King Penguin

Kershaw Eight-20 King Penguin
Ilford HP5+ 400

Seems only fair to include a photo from the daft camera that got me back into film for a second or third time (and this time it stuck) in my Analogue April. Spotted in a local antiques shop a little over a year ago, Mel talking me into getting it primarily, I think, because it gave her an excuse to buy a mirror she liked.

I realise now I paid way over the odds. Always likely in a shop like that, so I’m not bothered about that, especially as it sparked me off back into analogue.

The King Penguin is from the 50s, despite looking older, and must have been an oddity when it was launched into a world starting to embrace rangefinders and the like. It’s fixed focus, single shutter speed (about 1/50th), and only has the choice of two apertures (f/11 and f/16) through its plastic lens. But it’s fun, and quirky, and I kinda like the soft effect.

Though I’ve read a review online talking about the nice soft edges, then the reviewer put a roll of colour film through and was blown away at how well it performed. So naturally I’m going to have to try that now. 

And if you think you’ve got to be more selective when shooting analogue normally, so as not to burn through film, on a 120 roll this shoots enormous 6x9cm negatives, so you only get 8 shots per roll….