All posts by Alan D

Diana Mini Review : Ultra compact abet challenging fun

Irony shot on instagram from 2013
Diana Mini ironically captured on instagram. In classic Blue black

The Diana Mini has been one of Lomography Society International (LSI) best-selling products and is a gorgeous re-imaging of their simple 120 film Diana F+ in mini form taking 35mm film. But like its big brother, it is a camera of 2 halves good and bad. But do those halves balance out in this toy class manual shooter ?

Continue reading Diana Mini Review : Ultra compact abet challenging fun

Ricoh 500RF Review : The Control Freak’s Compact Rangefinder

Ricoh 500RF
Ricoh 500RF compact Rangefinder

The 1970’s were the heyday of the fixed lens compact rangefinder. Truth be told there can be little to pick from these beauties with the Konica C35 series leading the pack. The Ricoh 500RF and its posher brother the 500G manage to stand out from the crowd as they offer some of the best user control of exposure in the class. Continue reading Ricoh 500RF Review : The Control Freak’s Compact Rangefinder

Agfa Isoly I Review : The camera that launched a 1000 clones

Agfa Isoly I
Later Agfa Isoly I

The Agfa Isoly is perhaps one of the most influencial basic 120 point and shooters there has ever been, setting the scene for the Diana cameras and their more recent re-birth with LSI’s Diana F+. But how does this classic stack up ? Continue reading Agfa Isoly I Review : The camera that launched a 1000 clones

Chinon 35EE Review : Cheap as Chips Rangefinder Fun

The 1970s were the heyday of consumer compact rangefinder. Many models such as the Konica C35 or the Olympus 35 RC are rightly hailed as classics but that means other models are often overlooked that were rivals at the time. The good news is that you can get crackers like the 35EE for a song.

Prinz 35-EE
Chinon 35EE Rangefinder with Prinz rebadging

Continue reading Chinon 35EE Review : Cheap as Chips Rangefinder Fun

Diana F+ Review : Or How I Learned to love the Plastic bomb

Diana F+ Edelweiss Variant
Diana F+ Edelweiss Variant (note plastic chuck on left for wedging shutter open in bulb

Lomography’s plastic classic left me strangely disappointed when it arrived. I’d been impressed by its little brother, the Diana Mini, but this seemed a shoddier affair and worryingly idiosyncratic. However a few rolls later and I’m warming to it. Continue reading Diana F+ Review : Or How I Learned to love the Plastic bomb

A fond farewell ? : Boots Pacemaker 35 / Franka 125 Review

Sadly last week my Boots Pacemaker 35 died. This basic camera  is actually a re branded Franka 125 made by the long gone West Germany company in the 1960’s. But was it retro fun or rightly dated ?

Boots Pacemaker 35
The lamented Boots Pacemaker 35 (aka Franka 125)

Continue reading A fond farewell ? : Boots Pacemaker 35 / Franka 125 Review

Smena 8m Review : Good clean plastic Fun

smena 8M
Smena 8M 35mm Camera (late 3rd Series)

This little plastic corker was one of the best selling classic soviet Cameras of all time. But why does a plasticky unmetered camera with 1950’s mechanics still deserve a loyal following. The answer is its simplicity and its killer lens. Continue reading Smena 8m Review : Good clean plastic Fun