like it best though. One, it takes the best Lomo-y pics of any of the ones I have tried. Two, it is super minimal to use, just open and tap, then pick to save Lomo + Original, or just the Lomo and at whichever quality you choose. I have often used it instead of the regular Apple camera. So worth it.

6) Cam-U-Flage  - $1.99
Simply the best and most useful spy camera app in the app store. You can set an image as your 'viewfinder' then set the transparency, or not, and tap the screen to take a photo. In essence, anyone looking at you will think you are looking at your screen not a camera app. I set my image to a screen grab of my home screen, so it is even more hidden. It also now takes video, which is awesome. Totally worth the price. Though use it responsibly, please.

7) Video Panorama  - $1.99
Seen that commercial of the video camera that can turn your footage into a panoramic photo? Well as the corny saying goes "there is an app for that". Video Panorama s a good simple quick app for making quick Panoramic images, and as an added bonus, it does some weird stuff where it sews the images together, go crappy! (I mean that in the best way).  For super high quality Panoramics, try Pano, it is my other option.

8) CameraBag - $1.99
CameraBag, as the name suggests, is basically one app full of a lot of camera's. It mimics Holga, Polaroid (both old and new), cross process, magazine, cinema, etc. The nice thing about it is that you can take one photo and save it in whichever option looks the best. The drawback though is that you have to go through all those options, granted you can remove the ones you never use. I find that I use the magazine effect the most from this app, partly because it fills a gap in the other apps. I would definitely suggest you get it, maybe even first, it might do all you ever need.

ShakeIt Photo

9) ShakeItPhoto  - .99¢
You can see my write up of it here from before. Simply put it is the best image quality of all the Polaroid knock off apps there are.

10) IncrediBooth - .99¢
This app is by the same guys that created Hipstamatic. The graphics are simply great, and it is a great use of the front facing camera (which in fact you must have to use this app). Since the iPod Touch now has the front facing camera,  this app should be a no-brainer to buy, and will probably soon account for 80% of the photos your friends post online.

There you have it. The 10 apps you should download to take pictures and enjoy the camera on your shiny new iPod Touch. Any of these apps work just as well on the iPhone 4, and are definitely recommended as well.

Enjoy.

Fisher Price Creative Effects FAX Camera

As I have mentioned a few times in previous posts, one of the most interesting cameras from the actual toy world was the Fisher Price Creative Effects Fun Photomaker, a funny little, brightly colored camera that uses a paper similar to fax paper (or heat sensitive cash register tape really). It also used cartridges you could plug into it to create other "frames" over your photos, much like this Barbie themed one on eBay right now.

They didn't make very many, and even back then (1997 ish) it was not widely known how cool the pictures were to the lo-fi camera crowd. Those were the early days of the internet, keep in mind. I luckily got one at Toys'r'us off the shelf back then, bought WAAAY more 'film' for it than I will ever use, though luckily i kept many of the cartiridges and you can easily reload it, see instructions from bentstruments.com here

Benstruments.com also has LOTS more info on this camera. They are a good source for lots of these weirder and still usable toy cameras, and their hacked versions as well. Definitely check them out and bookmark them.

Here is what the Creative Effects pictures look like via Flicker...

It is a really fun camera if you can find one and some of the "film" or at least a cartridge to refill. The only draw back to it, like many of these older cameras, is it takes a bit for the photo to print, roughly a minute, and it also plays an annoying song while it is "processing" the image before it prints, sure the song is fun and meant to entertain kids, but it gets old quick (reminds me to look into disconnecting the speaker on mine).

All in all though, a definite Essential Camera to own.

game changer - the digital harinezumi

Over 10 years ago, when Lomo first started to make it's push into the USA. Digital photography was still in its infancy. Digital cameras were still only around 1-2 megapixels at the consumer level, if that. Cell phones lacked cameras. Previous to that the 'fun' cameras the toy cameras of the 90's were really the Pop Cam, and those disposable cameras that shot '3d' that required a special form of processing that created lenticular coated prints. Then you had the actual toys that happened to be cameras, the Fisher Price 'fax' camera, the PXL2000 video camera, etc.

Pop Cam at the Four Corners Dark store. 

It is very interesting then, roughly 10 years into the toy camera game, a Japanese company, Powershovel would introduce the incredible Digital Harinezumi in 2009. Mainly because, most people aren't even checking for vintage digital cameras these days. Not to mention, they are slow, hard to export pictures out of (or impossible) and most of the card readers are way out of date by now. It isn't impossible though, more on that another time.

