This post brings together several news items from across the web concerning film photography, from Intrepid Camera’s all-in-one enlarger to a boost for second-hand camera sales, as well as another product release for the instant-film industry.
Intrepid Camera's New Enlarger
Over the past year many people have taken to home processing and developing while in lockdown, but with cumbersome, and sometimes arcane, equipment it isn’t always accessible or practical. Fortunately, Intrepid Camera have announced that they are launching a new ‘super compact darkroom enlarger’. Created specially for 35mm and 120 film users, the enlarger can be used with, both, black and white and colour film with simple LED technology, including built-in, programmable contrast and colour balance filters. “It may be the smallest enlarger ever made, and it can pack away in a box after use so is ideal for photographers to use in their own homes” explained Naomi, head of branding and digital communications. The enlarger’s light source can also be repurposed as a backlight for digital scanning, making the product a multi-functional darkroom addition and is due for launch on Intrepid Camera’s online shop in August. Find out more about it here.
New Fujifilm Camera & Film
Fujifilm have announced new film products in the form of the Instax Mini 40 Instant, a small, light-weight new Instax camera with the ability to shoot selfies and Contact Sheet, an homage to traditional analogue developing with prints created with black borders and the classic amber film roll text familiar to film photographers who print their own photos. The camera is also able to shoot with automatic exposure, perfect for anybody who wishes to attain film’s quality without any of the effort. Take a look at the camera here.
Huge Investment in MPB
The used camera market has been booming in recent years, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, and that trend is set to continue with a huge investment announced by MPB - the world’s largest online platform for used photography and videography kit, founded in 2011 in Brighton. According to TechCrunch the company managed to raise £49.8 million via investors Action Capital, Mobius Equity Partners, Beringea and FJ Labs, all led by Vitruvian Partners.
According to reports MPB aim to expand its operations and enter more markets, with offices already in operation in Berlin and Brooklyn. The company claims to buy over 20,000 cameras and lenses every month, including classic film cameras, digital SLRs and even drones.
For more analogue photography news, tips and information, visit the RPS’ Analogue microsite, the Analogue Group’s Facebook page or Instagram page.