Gcfn Lomo
Should i get a holga 120GCFN with an adapter or a diana mini?
Hi, i’m like a major beginner in lomography and wants to get my first lomo came i did some sourcing and i decided to go for something cheap!
i’m looking cams that uses the 35mm film and a cheap camera that isn’t more than S$150 (USD114)
And after looking through all the cameras, it boils down to the holga 120 GCFN vs the diana mini but which one should i get!!!!!!!! i heard people commenting that the diana mini don’t give sharp pictures while the holga runs on the 120 format film and using an adapter is kinda hard to remove the film? oh, and why must we remove the film in total darkness?
i really hope someone could help me answer this question(s), and thanks in advance (:
35mm film in a Holga 120 camera must be unloaded in total darkness because the camera has no film rewind mechanism, since it is made for 120 film. If you get the Superheadz 35mm adapter back, this has a rewind mechanism built in. All of the other 35mm adapters require darkness for unloading. The 35mm adapter back has a built in film counter. If you use any other adapter, you will have to count clicks or turns to advance the film properly. All in all, I don’t recommend that a beginner like yourself start with a Holga 120 camera with 35mm film.
Why?
1. Lower cost of film. You get more frames per roll, and if you are a beginner, the way to get good at shooting with film, is to shoot lots of it. I find that when beginners use 120 film, it’s higher costs and higher cost of processing keeps them from shooting because they are very much aware of how much each shot costs.
2. Easier to find. 35mm film is much easier to find than the 120 film used in the Holga 120 cameras. I see it in the drugstores, as well as few grocery stores (although that is becoming a much rarer experience).
3. Easier to get processed. Most drugstores and large big box stores like Target or Walmart still have 1-hour labs, but only for 35mm film. You will have to find a local lab to process your 120 film, or send it out.
4. Lower cost of processing. It cheaper to get your 35mm film processed. If you skip the prints and just get the roll processed and put on CD, you can cut the cost down even more. Tip: If you want prints, then you only pay for the ones that came out. This keeps the cost of processing down.
Take a look at one of these 35mm cameras:
Holga 135 or 135BC
Similar cheap lens and operation as the Holga 120 cameras. 1 aperture setting (yes, the camera has 2 settings, but they are identical), 2 shutter settings, N (1/100 sec) and B (Bulb setting) tripod mount, cable release socket If you want the corner vignetting like on the larger format camera, get the Holga 135BC.
Sample photos: http://www.flickr.com/groups/holga135bc/
Superheadz Black Slim Devil
This is a clone based on the popular vintage Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim. It has no exposure controls and no flash option, but with it’s wider than normal lens (22mm) it is capable of taking some outstanding photos.
Sample photos: There really isn’t a good Flickr group for these cameras yet, so the sample photos are from the Vivitar UWS http://www.flickr.com/groups/57074580@N00/
The Diana Mini
Lomography took the Diana camera, and shrunk it down to 35mm format. The Mini, while it lacks the interchangeable lenses of the full sized Lomography Diana+, is still a feature packed camera (at least compared to the Holga and Black Slim Devil). The frame format is unusual. They stuck with the square format of the Diana camera, but it is centered on a standard 35mm frame. The reason for floating the square on the 35mm frame is that be using a standard 35mm format, most 1-hour labs will be able to more easily deal with making scans or prints, since they are set up for regular 35mm film. You can also set the camera to half-frame 35mm, which is 2 vertical 24mm x 17mm images. This translates to 2 images on a standard 35mm frame. Currently a favorite of mine, it lives in my camera bag so it is handy where ever I go. 2 aperture settings, 2 shutter settings, N (1/100 sec) and B (Bulb setting) tripod mount, cable release socket This camera is unusual in that it offers square format,24x24mm on a standard 35mm frame (24x36mm). It also offers a half frame option, 17x24mm frames (it doubles the number of exposures you get on a roll of film)
Diana Mini sample photos: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1232275@N22/
The Diana Mini is nice, but I find that unless I am working close and with a flash, the images tend to be on the softer focus side, to the point of being blurry. You might want to consider the sharper lens of the Superheadz Slim cameras (Black Slim Devil, White Slim Angel or other variant, all the same camera in diff colors). Take a careful look at the sample photos on Flickr to help you make a decision.
I have Out of the Box Videos posted on my youtube channel:
Superheadz Black Slim Devil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwBJYQvEDrU
Holga 135BC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMHCqJ-Cgd4
Diana Mini: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ItiDptbBA
Whichever camera you choose, remember that the point of lo-fi photography is to have fun and don’t sweat the details!
