Review of the Diana F+ with Sample Photos using Lomography LomoChrome Purple and LomoChrome Turquoise in St. Lucia! | Teaming Up with Lomography to Save 120 film!

February 19, 2024

When Lomography contacted me about a collaboration with them to help save 120 film, I was more than happy to contribute in any way that I could! I didn’t realize 120 film was endangered, so it was definitely a bummer to hear that. 120 film is a huge part of my life as a photographer and I can’t imagine a world without it, to be honest! You all know that I’m obsessed with the Holga camera and that I specifically like shooting square format 120 film. Well, Lomography has the Diana F+, which I would consider a sort of sister camera to the Holga. Most photographers are either Team Holga or Team Diana. I’ve actually had my Diana F+ for a least a decade, but I had a 35mm back on it for years, to sort of differentiate it from my Holga. But it ended up sitting on a shelf for the last handful of years (which I will say, it’s very cute up on a shelf)! Lomography was wondering if I’d be willing to shoot their 120 LomoChrome Purple and LomoChrome Turquoise film with the Diana F+, and I was so excited! As much as I love the Holga, I’ve been interested in trying out some other 120 cameras lately just for something new and fresh. I switched the 35mm back on the Diana F+ to the 120 back and took it with me on a recent trip to St. Lucia with my family! You can also check out my YouTube video about the Diana F+ in St. Lucia here!

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DIANA F+

The original Diana camera was produced in the 1960s but only lasted until about the 1970s due to newer cameras coming into the market. It was an affordable box camera with limited controls and was really more of a novelty or gift item. But it became a bit of a cult classic when photographers like Mark Sink began using it to capture images of celebrities like Andy Warhol in the 1980s! Lomography decided to bring it back and created their own version, the Diana F+, in 2007. The Diana F+ is known for it’s lo-fi artistic, soft focus and vignetted corners that add a dreamy, surreal quality to the images.

MAIN FEATURES

The Diana F+ is super simple and easy to use once you get the hang of it. As with all toy cameras, they are very lightweight, often have a plastic lens and body and aren’t particularly sturdy. Toy cameras are typically known for their light leaks, loose-winding film rolls and blurred images. However, all you need is a bit of patience and you’ll discover the magic of the camera! The Diana F+ has four aperture settings (f8, f11, f16, pinhole), two shutter speed options (1/60, Bulb) an optional flash and a tripod mount. My favorite feature, of course, is that it can do multiple exposures! Since it requires manual film-advance, you can take as many photos over top of each other as you’d like before advancing to the next frame. Part of the fun of toy cameras though, is that you often forget whether you’ve advanced the film or not. This can end up with unexpected double exposures, which personally I’m always here for.

Diana F+ // Double Exposure // Lomography LomoChrome Purple Film

PROS

Considering the Holga is my favorite camera in the world, the Diana F+ is essentially right up there with it. The only problem is that I haven’t given the Diana F+ a fair shot! I sort of attached myself to the Holga and didn’t look back. But after trying out a few film rolls for this collaboration with Lomography, I have a newfound love for it and can’t wait to bring it with me on my next trip! I’ll be heading to Portugal in May and I’m hoping I can squeeze it in my bag!

I consider the fact that it is lightweight a huge pro for me. I travel a lot and I’m always looking for cameras that are light and easy to carry around. The Diana F+ fits easily into my bag and doesn’t weight it down. I also love that it has an interchangeable back so that I can switch to 35mm whenever I get tired of 120. Or if I have my Holga set up with 120 film, I can go with 35mm in the Diana F+ to keep things interesting. The 35mm back might be hard to find these days, though you may be able to find them on eBay here if they’re available. But the Diana Mini takes 35mm film and is super fun and cute! There’s also a Diana Instant (Fujifilm Instant Square film) and a Diana Baby 110 if you prefer those film formats instead! You can also try out the Diana Instant Deluxe Kit which comes with all sorts of fun lenses and filters to get experimental with. I bought one of their older deluxe kits that featured the 120 version of the camera with a 35mm back when I purchased my Diana F+ years ago and it was totally worth it. I personally love the Fisheye lens! You can try to find one of those older deluxe kits on eBay here.

