Diana+
The original Diana Camera was produced by the Great Wall Plastic Factory of Hong Kong starting in the early 1960s. This is the Lomography reserection of the original. So this is another example of Lomography making a toy copy of a toy camera.
Like the original, the Diana+ is a 120 medium format camera. The original was designed to be cheap cameras that were used as promotions and giveaways. The original stoped being produced sometime in the 1970s. In 2007 Lomograph fired up production of the Diana+. There is also a Diana F+ that allows for a flash.
Shutter speed can be set at N (1/100th) or B for Bulb. The focus has three settings: 1-2 meter, 2-4 meter and 4 meters to infinity. There are also four aperture options: f16, f11, f8 and Pinhole. Shown on the lens barrel as a cloud, a cloud with sun, sun and .P. The lens is actually removable and Lomography sells other lens options like a fisheye lens. Inside there are plastic tabs that hold the film spools and I think make it easier to load than say a Holga. Mine only came with the square mask so I get 16 shot per roll. There should also be a large opening cover to let you shoot 12 frames per roll.
My Take:
I picked this up at a camera show a few years ago. I think I paid $5. I knew nothing about the Diana at the time but thought it looked fun. It sat in a box with my other toy cameras and just never got picked to dance. Holga got picked, even the La Sardina, got picked. But not the Diana+.
This is a toy camera. Pick it up and you can just feel how cheaply make it is. Compared to a Holga it feels flimsy and that is a low bar. But with 4 aperture settings it actually gives you more control that you would think. I shot my test roll on a quick walk and was not wowed by the results or the feel of using the camera. But it is a $5 toy camera so get over it.
It feels like if you worked at it and really took the time to know your camera and do the light math to get the aperture right, you could get some decent shots with the Diana+. For now it will go back in the toy box, but it did make me want to find an original Diana to compare.
Film: Kodak Porta 400 B&W expired
Lens: 75mm
