Action Man was one of my favourite toys growing up. He was so much cooler than Barbie or Sindy as he had loads more accessories. I am old-ish and I played with this in the 70s when toys were very gender biased, not that they still aren’t, but you could get a canoe, a helicopter, scuba gear etc for Action Man. Barbie had…well, clothes or a kitchen or a campervan. Though to be fair, I would love a campervan now.
Anyway, I recently wanted to find a vintage Man with the original fuzzy hair to use as a model, apparently so does everyone else and the price has shot up. Getting one with the bendy fingers still attached was even harder. While looking, I saw this… an Action Man Camera!!!! AND it still worked!!!! ANNNNDDD it was very cheap 🙂
Mine!! Oh and there was a novelty camera competition coming up with one of the groups I was in, perfect. Triple perfect, Lomography has just released a 110 turquoise film. I pre-ordered some directly. All the stars aligned and my pack of film arrived just before I went on a photo walk in London with the group.
So what about the camera? It was originally released around 1999, it came with a 110 cartridge, sunglasses and a plastic gun. Mine had the cartridge, but not the gun or sunglasses. It did have the boots 🙂 The camera is hidden in Action Man’s torso and the fake camera can be used as a viewfinder. There are no settings on the camera, just a point-and-shoot. Oh, and it doesn’t need batteries.
Here is the original advert.
The experience of using the camera, as an adult, was a bit strange. I found my finger often ended up in front of the lens on the torso, you naturally want to grip the torso to hold ‘him’. In the end, I found holding his hand/arm was a more efficient way of shooting. Of course, you can hold him by the legs but then I couldn’t reach the shutter button on his back. The shutter button needs a firm press in order to activate it. The one thing that really annoyed me was his gun belt, it kept falling down. I can totally see why the gun was missing.
So, how were the results?
It was hard to frame the shot at times and he really couldn’t cope with a lack of light, but he really didn’t do so bad. He certainly drew a lot of attention and it was fun to use. I am going to keep him, even if I never put another film through him.
Well, that was different.
Great post, I’ve only seen good things from Lomo Turquoise too. May Action Man forever live on your camera shelf.
When I get a shelf, he will. For now he is in a box.
Awesome Action Man action!
I always wanted that AM figure, so cool that you have one!!!
I wish he was a bit more articulated though.
The one is the same as yours but without the camera however I can hang my Fuji F450 around his neck, and the other has blonde felt hair with gripping hands 😁😁 Some of the older Action Men are fetching silly money on ebay now!
Yeah, I keep looking then reminding myself I dont actually need one really.
I was the same growing up. I wanted the ken dolls or GI Joe. I was never into the Barbie’s lol I never had one that had a working camera though. That’s really cool!
They are surprisingly cheap. I got mine for around $15. Not quite a baby toy though.
Brilliant! You’ll never believe this but I have 2 Action Men sat guarding my most precious cameras on my camera shelf as we speak!! I love them, my favourite toy growing up and now.
PS pretty decent lomo photos too, well done.
Which kinds? Flocked hair, Eagle eyes?
Hilarious! I’d like to have seen pictures of you taking a picture with Action Man, and the rections of folks observing you at work. Perhaps in a supplememtal post?
I do have some film left so maybe. I did do a search for someone else using it, but only a man posing naked came up…so I didn’t link to that. I won’t be copying him.
Shame he doesn’t come with a self timer. You could make a parachute for him (surely, everyone did this, right?) out of a Sainsbury’s bag and some string throw him out of an upstairs window and get some aerial shots. He’d probably hit the ground at 30mph, which the camera might not like, but it would be nostalgic. Realistic beard, eagle eyes, gripping hands, oh yes!
I actually think it would survive. It is pretty study and in his torso for protection.