Diane+ Questions

lodgepole

I'm getting married in October and want to get a Diane+ to take on honeymoon (to Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Cayman) for some slightly different photos. We'll have a digital SLR with us as well, but I want to put together a photo book and I like the images i'm seeing around the web. I searched the forum and found answers to some of my questions but not all...

It shoots onto 120mm film correct? Where can I get this developed in Dublin and how much does it cost? If I need to send it away, where to and how long?

I know they sell them in Urban Outfitters for far too much and that for a little less you can order them from Lomography.com, but is there an alternate better source? A camera shop in Dublin maybe where I can ask actual questions and get proper answers? An ebay seller?

Addons... Does the 35mm back effect the look of the image, since i've read a lot of the look comes down to the processing of the film itself. Are the extra lenses interchangable after you've added your film so that you can shoot a mixture of lenses on one roll?

Any other thoughts would be welcome, alternative suggestions for cameras etc... My only requirement is speed of delivery and relatively cheap.

Fajitas!

Hello!

Yep, it shoots 120 film as standard - You can buy and develop this is a few shops around Dublin. Gunn's are most peoples favorites (They'll do colour neg and black and white film, sometimes do cross processing), you also have The Camera Exchange (colour neg, black and white, cross processing) and Conn's (definitely do colour neg, not sure about BW). I think developing only, and no prints, costs around €4 and goes up to around €10 if you include prints or scanning.

You've got the Fujifilm centre on Abbey St and Repro 35 on Merrion Square for slide film. Haven't gotten any developed in a while, but €10-12 I think.

Unfortunately (And trust me, I hate saying this) Urban Outfitters might be your best bet, you'll be getting it in your hands straight away, if there's any problems, you can bring it back and get another one. Postage from Lomo.com will balance out the price fairly lively. Conn's do have the Holga in store for 40 quid I think, but no Diana's. I don't think the staff in UO have any info about it. The Gallery Of Photography's shop sells them too, around the same price as UO, but it might be closed at the moment (Was the last time I was over).

You can buy on eBay and get cheaper, depending on what you're after - You could pick up an original Diana, where you'll lose the pinhole function (And the lomo.com stickers :pac: ). You do get a really nice little book in the Lomography package though

The 35mm back will give you a smaller image (more zoomed in) and you can get the image over the sprocket holes of the film, which can look nice. The type of film and developing will change the colours of the film though. I'm not sure if you have to rewind the film in the dark with the 35mm back though? That would be a big pain in the arse if you did.

The interchangable lenses are changable after you have film loaded, I think they just fit on on top of the lens that's there already. I wouldn't buy too many, they're a bit gimicky

They're a nice little camera, I like mine. Give it a bit of use before you go away so you're used to it and focusing, aswell as seeing what films do what. You could look at a Holga aswell, but tbh, I prefer the Diana these days. Don't forget, you could always save yourself a bit of money and learn how to develop your own film too.

thefizz

Gunns also have the Holga in stock for 40 something euro.

lodgepole

Thanks for all that. I checked Urban Outfitters on my lunch, €67 for the camera without a flash and no film. I can get the same thing for €52 direct which seems a bit more reasonable. I was thinking about adding either the wide angle or the fisheye lens to it.

Did you get yours with or without the flash?

And, answer honestly, am I wasting my money when I can fabricate the effect with photoshop? I understand you can never capture the randomness that I suspect comes with using such a camera but you can achieve a similar effect i'm sure...

I did some b&w developing in college but haven't even thought about it in years. I'd consider doing it again alright.

Fajitas!

Does the 52 include postage and packaging?

If so, go for it. I got mine without a flash, I've a few cheap flashes I picked up at markets over the years, and just shoot the camera on Bulb and pop the flash myself, but I'm awkward like that

As for using Photoshop, well, it's up to yourself really. Some people like it, some people abhorr it - It's personal preference. At the end of the day, using the Diana is going to be expensive, you're putting film through for 12 photos, and not knowing if any of them are going to come out, never mind be in focus. You could well get a roll back with just 4 usable photos on it, and only one of them you like, or it could be the opposite, you could get a roll of gems back.

You can achieve very similar results with digital, but they're always going to be the same. It's a 'fun' camera, meant so you can just point and click, and hope you get something.

I've a hundred quid spare, pick one up, along with a few rolls of film, head out someplace and snap off a few, and see what you think. You'll know soon enough if you like it or not

lodgepole

Camera is €40, delivery is €12. An extra forty quid gets me 10 rolls of Agfa APX 400. Or an extra fifty for ten rolls of Kodak Ektachrome 100G. Whatever way I look at it, it's about a hundred quid for 120 shots. Which isn't dreadful. If I got back 20 or 25 that I really liked and that gave a good overall view of the wedding and honeymoon, I think that'd be money pretty well spent.

Fajitas!

Then go for it

lodgepole

I think I shall. Thanks for the advice, i'll report back once it's all over and done with.

Fajitas!

Do. 400 speed film is probably handiest for our lovely weather, but I'd imagine you could go slower when you're on your travels.

lodgepole

I just had a Eureka moment and am going to have the whole lot delivered to Florida, where the wedding is taking place. Camera, wide angle lens and ten rolls of film for €80. Less time to practice with it, but i'm sure i'll pick it up quick enough.