Cult classic - the Diana camera - given a flash

1960s plastic camera reintroduced

30 January 2008 9:53 GMT / By Katie Scott

That cult classic - the 1960s plastic camera - the Diana - has now got a flash.

The Lomographic Society lovingly reproduced the camera and starting selling it last October, but hase now added a flash version.

This model has been out of production for more than 30 years but now has been recreated, including its retro-styled electronic flash, which fires a burst of white or coloured light at the subject.

Crafted in Hong Kong, the original Diana was a dirt-cheap and simple camera that cost about one dollar.

The enthusiasts at the Lomography Society quip: "As a mainstream product, the Diana was pretty much a failure – and was discontinued in the 1970’s. But as an artistic tool of avant-garde photographers, it was a rousing success! They loved its soft images, super-saturated colours, unpredictable blurring, and random contrast. Even as the original camera died in production, it lived on through a thriving community of Diana fans."

The flash version is the Diana F+, which comes with two flash adaptors so that the Diana Flash can be mounted on a standard hotshoe camera (like the Lomo LC-A+) or a common hotshoe flash can be used on the Diana F+.

Other additions to this new, "old" model are a Pinhole function, an endless panorama function, which allows snappers to shoot a long, concurrent and unlimited panoramic image with no space between each individual frame; and a new tripod thread and shutter lock.

The camera also now offers two image sizes for 12 square shots or 16 square shots on a roll of film, and takes 120 medium format film.

It also boasts two shutter speeds - one for day and one for night, and the ability to shoot multiple or partial (overlapping) exposures.

The package with the camera includes colour gel flash Filters (same type as used for the Colorsplash), the "More Short Stories & True Tales" Diana Vignettes hardcover book, an instruction manual, and a lens cap & neckstrap.

The Diana F+ is available for direct purchase from the Lomography Society and is £60.