I bought this camera because its viewfinder is the “Reverse Galilean” type. No… it just seemed like an affordable alternative to taking up smoking. I decided I wanted to be a spy. [” I vanted to be a schpy.”] The pack says, “Made with a choice blend of the world’s finest camera.”
I tried to master the spy’s technique, but I just couldn’t get close enough to the secret documents … and even if I had, this camera doesn’t focus down to, like, a foot or anything. Plus, I’d probably have more success in photographing secret documents if the camera had a flash. But then, that’d sort of give it away that I was taking pictures, huh? Hey! Maybe they could make a flash that looked like a lighter?! Now, there’s an idea. I’m not sure if that’d be James Bond- like, or Maxwell Smart.
This camera has a couple of really good features. One is the viewfinder ( that reverse Galilean viewfinder). It’s bright and easy to view through. I found that you get a little more image on the negative than what’s shown in the viewfinder – just a note for you spies.
The other good point is that the shutter button is on the side. This camera has no weight to it (just like a pack of smokes) and if the shutter button were on the top, I think you’d be more likely to get camera shake when releasing the shutter. With the button on the side, camera shake is less likely. And even if you did move the camera a bit when taking the picture, the effect would be not shaken …more like stirred. The shutter button also has a lock feature.
If I were to make any of these into pinhole cameras, I’d call ’em “Holey Smokes”.
Here are some [schpy] pictures I took with the King’s Camera. I tried to look for secret military stuff, but to tell you the truth, I think most of this has been declassified. :
