Lomography - Diana F+ vs. Holga?

Question

I've recently grown interest with lomography cameras, and was wondering which one i should get: the Diana F+/ the Holga/ or the Holga 35mm camera.

I'm really a beginner with photography, and don't really understand all the specs lingo. All I know is that the Holga has color gels for more variety - which i like.

What are the other differences between the Diana and Holga? Plus, what is different between the original Holga and the 35mm? Are 35mm films are easily accessible/ cheaper than the Holga films (medium format??!)?

I just need a little guidance as a to what styles of photos each will be able to take.

Refs:

http://www.lomographyasia.com/shop/?showproduct=523&showcat1=1

http://www.lomographyasia.com/shop/?showproduct=418

http://www.lomographyasia.com/shop/?showproduct=458&showcat1=1

Answer 1

35mm films are easier to find and get processed, but the original camera was the vintage Diana, which was originally given out as a premium at gas stations, or sold for a few dollars at the toy stores.

In the 60's and 70's, these inexpensive 120 film cameras were used to teach basic photography. As the word got out, more and more photographers began working with the simple plastic lensed camera as a means to escape from the more and more complicated cameras that were being made. The popularity made the vintage Diana, once plentifully sold for a dollar or two at thrift stores and yard sales, a highly sought after camera, often selling for over a $100 dollars on ebay in the late 90s.

Around the same time, a manufacturer in China was making a knock-off of the simple cameras (like the Agfa Isoly) popular at the time, to sell locally.

From this simple camera, the Holga was born. The timing couldn't have been better, as the photographers looking for a simple plastic camera with a plastic lens eagerly accepted the Holga as Diana's successor.

Flash forward. Lomography, a marketing company, has  been successfully promoting the wonders of low-tech photography through the sales of the Chinese made Holga and the Russian made LC-A.

Building on that success, they came out with their own reproduction of the vintage Diana in late 2007. It is like the vintage Diana, with many modifications. The Diana+ closely resembles the camera from which it is patterned after, but the designers at Lomography went several steps further, adding a pinhole aperture and also a removable plastic lens. In addition to the original 75mm lens sold with the camera, they also sell a 55mm wide-angle lens and a fisheye lens. It has in effect, become a plastic or toy camera system.

Which is better? Each is good in it's own way. If you would like to test the idea of working with plastic cameras out, I would recommend you start with Holga. It's much cheaper than the Diana, and a good camera to have in your collection, even if you decide to move onto the DianaF+.

For Holga, look for other sellers than Lomography, as Lomo tends to charge a premium for their Holgas. For the Diana+, go to the Lomo store.

The Holga 135BC (get the BC for Black Corner effect) is a good camera, but I prefer the square format.  It's a good choice if you have trouble finding 120 film or finding labs to get 120 film processed.

To see what kinds of photos each camera makes, go to Flickr and find groups for:

Holga 135bc,Holga,Diana+

Answer 2

To get all the cool effects of this toy camera, you really have to use 120 film.  This film gives you the vignetting caused by the plastic lens not covering the whole of the 120 film frame, the outstanding colour aberrations and the light leaks and sometimes scratches on the film.  All these things add up to some pretty amazing serendipitous images.

It is up to you which you choose.  The Holga is the original LOMO camera and the Diana+ is its competitor.  I would suggest you buy the one that costs the least.  After all a toy is a toy.

Answer 3

The Holga 120 (medium format, first made in 1980s) is a cheaper copy of the Diana (first made in 1960s).

Both are similar in their performance, plastic lens, same goofy light leaks, etc.

Having said that, you can modify the Holga till the cows come home. You can buy a lens adapter for it that will fit all sorts of  fun lens filters (prism, color, soft surround), an adapter that will support long exposure, adapter that will change your 120 into a 35mm film camera.

Whichever camera you pick you're sure to fall in love with it.

Word to the wise, if you choose the Diana or Holga medium format make sure to buy a few rolls of black tape (gaffer's tape is better, but black electrical tape will do in a pinch).  You'll need to tape up your camera, otherwise your film will be exposed to light leaks http://blackdog.typepad.com/wordhurdle/f...

Now, if you're considering the 135, I would suggest the Holga 135 BC. It's a slightly funkier camera. The BC stands for "black corner", it duplicates the vignetting of a Holga 120.

Though I really wouldn't recommend a Holga for 35mm film. Just doesn't do it justice.

I good choice for a cheap 35 lomo is Smena35.  http://shop.lomography.com/smena35mm/abo...

But you can find one much cheaper than that if you keep a lookout on ebay.

p.s. You can find and develop 35mm film everywhere.

120 is a bit harder to find, I buy mine on the net, but alot of labs still develop it .

p.p.s. Actually the original LOMOs are Russian, Lomo factory made cameras out of St Petersburgh.

The first ones were Smenas and LC-A and the like.

Have a look, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomo