Customer Reviews

Lomography Diana Mini- 35mm Camera

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

RANT: I took three rolls the first day I got the camera and I LOVE the way my pictures came out. Yes, it's not digital and yes, you have to wait for your pictures to be developed *gasp*, but we live in a world with too much instant gratification and a little patience will do us all some good. I had a couple that came out like "normal" shots and they're are kind of a nice surprise. Overall, they have a lot of character and getting them to be in focus is tougher than other cameras I've used (also have a RICOH from the 1950's and a Mercury from the 1920's - that thing is a BEAST to use) but that's really the whole point, isn't it? We live in an imperfect world and 20 megapixel, perfectly framed, focused and color-corrected photos don't really represent most of our lives.

Live dangerously - go analog.

REVIEW: The camera is made of tough plastic and *feels* like a toy. It's as much of one as you want it to be. Take it as seriously as you take yourself and you'll be fine.

Loading film takes a little more patience and needs to be done SLOWLY to be sure the film advances correctly (see user pics above for a multi-exposure I accidentally took cause I didn't load the film right).

It's small enough to fit in an inside pocket of a jacket - if you don't mind the pocket being a little bulgy. The lens cap is not attached to the body, so be attentive when taking it off. I thought I lost it twice in the first day. Am currently formulating a DIY solution to attach it to the body.

Even though this is pictured with a flash IT DOES NOT COME WITH A FLASH. I was a little disappointed by this (should've read the description closer), but taking a few rolls w/no flash will give you the chance to understand how it exposes images. There are only two f-stops - Sunny & Cloudy. There are also 2 shutter settings - N & B. I don't know what the letters stand for, but N is automatic, B stays open as long as you hold the trigger. The shutter speed switch is easily bumped, so I've started checking it every time I'm taking a shot to be sure I know what position it's in.

It comes with a nifty book of photo missions, gallery pics, and instructions. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. They really do help. It was late in evening and I didn't have any film when I first got it so I couldn't play with it right out of the box; instead I read the instructions. I was glad I did. My first few rolls would've probably been trash otherwise.

If you are still unsure whether or not this is for you go to [...] and read up more. Their playful site is very informative and full of user pics.

Overall, the Diana Mini is a unique camera to use for people who are tired of using their phone for point-and-shoot "fun" photos. It will change the way you think about every day photography.

Be aware: this is a lo-res camera. Plastic lens. Plastic body. It is designed to give over saturated pictures. It has a zone focus that works but IT'S A ZONE FOCUS. If you use it, nothing is out of focus, but things are rarely IN focus either.... The film can be tweaky to get to move through the camera correctly - lots of little eccentricities....

I love this camera!

Well, OK, I don't LOVE it, but I carry it with me all the time and keep a local one hour kiosk in business developing my pics.

A couple of tips:

Have your film developed, put onto a CD disc, and get a contact sheet (if you want). Avoid getting prints with this camera (use your own computer and printer).

And BE SURE you let the tech at the kiosk know the negatives are square (if you, like me, are using this option).

... And enjoy!

I've been using the original Diana for years. I loved it and I have the Diana 35mm back attachment, but the problem is the original Diana is flimsy, and with another heavy piece of equipment attached, I must be very careful on using it.
I purchased this in hopes I can just stick it in my bag and not worry about it like the original. It's perfect. It's small, loads the film easily, and what I love about it most is I can't modify the inside of it, unlike the original, I had such a hard time figuring out what format to use because there were so many pieces to include in each change.

I recommend this for someone that wants to start off in lomoraphy or just have fun with film.

I was so excited to get my Diana Mini after reading all of the positive reviews, and I was really hoping to get some great "vintagey" shots, but I am extremely disappointed. The day I received it, I shot about half a roll in partly cloudy weather. The very first thing I questioned was whether or not the film wheel was advancing the film properly. It would seem to advance completely for one frame, and then only half way (if that) for the next and so on. I figured this was normal and went through the rest of the roll over the course of about 3 weeks. Also, please note that I was shooting in half-frame mode so as to get 72 shots out of one roll.

