The Common Pencil

Analog photography: My experience & adventures

Moving into a new home got me to explore a second-hand shop for fancy old furniture. Lazily walking around, I stumbled upon a Chinon CX II with 3(!) lenses in a hard leather case, price unknown. I felt drawn towards the camera, but tried to ignore it. Mere minutes later I walked over to the shopkeeper, leather case cradled in my arms, and asked: “may I have a look at the inside of this camera?”

Analog cameras did not seem appealing to me throughout my twenties. Being unable to see the result straight away and possibly wasting a good film, made me feel a little nervous. Even though I had spent plenty hours with my mom’s film roll camera as a kid, I had far more experience with my trusty DSLR.

The man working the shop had never seen anyone screw the lens off of a camera before. He seemed to be both curious and a little nervous, uncertain if the camera still worked. While checking the camera and lenses, which by the way were in a more-than-good-enough state, I asked how much he wanted for it. The shopkeeper suggested 80 dollars, changed his mind, then said that I could have it all for 50. He also said that if the camera did not work, I could return it and get my money back. Is it possible for a camera enthusiast to say no to such a deal? Probably, but I was in love, so I took it home with me. But does it work?

This marks the beginning my new blog series: Analog Adventures with the Chinon CX II. Let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment, or by sending an e-mail to thecommonpencil@gmail.com. Thank you for reading!

Side note – Part 1 started in May 2023. Part 2 and 3 will release throughout September 2024.