Camera Cabaret from Gianfranco Chicco on Vimeo.
blackbird,fly – an updated review from artpunk on Vimeo.
Loading Film Into the BBF from artpunk on Vimeo.
Powershovel Notebook of Notebooks from Gianfranco Chicco on Vimeo.
…also check out SuperHeadz own YouTube Channel for more great videos!
In part two of our interview, Hideki Ohmori talks about expanding into the American market, how the team at PowerShovel manages Camera, Audio and Book divisions, and the forthcoming ‘Toy’ Digital Camera. He also has a special message for his friends in America.
In the United States, your company has a compassionate following, but it can sometimes be hard for Americans to actually get one of your cameras, what are your plans for the American market over the next few years?
Actually, we just opened an office in N.Y.. This will increase accessibility for American people to our products, including cameras, books, and CDs, and to our events with music/videos/photos themes, which we have been holding frequently in Japan.
Who would you say is the core market for Powershovel? What type of person to you target your products to?
In today’s market, I sense a difficulty in limiting the target only by age or gender. Well, if I state our target in a broad sense, those would be people who are bored with existing, mainstream market. Someone who knows that the world is not just black and white. We always wish those people to support our products, and we believe people like that exist in every generation and gender. That person may not be the most popular kid in school, and may often look bored, people that make an effort and explore for their interests and passion. Those are the people we want to be accepted by.
It seems that film photography is making a very large comeback in Asia, and is starting to in the US. What amount of film vs. digital do you see in the next few years?
Digital will dominate the scene. Sooner or later, the ratio of film vs digital would be the one like CD and vinyl records. But, no matter how much the portion of film photography shrinks, it will exist forever.
Your products are leading the return to film cameras, but I hear that you are planning a small digital ‘Toy Camera,’ what was the inspiration behind that, and can you tell us when it may come to market?
We saw another type of nostalgia in toyish digital camera because of its low-fi image and weird color balance. It has different taste from film camera. So we casted that nostalgia in to shape with our first digital camera, ‘Digital Harinezumi’, which we are working to release in March, 2009. We were also missing the ability to record moving images, so we tried to approximate the movie quality to that of super 8mm films.
You have audio and book sections of your company, how do you divide your time between each, and what role do they play with each other?
We like editing books very quickly, in three days at most. But then collecting the photographs might take very long. The record label is managed by any of us individually, the person that proposes a particular record is the one with the task of producing it. Right at this second, someone here might be mailing about testing samples for a new camera products, next second, he would make a phone call about promotion for photo collections, and another second, he would schedule date for mastering CD. So all works of every sections run simultaneously, seamlessly, intimately connected.
Your design is the best in the business, and seems to be inspired by nature. Where do you find the inspiration for the design of your cameras?
Thank you. Maybe nature inspires me, because the human beings’ creativity has always been originated from being nature-oriented. We maybe following that traditional passage of creation without consciously recognizing.
What message do you have for our American readers?
We now have a office in the States, which wasn’t a part of my primary plan. But, I immediately decided to take our business to America when I first landed there half a year ago, actually for my first time. I am extremely excited of what will happen from now on. America, I’m sure will influence us in multiple dimensions and those influences will transform our products. So a new phase seems to be beginning now. Thanks very much for liking what we do.
Some great PowerShovel and Superheadz links:
Special thanks to all that helped with the translations, and to all of the great people at PowerShovel for their continued support of Film and Toy Cameras. I will post more information on the New York office and US distribution as soon as I have it, and will be visiting with the team in NYC in March.
I get asked almost daily why I choose to shoot all film for my personal work, and when I answer, the next questions is always ‘why Toy Cameras?’ I have my story, and if you’ve been following this blog you have heard it more then once. But why do you shoot Toy Cameras? If you are reading this right now, you have at least a passing interest in Toy Cameras. Chances are you have more than one, shoot with them often, and have been asked that very same question. Dozens of loyal readers have their own blogs and websites… but I’d like to hear a little bit more.
