Arico Panorama CL-168

The Arico Panorama CL-168 is a cheap camera for 35mm photography. Its body is made of plastic and is of Chinese manufacture. Similar models were offered under various names and brands.

Haking from Hong Kong could be the producer. However, another company with production facilities in China could also have taken over the production. One option would be New Taiwan Photographic Corp (Ouyama), which had a production facility in Shenzhen and produced cameras.

Features of the camera

The feature list of the Arico Panorama CL-168 is straightforward as there are not many special features to mention. It offers a fixed focal length, probably of 28 mm. The aperture as well as the shutter speed are fixed.

A light meter is missing. Also lacking is an autofocus. By default, the focus is between 1 metre and infinity. To get relatively clear photos, the distance to the object should be at least 1 metre.

The camera does not need batteries and all features are mechanical. Options such as flash, tripod connection or self-timer are missing. However, there is an attachment option for a hand strap.

The panorama option

In the marketing of the camera, the panorama function was the main focus. However, it is not a true panorama camera.

A standard 35 mm camera exposes 24 mm x 36 mm. The Arico Panorama CL-168, on the other hand, exposes 13 mm x 36 mm. This format makes the image look like a panorama, especially if the photo is printed accordingly.

This format is created by an aperture in the camera that covers parts of the image. Theoretically, one could remove this plastic aperture and expose 24 mm x 36 mm again. However, the simple viewfinder still shows the panorama format.

Many compact cameras of this era had such a panorama function. Often you could switch between standard and panoramic shots.

For such panoramas, one could alternatively use software to crop the image.

Films for the Arico Panorama CL-168

The camera can still be used, of course. 35mm film is used in the Arico Panorama CL-168. Even nowadays, 35mm films are produced and can be developed by most service providers.

Suitable films for the Arico Panorama CL-168 are the Kodak Gold 200* for colour shots and the Ilford HP5* for black and white shots. There are of course many other films that are compatible with this camera. Both films offer reliable results with a capacity of 36 images. Other films are offered by brands such as Fujifilm, Adox, Rollei, Foma and Lomography.