Pentax PC-330 35mm Film Camera

Difrentisgood helps the consumer make an informed buying decision

The book I'm currently reading isn't in the epinions database and I haven't bought any CDs or watched many movies lately, so I've decided to aid epinions a little in their quest to help customers make informed buying decisions by reviewing my camera. I'm not very good at evaluating the technical aspects of anything, but I'll do the best I can. And to all those who might think that I've sold out to the money-grubbing, soulless machine known as epinions.com, my defense is that I'm bored and it's not like the new epinions has left us any interesting editorial sections to wander around in... And besides, I am very emotionally attached to my camera. I could talk about him for hours... (okay, maybe for half-an-hour...) His name is Flash Gordon.


Why did you name your camera Flash Gordon, weirdo?

I've recently taken up strange photography as a hobby. I still take the usual pics of me and my buddies hanging out, but now I find joy in creative angles and weird subjects, also. Do you think a picture of a ketchup bottle on a plate sounds stupid? Well, maybe it is stupid, but at least it's different...

Lately, I can be seen wandering around, peering through my viewfinder, laying on the ground looking up, standing on tops of tables looking down, and arranging inanimate objects in interesting positions. (I'm also developing a series called "people driving." I think these pictures offer interesting opportunities for profile and psychological studies...) Yes, there are some who scoff at the oddness of my pictures, but several others believe I'm practicing my own form of high art.

Actually, I'm just having fun. Photography is a very enjoyable hobby. Having a snapshot come out even better than you thought it would (even if it's a picture of a stuffed animal wearing sunglasses) is one of the most gratifying experiences imaginable.


But what about the freakin' camera?

I've been interested in photography for years, but only recently have I been really able to satisfy all of my picture-taking urges. That's because I received my camera as a gift this last Christmas. I knew I was getting a camera, but I was surprised when I opened the present, anyway, because this camera was so amazingly, unbelievably perfect for me. Flash Gordon is small and lightweight and is a very good-looking camera -- simply yet elegantly designed. My Pentax came with a little leather case with a belt loop, a cord, an instruction booklet, and batteries for the flash. I haven't put the cord on yet because doing so involves unscrewing some teeny-tiny screws and I can't seem to find the teeny-tiny screwdriver.


Okay, now we know how it looks, but how does it work?

The Pentax PC-330 has only a few buttons, so it's easy enough to handle for those of us who can't program the VCR without a six-week intensive training course. It took a while for me to learn how to load the batteries and the film, but most people should have no problem. The lens is 26mm, and so far, all of my pictures have turned out great.

The only problem I have with this camera is that there is no way to turn the flash off. Before you take a picture, you must first slide open the lens cap. If you don't want to use the flash, you'd better take your picture within 15 seconds or so. Also, if you leave the lens cap open for more than a minute, the flash automatically shuts off and it takes a few more agonizingly long minutes to recharge. This feature is irritating to me because I like to wander around, ready to take pictures at a split-second's notice, and it's annoying to have to flip the lens cap on and off in an attempt to coordinate exactly the flash or non-flash situation I need.

Other than that, everything is fine -- automatic rewind, long battery life, and so on. The Pentax PC-330 won't break easily. I know because I've dropped it several times already (it just bounced). This camera isn't packed with dozens of features, but it's perfect and at the right price for a beginning hobbyist like me.