So Pentax gave us their first film camera in around 2 decades. Whilst there has been much rejoicing. There has also been quite a lot of moaning – much of which has to do with the price of the Pentax 17. And one suspects the same comment will come with the Rollei 35AF
Pentax’s imminent film compact has caused a buzz. Offering a camera that has automatic metering, zone focus shooting and comes from an established name. Oh and it shoots frugal half frame too. But hang on another camera ticks those boxes and offers more. Meet the Lomography LC-A Wide.
In 2023, lo-fi analogue cameras were pretty much everywhere offering a disposable like experience but in a reusable more ECO package. But Ilford Imaging launched 2 disposables in the last 2 years. And the latest one of those was a half frame. Welcome to the Ilford Ilfocolor Rapid Half Frame.
5 cameras you’d need to prise out of my cold dead hands
What film cameras could you not be parted from. It’s a question myself and some other film bloggers have asked ourselves recently. So here’s my list of five cameras you’d need to prise out of my lifeless hands. And there’s a few surprises in here with everything from technical production, to simplicity to in production today cameras.
The old Glaswegian saying is very apt here. All (aw) fur coat.. was originally a dig at the folk in Edinburgh, they look fancy but they’re just as plain underneath. And the Lomomatic 110, the second camera released by Lomography this year suffers from that. Good looking and it might be one of the best spec’ed 110 camera this century but it’s woeful optics let it down.
It’s rare for me to be so critical of a camera . But given not surprisingly old 110 cameras are quite available still for peanuts, there are plenty of better fish to fry. And given the Skina is by far the worst 110 I’ve ever used, trust me save your pennies..
The Lomourette isn’t technically fully launched yet but you can already get your hands on Lomography’s replacement for the Diana Mini. But it’s the same camera with less features
I’ve been musing about the new Lomourette camera. It is heavily based on the Lomography’s Diana Mini, a Lo-Fi beast with a bit of cult following. Turns out it wasn’t only based on the Mini. It’s replacing it. The Diana Mini is dead.
“That looks a Diana mini” you might be tempted to say. And you’re right. Lomography’s latest camera is a tweaked Diana Mini shooting half frame images. But you’d struggle to know the Lomourette existed. And why the name change? Let’s open up the box and explore.