I found Lomography film in a store.

keithwms · Jan 23, 2012

I see absolutely nothing beneficial about slamming any film company's products or market. There are plenty of film-associated products that I don't care for...and plenty of gear that is way overpriced for what it delivers. So what. There is no obligation to buy.

rco3 · Jan 23, 2012

I bought a Lensbaby with some credit card reward points; I would never have plunked down the cash on such a useless gimmick if it were real money. Gimmicky junk.

Yeah, I was wrong. I love that thing now. I've also decided not to apologize any longer for using one. I make images with my Lensbaby that would never have been possible with any other lens I have on any camera, and sometimes they are even good images. OK, sure, you could achieve the same tilts and shifts with a field camera or a T/S lens... but do it while following a butterfly in flight? That could take a while.

Sometimes one trick is all a pony needs.

redrockcoulee · Jan 23, 2012

I have bought two Holgas and one Diana as gifts to my wife and enjoy borrowing them as well. She has borrowed the Hasselblad and has also shot large format and knows her way around a darkroom. They may be overprices what you get but they are not expensive. Unless you are shooting on assignments or as a pro photography should be about enjoyment. I have seen wonderful images made by lomo cameras, pinhole and zone plate lenses as well as a lens made from a magnifying glass. Not everything is about sharpness. I love fine grain sharp images but some times the image you want is the mood and that cannot be as easily obtained with a "good" lens or camera. There is a guy in Ireland who does wonderful stuff with a zone plate on his Hasselblad. I am sure he uses a real lens as well but he does have choices by using the zone plate and they commerically bought more expensive than many cameras sold by Lomography.

We also have some old cameras that are less then good and produce some interesting images but they too are different from the Holga or Diana. And if you are giving cameras as gifts is it not better to give brand new ones than one you get for a dollar at the Post? (Just kidding Ted). If a photographer of the statue of Michael Kenna has added a Holga to his bag who am I to say I am too good to use one. They are fun and produce some thing different than an old Dualflex of Baby Brownie Special or a Schneider lens on a sheet of 4X5 Technical Pan. One can enjoy (and create) more than one type of image same as one can shoot more than one field of photography.

mbsmith · Jan 23, 2012

I don't fault anyone for using whatever means they choose to make/shoot whatever they choose. I have a holga, lensbaby, and have shot my share of "crappy" film (although never anything with a lomo label on it), and own several more reputable/"pro" kits. To me, these are just pieces of equipment that I use when I want what they can offer relative to their specific qualities.

What grinds me about the lomo thing in clothing stores is that it treats photography as a fad rather than a legitimate creative outlet, value of expression, or profession. I want to see people get into photography and enjoy it for the rest of their lives, not just until something else comes along to take its place.

himself · Jan 23, 2012

mbsmith said:
What grinds me about the lomo thing in clothing stores is that it treats photography as a fad rather than a legitimate creative outlet, value of expression, or profession. I want to see people get into photography and enjoy it for the rest of their lives, not just until something else comes along to take its place.

+1

eurekaiv · Jan 23, 2012

Man, there are some real grumpy old "get off my lawn" types posting in this thread.

Lomography color print film is, or at least was, Ferrania Solaris. Ferrania just recently went under so I have no idea what will become of Lomo film down the road. I would suspect some Fuji product. In either case, I shoot the heck out of the Ferrania becuase IMO, it looks amazing. It's saturated, contrasty, has a very slight yellow tone to it, and works especially well in overcast conditions. I'm not sure why anyone would trash it frankly. It's one thing not to like it becuase it's not the look you're going for, another altogether to call it cheap junk. It's the results that matter. The tool is just that... a means to an end. Just like the camera, the processing etc. If you're idea is simply to use expensive film because it's more expensive, then I'm not sure that's really photography.

keithwms · Jan 23, 2012

mbsmith said:
What grinds me about the lomo thing in clothing stores is that it treats photography as a fad rather than a legitimate creative outlet, value of expression, or profession. I want to see people get into photography and enjoy it for the rest of their lives, not just until something else comes along to take its place.

I understand this point of view. But I am more offended by expensive old cameras in velvet boxes that may as well be worn around the neck on a gold chain.

Existing Light · Jan 23, 2012

if only the AE shoppers who buy that crap (the cameras/film, as well as the clothing ) would get in to film and upgrade their cameras and buy Kodak film, all will be fine in the analog world

Terry Christian · Jan 23, 2012

We have to realize that not everyone who picks up a film camera is going to want to get serious about it -- nor photography in general. Then again, a fashionable plastic camera might just be the spark a budding photographer needs, and it'll lead to something bigger and better. If you think cheap plastic overpriced cameras are for the gullible, then by all means don't buy one!