I get asked almost daily why I choose to shoot all film for my personal work, and when I answer, the next questions is always ‘why Toy Cameras?’ I have my story, and if you’ve been following this blog you have heard it more then once. But why do you shoot Toy Cameras? If you are reading this right now, you have at least a passing interest in Toy Cameras. Chances are you have more than one, shoot with them often, and have been asked that very same question. Dozens of loyal readers have their own blogs, websites and stories… but I’d like to hear a little bit more.
I would like to start a weekly column that talks about the resurgence of film photography, and more specifically the boom in Toy Camera culture. But here’s the catch: I want you to write it.
Each contest we’ve had so far has been about the images themselves, but this one is about the story behind them. The rules are simple, tell us why you shoot toy cameras and the author of the most inspiring story gets a Blackbird, Fly. You read that correctly. You also get 12 rolls of film to get the party started. If you haven’t had the chance to shoot with one, or maybe haven’t wanted to invest the money, here is your chance.
Each entry will become one of the weekly features, with the winner being the premiere. Here’s all you need to do… send us your story about why you shoot Toy Cameras, what got you into them and the roll they play in your photography. 1,000 words or less. Include 3-5 images that are a good representation of your work: ones that you personally like- you aren’t being judged on the images. Also include links to your site, blog, flickr or anything else you’d like to share- remember this contest is all about you. The contest starts today and ends on midnight February 28th, 2009. Pretty easy, right? Judges decisions are final, and each entry agrees to be part of the weekly feature. Hopefully we’ll get a year’s worth!
Six months and dozens of rolls later I continue to be enamored more and more with my Blackbird, Fly. My original Orange model has now grown into a small collection (five or so…) with my favorite being the all black model. I actually bought a bunch to give away as Christmas gifts. Opinions may vary on the purpose and worth of the camera, but to those who have one are unanimous in their praise for the new genre of 35mm Twin Lens Reflex.
A few tips I would like to add: I have uploaded the full manual in English to my server in two pdf versions: High res to print, and Medium Size to read on screen. Those who are not familiar with the camera can have a look at the manual, and also check out the film loading process here. Also have a look at the two flickr groups here and here. Having issues scanning for sprockets? Check here for Artpunk’s genius guide. I can’t express how much this camera has turned me around on the idea of shooting 35mm again, but I will try in the next few posts.
It was a big mail day today, with boxes arriving from all over. One rather large box contained my new LC-A RL, and the heaviest Lomo book I have ever seen. At least shipping was free! And from Japan, the great folks at Powershovel sent a very nice Blackbird, Fly photo album and a few CD’s from their audio division. For those that don’t know, Powershovel is more then just a camera company. They have an audio division, PowerShovel Audio, that has released dozens of great albums. They also have PowerShovel Books, with some great books on Photography. Their store, Camera Cabaret, will be online soon as well. For a quick history, check here. I will post more info on how to order cameras, cds and books soon. [Update: BlackBird, Fly photo albums available here]
I have been holding off doing a full review on the Blackbird, Fly TLR until I had a pretty good feel for it, and had a chance to try out a few different films. After a few weeks with the camera it has become as natural to load and use as my trusty Holga. First I would like to thank the guys at Powershovel in Japan, who graciously sent me a camera to test, I was both honored and excited to be testing one of the first production models.
So what do I think? Let me say first that no other toy camera in the last 10 years has been introduced with the anticipation of this camera. It represents not only a new product, but a new genre. I know there have been other TLRs that you can run 35 through, and plenty of medium format cameras that will expose the entire piece of 35mm film including the sprockets. The BBF however, is the first true 35mm Twin Lens Reflex Plastic Camera, allowing for the experience of shooting a TLR without the cost of using 120 film. That in itself is a tremendous advantage for the BBF. You can load this guy up with whatever 35 you have lying around, and get the film back in an hour from any local lab printed, processed and scanned.
