The Kodak Cameo Focus Free

[smithdan]

Early 90's 35 mm point and shooter from Kodak who finally switched from weird film formats in favour of good old 35. This plastic camera is well made and very well designed, all small and all roundy like to slide in pockets. Liked playing with this one and didn't expect much. Ran a roll of long expired brand x 400 C41 stuff through it for a test drive and processed it in D76 1:1. seems to work OK so some BW film next outing.








and what it does..


Winter Sky


At the Dump


Pump Nine


Feeding Time

 

[limr]

Nice shots! Cute little camera, too. As much as I love my purely mechanical, totally manual cameras, it's fun to play with little point and shoots now and again. I've got a Kodak too that I found in a drawer in my mother's house, probably having sat there for about 20-25 years. It's nothing special, but recently I've been experimenting with wider lenses and that one has a pretty wide one and some decent sharpness, so I might just bring it out to play soon

 

[timor]

I remember the Cameo.
Ot the camera under expose and film, or prints, were somewhat pushed, or the film was expired expired. (Nasty grain)

 

[smithdan]

I remember the Cameo.
Ot the camera under expose and film, or prints, were somewhat pushed, or the film was expired expired. (Nasty grain)

Film was expired
C41 process colour negative, 400 ISO.
Cross processed in D76 1:1 and Kodak rapid fix.

Just checking for light leaks and other mechanical gremlins before wasting a roll of pricey new stuff.
Sorta liked the foggy grainy look on some of these. Also like the handling and feel of this one. Fixed focus compromises a bit too close and the flash falls off beyond 6 ft. On the plus side shutter is 1/125 sec. and there is a choice of three f-stops.

 

[timor]

OK. Old ISO 400 film and use of D76 explains it.
I know the problems with fixed focus. Use myself Imperial Reflex. I like the softness of its lens, but there could be nothing closer than 5 feet.

 

[smithdan]

Somewhat later but as promised, the Kodak Cameo out and about with HP4 inside, developed in my usual D76 1:1. Tad on the grainy side, hot here over the last two weeks which may have been a contributing factor despite starting it out at 20c and reducing agitation by half.
Still a friendly pocketable low end compact with not too shabby results compared to similar contemporaries. Here's what it saw around a slowly disappearing prairie village schoolyard.

This fellow still dutifully warns folks that children may be just a block or so away.

..but the warning hasn't been required for some time now.

 

[Derrel]

The HP4 shots are pretty decent.