Where to shop for camera equipment...

Its come to my attention recently that its getting harder and harder to buy cameras and their equipment in actual shops. Buying from actual shops has benefits like asking for advice about the product, checking it out, and asking about the refund policy (just in case anything were to happen).

Where I got my equipment 

Above is a photo of my Canon 60D which I've had for almost 4 years. I got it in Jessops when they were still around. It was really helpful to get some sound advice when I was planning on spending a large amount of money and just by chance I got a free memory card as well! 

Other equipment such as my tripod and flashgun have been brought from charity shops, although a little risky they have been a great find! 

Places to buy from

If your from brighton there's a great little shop called 'clock tower cameras' (photo below). It's mainly second hand stock but at affordable prices and good advice! 

Also check out: 

• curry's 

•Amazon 

• ebay 

• charity shops/second hand shops 

• gumtree 

• the Friday ad. 

Some things to lookout for 

• Reviews. Before you buy any equipment, unless it's a cheap charity shop buy, check out the reviews online about both the product and the online seller. 

• cheaper deals. Check around different sites to see if you can get a better deal. 

• Returns/ refund policy. 

• make sure that the equipment your buying is compatible with your camera. 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Becky x

Reviewing the Instax Mini 8 camera.

I brought my instax not too long ago, and i thought I would share my thoughts about it. 

Whats good about it?

• Easy to use, with only 5 different settings for the lighting conditions. 
• Easy to reload the film, unlike with some other film cameras, which can be a bit tricky. 
• Instantly getting the photo is exciting and great for social events and as keep-sakes. 
• Come in 4 different colours: baby pink and blue, yellow and white. (I went for the girly pink!)
• Quite light and small enough to fit into most hand bags. 
• The photos come out with a space to write the date or a message. 
• Can get different styles of film. 
• only takes 2 AA batteries, that seem to last a while! 

What’s not so good?

• To be honest its a great little camera and there’s not anything technically wrong. I just find that the price of the film can be a little steep at £10 for 10 shots, working out £1 each. So make every photo count! 
• In addition to that the 10 shots for pack sometimes is’nt quite enough so having to keep reloading the film when out is a little annoying. 

Where can I buy one and how much?

I came across in the UK Urban outfitters, selling for around £90 but I then found a bundle deal on ebay for £75 with 4 packs of film! (Brand new as well) I’m pretty sure you can buy both the film and camera on ebay or amazon or even on the fuji site. The film is also sold in some camera shops but its best to ask or get them online as it can work out cheaper. 

Who’s this camera good for? 

• Anyone who doesnt mind not being in control of the camera settings and likes to experiment. 
• People who like to capture memories! 
• Anyone who uses a sketchbook. 

Conclusion

Personally I’m really pleased with the camera and I do recommend it to people. Its great for when I see something that inspires me, like a location because I can stick the photo straight into my sketchbook without the hassle of printing! It also gives me a way to really focus on each shot as they do cost £1 per image, so its not just a case of keep clicking! 

Have a good week! 

Becky x