The Panasonic C-300EF, also known as the National C-300EF, is a 35mm point-and-shoot camera designed for use with 35mm film. It was probably sold mainly in the 1980s.
A very similar model is the Panasonic C-310EF, which differs mainly in the flash activation: on the C-300EF, the flash turns on automatically in low light, while on the C-310EF it must be activated manually.
Technical characteristics
The camera has a fixed lens with a focal length of 38 mm and a maximum aperture of f/5.6. The focus is fixed and cannot be adjusted, nor can the distance to the subject.
The C-300EF has no built-in light meter and offers hardly any setting options. Only the film speed can be switched between ISO 100 and ISO 400. The shutter speed is constantly set at 1/50 second.
A built-in flash powered by two AA batteries (eBay / Amazon*) provides sufficient lighting. The batteries are only used for the flash. The other functions are all mechanical and do not require electricity.
Film selection and development
The Panasonic C-300EF is designed to use 35 mm films, which can still be produced and developed today. So you can of course still use the 35 mm camera and take pictures with it without any problems.
Popular options are the Ilford Delta 400* for black and white photography and the Fujifilm Superia 400* for color photography. Color films are developed using the C-41 process, which is offered by many photo labs and drugstores.
The camera's negatives have a format of 24 mm x 36 mm. The film is transported manually using a thumbwheel for advancing and a crank for returning the film material to the cartridge.
