While I was buying film at Fotoimpex, I stumbled over a DIY camera kit: the Superheadz Plamodel DIY camera. It has a nice wide angle plastic lens, is small and of course quite light but the best (an actually the main reason to buy it): It comes as a plastic model kit, so you have to build your own camera. This is how I built mine:
The camera is an “unassembled” and slightly modified Vivitar IC 100. As it has no aperture or shutter speed setting, you can also learn how modern film emulsions are able to deal with a wide range of light situations without any “support” from the the camera.
About the camera: The camera is even more basic than the Holga: No aperture setting, no tripod mount, no way to use with a flash. But it’s small, ultralight and takes quite nice wide angle pictures with the 28mm 1:9.5 lens and a shutter speed of 1/125. But again: the reason to buy it, is to build it. The only comfort feature beside of the (hardly working) exposure counter is the lens cover, which locks the camera to avoid accidental “in pocket” shots.
Taking pictures: Load with film, open lens cover, advance film, shoot. That’s it.
| Brand | Superheadz |
| Camera | Plamodel DIY 35mm |
| Year built | 2009 |
| Serial number | – |
| Lens | 1:9.5 f = 24 mm |
| Film format | 135 / 35 mm |
| Special features | Built in lens cover |
| Accessories | |
| Manufactured by | Powershovel Ltd. |
| Date of purchase | 01.2012 |
| Price | 21 € |
| Place of purchase | Fotoimpex Berlin |
Tips&Tricks: Follow the manual when you try to assemble the camera. It will really save a lot of time.
Film purchase & processing: The camera uses standard 35mm film, for daylight I suggest 200 ISO as 400 can result in over-exposed pictures. As always with standard 35mm film, it can be developed everywhere.
Useful Links:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1204464@N24/discuss/72157622448508718/ (Review)
All my cameras 
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