Diana F+ Fisheye Lens // Lomography LomoChrome Purple Film

In my opinion, it’s everything about this camera that makes it great. The soft, dreamy focus and blurry vignetting. The cute, shiny, colorful housing and fun lens options. The multiple exposure and pinhole features. The adorable flash and gel filters. The lightweight body and various options for film format (35 mm, 120, 110 and instant film). Ugh, it’s just everything all at once and I love it.

Diana F+ with 35mm back // Double Exposure

CONS

For some people, toy cameras in general just might not be their thing. They aren’t super reliable because they’re unpredictable and finicky. But that’s kind of the fun of the whole thing! Some of the main issues of these cameras include light leaks, loose film rolls and blurry images. To avoid light leaks, always make sure to load and unload your film in a dark place and definitely not in direct sunlight (unless you’re like me and enjoy taking that risk to see what happens)!

Diana F+ Pinhole Setting // Light Leaked // Lomography LomoChrome Turquoise Film

For the loose film rolls, that’s sort of part of the game. If you load your film to be quite tight in the first place, it tends to help. And when you’re advancing to the next frame, it’s best to wind somewhat slowly so that it winds tightly. With the Holga, I’ve learned to insert a small piece of thick paper underneath the take-up spool to help. I haven’t quite figured out how to manage it with the Diana F+ yet, but I’ll let you know when I do!

To prevent blurry images, make sure you’re shooting in bright sunlight and that you hold the camera as still as possible. You can also use a 400 ISO film to bring a little more light into your images. However, just know that the higher ISO you go, the more grainy your film will be. I always take a 100 ISO film if I’m headed to the beach or a bright location, and a 400 ISO film if it’s a cloudy day or if I’ll be shooting indoors at all. You can also use the flash to help prevent image blur and to brighten your images if you’re in a dark environment.

Diana F+ 120 // Neopan Acros 100 // Flash // Fisheye Lens

FINAL THOUGHTS

One of the best things about the Diana F+ is that you can be a beginner, amateur or professional photographer and the camera is still just as much of a mystery to use. It takes patience, creativity and an open mind to experience it’s magic. But believe me, it’s worth it. My favorite moment is life is when I’ve created an incredible multiple exposure with the Diana F+ or Holga camera. It’s an experience that I believe every photographer at every level should have. It forces you to be creative and try new things.

For my collaboration with Lomography, they sent me a roll of LomoChrome Purple and LomoChrome Turquoise to try out with the Diana F+. I’ve included all of my favorite photos from my trip below using these films, as well as a handful of my fav images I’ve taken in the past with the Diana F+.

WHERE TO BUY

Diana F+ 120 camera on Amazon

Diana Mini 35 mm camera with flash on Amazon

Diana F+ Instant Square Deluxe Kit on Amazon

Diana Baby 110 on eBay

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS

Lomography LomoChrome Purple Film (35mm & 120)

Lomography LomoChrome Turquoise Film (35mm & 120)

Lomography Color 400 120 film on Amazon

Kodak Gold 200 120 film on Amazon

LomoChrome Purple 120

LomoChrome Purple 120 // Fisheye Lens

LomoChrome Purple 120 // Double Exposure // Fisheye Lens

LomoChrome Purple 120

LomoChrome Purple 120 // Pinhole Setting // Fisheye Lens

LomoChrome Purple 120

LomoChrome Turquoise 120 // Pinhole Setting

LomoChrome Turquoise 120 // Double Exposure // Pinhole Setting

Diana F+ 120 // Bulb setting // Neopan Acros 100

Diana F+ 120 // Neopan Acros 100 // Fisheye Lens

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Double Exposure // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Double Exposure// Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Double Exposure// Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Double Exposure // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Double Exposure // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Double Exposure // Fujifilm Press 800

Diana F+ 35 mm back // Fujifilm Press 800

Review of the Pentax PC35AF-M with Sample Photos in Boston & Salem, Massachusetts

