My latest item to conquer… my dad’s old Canon A-1 film camera, a model that was born in 1978. Not really a regular household item but I figure every real domestic goddess has beautiful pictures around her home - so why not take the extra step and learn to take them herself! The thing couldn’t be FARTHER from self-explanatory and has got to be the most counter-intuitive device I’ve ever come across. This might be the first thing I’ve ever not been able to tinker with and just figure out. My generation demands ease of use and instant gratification - and I fully admit, I am the epitome of the product of that generation. I’ve only had the contraption in my possession for a couple of days and its already driving me up the wall. There are 5 different lenses, 6 billion different buttons and settings (all of which are hardly labeled of course) and the whole bit about being a FILM camera throws instant gratification out the window. Every picture I take I just die a little bit inside because I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! It could be all black, or could be the next photographic masterpiece of our time. I’ll admit its nice to have a little suspense going on, building up until I hit up that 1-hour photo joint. Can you imagine if we it was 4-photo instead? OMG.