Why twin lens reflex? What’s the big deal? Shooting a TLR really does make you slow down a bit and concentrate on the image. Hip shooting or random aiming with a Vivitar UWS can yield some nice street images, but that’s not the point of the BBF. The BBF is camera you grab for your quiet, slow day of shooting. That day where you are not concerned with the amount of exposures you shoot, or locations you get too. It’s the slow day at the beach camera, the sitting on a park bench and watching the world go by camera. It’s the deliberate camera, the you-did-it-on-purpose camera. It’s on that day that you open up your camera cabinet, look past the Holga 135, the Ultra wide and slim, and pick up the BBF.
I was warned that loading the film would take patience, as you are bending it backwards and then attempting to lock it into the take up spool. No worries here- the internal mechanisms of this camera are very well designed. The film moves smoothly along and right into the take up spool without problem.
While there are no dials for shutter speed and aperture like there are on your Rolleiflex, you do have the benefit of knowing what the two choices are: f7 at 1/125th and f/11 at 1/125th. (’sunny’ and ‘cloudy’) So if you want to pack a meter for the first few rolls, set it to 1/125 and change the aperture accordingly. If you’ve shot a Holga, this eyeball metering will already be second nature to you. Focusing, much like a Holga, is marked off with distances on the top dial, and once you get the first roll back you’ll have them down without any problems. Framing your image depends on what mask you have chosen to insert while loading the film. You have three choices: 24mm square, 24×36mm rectangle, and no mask at all (which will then expose the sprockets). The focus screen has each of the three marked off with easy to see lines. But again, after a few rolls you won’t even need them.
So you’re off and shooting, and thinking this is awkward as every photograph is going to look as if its shot from your waist. The BBF also has a handy ’sport finder’ accessible by popping the back of the focus surround forward, giving you a small opening to aim through. And what do these images look like? I say across between a Vivitar UWS and a Holga 135. They are crisp, with a small amount of natural vignetting on the edges. Shot without any mask, they take on a whole new personality. The image spans side-to-side, exposing the sprocket area and producing an even larger vignette. ‘Sprocket Images’ seem to be a favorite on flickr, which has become the unofficial forum and image bank for the BBF.
The verdict? I read the opinions of several forum threads on this camera, and its pretty divided between the digital shooters, who agree with the old school film shooters, and us: the ‘Toy Camera people’. The digital people think- wait, we don’t really care do we? The old school Film shooters seem to think this, like all toy cams, is a gimmick. One user on Rangefinder forum called it “A gimmick to make someone a few bucks. I wouldn’t pay 2 cents for it.” But he probably drives a Buick, and waits by the mailbox each month for his copy of Popular Photography to come while cleaning his Pentax K1000. The Toy cam users have been in a frenzy for this to get to market, and I think that is the only opinion that really matters. Because they are going to buy every single one of these that Powershovel can make. I got one for free, and I still tracked down a second one from a dealer in Tokyo so that I could pack it neatly away in my collection. I get emails every day about how to get one, and a huge percentage of the googler’s have found FourCornersDark.com by searching for info on it.
At over US$100 there are going to be a few people who shy away from the BBF, but for every one of those there will be 15 who buy one for twice that. Not only is this camera destined to be a collectors item on par with the Fujipet- it will be the means to making some of your best photographs. If you’ve read this far, chances are you are already trying to get one. You won’t be disappointed. The Blackbird, Fly from Powershovel is a beautiful example of engineering and dedication to the toy camera market. It makes a statement not only to toy cam shooters- but to all film shooters that there are companies out there willing to spend the money and time to bring to market new and exciting film cameras. Powershovel took their time and created not just a new genre of photography, but a masterpiece of design.
Want it? Of course you do.
Need it? A toy cam for over $100 blurs the line between camera and toy, and if any plastic camera is going to cross over, this is the one. If you shoot film, and enjoy 35mm- you need it.
Shooting without either of the masks in the Blackbird Fly exposes the entire area of the film, sprockets and all.. check my Flickr for more examples and visit the other Flickr Blackbird Fly groups [here + here] to see what the growing number of users are shooting. Can’t wait to get your camera? There are few on eBay, but they are quite expensive.. so why not pre-order from DigitalFix, and pay just $120!
