Diana

This is the Diana.

Back in the 1960's, a small firm in Hong Kong - the Great Wall Plastics Factory - created a dirt-cheap 120 camera called the "Diana."  Crafted entirely of plastic, each camera cost about a dollar.  As a mainstream product, the Diana was pretty much a failure and was discontinued in the 1970's.

But like any superstar cut down in their prime, the Diana's posthumous appeal skyrocketed. As a cult artistic tool of avant-garde and lo-fi photographers, it was a rousing success!  They loved its soft & dreamy images, super-saturated colors, unpredictable blurring, and random contrast.

Diana shots are raw & gritty, with a character all their own. They simply cannot be duplicated by any other camera on Earth!  In short order, the Diana rose to prominence as one of the most treasured and sought-after cult analog cameras from the late 70's onward.

I recently bought my own Diana F+ camera, and although I haven't gotten to experiment enough yet, it's pretty great!  I love its black and blue outfit, the front trigger shutter release, and the old-school square flash kicks out quite an intense burst of light! With the addition of the color gel filters, what's not to love?

I'm hoping to get the 35mm back and Splitzer for Christmas so I can try some of the cool techniques in these photos. (Got that, Santa?)  The 35mm back has four frame options, two which expose the entire width of the film.  I just love the look of the sprocket holes!  The Splitzer takes the fun of multiple exposures to the next level!  Yeah!!

*Photos & Information from LSI

[lomography.com]