For the last few weeks LSI have been playing a guessing game with fans over their new product launch, revealing new clues every few days. People were left guessing with the first few clues, until the Diana Mini was listed on their camera listing page and photos were posted on a few French websites (which have now been taken down).
Now the press embargo has been lifted, here’s some info:
Press Release:
Lomography introduces the all new Diana Mini 35mm film camera. Reminiscent of her big sister with the renowned classic beauty of the retro Diana F+, it would be a mistake not to see the “Mini” as a unique individual. With features like Square Format and Half-Frame photos on just one Film, the Diana Mini takes creative options on a whole new level. Handy – sized Half-Frame cameras l were very fashionable in the 1960 but their popularity as other 35mm cameras became more compact. The ability to fit an amazing 72 shots onto one roll of 35mm film was forgotten in the digital age.
Now, what was lost, Lomography has found and made even better. In an instant you can choose between the legendary Half-Frame format or switch to the very rare format: Square on 35mm!
A revolutionary come back in analogue photography in a Mini package.
And some further info:
The Diana Mini has big shoes to fill being the little sister of the classic beauty Diana F+. Luckily the “Mini” was born a star in her own right. With the flick of a little switch you can move from the retro square format to the amazing Half-Frame, giving you the ability to Shoot Forever, packing 72 shots onto one 35mm film!
The Diana Mini is the ultra-compact, petite version of the Diana F+ camera. This little queen of convenience allows you to shoot square format or half-frame pictures using standard 35mm film – that’s 72 rectangular half-frames or 36 square images on one roll! To further enhance creative possibilities, we’ve thrown in Multiple Exposure and Long Exposure features, a tripod mount, and a cable release attachment – a first for the Diana!
- Square and rectangular half-frame formats at the flick of a switch
- Takes all types of 35mm film
- Shoots up to 72 shots per film on half-frame mode
- Shoots up to 36 shots per film on square mode
- Requires standard 35mm film development
- Ultra-compact and pocket-sized
- Multiple exposure functionality
- ‘B’ mode for long exposures
- Cable release attachment – a Diana first!
- Sunny and cloudy exposure settings
- Tripod mount
- Diana Flash Plug (Diana Flash available separately)
- Overlap frames across photos for endless abstract panoramas
- Compatible with the stunning Diana Flash
It’s actually an interesting little camera, and although there are other half frame cameras on the market, such as the Golden Half from Superheadz, the Diana Mini has some pretty cool features, namely being able to switch between half frame, and square images mid-roll, producing some bizarrio effects:
LSI have priced the Diana Mini at 50euros for the ‘vanilla’ version. The price is on the high side for a plastic half frame, but I don’t want to pass judgement on the actual product until we have tested it thoroughly. Stay tuned in a few weeks when we’ll have our grubby mitts on a Diana Mini for a full test here on holgablog.
Here’s a few more photos:
There’s even some videos on Vimeo:
More information can be found on the Diana Mini product page.
Anyone got an opinion on this new camera? Interesting features? A waste of plastic? Too expensive? Cool little product?
Comments
[...] Vía: Holga Blog [...]
Just as I say on twitter:
although I don’t like the Lomograohy society.This camera is cute and nice. But the price is very hot, I don’t think that I’ll buy it in the next 2 years.
I got one only because I had quite a few Lomo piggies that brought the price down to something reasonable. I really like the idea of the mulit-exposure panorama shots it can do. Could be very fun!
got no piggies but might still get it if I like what ppl do with it. it’s kind of missing some of that diana blur though….
It looks absolutly fantastic.
But it’s really overpriced.
I’d better buy a 1970s penti camera, or a new Lomo Chaika (mine is a bit broken) for 5 or 10 €uros.
I just got a mini diana and I don’t know so much in photography. I was wondering how to realise a long exposure picture?
[...] celebrate release of the Diana Mini and it’s half-framey-ness we thought we’d delve into the Flickr vaults to bring you 20 [...]