I was a child of the late 70s/early 80s. I listened to my music via vinyl, cassette and 8-track tapes. I watched films on BetaMax… or at the cinema. TV was only a couple of channels – live as it was shown or, if you could work out how to do it, it could be set to be recorded on to videotape. Phones all had rotary dials… and a lead that was attached to the wall. Mobile meant that the cord was a few yards long, and you could carry the 2lb phone, possibly all the way into the adjoining room.
Cameras were simple point and shoot boxes that you held up to your face, shut one eye and peered through a view-finder with the other before pressing the button. The only option available in those days was flash on or flash off. And you had to wait a whole week to see the photos you took, because that was how long the pharmacy (it was always, and only, a pharmacy) took to process the roll of film you took into them. The roll of film could only hold 24 photos – or 36 if you paid extra. I’ve lost count of the number of times that not a single satisfactory image materialised as I eagerly shuffled through the photos on the pavement outside the shop. Blurry, underexposed, overexposed, superimposed… excitement quickly turned to dismay!
Which brings me on to this week’s On our Radar item – the Camp Snap camera. It has all the good bits of a 1970s camera; the attractive retro looks, the point & shoot simplicity, combined with the useful 21st century technology; it’s digital, you can attach it to your computer to download, share and print the images you want. It’s available in 9 colour options and allows you to take up to 500 photos before it needs recharging. And all at the exceedingly reasonable price tag of £52.00 (as at May 2024).
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