January 31, 2024

To be honest, I have no idea where my Pentax PC35AF-M came from. It just showed up in my camera collection one day. I think I might have picked it up in a thrift store but I’m not sure! For years, I kind of skipped over it, choosing other cameras instead when I’d pack my camera bag. Recently, I was cleaning out my office and stumbled across it again. When I opened the lens cover, I realized the lens was a 2.8F lens. It made me wonder why I hadn’t given this camera a chance yet! So I loaded it up with a roll of 35mm film and took it with me on a recent trip to Boston & Salem, Massachusetts. I even took it with me to a few fashion shoots I had in Portland, Oregon but somehow I lost that roll of film. I’m pretty devastated about that because I’ve never lost a roll of film. Maybe I’ll come across it one of these days. Or maybe I somehow shot over it and will end up with a roll of double exposures. I sure hope so!

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PENTAX PC35AF-M

The Pentax PC35AF-M is a 35mm point and shoot autofocus compact camera produced by Asahi Optical Corporation in Japan. It was originally released in 1984, which doesn’t sound that old for a vintage camera, but these days that means it’s 40 years old! In my opinion, they seem to hold up very nicely because of their solid build. The PC35AF-M was a follow-up to the original version of the camera, the Pentax PC35AF. The only difference was a motorized film-advance. The PC35AF was Pentax’s first autofocus compact camera, which is pretty amazing considering how well these little cameras have held up.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

So far, I’m pretty impressed with this camera. It doesn’t look like much but it seems to be becoming a bit of a cult classic in the camera community. It’s still relatively affordable though ($50-200) and I’d recommend scooping one up while you can. You can find them on eBay and places like Mercari. The lens is incredibly sharp for the price and it has quite a heavy, sturdy body for its size. I think this camera still flies under the radar though and I’ve heard of people picking them up in thrift stores for next to nothing. Hopefully you’ll be one of the lucky ones that finds one this way!

FEATURES

If you’re a fan of compact, easy-to-use 35mm point and shoot cameras, this one definitely won’t disappoint. The shutter button makes a strangely satisfying electronic sound and the photos are quite sharp for the price point of this camera. The autofocus system is different than others when it comes to point and shoots, in that you have a bit more control over the subject distance. If you partially depress the shutter button, it shows you in the viewfinder which subject distance it’s choosing. If you decide to change subjects, you can remove your finger from the shutter and redepress the button for the new focusing distance.

I love that is has a pop-up flash. There’s a fun little red button on the side that you pull down and the flash just shoots right up! It gives you a bit more control over the flash, rather than it just popping up on its own when you’re in a low light situation like some other point and shoots. When I was in Boston, I’d bring this camera out with me every night. Since it had a flash and a 2.8F lens, it does pretty well in most lighting conditions and makes a fun nighttime camera.

This camera also has a self-timer, a back-light feature, an ISO switch and automatic film advance. The battery compartment tends to pop open but I just make sure to tape it and I don’t have any problems. It just takes two AA batteries which is super nice. It’s such a pain when I pick up a camera that takes some weird, hard-to-find battery.

The only downside for me, personally, is that there is no multiple exposure feature. There is a rewind switch on the bottom of the camera though, so you could always rewind the film and shoot over it for that effect. I just prefer to have a built-in multiple exposure option.

SIZE & WEIGHT

This camera is great as a grab-and-go or for street photography. It’s somewhat inconspicuous, though maybe a bit too large to fit in a pants pocket. I had no trouble fitting it in my coat pocket, but it does leave a hefty and questionable lump! To me though, this camera is small because I’m used to dragging around giant cameras. It’s surprisingly heavy for it’s size, 12.2 ounces. The older version of the camera, the PC35-AF, weighs a little less though because it doesn’t have that motorized film advance.

ISSUES & FAULTS

Overall, I haven’t noticed anything terribly faulty with it. I did have an issue with the most recent roll of film I shot with it, though. For some reason, I was having trouble getting the film to wind back all the way after I was done with the roll, so when I opened the back I ended up light-leaking a few images. It doesn’t really bother me because I love light leaked photos, but I do want to figure out what happened. I plan on paying more attention the next time I use the camera so I can fix it!