When I took the roll to CVS to be developed, I got a call from the processor saying that all of my shots overlapped, and that they could not produce a cd of images, nor could they make prints. Apparently the computer would not let them "frame" the photos for printing. They gave me the negatives and sent me on my way with NO suggestions on what to do next.

That night I did some research and found that the issue with the film advance wheel is quite common in these cameras. It seems that the wheel was preventing me from advancing fully, which is why there was such great overlap. So, I inserted another roll of film, switched the shooting mode to square frame, and fired off all 36 shots in my living room to see how the advance wheel would take it. The advancing went a lot smoother; it only seemed to get hung up 3 times during that roll. Took the roll to CVS to have it developed, and this time, let the processor know that I had snapped in square frame mode this time, and was confident they'd turn out. Well, wouldn't you know 30 minutes later, I get another phone call saying that only 3-5% of my shots turned out. I told her to trash the film.

Needless to say, I initiated a return with Amazon tonight, and am really unhappy that the camera didn't deliver. I'd have to say that while the retro appeal is great and the camera seems fun, it won't do you any good if it doesn't work properly.

I gave the camera 2 stars overall instead of 1, because I had fun thinking I was actually capturing neat photos.

The Diana Mini is ridiculously awesome! It takes really interesting lo-fi pictures and I like that. I'd highly recommend it if you feel like getting in touch with your creative side!

I absolutely love this camera. When I first received the Diana Mini, I ruined an entire roll of film. The film was stuck in the winder and when I attempted to rewind the film, it made this terrible clicking noise. I didn't realize that it was supposed to happen until watching a few tutorials but once I understood how to load and unload film, it was love at first snap.

One thing you might want to consider when purchasing a camera like this is the type of film you will be using. Although any kind of 35mm film works, it's important to consider the speed of the film. I've found that an ISO of 400 works for all situations. My personal favorites are the Kodak BW400CN (black & white) and Fujifilm X-Tra. The colors are deeply saturated and work well with the random effects of the Diana.

There are times when after taking a picture the wheel won't turn all the way. I was worried about how the pictures would turn out but found out that they always produce a new effect that's always surprising, and I want to learn how to do it again. But that's the beauty of a camera like this. You'll never know what comes out next. If you're looking for stability, this really isn't the camera for you.

Multiple and long exposures are great on this camera. I generally like taking a picture of something dark and then take another picture in good lighting, and it looks haunting yet playful.

I usually use a regular point and shoot digital camera for day to day use, but I've been using this camera more and more as of late. You can't get these kind of images with a digital camera. And you can use Photoshop to manipulate the effects, but there's just something about it randomly occurring while it develops that makes this camera special.

Another thing I love about this camera is the ability to do half frames. With two frames, you can create a story, show cause and effect, and create a multitude of random day to day occurrences that come together in a single picture.

although pictured with flash, it doesn't come with one.

this camera is somewhat puzzling to load the first few times, and the film is sometimes very difficult to advance. definitely a different experience from using a medium format Diana or even other 35mm toy cameras. it's tiny, and reminds me of the 110 cameras that were everywhere when i was growing up.

although this camera is capable of taking 36 square frame photos or up to 72 half-frame photos, there still tends to be a lot of film left at the end of the roll. it could probably take 45 square frame photos if the camera would let you advance the film further, but it doesn't. so don't be surprised if, when you get your film back, you get some long pieces of blank (therefore wasted) negatives.

as far as recreating the look of medium format toy cameras, this thing is hit or miss, and largely dependent upon the film you use. the vignetting is subtle, almost too subtle. the lens doesn't have quite the same "dreamy" quality as the medium format Diana. really, the thing that makes this most like a medium format Diana is the square frame.

i've been using medium format toy cameras (Holgas, Dianas, various Diana clones) for years, so my opinion of the Diana Mini is definitely influenced by that. the Diana Mini seems to have the square framed 35mm camera market cornered, so there aren't any cheaper alternatives that i know of for those who use 35mm film.

i'm not sure i'd recommend this camera to anyone unless 35mm film is your only shooting option. i know 120 film is sometimes hard to find and even harder to develop if you're on a budget, so i can see how the Diana Mini would be the more convenient option for some.