For tips for lo-fi cameras, check out my website:
http://www.dianacamera.com/
For how-to videos for Holgas and Diana cameras, check out my youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/kaituba
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Kodak EKTAR 100 120 film 5pc for Holga diana lomo GCFN $35.99 |
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New Holga 120 GCFN 120GCFN lomo flash Camera tricolor A $48.90 |
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HOLGA Fisheye lens w/ view finder for 120 GCFN CFN N FN GTLR TLR CAMERA LOMO $34.99 |
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New Purple Holga 120GCFN lomo camera (6×6 incld.) $45.99 |
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New Candy A Holga 120GCFN lomo camera (6×6 incld.) $45.99 |
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Limited New Fashion CMY Jelly Bean Holga 120GCFN lomo camera (6×6 incld.) $51.99 |
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New Holga 120 GCFN lomo film Camera Color Flash BLUE $48.90 |
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LOMO Holga 120GCFN 120 GCFN Medium Format Film Camera 4 color flash w/cloth BLUE $46.49 |
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HOLGA FISHEYE LENS for 120 GCFN CFN GN N GFN FN TLR GTLR Film Photo Camera Lomo $27.10 |
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New Holga 120 GTLR Twin lens GCFN LOMO camera Blue $59.90 |
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New Holga 120GTLR Twin lens GCFN LOMO camera Blue $59.90 |
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HOLGA FISHEYE LENS & VIEWFINDER for 120 GCFN CFN GN N GTLR TLR Film Camera Lomo $34.99 |
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HOLGA FISHEYE LENS & VIEWFINDER for 120 GCFN CFN GN N GTLR TLR Film Camera Lomo $42.99 |
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Brand NEW WHITE Holga 120GCFN lomo camera (6×6 incld.) $45.99 |
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limited edition LOMO HOLGA 120 GCFN Lomo Camera filter flash glass len cloth US $53.93 |
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HOLGA 120 GCFN 120GCFN w/ Fisheye Lens FEL-120 Viewfinder Film Camera LOMO Black $73.99 |
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HOLGA 120 GCFN 120GCFN with Fisheye Lens FEL-120 Viewfinder Film Camera LOMO Red $81.99 |
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HOLGA 120GCFN 120 GCFN Medium Format Glass Lens Camera 4 Color Flash LOMO Black $44.80 |
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HOLGA 120GCFN / 120 GCFN Medium Format Glass Lens Camera 4 Color Flash LOMO Gold $48.90 |
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HOLGA 120GCFN 120 GCFN Medium Format Glass Lens Camera Lomo 4 Color Flash Yellow $54.99 |
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HOLGA 120GCFN / 120 GCFN Medium Format Glass Lens Camera Lomo 4 Color Flash Pink $54.99 |
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HOLGA 120GCFN 120 GCFN Medium Format Film Camera Color Flash Lomo CMY Jelly Bean $58.99 |
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Brand NEW RED Holga 120GCFN lomo camera (6×6 incld.) $45.99 |
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10 x SHANGHAI GP3 120 B&W Film Holga CFN GCFN GN N FN GFN TLR GTLR Diana F+ Lomo $28.99 |
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20 x SHANGHAI GP3 120 B&W Film Holga CFN GCFN GN N FN GFN TLR GTLR Diana F+ Lomo $56.99 |
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NEW HOLGA 120 GCFN BLACK FILM CAMERA WITH 4 COLOUR COLOR FLASH LOMO GLASS LENS $44.80 |
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Brand NEW PINK Holga 120GCFN lomo camera (6×6 incld.) $45.99 |
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HOLGA 120 GCFN Type C lomo film camera, tri-colour flash wheel, medium format $47.95 |
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HOLGA 120 GCFN Type C lomo film camera, tri-colour flash wheel, medium format $46.63 |
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Brand NEW CANDY B Holga 120GCFN lomo camera 6×6 incld. $45.99 |
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Holga 120GTLR Twin lens 120GCFN LOMO camera Black $52.90 |
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10 x SHANGHAI GP3 120 B&W Film Holga CFN GCFN GN N FN GFN TLR GTLR Diana F+ Lomo $32.99 |
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20 x SHANGHAI GP3 120 B&W Film Holga CFN GCFN GN N FN GFN TLR GTLR Diana F+ Lomo $58.99 |
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Army War Game Holga 120GCFN lomo camera (6×6 incld.) $45.99 |