Although I wouldn't mistake shots from such a camera for greeeeat ahhhht photography, using one can be a freeing process, and I'd recommend it every year or so just to break out of the constraints that better cameras can impose. I often use a Holga or a crappy "focus free" 35mm, just so I can snap first and ask questions later, and I've been quite surprised by what has emerged. Not everything can be Mahler or Beethoven; there's room in this world for the photographic equivalent of Britney Spears, too.

MattKing · Jan 23, 2012

None of us would be complaining about the availability of Lomography products if we didn't have problems with the availability of "standard" film and film related photographic services and products

jackie_like_the_chan · Jan 23, 2012

Damn Hipsters!!!!

michaelbsc · Jan 23, 2012

E. von Hoegh said:
No more than usual. You should hear me go on about "retro" crap.

Hell, at my age *I'M* retro.

ME Super · Jan 23, 2012

michaelbsc said:
Hell, at my age *I'M* retro.

+1

Newt_on_Swings · Jan 23, 2012

I come by a fair amount of lomo cassettes when I get them from the film lab to reload. if you peel the lomo branding off the side of the cassette, its a recycled cartridge as well. The majority of them I see as Fuji, a few Kodak disposables. You know they reload them because the stems are not always what you expect from a default kodak or fuji 35mm cassette (the shape of the stem and how the tape is applied).

keithwms · Jan 23, 2012

I feel a strong compulsion to start a new thread: "Help me pick: black or chrome lomo"

Come to think of it, if I were to purchase this $50 object just to bring to APUG gatherings, I would definitely need to name it Laika. In honor of the brave little space dog, of course.

And you can bet your last roll of kodachrome that I'd get me some very pricey weathered jeans at American Eagle to go with my Laika.

Klainmeister · Jan 23, 2012

I only shoot Mamiya, Hasselblad, Leica and Linhof. Because I am an artist!

Existing Light · Jan 24, 2012

Klainmeister said:
I only shoot Mamiya, Hasselblad, Leica and Linhof. Because I am an artist!

I only shoot pentax because I'm an artist woth no money

Leigh Youdale · Jan 24, 2012

I think anything that gets people to try analogue photography, be it Lomo or Holga or anything else, is a GOOD THING!
I don't care what their motivation is, whether curiosity, to look hip, etc etc. If even a percentage of them develop an interest in film it's a good outcome. don't knock it!

hoffy · Jan 24, 2012

Leigh Youdale said:
I think anything that gets people to try analogue photography, be it Lomo or Holga or anything else, is a GOOD THING!
I don't care what their motivation is, whether curiosity, to look hip, etc etc. If even a percentage of them develop an interest in film it's a good outcome. don't knock it!

+1

There really are some grumpy old men on this forum some days.

stavrosk · Jan 24, 2012

hoffy said:
+1

There really are some grumpy old men on this forum some days.

Avoiding Lomography does not mean avoiding film altogether.
You think it is positive to buy overpriced crap film because at least you are buying film?
That is completely absurd.

himself · Jan 24, 2012

I think some people in their speed to defend lomo products are missing the point of peoples dislike for it.

there is nothing wrong with a low-fi approach, the problem is having to pay more for the act of using, not worse, but lower quality products just seems utterly the wrong way around to me.

by all means shoot whatever you want with whatever you want, but why would you spend so much to do it?... oh, right - because someone thought they would make more money by making it edgy, underground and kewl.

keithwms · Jan 24, 2012

himself said:
by all means shoot whatever you want with whatever you want, but why would you spend so much to do it?... oh, right - because someone thought they would make more money by making it edgy, underground and kewl.

Yes well it is called marketing... something that the film companies haven't been doing. By targeting only those remaining people who still shoot film, certain big film companies have been in a mode of retreat for several years. If somebody wants to provide a better, more reasonably priced alternative to lomo then they should get off their hindquarters in their corporate headquarters and do it.

And now that I mention it, pay attention! The Fuji products sold alongside the lomo in these stores is very high quality- the instant film and the cute little space-age instant cameras.

Thomas Bertilsson · Jan 24, 2012

keithwms said:
I feel a strong compulsion to start a new thread: "Help me pick: black or chrome lomo"

Come to think of it, if I were to purchase this $50 object just to bring to APUG gatherings, I would definitely need to name it Laika. In honor of the brave little space dog, of course.

And you can bet your last roll of kodachrome that I'd get me some very pricey weathered jeans at American Eagle to go with my Laika.

Somebody already makes Laika iPhone protective cases. They have pictures on them of cameras that look just like Leicas.
You'll have to come up with another name, I'm afraid.

keithwms · Jan 24, 2012

Damn it Thomas you ruined my marketing concept Guess I'll have to go with the Japanese raika, which would of course be in honor of the female boxer.

Thomas Bertilsson · Jan 24, 2012

keithwms said:
Damn it Thomas you ruined my marketing concept Guess I'll have to go with the Japanese raika, which would of course be in honor of the female boxer.

I took pleasure in doing so, if it makes you feel better...

I found Lomography film in a store.

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