Articles from Matt Murray

Over the last couple of years, I’ve shot with over 60 point and shoot film cameras. You could say it’s an obsession, perhaps even an illness. 

It didn’t seem like there was much to cheer for film photographers in 2021. Supply chain issues, global film shortages, and price rises led to a wave of discontent among film photographers, leading many to cry into their soy lattes and burn their berets.  

I’ll admit it — I’m a 35mm point-and-shoot junkie. I have a collection of electronic cameras that many film photographers would call "ticking time bombs". The reason for this is that many cameras made 20+ years ago were never intended to be used for this long. 

The Xpan was one of the most innovative cameras ever produced. Launched in 1998, it was a joint venture between two giants: Hasselblad and Fujifilm. Its unique design brought panorama images to 35mm, with the ability to switch between standard and panorama images on the fly. 

Maybe it’s nostalgia or maybe it’s a design classic. Whichever way you look at it, the Nintendo Game Boy and its camera accessory have achieved cult status among photographers and gamers alike thanks to the distinctive lo-fi digital images it creates. 

In recent years, Godox has become the go-to brand for many photographers looking for competitively-priced lighting products that are packed with features.

What are your favorite three Fujifilm X Mount lenses? As a Fujifilm fanboy, this is a question I have often mulled over — with the answer changing as often as new lenses are released. 

At this time of year, many readers of Fstoppers will only have to look out their windows to see snow. So, can you imagine driving 560 miles (900 km) in one day just for a glimpse of the white stuff? 

I recently interviewed Australian film photographer Rob Walwyn on his incredible images documenting the aftermath of the bushfires that devastated Australia’s east coast in late 2019 and early 2020. Walwyn’s project, "Karrikins," led to his first solo exhibition at the 2021 Head On Photo Festival in Sydney. 

Australian photographer Rob Walwyn is hosting the first exhibition of his project ‘Karrikins’ as part of Sydney's Head On Photo Festival. Karrikins documents the aftermath of the bushfires that devastated Australia’s east coast in late 2019 and early 2020. What makes Walwyn’s images even more stunning is his use of Kodak’s discontinued false-color infrared film Aerochrome. 

Are you even a photographer if you’ve never taken a Polaroid? If you’ve yet to experience the magic of instant photography, or if you’ve been away from the game for a while, there’s good news. The film being produced by Polaroid over the last couple of years is more consistent than it has been for a long time. 

The best thing about starting my film photography podcast, Matt Loves Cameras, three years ago is the connection it’s brought me to the film community. I’ve appeared as a guest on other film photography podcasts, I’ve run competitions, and I’ve produced community photo zines. 

Fujifilm’s X100 line has been one of the most popular compact camera choices over the last decade. Even diehard shooters of other brands buy one for their everyday carrying. Starting with the X100 in 2010, the series is now in its fifth iteration with the X100V. 

I was super excited to see a new YouTube channel launch recently that is not only dedicated to film photography, but is produced just down the road from me on Australia’s stunning Gold Coast. I was even more excited when I saw there was a video about shooting Polaroids. 

I love everything about shooting film. I love the feel of it, I love the cameras, I love the surprise of seeing the images, I love the community. I love it so much I set up my own film photography podcast called Matt Loves Cameras.

The film community is a pretty friendly place. I've made a lot of good mates all over the world since launching my film photography podcast, "Matt Loves Cameras," three years ago. 

Is this the coolest film packaging ever? Kosmo Foto’s new “Agent Shadow” film has been fully funded on Kickstarter with four days to go. The film is scheduled to be shipped from September 2021. 

There's one thing in particular that I'm really looking forward to when I next visit the United States: hunting through thrift stores for bargains. I love all sorts of vintage and retro items, but top of my list is film cameras.

There's nothing quite like the feel of a Polaroid image in your hands. If you've run out of FP-100C and long for the days of shooting instant film on your medium format rig, all hope is not lost.

We'd all love to be mentioned in the same breath as our favorite photographer. Especially if that photographer is a highly celebrated master of their genre. But what happens when your image is mistaken for, and credited to them, instead of you?

Don’t you just love a good old-fashioned photographic shootout? Giving yourself a new challenge is not only fun, but it’s a fantastic way to unleash your creativity: you either sink or swim. 

Polaroid has launched a new pocketable instant camera with its very own smaller film format.

Dear Fujifilm, on behalf of all instant photography fans, please give us a decent Instax camera — one that excites us, one that inspires us.