As I mentioned previously, the fact that it doesn’t have a multiple exposure option is an issue for me, but that’s not a dealbreaker for everyone.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you come across a Pentax PC35AF-M, definitely don’t leave it behind. With such a sharp lens, this makes a great addition to any camera collection. Plus, the fact that it is so sturdy and substantial leads me to believe that these little cameras will last quite a while. Not to mention that it comes with a built-in springloaded lens cover that helps to protect that 2.8 lens. I haven’t experiemented with the back light feature yet, but I think it’s really going to come in handy if I ever remember to use it!

WHERE TO BUY

Here are a few of my favorite film options:

I’m going to think twice before leaving this camera behind now. I like to keep at least one 35mm point and shoot camera in my bag at all times and I think it’s going to be fighting in the battle with my Contax T2, to be honest. My Contax isn’t always the most reliable. Plus, if I lose it while I’m traveling I’m out quite a substantial amount of money. Luckily, the Pentax PC35AF-M is affordable and more easily replaced.

I’ve shared a few of my favorite images from this camera so far, but I’ll be sure to add more to this post as I use it more!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

<3 Myles Katherine

SAMPLE PHOTOS (click to enlarge):

Holga 135BC 35mm Film Camera Review & How-To with Sample Images | The 120 Holga vs. the 35mm Holga

October 2, 2023

If you’ve been following my work at all, you know I’m obsessed with the traditional 120 Holga. I’ve written a blog post and filmed a YouTube video about it! When I unexpectedly received the 35 mm version of this camera, the Holga 135BC, as a Christmas gift last year, I was SO excited. I always assumed that I wouldn’t like the 35mm format as much, just because the square format is so unique. But as soon as I got the images back, I realized that the 35mm version is unique and different in it’s own way. Because of the BC, “bent corners”, or vignetting, created by the Holga, the images still have that dreamy, surreal vibe that I love so much. In fact, I think the 135BC has renewed by excitement about the Holga. I now have a new way to create my beloved Holga images.

In my latest YouTube video, I bring the Holga 135BC with me on a trip to Louisville, Kentucky to try it out for the first time. The video includes an unboxing, how-to, film loading and tips for creating multiple exposures, as well as all of my favorite photos from my first roll of film. But if you’d prefer to read about it, rather than watch the YouTube video, keep scrolling! :)

HOW TO USE THE HOLGA 135BC 35MM FILM CAMERA

In terms of camera settings, it’s pretty much exactly the same as the traditional Holga. It’s extremely easy to use once you get the hang of it! Just be patient and show yourself some compassion with your first roll while learning the camera. :) Sometimes, crappy film cameras can be intimidating because it seems impossible to create a “good” image with it. But that’s the whole point! You have to embrace that they are unpredicatable, unusual and low-quality. It’s about taking those features, turning them into something positive and using them to your advantage.

LENS SETTINGS

The lens only has 4 options for distance from your subject - landscape, large group of people, small group of people and single-person. I tend to leave it on the landscape option most often because it’s the most likely to end up in focus, in case you forget to switch it in-between photos. But if you plan on being within a few feet of your subject, I’d use the single-person setting for best results. I don’t really use the other two options very often, just because I tend to forget to switch the lens setting in general. It’s safest for me to just leave it on landscape so I don’t end up with blurry, out of focus images!

SHUTTER SPEED

On the bottom of the camera, there is a switch with a B and an N. These letters stand for “Bulb” and “Normal”. So, unless you’re trying to do long/slow exposures for light painting or something similar, then the Normal setting is what you want. I actually tape it onto the N setting, because I’ve had it accidentally switch back to B while in my camera bag, and then I end up with blurry images. “Bulb” basically means that the shutter stays open as long as you hold down the shutter button. Using the N setting is a shutter speed of about 1/100th of a second. That’s really what you want for everyday use.

