If you're a fan of special effect films, then you may be familiar with the brand Dubblefilm. When they were recently looking for product testers, I assumed they wanted people to test a new specialty film. To my surprise, I received an e-mail asking if I was comfortable with minimal-control cameras. My response was an emphatic “Yes!” – my go-to camera is a Holga, after all.
Dubblefilm's new camera is called the SHOW. It's being marketed as an eco-friendly alternative to disposable cameras. Fans of disposable cameras, as well as toy cameras, will find this 35mm camera very familiar. There's one fixed shutter speed (1/125 sec), a fixed aperture (f/8), a wide (32mm) lens, and 1 meter (~3 ft) minimum focusing distance. It also has a built-in flash, powered by a single AAA battery. Accessory-wise, the camera is sold with a neck strap & colorful case.
If you're in the market for a toy camera, you probably also love experimenting with your frames. The camera does not allow for multiple clicks like a Holga: but you can always extract the film tongue after rewinding, and load it back through for double-exposures.
If light leaks are your thing, you can quickly open & close the back of the camera (warning: the frame counter will go back to zero, so keep track of where you were. Or don't!).
I was feeling creative and drew around the edge of the plastic lens with dry-erase markers. This created a subtle vignette/gradient effect.
This camera is a great introduction to toy camera photography. It shines best under brightly-lit conditions (or higher ISO films). Since testing, I've already thrown it in my beach bag alongside my SLR so that I could shoot a second film type without “overthinking” it. If you're not a technical photographer, and prefer experimenting, the SHOW is a great little addition to your camera collection. Did I mention it comes in pink?
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Film photographer Katie Mollon is based in Michigan. See more of her work & connect with her on Instagram.