Lomography Spinner 360?

[bl1nd]

Has anyone bought this camera yet? I takes a photo all around 360 degrees, so I guess it qualifies as a panoramic cam too, haha.
Dead Link Removed

 

[AgX]

I did not even know that this camera existed. When was it introduced?

 

[Q.G.]

I'll get one once i can locate the manufacturer of this thingy (i'll start looking in China), so i only have to pay a fair price for it.

I'll give a shout when i do, so you too can get one for a fair price.
And if you find out who makes these before i do, please do the same!

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Visited the website after looking up the word "lomograph". The thing looks like a Tibetan prayer drum meets Avatar. It's either a toy, a gimmick, or a real camera. What?
Can't be sure what the perceived or actual benefits are, but in gadget-happy Japan (or wherever) it probably shares fourth place in "must have" popularity with an iPhone.
PS: Q.G. I reckon it's Made in Chinee. What are the odds!?

 

[bl1nd]

I'll get one once i can locate the manufacturer of this thingy (i'll start looking in China), so i only have to pay a fair price for it.

I'll give a shout when i do, so you too can get one for a fair price.
And if you find out who makes these before i do, please do the same!

Unfortunately, I think it's a lomography brand camera.
@AgX, it was introduced to the website fairly recently.

 

[Q.G.]

Unfortunately, I think it's a lomography brand camera. [...]

Lomography is a shop. Not a maker.

So there is somenone that makes this stuff i'd like to find.
I'm sure i can get them to put my name on a batch too. And i'm also sure that a small batch of, say, one hundred of them would cost about the same as that shop is selling them for a piece.

 

[bl1nd]

Lomography is a shop. Not a maker.

They do have their own branded film and other products. I agree though, I hope someone can find out who makes them.

 

[Q.G.]

They do have their own branded film and other products.[...]

Yes, i know.

You could buy Seagul TLR cameras in Germany too, until one shop decided to do something about it. After that, you could buy "B.I.G." TLR cameras that looked (and performed) just like Seagull TLRs, except for the name on it.
They went up in price quite a bit too. .

"Lomo" once was a brand of cheap, and also not very good photoproducts.
This "Lomography" is a trader, cashing in on the consumeristic hype that the Lomography movement turned into.
If you want to make a fortune, watch for the next big hype, and then register the name it goes under as a trademark.

 

[Sjixxxy]

Typically I don't care much for the toy/lomo side of photography. However, the spinner does look like a lot of fun. $145 is a bit steep though.

 

[tkamiya]

Prices on the web site is outrageous.... Portra 400 VC is 10 bucks a roll? (it doesn't appear to be pack of 3 like all others...)

 

[AgX]

Let's talk about the camera, not its price.

 

[Q.G.]

Let's talk about the camera, not its price.

O.K.

Who is the manufacturer of the thing?


The thing however is (at least to me it is) that the camera looks like fun to try. But, just like thingies like the Lomo sampler, not a sort of fun that lasts. A nice gimmick, but a gimmick.
And i'm afraid that then the price is relevant. If this thing would cost about US$20, i'd certainly give it a go. But as it is...

 

[AgX]

Up to now there were only high-end rotational panoramic cameras. Now there is a low end one. Great news, I would say.

I miss though a most simple "finder" indicating the vertical angle of view. Would that accessory shoe be intented to take such? A simple notch and bead sight at the side of the body should have been sufficent.

 

[Q.G.]

I don't think you're supposed to 'frame' the pictures you take with any accuracy using this camera.
I couldn't find any suggestion of what could go in that accessory shoe.

But it's a simple thingy and the fun, of course, is in not worrying about such things.
I mean: a rubber band driven, wind up camera! And we worry about framing?!

 

[AgX]

I was worrying about the smoothness of the gear train. Most probably there is no such, but only some friction brake (the film cartridge itself?) on the body drive.

 

[Q.G.]

I think it will be safe to assume that there is no smoothness in the gear train. Perhaps there is when the thing is fresh from the factory, but for how long?
The thing is also powered by a 'wind up' elastic rubber band. How smooth will that be? How constant too?

Or in short: it's a cheapo Lomography product, and any positive expectation regarding the quality of the thing will very probably prove to be far too optimistic. Whatever we do, we must not mistake it for a serious tool.

It can still be a fun thing though. Were it not for the price...

 

[ZUU]

i just recieved this camera. I'm with Sjixxxy on this one. I never got into lomography or toy cameras, but this looked like a lot of fun and I'm kinda a sucker when it comes to impulse buying online.

 

[maliha]

Someone said Lomography is a shop and not a maker:
Correction:
Lomography is a brand that designs and manufactures their own cameras and film, as well as sells some other brand products.
Please visit www.lomography.com for more info.

 

[ZUU]

No it's not a serious tool, however, being an owner of this toy camera, I can tell you than even though it's wound by a rubber ring (which shocked me with how strong it actually is) it is a very very smooth movement, and comes with a spare ring. And I personally know someone who's had one for quite a long time and it's still smooth as anything, there isn't even any signs of wear when we just took their ring off. Yeah, it's a bit to early now to tell, but it's a toy camera, if in a year or two it kicks the bucket, nothing less can be expected. It's just a bit of fun, more aesthetic than anything. I'm not a 360 spinner preacher, i'm primarily a medium format shooter, but as a novelty item, that can do some pretty interesting effects on fairly cheap film it shouldn't been looked down on too soon.

TL;DR- It's not a serious tool, but it's not a flimsy item.

 

[amuderick]

Yes, I have one. I also have a globuscope. The spinner is fun. You get what you get. The globuscope lens quality and smooth tracking is worlds better but costs 10x the price.

 

[bsdunek]

For years I strove to make the sharpest, best exposed photos I could. Then I discovered the Holga. I was skeptical at first, but found a used on on eBay for $1 (+ $5 shipping). I now have two, one for color ant the other for B&W. They're not for everything, but the effect is unique, and I can make some very interesting photos, and a lot of people like them.
Take a look at my web site.

 

[Arctic amateur]

If you use the mechanical action of the camera (pull the cord & let go) you'll need a steady hand or a heavy/fixed tripod as the camera is not perfectly balanced, and "throws" when spun.. You could also get the Motorizer accessory, but it costs more than the camera and judging by the banding in photos on Flickr the motor action is jerky.

The optics are very simple, probably a single-element lens. Don't expect super-sharp images. I occasionally get vertical bands of blurring, suggesting that the camera doesn't hold the film perfectly in the focal plane throughout the exposure.
A Google search says the lens is 25mm, with 52mm filter threads.

The drive is very simple and purely mechanical. There is no exposure control, the camera spin speed and angle depend on the resistance in the film cartridge and the stiffness of the mechanism. Mine performs very poorly at freezing or below, it will at best spin 180 degrees. At room temperature it works fine, spinning 360 or more if the film is not wound tight.

The exposure slit covers the sprocket holes. The holes are only used for attaching the film to the take-up spool. When using the camera the film is advanced by the turning of the take-up spool.

Here is a Youtube film that shows the film transport: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpV--iAm9rs