Back in the early part of the year (2025), I picked up a 'Seagull', the Chaika II 35mm half-frame camera. The Chaika II is an interchangeable lens camera, with a 28mm f2.8 lens on a M39 mount and I really wanted to try this lens on my micro four-thirds mirrorless cameras. I quickly discovered twoContinue reading "Adapting An Industar 69 28mm f2.8 ‘Pancake’ Lens For Micro Four-thirds (And A Huge Stroke Of Luck)"
A Walk Around The Block: A Session With The Original Failing Sensor Canon Powershot A80
This is just a short post, but I couldn't help but want to share these (to my mind) wonderful images. Also, it's a way of reminding myself about using the original failing sensor Canon Powershot A80. I took my first real 'walk around the block' this year after all the storms and rain we've beenContinue reading "A Walk Around The Block: A Session With The Original Failing Sensor Canon Powershot A80"
A Walk Around The Block: Out With The Circuit Bent G6 Thumb Camera
It's been quite dismal weather-wise since the New Year. Portugal has been struck by what has been labelled the 'comboio de tempestades' (train of storms). After Ingrid, there was Joseph, Kristin (which left a trail of destruction that Portugal is still trying to recover from), Leonardo, Marta, Nils, and finally Oriana. As a result, we'veContinue reading "A Walk Around The Block: Out With The Circuit Bent G6 Thumb Camera "
Out With A Glitchy Powershot A80
I was watching a video on YouTube recently about a '$15 Camera [that] makes glitch art'. According to the YouTuber @DigicamRevival, the Powershot A80 camera is prone to failure of the sensor, and he showed some really nice results from his A80. Well, nice if you like discoloured and really glitchy images — as IContinue reading "Out With A Glitchy Powershot A80"
Lens-Artists Challenge #383: Looking Back To Challenge #174 – Shapes and Designs
This week it's Tina's turn to host the Challenge, and her theme is another 'looking back' challenge, where the host revisits the subject of a previous Challenge. On her blog, Travels and Trifles, Tina writes: 'This week we look back to 2021 when our Lens-Artists Challenge #174 focused on Shapes and Designs.' Back in 2021,Continue reading "Lens-Artists Challenge #383: Looking Back To Challenge #174 – Shapes and Designs"
The Highs And Lows Of Circuit Bending A G6 Thumb Camera
This year (2026) has not got off to a good start, photographically speaking. For a start, the weather has been atrocious. We're in the middle of what is being called on the news, a 'comboio de tempestades' (train of storms, with Ingrid on her way out and Storm Josef following quickly behind. Now storm KristinContinue reading "The Highs And Lows Of Circuit Bending A G6 Thumb Camera"
Getting Back In The Groove: The Freedom Enterprises Circuit Bent Toy Camera
I've been in a bit of a funk since bricking that Kodak Charmera a couple of weeks ago. It doesn't help that the weather has been dismal for much of January, and looking at the forecast it looks like this will continue for a couple of weeks to come. Yes, I went out and 'tested'Continue reading "Getting Back In The Groove: The Freedom Enterprises Circuit Bent Toy Camera"
Lens Artists Challenge #380: What’s Around the Corner?
https://youtu.be/vEymZ3rXOmc?si=w2qBxdeMWuzSjDWx This week, in the first Challenge of 2926, it's Anne's from Slow Shutter Speed turn to host. 'Have you ever gone out on a photo outing and not seen anything that would have your camera saying, “Pick me up and help me take this picture”?' asks, Anne. She continues, 'I have a theory thatContinue reading "Lens Artists Challenge #380: What’s Around the Corner?"