FLASH

The Holga 135BC comes with a removable flash. I love using a flash with my Holga, which is why the Holga GCFN is my favorite version of the 120 Holga. The Holga, in general, needs quite a bit of light to perform well. If you plan on using the Holga at night, inside or in another type of low-light situation, then I’d recommend using the flash. The Holga 135BC also comes with a bunch of colorful gel filters you can use to get creative. I haven’t tried it out yet with the 135BC camera, but I will definitely do that soon and update this blog post with some flash photos. :)

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES

The main reason I love the Holga camera so much is because of how easy it is to create double and multiple exposures. I’ve been using the 120 Holga since 2008 and it quickly became my favorite camera when I discovered the surreal and ghostly world that I could create with multiple exposures. I’ve even won a handful of awards with my multiple exposures, including first place in my senior thesis exhibition and one of the winners in the Lomography’s Ten and One Awards in the “Human Stories” category! If I had to choose one camera to use for the rest of my life, it would be the Holga. When I discovered that the 35mm camera was just as easy to use when creating multiple exposures, I fell in love even more! To create a multiple exposure with the Holga 135BC, you simply just DO NOT wind the film in-between shots. You click the shutter button for your first image and then click it again for your second image, right over top of the first. You can do this as many times as you want, creating triple or quadruple exposures if you’d like! Just keep in mind that every image you add will increase the exposure of the image overall, meaning that after three or four images, you will be losing detail in the highlights and will eventually just become a purely white image if you took too many. I usually stick to doubles and will occasionally try a triple.

FILM LOADING

This is my one source of contention with the Holga. They are sort of known for being difficult to load. The 135BC is no different. I recommend watching my YouTube video to get a better idea of how it works. But as long as you notice the knob on the top left of the camera spinning while winding your film in-between shots, then you’ve loaded the film correctly and it is winding through the camera. I typically start with bending the leader of the film before inserting it into the slit on the right side of the camera, to help it catch. Then, you’ll have to click the shutter button once or twice as you’re winding it and getting it started, before closing the back and taking another photo or two to prevent light leaks. Just make sure you can see the film sprockets catching on the grooves inside the camera before closing the back. A lot of crappy 35mm cameras work this way, so if you plan on shooting a lot of film in your future, unfortunately you’ll just have to get used to this process!

APERTURE

On the top of the lens you’ll notice a switch with a lightning setting and a sun setting. Technically, the lightning setting is supposed to be f/8 and the sunny setting is f/11. Most people who use the Holga would argue there’s not really a difference, but I tend to leave it on f/8 with the hope that it will let in a little bit of extra light, especially because I prefer to use lower ISO films in order to get sharper images.

WHERE TO BUY THE HOLGA 135BC

Amazon

eBay

FILM OPTIONS

You can use any 35mm film with this camera, but I definitely have a few options I’d recommend. Keep in mind that Holgas in general need a lot of light to perform well. They are also known for not having the sharpest images in the world. This is why I tend to sick to ISO 200 or 400 film. When you get up to 800, the images become quite a bit grainy and less detailed. If you use ISO 100 or lower, just make sure you’re in a super bright environment, like the beach. Personally, I use ISO 100 pretty often with the Holga, but only when I know that my environment will be able to handle it, or I use a flash. You will definitely end up with much sharper images though, the lower ISO you use. If you’re a beginner, I’d recommend 200-400 ISO.

Here are a few of my favorite film options:

FINAL THOUGHTS

To be honest, I kind of love the images more than I thought I would! I was convinced that I’d always have more of an affinity towards the 120 version, but there really is something special and magical about the Holga brand in general. If you aren’t happy with your first roll of film, try again! It takes a bit of time to grow comfortable using the Holga, but once you do, you’ll love it! Especially, if you love the 35mm frame overall, this would be a super fun way to experience it differently. Personally, if I had to choose between 35mm and medium format, I’d choose medium format. But there’s nothing wrong with either choice, it’s really just a personal preference! If you think you might like the medium format version better, you can read more about it here!

SAMPLE PHOTOS

And of course, I can’t end this blog post without showing you a few sample images! These are all from my very first roll of film with this camera, so I’ll be sure to add more examples as I use the camera more. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to leave any questions/comments/thoughts below!
Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

(click to enlarge)