However, Harinezumi not only  took care of many of those issues, like the media card, and speed. It also brought it to you in a fun, familiar package. The body is basically a roll of 110 film, highly pocket-able. It has an incredible color saturation, video (v1 no sound, v2 with sound) the second version also has a black and white option, even more fun. The sensor also does weird things when pointed at strong light, creating even weirder other worldly effects. Not to mention -and I think they changed this on v2- when taking photos, you cant actually see the framing in the photo, all the more to heighten the 'magic' of the film like experience.

If you don't have a Digital Harinezumi, and they ARE pricey, I would suggest you consider it at some point, it is a fun little camera, and a great addition to any collection. Factor in the cost of film and development these days and it will easily pay for itself over time.

Side note, the Four Corner's Dark store is fantastic, and they are great people, check out their great selection.

Introduction to the world of crap photos.

I guess before I get too deep into this blog I should create a launching point for you.

My goal with this blog is to help anyone interested in iPhone camera apps, toy cameras, Polaroids, weird film effects- ie. light leaks, emulsion pulls, lens flares, damaged or expired film - find out what those effects they like might be, how they might be able to get them, other fun ways to get weird and fun effects, and basically build a little bubble of photo stuff I think is cool, old and new.

This isn't meant to be a 'serious' photo blog. The world of toy camera's already shows that, otherwise you wouldnt still be able to buy cameras using film at Urban Outfitters. It is more for fun and for hobbyists, than a serious professional, though of course they can and do partake, and push this form even further. It is interesting that with the advent of the web, these various forms of low tech photography have somehow become one type of expression.

In this day and age, where almost any style can be downloaded to our iPhone or mimicked via an Adobe program, it is nice to know what, where, how, and why many of these things exist, and why they are fun. And to learn about other weird cameras of the past (I for sure have not seen them all.)

Basically, I just wanted to share the limited knowledge I have gained over the past years, and the new daily usage experience I have now with various apps. This of course is intended to act as a type of bridge between the digital new world, and the old film world, ultimately what you see is the picture, not how it got there, and with most things the end result is what becomes covetable, each in their own right. Digital, like it or not, can be just as viable in it's own right.

Expect fun posts about vintage cameras - film, digital and instant.

Expect illumination of great photos found around the web and on Flickr and Tumblr.

Expect reviews of iPhone camera apps, tips and tricks, sources and more.

Expect to have fun, and just enjoy. This is all about experimentation and DIY.

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy.

Polaroid alternatives.

First of all, let me say, nothing quite beats Polaroid, the 'magic' in that film is undeniable, and the process revolutionary.

On that note though, and following my last post on how  readily available legacy Polaroid equipment is and its needed film and batteries are around as well. I also wanted to highlight many of the modern day alternatives.

First, there is the infamous app POLADROID that is great to use on your actual computer (for all of you non iPhone owners) The quality is pretty great, and you can save at various stages of the development to get different effects of exposures.

Here is their pool on Flickr...




The next alternative is for the iPhone owners, and future iTouch 4 owners, ShakeitPhoto, is one of the earliest Polaroid apps. Imho it has the best quality in color, saturation, and exposure of all the faux Polaroid apps.(side note, there are LOTS of apps called shake it, this one has a rainbow on the icon). Definitely an Essential iPhone App.

Here is the website for it..

Next, is the app Camera Bag. It is a bit more at $1.99, but includes many other effects, so it is well worth it. The Polaroid effect is good, not the best, but nice to use on any of your existing pictures, plus the waiting and shaking thing can get old sometimes.

There are a few more (actually lots more) 'Fauxlaroid' apps in the store, but with these two you can definitely fulfill your mobile Polaroid needs.

For real world, physical media replacements, you really need to look no further than Fuji, as I have mentioned before, they have the instant film thing down with various models to choose from as seen below.







Instant joy.

flickr user you should see - milky soldier

See more here.

inspiration - pull apart emulsion film

See previous post regarding Polaroid Land Cameras. This is what those photos generally look like, you can also use the negative part, scan it, and inverse it, to get even weird edge effects, as many of these have.

Polaroid isn't impossible. You could be using one right now! For less than $50.

You could be taking Polaroids RIGHT NOW, tons of the Land Camera series -model numbers usually in 100, 200 or 300 range- are around and CHEAP.

Here is one on eBay right now!

