My Kit
What I shoot with now, and the cheap charity shop finds that got me going. You really don't need the best gear to start taking photos.
What I shoot with now
Fujifilm X-T2
My main body. Picked it up second-hand in great nick. Does everything I need and then some.
TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4
Manual focus prime. Sharp, small, and cheap. My go-to for street.
Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.8
An old charity shop lens on a K&F adapter. Lovely rendering for next to nothing.
K&F 1/4 diffusion filter
Takes the edge off when the light gets harsh. Cheap and does the job.
Where it started
I started out with whatever I could find in charity shops. Cheap old cameras nobody wanted, sat on the shelf between the DVDs and the donated kettles. The name came from that, and it stuck. The point still holds: the gear is the cheapest excuse not to start.
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
British Heart Foundation, Portsmouth
The one that started it all. A £15 bridge camera that got me out of the front door. Proof you don't need much to begin.
£15
Zuiko 50mm f/1.8
British Heart Foundation, Portsmouth
Eight quid. Still in my bag today on an adapter.
£8
Canon AE-1
Oxfam, Southsea
A proper film classic with a working light meter, for the price of a couple of coffees.
£15
Want to find your own?
Best Portsmouth shops
Age UK Southsea, British Heart Foundation on Commercial Road, and Oxfam on Albert Road are worth a look.
When to go
Monday mornings, once the weekend donations have been sorted. Wednesday afternoons work too.
What to check
Test the shutter, check the lens for fungus, and make sure the battery compartment isn't corroded.
One tip
Be friendly with the staff. They'll sometimes hold things back for you or give you a heads up on what's come in.
See what I've shot with this lot
View Portfolio