Sometimes I like to hunt around for cameras at Goodwill Stores as well as tag sales especially now that used camera stores and used camera shows have all but disappeared from the face of the earth. Yes, there is eBay, but there is still something to be said for browsing first hand and not knowing what you may find. In addition to the almost new Polaroid that I picked up at one of my favorite Goodwill Stores (see earlier posting – “Polaroid Paparazzied Puppy”) I also found a very capable Canon AF35ML for only $2 !! This is actually a very nice once top of the line circa 1980s point and shoot, auto focus, auto wind, auto rewind auto everything but espresso maker. It is the only point and shoot of its era that I know of which boasts a fast 1.9 lens. Its kind of like an automatic version of the old Canon GIII. I actually purchased one of these 35MLs a few years earlier at a tag sale for $4 but when I got it home I noticed that although it made all the right whirring and clicking sounds the shutter failed to open. It sits in my study as a memento which is Latin for “remember the last time I got burned buying something?” This time I brought a set of fresh AAs to verify that my $2 investment would not go to waste. I quickly popped them into the ML and checked for shutter, winding, etc.. All systems seemed to be OK. I later loaded it with a $2 roll of film, shot some usual photos of trees and Dexter and had them developed at Walmart for $6. I scanned a few of the negatives and tweaked them as much as my poor iPhoto could stand it and the results can be seen below. Yes, it works! The thing I like about the 35ML is the way it feels in the hands. It’s not a wimpy little camera. By the same token it’s not very heavy either but like the Whopper, it has a nice fit for two hands. It also has a big viewfinder, at least compared to any of today’s digital point and shoots. One thing to be careful of, which can actually be a good thing when you need it, is that it’s always ready to be in a continuous shoot mode if you simply keep your finger on the shutter button. If you do not want to take more than one frame you need to remove your finger immediately after taking the first shot. And now that I’ve shot the obligatory first roll of film its in my study as a memento. (NOTE: I picked the song "Bullet Proof" to go with this posting only because I like it right now. Actually, the 35ML is almost bullet proof, but nothing like a Leica!)