A Full Spectrum Conversion That Went Wrong, Or: How I Killed A Kodak Charmera
Unusually, I'm going to start this post off with a disclaimer and a warning. If you try to follow these guidelines to make a Charmera full-spectrum and kill the camera, like I did, it's not my fault. This was my experience and it kind of worked, and then it didn't. Also, and I'll get thisContinue reading "A Full Spectrum Conversion That Went Wrong, Or: How I Killed A Kodak Charmera"
Lens-Artists Challenge #378: The Last Chance
This time there's no one host to the Lens-Artists Challenge. Instead, the whole team is hosting the 'Last Chance' challenge, picking images from 2025 that either never fit in the themes of the weekly Challenge or were not included in any previous challenges. In addition to the Lens-Artists challenge, for the past couple of yearsContinue reading "Lens-Artists Challenge #378: The Last Chance"
Looking Ahead: My Intentions For 2026
About this time last year, I jotted down some intentions for 2025, 'a few ideas of the things that I really want to do over the coming twelve months'. I did quite well with these: I resurrected a few old cameras, like the Kodak 1A and 3A folding cameras, and the Vest Pocket Kodak; IContinue reading "Looking Ahead: My Intentions For 2026"
Filling The Gaps: The Kodak Charmera, A Keychain Digital Camera
It's the 'must have' camera of late 2025, so of course, I must have one. The Kodak Charmera is a small 'keychain' camera. As many have observed, it's small. Just a few cm long and maybe 15mm wide, the Charmera has a 1.6MP sensor and a tiny little screen. The controls are minimal, an on/offContinue reading "Filling The Gaps: The Kodak Charmera, A Keychain Digital Camera"
Glitches In The Wild: SZA’s Video for ‘Snooze’ on MTV
I do like catching the occasional 'glitch in the wild', an instance where the presentation of photographs or videos are accidentally corrupted. Sometimes it happens on one of these modern electronic advertising hoardings that you see around town, and sometimes it might be in the comfort of your own home. In this instance we wereContinue reading "Glitches In The Wild: SZA’s Video for ‘Snooze’ on MTV"
Lens-Artists Challenge #377: Holiday Fun
We've got the builders in, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to make an entry for the Lens-Artists Challenge this week. Fortunately, I found myself in the nearby town of Agueda on a pleasant Wednesday afternoon and found the perfect subject for the Lens-Artists Challenge. Kind of. This week it's Ann-Christine's (LeyaContinue reading "Lens-Artists Challenge #377: Holiday Fun"
Filling The Gaps: The ’72MP, 4K Ultra HD’ Digital Scamera
This always happens to me: I had this urge (again) to try some circuit bending. This involves getting a cheap digital camera, taking it apart and poking some wires into the connectors on the sensor, which if done right can produce some lovely glitchy images, but if done wrong can wreck the camera, so itContinue reading "Filling The Gaps: The ’72MP, 4K Ultra HD’ Digital Scamera"
Lens-Artists Challenge #376: Wings
This week it's Beth's turn to host the Challenge, and she gets straight to the point: 'I am challenging you to feature anything with wings'. It's a little dull and miserable around here at the moment, and even the eagle that soars over Oiã and the woods behind our house is staying in the warm,Continue reading "Lens-Artists Challenge #376: Wings"
Lens-Artists #375: Where to Find the Mysterious
This week it's Patti's turn to host the Challenge, and her theme is 'Where to Find the Mysterious'. On her blog, Creative Exploration in Words and Pictures, Patti writes, 'When life is a bit crazy ... I go out with my camera, hoping that someone or something catches my eye. ... I’m searching for somethingContinue reading "Lens-Artists #375: Where to Find the Mysterious"
A Little Pole-arity With The Canal Toys Photo Creator MiniCam
Back when I was a kid, I really wanted an Action Man. My best friend, Alex, had one, and with all the accessories and uniforms we had a great time playing in his house and garden. I pestered my parents for ages, and eventually they relented and brought home ... a Tommy Gunn. A what?Continue reading "A Little Pole-arity With The Canal Toys Photo Creator MiniCam"
Lens-Artists Challenge #373: Looking Back to Challenge #31 – Landscapes
It's Egídio's turn to host the Challenge this week, and it's another 'Looking Back' Challenge. In a post on his blog, Capturing My World Through Brazilian Eyes, Egídio says, 'when we began the Looking Back series, I was excited about the prospect of revisiting some previous challenges I had missed.' He chose 'Landscapes' as theContinue reading "Lens-Artists Challenge #373: Looking Back to Challenge #31 – Landscapes"
Lens-Artists Challenge, #372: Ephemeral
This week it's Tina's turn to host the Challenge, and her theme is 'Ephemeral'. She began her post with a, 'short and simple definition of the word ephemeral – “lasting for a very short time“.' A 'short time' can be quite subjective, from a few hours to a few days, or even longer. To myContinue reading "Lens-Artists Challenge, #372: Ephemeral"
/ˈsnæp.ʃɒt/ 
