I was always a big fan of the look of TLR cameras. So when I first saw Gakkenflex DIY TLR kit from well-known educational publisher called Gakken in Japan, I was really excited. In fact, this was the first DIY camera kit I bought. I liked it so much that I painted and put leather cover as well.

It was definitely fun to build. It was maybe little more difficult than other kits I have built, especially the shutter function which was little frustrating.

This camera takes definitely more of toy camera feeling pictures. Since shutter speed (about 1/125) or aperture (about F11) cannot be changed, you would need high speed film ISO 400 or higher for flexibility. Also, since this is really light weight, making it steady is key to taking a decent picture. I would recommend using a tripod. As long as it is on tripod, you can take multiple exposure without rolling the film. Even if you don't use it for taking pictures, I would say it would make a good decoration.

The viewfinder is definitely small and it is little difficult to compose.

Though the original Gakkenflex may not be available, Gakken has re-published in a different package in 2019, and there are clones out there under different names

Pros:

• Definitely cool looking TLR.　
• Widely available.　

Cons:

• Building shutter was difficult/frustrating.　
• Viewfinder is small and dark.　

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