I've already written a review (on the Holga 135BC) about the awesomeness that is analog photography so I'll just say in general it's actually more fast fun and convenient than most people would think.

As for the Diana Mini there are minor issues I'd like to address. The film advance knob gets stuck often and you have overlapping images whether you want them or not. Fortunately being a mechanical contraption you can google it up and fix it within in hour, if you're crafty. Just make sure you follow the tutorials closely! Second, when you get the film developed, it's best you have a scanner that scans film. The funky square formats and the half frames will confuse the developers and the photos will be cut in all the wrong places and if you purposely overlapped images they might be split. Ask for a developed roll of negatives uncut if you can. Otherwise you might get either very few prints or really messed up prints. And of course if you shoot black and white, developing the film yourself is always a better option. Another issue is the film counter. It goes from empty to 72 I believe. If you switch between half frame and square frame it is very easy to get confused on how many photos are left in your camera. Keep good count!

Now enough of the depressing issues and concerns. The half frame option has to be the main attraction of this camera. The soft focus and vignettes and square frame and simplicity all are nice, but the half frame feels like you can shoot forever and is the unique feature of the mini. There were times I wanted to see what I took but half frame made it so I already took 40 photos but still have film to waste. It's very liberating though, and you can shoot multiple times to make sure you've got a shot, or have certain frames side by side to tell a story, or just shoot anything you see without too much worry about film cost. The pictures themselves are interesting as well. Famous dreamy qualities with just enough focus, unique color and the spacing on the negative itself is fun to look at. You won't get much vignetting in half frame. The viewfinder, as inaccurate as it may be, dims out the areas that won't show in half frame mode.

Lomography doesn't currently sell a shutter release for the mini but a standard one ought to work. It's also highly recommended if you use the bulb mode. The shutter is tough to press so you will get shake pressing it down. The shutter release solves this problem. Also you can shoot without ever gouging your camera which is always fun for candid shots. As a final note regarding accessories, I bought this camera under the impression the Diana+ accessories work with it, as Holga 120s and 135s share the same lens systems. This doesn't seem to be the case with the Diana and Diana Mini. Just a thing to keep note of if you're a fan of adding parts and options to your cameras.

This camera has given me many shots that just wouldn't be the same, or even possible, digitally. It's small and handy and capable of good things and I never leave home without it. And you shouldn't either!

I love this small convenient camera. It amazing what fun can have by simply pulling this out! enjoy it

Purchased the Diana mini in october 2011 put 10 rolls of film through it and now in december 2011 its suffering from the KNOWN film advancement issue. The selector is stuck in 24x17 half frame mode but the mechanism inside is stuck in 24x24 sq frame mode. I shot 7 of the 10 rolls in 24x24 mode and the last 3 rolls in 24x17 and was wondering why I couldn't get past 30 on the counter. A spring must have dislodged inside the housing as the counter now reads 45 and the film will advance forever.

The instruction manual isn't worth the paper its printed on. It incorrectly states the amount of turns it takes to advance the film in both modes (if you follow the manual you will have overlapping pics. Turn the wheel until it clicks then STOP!). Theres a guy on youtube that has a bunch of holga diana and diana mini videos and i found these a million times for helpful.

Processing the 35mm film is really pain too. I took a roll to CVS and it was awful even after explaining the size of the prints and how the negatives are to be framed. Another option is ordering film processing from lomography at $19/roll including scans and shipping both ways. It takes over a month for a finished product to arrive on your doorstep from lomography (their online ordering comes from 1 store in NY and orders are only processed mon-fri) I live in NJ and the film is processed in NYC , roughly a 20 minute drive from my house. The website does state that it will take atleast a week from the time they receive your envelope until they start processing it. You order an envelope from them, which takes about a week to arrive, then you mail the mailer back to them , which sits at the post office for about a week, then it goes to lomography where it gets developed and mailed back to you sometime in the next 2 weeks.

When the camera did work it was easy to use. I bought the kit that came with the flash and shoe adapters as well as the little "shoot forever" book. If improvements were made to this camera and the ordering process it would be a nice camera.I plan on sending this back for a replacement and selling the replacement as i've moved on to a 120 format holga.

As someone stated earlier lomography is really good at marketing, camera making not so much.