Manufacturer: Kodak
Model: Pony 135
Film: 35mm
Type: point-and-shoot, scale focusing.
Lens: 44mm Anaston lens, f/3.5, helical focusing. Minimum focusing distance: 2.5 ft. Apertures: f/3.5 – f/22. No filter thread.
Shutter speed: 1/25 s – 1/300 s, and “Bulb”. Leaf shutter. Shutter is cocked with lever on the side of the lens (flash-sync side). Flash presumably syncs at all speeds. Flash sync is an archaic ASA Bayonet socket.
Features:
double exposures possible, as shutter may be fired without film being wound first.

This is a very simple camera. So simple, in fact, that it sat unused in my closet for several years after I acquired it as part of a bigger purchase. In fact I only recently dusted it off because I needed a simple point-and-shoot that would allow me to take double exposures. Scale focusing can be a challenge if you’re not good at estimating distance, which I’m not (but getting better at it!). I happen to have a custom made sync cord for this type of Kodak sync socket, made by Paramount Cords. I’ve never tried using flash on this camera though, so no idea what the experience is like.

What’s to love, or at least like, about this camera? Well it does have that Anaston lens, which I assume is named after Jennifer Aniston and therefore is as sharp as its namesake. I mentioned the double exposure capability…that’s about it! The camera has a nice, solid feel to it. Made of bakelite and metal, it’s substantial but comfortable in the hands. Will I use it much? Probably not…doesn’t give me enough lo-fi magic to make it worth shooting with.