MetaChat - Pictures with a Diana camera

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13 September 2008

Pictures with a Diana camera →[More:]
A couple of months ago I picked up a Diana-type camera at a junk shop. Actually, it's branded "See", but they're the same thing. I've finally gotten around to trying it out.

I used ASA 100 film and the pictures came out mostly underexposed. This camera has all the light leaks, vignetting, and the "pleasing" selective focus these cameras are known for. I like how some of them turned out. They have an old-fashioned look. I'd probably have a hard time replicating these effects with a digital camera and photoshop.

I also double and triple exposed a number of shots, as I've not used a camera for a long time that doesn't make double exposures difficult.

It took 2 weeks for the film to come back. They probably haven't seen a roll of 120 b/w film in a long time.

post by: DarkForest at: 14:25 | 12 comments

≡ Click to see image ≡
The woodpile.

≡ Click to see image ≡
The kids

posted by DarkForest 13 September | 14:26

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The apple tree. I think this one might be double exposed.

posted by DarkForest 13 September | 14:30

DarkForest, cool pics! I love these cameras. My bf has one and took a picture of the dog in a garden... she looks strangely noble and old-fashioned in it, like a pooch given a medal for rescuing soldiers in the civil war.

posted by scody 13 September | 14:40

May seem a silly question, but can you post a picture of the camera so I know what to look for in MY junk shop?

Also, how much does 120 film go for these days? Where did you find it? Where did you get it developed? And how much did that cost?

Want want want want want. Am poor.

posted by mudpuppie 13 September | 14:59

Those are AWESOME pics, DarkForest. I especially like the one of kids!

I have a Diana and freakin' LOVE the pictures it takes. Pupps, you can see some Dianas via Wikipedia. Don't pay more than 35 or 40 bucks for one... they sometimes sell for ridiculous sums on eBay. Also, a "Diana+" is a new camera, a replica of the old Dianas. Cool, but it's not quite the same thing.

The film isn't that expensive, either. I have a local shop that develops for 5 bucks a roll, and I bring the negs home and scan them.

(not to talk all over DarkForest's thread... I just get very worked up over these kinda cameras. :)

posted by BoringPostcards 13 September | 15:08

Here's my camera:
≡ Click to see image ≡

There's a wikipedia page on Diana cameras.

I forget how much the film cost. Maybe 4 or 5 dollars. Got it a few years ago to try with a different camera, but never got around to it. It was 4 dollars to develop the film without prints. I scanned the negatives.

posted by DarkForest 13 September | 15:19

Oh, and I spent 50 cents on the camera. There were 3 front halves and 2 back halves in a box. Only one of each half worked, so I put them together and bought it.

posted by DarkForest 13 September | 15:21

Awesome. I'm on the hunt now.

posted by mudpuppie 13 September | 15:31

Damn, that WAS a find, DarkForest!

posted by BoringPostcards 13 September | 15:42

Ha! I was going to call these a Chinese Lomo, but now I find that the Diana+ is made by Lomography ...

I suppose there's a photoshop filter somewhere to do this to regular photos, right?

posted by dhartung 13 September | 16:34

Darkforest - awesome woodpile shot. It's my new desktop.

You usurped the panda flopping out the baby pic.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 13 September | 17:46

Cool, LT. Thanks. And thanks everyone for your kind comments.

I scanned in the rest and made a flickr group here. There's 10 shots in all.

I love your Diana set, BP. I'll have to give color film a try, too.

posted by DarkForest 13 September | 19:29

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