VINTAGE POLAROID LAND CAMERA MODEL 210 AUTOMATIC

For $21.22 it could be yours. I don't know if it works, but generally they just need a bit of cleaning and cleaning of the battery contacts, your mileage may vary.


BUT wait, what about film? and batteries? That is the real issue right? Wrong.

Though the Impossible Project, as awesome as it is, is making Polaroid film they no longer make, that doesnt mean you can't get film, new unexpired film. The Impossible Project is making film for the much coveted SX-70 and 600 models. Not for the Land Cameras, which use a pull apart emulsion film, not the self enclosed type.

Step in FUJI. Fuji has been making instant film cameras in Japan for ages, and you can still get a new one and film for it now, here. They have also been making film that the Land Cameras can use, and it is readily available, costs about the same, and is considered by some to be even better film (not by all though). Film comes in 10's and is roughly $1 per photo cost.

For this Land Camera above, assuming it functions with a fresh battery, you can get either the 667 b/w type film which in Fuji land is known as the 3000b, or you can get the similar 669 color film FP100. Note that the b/w film is 3000 speed (yes really fas and good in lower light (not in dark though) and the color is 100 speed, so it needs a good sunny day!

Okay so that solves that part, now for the batteries...

These Land Cameras use a battery called px-24, not the easiest to find, but they are out there (and have been for years), here is one for $15.99.

SO there you have it, for approx $22 + $16 + $10 = $48, you could take 10 Polaroid pictures now. And of course, after this initial cost, the film is your only cost moving forward.


If you try it, good luck!

NEW iPod Touch with CAMERA!

WOW, think of what this will do for the camera app world. Granted the iTouch camera will only be VGA quality, which is...

"What is a VGA camera?


A VGA camera is considered as an early evolution of film cameras. It supports the very basic and obsolete resolution 640x380 pixels with the same value of .3 megapixels. "



Excited to see one though, weird they didnt at least put a 2 megapixel camera in it though. HD camera is nice though, this is definitely going to bite into FLIP sales.

iPod specs here.

Harmony Korine, Proenza Schouler, and Digital Harinezumi

Harmony Korine, mastermind of the lo-fi videos and movies did a new ad campaign using a Digital Harinezumi 2 Camera by Superheadz. No one announced it officially, but the digital 'signature" of that camera is pretty strong. Beautiful pictures (and assuming video by Harmony).

He was also recently featured in a show for that Harinezumi at New Museum in Nyc.

More info here on that show.

Via Urban Outfitters Via Nowness.

Gameboy Camera for iPhone.

If you were messing about with handheld gaming devices in the mid to late 90's you know the Gameboy very well, and probably even had the camera attachment for it. I never did, though I wanted one (I opted for the pxl2000 and the Fisher Price fax paper camera, among the de rigeur selection of Polaroids, more on those later).

The funny thing about things that happened in your past is that the nostalgia for them becomes overwhelming sometimes. I recently decided I really wanted to look into getting one of those cameras. As with anything these days though, I first did a search for "Gameboy Camera" in the app store for my iPhone.

Of course there is a reasonable facsimile there, and it is surprisingly great. I do wish the contrast was a bit higher, it tends to aim to a lot of mid range to me. This ended my quest. (He also has a pretty great c64 camera app, I never knew even existed).

You can check it out here, it will be the first addition to my "Essential iPhone Camera Apps" list, which I pan to continuously update. (I mainly got my iPhone to have a camera always on me, and to take advantage of all the toy camera apps there, I now have 19 on my phone).

Sample pictures from the app...

The last picture is actually one I took with the app, I tried to push the contrast as much as I can, to mimic the original more. Like these...



Lastly, a video on the Original Gameboy Camera, to give you more info if you wanted.



See more on Amazon.
Gameboy Camera In Red
Nintendo Gameboy Camera BLUE blue version
Game Boy Printer w/ Link Cable
Original Nintendo Game Boy, Gray

inspiration- light leaks

Light leaks are the incredible effect you get when the back of a film based camera is opened. Usually you do this mid-roll, meaning you get a bit of the film pulled out of the canister before you open the camera back.

Here is a great article with much more info at thedphoto.com.

One of the great masters of this style commercially is Mark Borthwick.(click to google his pics)

He has an excellent bookthat you can buy, it includes many of of his better photos, and is curated by Beautiful Losers founder Aaron Rose.


Here are some of my favorites of his...

inspiration- expired film

Quick pulled photo set from Flickr tags via this generator.