Ansco Panda

On my 25th birthday I loaded my Ansco Panda with film for the first time and took it for a walk. I would press the shutter button, relaxed, wind the film onto the next frame and just feel good and enjoy the day with a small, cute, plastic camera hanging around my neck. I would walk around familiar places and wait for the right moment to take a photo. I believe that's how one should always feel with a camera about: content and a bit thrilled about what's gonna happen next. 

 That's when I decided I would finally start writing about my cameras. I have a growing collection of about forty at the moment. They're all well loved but also well hidden. Some have been already put to use, while others wait for their time in the shadows of my wardrobe turned into camera warehouse. I intend this blog to help me use all of my cameras steadily, with all the admiration they deserve. I finished the roll from Panda the next day and developed it in freshly brewed ID-11. Ilford Delta 100, my usual choice of 120 film, behaved beautifully and came out of the tank without the slightest sign of the pink mask I usually get. Truly a great birthday present. When I scanned the shots, I was amazed with the sharpness of Panda's lens, at least in the center, where it really is sharp. "Almost Hasselblad", I said in awe. Truth be told, I've never held a Hasselblad in my hand, but that doesn't matter. This way I can imagine it's not much better than my Panda.

The Panda is a plastic pseudo-tlr camera. It's the smallest medium format I own, only a bit bigger than Baby Brownie which, in itself, is small format (127 type). Ansco started producing them in 1939 and finished in 1950. Mine has "49 7-48" stamped inside which may or may not somehow correspond to its birth date. It's got one shutter speed that I'd rate as close to 1/50 so there should be no problem with motion blur from shaky hands. It focuses from about 1,5m like most of simple box cameras. You can load it with 120 film respooled to 620 spool. It may look like the 120 fits in those elastic spool holders but it doesn't: the camera won't close properly and the film won't wind. The pictures have already told you what this tiny box can do. I can only add that the lens is sharp-sharp in the center and goes blurry towards the edges, kind of like with a magnifying glass. If you use it in right light conditions, it's gonna produce nice results. Most of all, it's cute and if nothing else, that's why you should get it.