Product Description

The Blackbird, fly is a twin-lens reflex camera: one lens is used to expose the film, while the other is used like a viewfinder. It's a famous style of camera whose history stretches back to the 1920s. The Blackbird fly uses 35mm film. There are two ways to take a picture with the Blackbird fly. For quiet and reflective framing, you can hold the camera at waist level and look down, to compose your shot using the finder lens. For a quicker style of shot, you can use the sportsfinder, which approximates a viewfinder through a notch in the top of the camera. The Blackbird fly can take pictures in standard 35mm film format (24x36), but using a different (provided) mask, it can also produce square format pictures (24x24). You can even remove the mask entirely and make a larger square format image (36x36), which fills up the entire width of the 35mm film, including the side sprocket holes. For shooting during the day, you can alternate between apertures f/7 and f/11, with a shutter speed of 1/125. At night, you can switch the shutter to B-mode to let in as much light as you might need, or you can also attach a flash for even more possibilities. Variable focusing, from 0.8 meters, makes for a sharp subject. The Blackbird fly uses a wide-angle 33mm lens and also allows you to take multiple exposures on the same frame.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20338 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Blackbird
• Dimensions: 1.10 pounds

Features

• Shutter speed of 1/125
• Standard 35mm film format

Customer Reviews

Super Zazz!
this is a 'TOY CAMERA' and it shoots 35mm film. make no mistake about it.

if you want perfect predictable photos, stick to digital.
if a bit of unintentional blur pisses you off, stick to digital.
if you think loading and unloading film is cumbersome, stick to digital.

with that being said, this is a fantastic plastic TLR toy camera. it comes with 2 frame masks: a standard 35mm film format and a square format frame. You can even remove the mask entirely to expose the entire width of the film, including the side sprocket holes.

the viewfinder takes a bit of getting used to, as it's smaller than most other TLR viewfinders. i've shot 2 rolls of film, and my images are actually sharper than i hoped they would be.

i lucked out when i purchased my BBF because i had some amazon gift cards left over from Xmas. the blackbird fly gets 4 stars due to the steep price point (it's an import). i do think it is a bit expensive for a toy camera...

overpriced toy camera, fun, but not at this price.....
SO not worth $100+. I received this camera in a "goody bag" on a recent trip to Japan. It's a great toy camera, but I would only pay $50 or so for it. It's cute, kitchy, and well designed. But it is entirely made of plastic. There is a lot of blur and I believe it is not only due to the plastic lens but that the camera is so lite. When you release the shutter the entire camera moves (!)

If you are a fan of toy cameras, enjoy. But be aware, in no way is this camera a good student camera or introduction to medium format. Buy a used YashicaMat or related camera if that's what you are looking for. Yes, a basic tlr will cost you $300 used in good condition, but if you buy this "bbf" (black bird fly) you'll spend <$100 and will have no guarantee how long it will last until one of the plastic parts breaks.

Do understand, I am a fan of toy/pinhole cameras, just not at this price point.

cheers...

Quite a useless product
I wanted to try a twin lens reflex camera but was not willing to spend on the Mamiya/Hasselblad brands; was unsure of Seagull/Holga- they looked cheap- so finally saw this camera- 35mm with twin lens reflex- Wow I thought! But I was totally wrong. This is a sham toy camera- the pictures it takes are mostly all out of focus. The operations including loading and unloading film are very cumbersome. I have wasted $120 on a piece of junk. Stay away from this camera- it only looks trendy, that's all!!!