Got me a Diana F+... Other than flocking, any suggestions for mods/hacks?

[Foto Ludens]

So, I just got myself a used Diana F+ and was wondering what mods or hacks you folks recommend.

After running a test roll, I've taped the top quarter or so of the viewfinder, to help with framing.

Since I have the paint on hand, I've started flocking the inside of the camera (between lens and film). I want the camera for its crummy lens, not for film fogging, after all. I'm using 2 coats of Black 2.0 followed by 2 coats of Black 3.0.

I thought about widening the largest aperture, but the risk/reward ratio seems less than ideal. It would be nice to get an extra F stop or two, especially if doing so brings out the distortions from the lens.

Oh, and as is normal practice for cameras with a red window in the back, I made a flap door from black electrician's tape to prevent leaks & fogging.

Anything else I should look into?

 

[Donald Qualls]

If you also use Nikon F-mount SLRs, you might consider buying an adapter from Lomography to mount the Diana lenses on your Nikon/Nikkormat. The adapter is inexpensive, but it lets you use the much more reliable SLR body with the crappy Diana lens. Lomography might also offer such an adapter in a different mount, I don't recall. I've also seen a 3D printed adapter to mount Diana lenses on a Konstructor kit-built 35mm SLR (which is kind of cool, since, although the Konstructor's lens is easily removable, I've never seen any indication of other lenses being available aside from the slip-on close-up and macro diopters).

 

[Foto Ludens]

If you also use Nikon F-mount SLRs, you might consider buying an adapter from Lomography to mount the Diana lenses on your Nikon/Nikkormat. The adapter is inexpensive, but it lets you use the much more reliable SLR body with the crappy Diana lens. Lomography might also offer such an adapter in a different mount, I don't recall. I've also seen a 3D printed adapter to mount Diana lenses on a Konstructor kit-built 35mm SLR (which is kind of cool, since, although the Konstructor's lens is easily removable, I've never seen any indication of other lenses being available aside from the slip-on close-up and macro diopters).

That's an idea... I don't use Nikon slrs, but do have a Canon (fd mount). I'll hunt around for something like that. Though I must say that it's nice to have a lightweight plastic fantastic camera instead of a bulkier SLR to carry around...

 

[Donald Qualls]

Canon FD might be the other mount they sell an adapter for -- it's on the Lomography site, easy enough to check.

 

[Foto Ludens]

They've got Canon, but only EOS mount. No worries, I'll use the Diana body

 

[Donald Qualls]

Well, it was worth looking.

 

[eddie]

You might want to add something in the take up area to keep the film taut when you wind. Exposed rolls can be loose. You can glue in a piece of sponge, or add a folded piece of cardboard (I use a piece of a film box, taped in with electrical tape).

 

[Foto Ludens]

You might want to add something in the take up area to keep the film taut when you wind. Exposed rolls can be loose. You can glue in a piece of sponge, or add a folded piece of cardboard (I use a piece of a film box, taped in with electrical tape).

View attachment 280106

That's a great tip! Thanks!

 

[gone]

I hope you're not disappointed in the lens. Mine was sharp, and made very un-Holga/Diana type images.

 

[Foto Ludens]

Nice photos, @momus!

I'm not disappointed in the lens at all! It seem reasonably sharp in the center, and quite distorted towards the edges of the image circle. I do wish that it had enough coverage for the whole frame, but I'll try it with the 42x42mm insert in my next roll, and see how that goes. Either way, I'm happy that there's also a f/150 pinhole option, which opens up more possibilities.

Here's a quick and uninspired photo from my test roll, shot at the widest aperture (f/11?) on Fomapan 100 (developed in PMK):

 

[Foto Ludens]

Just a quick update, in case someone lands here after a search in the future:

Using the 42x42mm mask has helped mitigate the lack of coverage from the lens (i.e. the excessive vignette in the above shot) from the lens, while still keeping all of that tasty Dianaesque distortion on the edges. Here's a shot on Fomapan 100 (EI 50), developed in PMK:

I

 

[eddie]

I like it. More importantly, do you like it?

 

[Foto Ludens]

I like it. More importantly, do you like it?

Oh yeah, I'm loving it!

 

[Donald Qualls]

For those who don't want to spring for a Diana, it should be easy to 3D print a 4x4 mask for a Holga. The Holga's lens is "better," though, so you wouldn't get as much "flavor" that way -- in fact, a 4x4 would probably crop off most of the lens artifacts from a Holga.

 

[bambiwallace]

That's a great tip! Thanks!

 

[wahiba]

The glass lens is certainly better than the default plastic. Not sure of the availability, I bought mine through some Lomo offer a few years back.
LOMO 800 earlier this year