I am not really used to planning ahead for this blog. I usually write about cameras I am trying right here and now. But to go along with the last post, my favourite experiences of 2022, I decided to write about three cameras coming up in the new year. They are sat on my shelf, the floor, or in a box waiting to be looked at.

But what about 2022, honestly, it has been an ok year for me. There have been some things that have sucked, but mostly it has been great. I have made loads of great new friends online and in person. I have started a new job so I get a regular wage. The job is hard and being around children all day meant I caught many colds and sniffles, but it has been very rewarding. On the naff side, my car was vandalised this week and the catalytic converter was stolen. It meant I had to cycle to school in sub-zero weather, a round-trip journey of 15km. In the scheme of things though, it isn’t the worst thing that could happen and I should get my car back today or tomorrow. Its an old car, but it is reliable and mine. It is actually too old for the cat to be of any use to anyone, but thieves aren’t known for their intellect I guess. Anyway enough of that, what about the cameras.

I got the first one I am going to preview from Facebook marketplace. I have never owned a Rolleiflex, only a cord and I sold that to a friend. So when I saw this I jumped at the chance. If I had seen it a day later I wouldn’t have bought it as the incident with the car happened the day after I bought it. So here is my lucky Rolleiflex Old Standard.

I have put one film through it and it came out great. I have ordered a new mirror and viewfinder to really bring it back to life. I am really looking forward to using this camera more next year.

The next camera I want to talk about is actually two cameras. I got them both at a camera fair last month. I have used one of them…unsuccessfully. I am still working on getting it to take photos in focus, in the meantime I decided to doodle all over it. The second one I bought also has issues. The film backs that came with it don’t fit, I think they got swapped with a similar camera on the seller’s table. So I am going to return to the fair on the next event date and look for the right ones. If that doesn’t work then I might take up 3D printing, seriously, I really want to try that.

My final selection for a camera coming up in 2023 is one that has been a bit of a head-turner.

I had an odd lens so looked for a body to put it on. I was lucky to get this ‘for parts’ but I managed to get it working. I have put one film through it so far and it was fairly successful.

There are lots of other cameras dotted around my room in various conditions, from brand new to probably not functioning.

Either way, I have a heck of a lot of film stored in my freezer and lots of friends to shoot them with.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, if I don’t post another blurb to mention it later…I probably will though.