I discovered recently the Dallas Museum of Art online gift shop (www.shopDMA.org) is selling Lomo cameras, especially the Diana F+ camera. Lomo, short for lomography, cameras are usually cheap, plastic cameras that use either 35mm or 120 roll film. This includes Holga cameras, which are what I use, but are not being sold at the DMA.
I really only bring this to your attention because I want you to be informed before you buy.
These cameras are addicting.
The Lomo cameras on the DMA shop include Dianas, multi-shots, fisheye, color spash and others. Each one does something a little unique and different to create a photograph. I could easily fill a camera bag or two with just Lomo cameras.
If you love film photography and have deep pockets, then Lomo cameras are for you.
Money, Money, Money
If you want to retreat back to early 20th century technology for a few kicks, then I want you to know what you are getting in to. The cameras may be cheap, but everything else needed to get good photographs (prints or digital files) can be costly.
For the purpose of our discussion, I will talk about what I know, Holga cameras, which are similar to the Diana F+ cameras.
A standard Holga camera without a built-in flash costs $25. Not bad for a Chinese camera.
Most of my Holgas use 120 roll film, which is considered a medium format film. There are Lomo cameras that take 35mm film. If this is your first Lomo camera, then I recommend starting with a camera that takes 35mm film. You will be able to get your film developed, printed and possibly scanned at any store with regular color film processing.
For the rest of my money discussion I will be talking about 120 roll film.
The first order of business will be to find an online shop that sells 120 roll film. I am a regular shopper of Freestyle Photographic Supplies. They never let me down. There are very few shops around Dallas that sell anything other than 35mm film. You will need to order your rolls of film by the box and keep it in the refrigerator.
A roll of 120 film will cost about $4 for 12 to 16 shots, depending on which film mask you use. There are two film masks: 4.5×6 and 6×6. That means each shot will cost you 25¢ to 34¢ per shot.
Next comes getting your film processed and prints. It usually costs me about $4 per roll for development. I get my color film processed at BWC Creative in Richardson and Dallas. Lately, I only get my film processed, so I don’t buy prints, but I’ll estimate it at about 60¢ per print for a total of $7.20 to $9.60 per roll.
Wow! This is starting to really add up.
But wait, we’re not done. If you truly want to dive off the deep end and bypass prints, you could purchase a medium format film scanner. I use an Epson 4990, which cost about $500 new. Epson has better models now, and the price is about the same. I think my Epson is less than 50¢ per print now. I have scanned 100 or more rolls on it.
Now here is the real kicker. After all the expense of a camera, film, processing and prints, you might not have any photographs turn out the way you want expect. Keep in mind these are cheap, plastic cameras. They don’t cost a lot of money for a reason. I almost guarantee you will ruin your first roll of film.
Just Because
So, with little chance of success and a high expense, why would I use a Holga or any other Lomo film camera? Because I really love the great photos these cameras produce. Sure, I could create light leaks, scratches, blur zones and vignetting with Photoshop. But these cameras do it for you. And as much as I love my Nikon DSLR, I enjoy my Holga photographs so much more.
Just take a look at the photographs below of the tombstone for Governor and Mrs. Connally. The first shot was taken with my Nikon and the second shot with my Holga.
Obviously, they are not the exact same shot. The Nikon photograph is crisp, clean and rather boring. The Holga shot is blurred, vignetted and got an unexpected double exposure along the bottom. This is a beautiful shot.
That’s why I use a cheap, plastic camera.