Not long ago, while reading a thread on the Blackbird Fly Twin-lens camera, I was a bit taken back by the ‘digital people’ jumping in and saying that all Toy Cams were rubbish, and you could just do all that ‘crap’ in photoshop. First it was simply annoying that they felt the need to jump in and bash plastic cameras, but what really pissed me off was that this was their true opinion of analog photographers. They just didn’t get it. A popular design rant forum that I will leave nameless, (QBN.com) had been nice enough to post an editor’s choice thread about the upcoming camera, but within minutes the digital folk had jumped in. “…while this is a good looking camera, it’s all so a piece of crap. Stay away from plastic cameras like holga, lomo and now BBF…” Really? So all plastic cameras are now rubbish as well. But that’s not all… “Toy cameras ain’t shit, they just aren’t high quality or 100% reliable.” After I left a response, I realized two things. First, a rebuttal on a forum is like trying to teach a baby quantum physics, and second- they just don’t get it.
I am not going to lie and say I don’t have a digital camera, I have several. I bought a Nikon D300 to replace my D200, which replaced my D100. I have never actually used it, but my wife loves it. [For a funny comparison check here] I use Photoshop, in fact I use it for a living- and I taught it on a college level. So at the end of the day, the last thing I want to see is a digital camera or Photoshop. I want to grab my canvas bag, open my Holga drawer and grab one of them, grab my ultra wide and slim, spin the chair over to my film fridge and throw a handful of that in the bag and hit the road.
So lets get back to the arguments from those digital people: “Toy cameras ain’t shit, they just aren’t high quality or 100% reliable.” Isn’t that the point? Isn’t the whole point of a Toy Camera is that they are NOT reliable, and produce unexpected results each time? Anyone who shoots a Holga has a quite a few more steps to go through then a D300 user. Find film, load film, shoot film, process film, scan film. The D300 user has just a few: Point, click, download. So why does the Holga user go through all the extra steps? Because the result is far more satisfying. The results are unique, the images are not repeatable. Digital guy can always go back and reshoot, but the Holga user is constantly spinning the wheel, and accepts what comes back from the lab. Digital guy loves to tweak his image in Photoshop, Holga guy just scans it and enjoys.
Now let me say that I am not putting down digital as a medium- I work for the first firm to go completely digital on the east coast (1993) and it’s a great place to work. I have been using Photoshop since v2.0 (1991) and it’s a great tool. But is it art? Is a shot from a digital camera tweaked in Photoshop a piece of art? No. Sorry guys, its just not. It’s a cold series of ones and zeros on a hard drive. It never lived as layers on a roll, and it never had the light from the sun create a reaction to bits of silver to give it life.
So I went over to google, and typed in Lomo, to see what you guys thought. An interesting stream of links followed. Lomo is a camera, and Lomography is a lifestyle, but apparently its also a traveling church, a restaurant, freeze dry storage, and what looks to be a tasty South American dish. And you know what else? It’s a cheesy photoshop filter. It’s a silly set of actions. It’s a way for digital guy to skip all of the work and just apply some gimmicks. Now two things pissed my off about this: first I have always said if you need to add a gimmick to create a good image, then you didn’t start with a good image in the first place. And second- Is this what they think of us? They have summed up all of our efforts into a vignette on the edges, higher contrast, darker blacks and some curve tweaks. That’s it guys, that’s what we are, dark corners and contrast. [For a good laugh, check out some ‘lomo effects’ using photoshop here, here, here and here… they don't even look like a lomo image!]
So in the end, we all want the same look. Some of us will work hard to get there, and some of us will take the easy road. To the casual viewer, there may be no difference, but to the Lomographer- the real photographer- the differences are night and day. Art and crap. Work and laziness.
I get it. And if you’ve read this far, I am sure you get it. (because digital guy would have already stopped reading and be sending a nasty email by now…) We all want to create meaningful images- ones that will last. And while we’ll always have different means to an end, the process for us will remain a bit harder. That’s something that we accept, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
