Meikai Switchable Panorama Camera Walk Through Waterville

This afternoon, after laying in a field musing about last fall's leaves, I walked across the street to the Goodwill to have a look around. While sifting through old waffle makers and LL Bean fleeces, I found this Meikai Switch Panarama camera sitting next to a sprinkler timer. The geniuses at Meikai spelled panorama "Panarama," so you know it's good. The Meikai's ability to switch between Panorama and Standard mode caught my eye, so I took a 99¢ leap of faith. I loaded the Meikai up with Fujifilm 400 film and walked around Waterville with my Canon 5d Mark II on back up.

The exposure reader works like two legged stool.

The Meikai is 100% plastic, even the lens.

The Meikai is manual winding like a disposable camera.

Meikai in Panaroma mode, note the plastic cropping that partially covers the film.

Meikai in Standard Mode, all of the light hits the 35mm film.

Meikai in Standard Mode. Mainards often put insulation over the windows to cut down on heating costs.

Meikai in Panarama mode. I have no idea whats going on with the red rectangle.

Canon 5D Mark II.

Meikai. While taking these photos I often looked at the back of the Meikai after every shot expecting to see a 3 inch LCD displaying the recent exposure.

Canon.

Meikai.

Canon.

Meikai into an abandoned Dollar Tree.

Canon. I really like these two.

Meikai.

Canon. That's my dojo in the background, second floor above the front door.

After half an hour and 24 exposures, I walked to the neighborhood CVS to develop the film. It took Laurie 10 minutes to pull the film from Meikai. I had low expectations for the 99¢ and the $3 setup and awaited the developing like seven year old at five thirty on Christmas morning. Grab some 400 speed film and go to a Goodwill near you. I am sure you will smile like I did.

Here are some more links,
Waterville Through With the Meikai (Picasa),
Meikai vs Canon 5d Mark II (Picasa),
Meikai Switchable Panorama Camera (Picasa).