I would definitely call the Chinon Intrafocus 35F-MA a weird camera, but I mean that as a compliment because I really like weird cameras. And weird film. I liked the surprises and the uniqueness.
I ended up with the Intrafocus simply because I came across it on eBay while looking into other 35mm film cameras. The price was right for a 1980s point-and-shoot, and with a little bit of research, I found that Andy Warhol often used one. What could go wrong?
The camera is somewhat unique due to the fact that it uses an early infrared system to autofocus. It has a pop-up flash, a fixed 38mm f/2.8 lens, and allows for changes to the ASA, but nothing else.
Pretty simple little guy. Er, I mean, little big guy. It’s a bit of a brick of a camera.
(Previously published on my personal website. Also this post may contain affiliate links.)
Things to know:
- It’s big and loud. Those things may be pros or cons depending on your personal tastes.
- It can produce some very interesting photo effects. See below.
- It has a self-timer with a 10-second delay, which is very easy to use.
- When I carry it around in my purse or a bag it often turns itself to the “on” position. It seems like this would drain the battery but I haven’t really noticed that being the case. Just something to look out for.
- It has jammed on me once where I was unable to shoot or rewind the film. Although I didn’t have to do anything to unjam it besides let it sit for a couple of months. It was just having a moment, I guess.
Okay, let’s get to some pics. So keep in mind, I happen to like film photos with grain, light leaks, fogging, etc. In my experience, the Chinon Intrafocus does a bit of all of this, which ends up creating images that very much look like unique film photos. I’ve gotten some great soft tones out of this camera.
Fun times!
