Anyone tried using Diana Instant Square from Lomography?

[justins7]

I recently bought a Diana Instant Square set, since it was on sale for a while for $135. I must say this thing is a blast! It's very much a toy, but it comes with all kinds of finders, a flash and lens attachments that make it really fun.

Although it is really frustrating that the settings are so limited (just B and one shutter speed, plus a few small apertures) it really opens up a lot of creative/accidental possibilities. It's the antithesis of digital perfection.

I've started using it mounted on a tripod with the shutter open and just counting the shutter speed when stopped down, and using cardboard in front of the lens as a shutter. I've gotten some great results. You have to be willing to lose many shots of expensive instax film, however.

It's inspired me to look into getting a hacked Fuji wide camera now for full manual control.

 

[robert blu]

A few weeks ago I was interested in this camera, I should say more curious than interested!

It was a short GAS attack! Anyway as you say, I think it can open many creative possibilities...if you are ready to pay the price for the lost photos!

If possible post some of the photos you took, please 🙂

 

[justins7]

The 800-speed Instax film is really unforgiving, like slide film. So many shots are just very under-exposed or slightly over. It definitely felt better wasting shots after I bought several packs of film, though.

But the kit is great —*the packaging, booklet, etc., is really well thought out. And it comes with a hotshoe attachment so I've been using it with a better flash. I also bought the 75mm glass lens which is indeed really sharp, but the wide angle lenses have their own quality too.


Attached are just a few quick Iphone pics. (I had to really size these down to upload.) The black framed ones are pretty nifty. All the pictures are definitely arty and impressionistic, so if that's not your taste then you won't like this set up at all.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

These really work for me; I very much enjoy seeing "bad" image quality being put to good creative use.
I've always been a Bullwinkle fan. As Natasha used to say, "Boris, darlink, is good to be bad!" Words of wisdom...

 

[Corran]

Bought mine from their initial Kickstarter campaign. I think it's a great camera. It got me into the Diana system (the lenses all works with the Diana F camera). It's just a bit bulky, if I had one criticism. I prefer the all-manual approach.

I think the 55mm wide-angle is the best lens for the system, which gives a pleasant field of view and no hard vignette like the 110 or whatever the tele is. The glass 75mm is also great.

I also like that the Instax film can solarize, which I enjoy on some pictures as a unique element. I've also used it for ultra long exposures...I think this one was 4 hours:

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Oh, no. GAS attack.

 

[Godfrey]

Interesting... 😉 Some cool photos!

I'm a bit over-subscribed to too many entertaining weirdo camera projects right now to get into another, but I'll put it on my "maybe some day" list. 😀

G

 

[justins7]

The Diana Instax camera has now gotten me to think about the Instax Wide projects out there —*down the dark road of maybe buying a hacked Fuji wide body that accepts medium format lenses. There are a lot of fun projects I've seen online with 3D printed adapters and the like. I just want full manual control.