I’ve played around with Holga for years, after being introduced to Plastic Cameras in an Experimental Photography class back in Monterey. And even though I spent 6 months shooting Holga for the 52 Rolls Project back in 2016, I never quite developed a sincere affection for it.
Plastic cameras are fascinating though and I’ve continued to experiment with many types. But something weird happened when I was ‘given’ this 110 format Diana with one of my Lomo purchases:
The 110 roll actually forms the back of the camera. It literally sat in my basement for years. And one day I decided to unpack and try it.
The results were better than expected:
So what is the Pre-Lomo Origin of the Diana Camera? The Diana camera originated in the 1960s, produced by the Great Wall Plastic Co. in Hong Kong. Production continued through the 1970s but ceased sometime thereafter.
Check out some Diana Camera History here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_(camera)
And Here: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Diana
Fast Forward to 2018 Pinhole Day Preparations; All kinds of items on sale for promoting Pinhole Day. Having had some success with the Holga Panorama Pinhole, I decided to try the Diana Pinhole. After all, that 110 cameras wasn’t a real camera!
I had read an article on Hand Held Pinhole Street Photography, and decided to use the Diana for that. And then I was hooked!
So it was just a matter of time before the Ultimate Diana entered my life:
…………and with inter-changeable lenses. Are you kidding me! Of course a sale attracted my attention, offering the soft focus telephoto as another one of those seductive Lomo ‘Gifts’. So, it was going to be mine, with the addition of Fish Eye and Close-up lenses. Arriving in time for the newly promoted ‘Diana Day’ on August 4th.
Diana F+ Macro
One limitation on the Macro is the suggestion tat you carry a small ruler since the precise focussing range is 6 inches. I just “guestimated”. Not carrying a ruler around with me, and it worked out pretty well.
Diana F+ Fish Eye
And No Fisheye post would be complete without my Feet!
Oh please do not come out with a new Diana Model! I’m not sure I can handle it……..This is getting almost as bad as my Mamiya Addiction, and you don’t want to know how many of those cameras I have!
myvintagecamerasblog 
When I was collecting cameras in the 80s Diana clones were available at yard sales for a dollar. Boy, I wish I’d bought every one of them; I’d have made a killing today.
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Yep, they are quite a bit more now, and having one of those originals a person could really make a killing. I think that the image quality of the new ones is probably better.
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