[updated 2 Jul with an additional photo]
I got the Raynox ME-606 in a random Hard-Off junk section (more precisely, Hard-Off at Hirata in Matsumoto) for the princely sum of 300 yen, with no real guarantees about whether it would work. This was before I wisened up and started bringing my own batteries for thrifting cameras, so all I knew was that it had corroded battery contacts and a battery flap that wouldn’t shut.
A lot of my interests can be described as “deliberate inconvenience” (shooting with film, repairing appliances, taking random detours on walks). To keep this up, I got home and cleaned the corrosion with white vinegar…and it worked (shutter + film advance + flash worked)! I also had to tape the battery flap shut since the latch had broken off.
The next step was to test it with an actual roll of film. This ended up being somewhat high-stakes as most of the photos were shot on vacation, but I’m pleased to tell you that the camera actually does work.
This camera has no settings to fiddle with. You don’t even get to choose when the flash fires. It’ll fire when it feels like it, and also takes a few seconds to charge between shots. There are no zoom or focusing options. All you really have control over is what you’re trying to shoot.
Why I think this has a fixed focal length
Doing well on people / things close by
Based on how the photos turned out, I think this has a fixed focal length that’s best for shooting people and things that are fairly close by (e.g. 0.5 metres - 2m).
This is a photo of a friend’s desk. The items in the background appear clearest.
Photo of the wall at The Projector’s Cineleisure outlet, with messages from various creatives who’ve performed or had their work screened there. This includes Nicole Midori Woodford (director) and Mihaya Shirata (lead actress, who plays Ami in the film) from Last Shadow After First Light, and Atsuko Okatsuka (comedian). The light leak here was pretty serendipitous as I opened the film compartment a few shots in, as I wasn’t sure if the film was even advancing. Then I shut the compartment and continued shooting, and I guess this is where the film was partially exposed and partially intact. :) This was done at a distance of about 1m.
This photo was taken about 1.5m away. Things are still quite clear here.
This was about 1m away at most, since it was taken across a table.
Not so clear on landscapes (but this is a matter of personal taste)
As we get further, things get dreamier/blurrier. I guess this depends on the effect you’re going for. As someone with astigmatism, these photos will probably help others empathise with my bad eyesight.
Battersea Arts Centre
Apartments near Battersea Power Station
Holland Park
Parting thoughts
This camera really surprised me as I wasn’t expecting it to work at all. Think it’d do best as a camera for covering parties as it 1. has flash, 2. was really cheap (so I won’t be precious about it), and 3. seems to do well on close-mid distance shots.
Another happy side effect is that I’m less nervous about decorating it (would never do this with my Konica C35 EF or a Rollei 35T…). I have a whole bunch of stickers from when I was a kid and had a huge stationery shopping problem. It felt like I was saving them for some imaginary situation that never happened, so… I’m learning to just use the nice thing instead of waiting for the “right” time to use it.
