…but I did just recently obtain a Lomo camera. The Smena 8m.
Isn’t it lovely? It was made in the USSR during the 70’s or 80’s so, yes, that is a picture of Vladimir Ilyich Ulianov (aka Vladamir Lenin) on it. The Russian text beneath his regal looking melon supposedly reads, “Champion of Communistic Work.” Well, the joke is on him because the capitalists over at the Lomographic Society make $90 a pop off of these cheap plastic guys. You can get one on eBay for $15.
Anyway, I think this camera will be fun to play around with even though it can be kind of difficult to use.
First off, you select a shutter speed based on your meteorology skills.
Then, you focus. Which would be cool if the viewfinder was coupled with the lens. It’s not. You don’t really know if you’ve focused properly until you get your film developed. However, do not fear. There are symbols to help you select the right focus. They are based on whatever your subject is that you might be photographing.
Like if you are photographing a girl with a hipster haircut…
…or the same girl with a hipster haircut standing next to a spikey-headed giant…
…or a dude with his two ladies…
…or a quadruple-decker cheeseburger.
And now some of my attempts at taking some pictures/checking to see if the camera actually works…
(I don’t have a scanner so I just made do and took pictures of my pictures with a digital camera.)
Having said all that and only shooting one test roll of film, I do like this little guy. It’s great for snapshots. The lens is actually acceptably sharp enough for 4×6 (probably bigger?) prints if you guess right on your focusing. There are no silly vignettes like with a Holga. It uses cheap 35mm film unlike a Holga. Good toy camera. If you want one, don’t get it from Lomography. Get it on eBay.
