Photography
My interest in photography started late 2003, with a plastic toy camera called a Cybersampler. By December of the same year, I bought myself a Lomo Lubitel 166B, a twin lens reflex camera I ordered from Russia. It was just the first of the dozen-or-so Soviet-era vintage cameras and accessories I acquired. Cheap, but elegant, and very useful things. I actively used a few rangefinders, an 80s era SLR, and a capable Canon A85 whenever possible, until early 2006.
While working in Shanghai, China, I spent three months of hard-earned, OFW-generated money on a Canon 350D DSLR camera, which are sometimes adapted to my Russian lenses. I haven’t let go of this new toy since.
I’ve co-founded Litratista.org late 2005, a group photography website, addressing the beginner, and novice/hobbyist photographers. Around the same time, I have moderated the ToyKameraPilipinas mailing list, which has since evolved also into Rangefinder Filipinas (aka RFilipinas), for local rangefinder camera afficionados.
My photo gallery online is over at Flickr.
myFotoFAQ
A personal, semi-guide for the Pinoy into Lomo-based photography
LAST UPDATED: LATE 2005. Some of the content on this page may be outdated.
This FAQ was born out of the tiresome chore of typing out emails to random visitors to my site to ask about ‘Lomo‘ cameras, and how to get one. It’s not my intention to make this a catch-all reference for the Pinoy ‘Lomographer‘, or toy camera fan, or Russian camera enthusiast, but I do hope this will be of some help to those who want to start out discovering alternative ways to get into photography.
- Where and how do you get your Lomo, and toy cameras?
I get my Russian or FSU (FSU=Former Soviet Union) cameras from eBay, and I pay either via auctionpayments.com (formerly called Bidpay), but I know exclusively pay via Western Union Money Transfer (IMPORTANT: ask your seller first if he honors any of these payment methods). The first payment method mentioned has been very unreliable with my previous transactions, in contrast to good ol’ money transfer. Do note that not all brances with the Western Union sign will offer outgoing money transfers, so it’s better to ask first.I wont recommend getting special delivery services in claiming your item if the cost only sums up to $30-$50. Trust your postal system, it surprisingly works. I’ve had less than 20 items ordered, and none of these items came damaged or mangled in any way.The only camera I acquired that was Lomography-branded is the Cybersampler. Lomography has recently offered bulk orders, and you may want to consider that to be more cost-effective. I haven’t come across any local stores which sell Lomography cameras at a reasonable price. However, there are some Zenit’s and Woca’s that can be seen in Hidalgo, Quiapo, but prices at eBay are still a little more favorable, and more than half of those who sell almost exclusively Russian photography items are honest, reliable, and knowledgable about what they sell.There are very good deals in eBay for Holga’s (or Woca’s), too, if you can wait for the 2 week (or so) shipment time.As for Polaroid cameras (Joycam, I-zone), these were acquired from Agfa stores at the SM Malls, or at Hidalgo, Quiapo. Polaroid film is quite expensive, but hunt for those with expired dates, and you’ll get considerable discounts. Still, they are hard to get by nowadays, but if you have that novelty itch, get one. I have no experience with more advanced Polaroid cameras, or cameras equipped with Polaroid backs.
What’s your take on Lomography?
I started photography with Lomography. My first camera was a Cybersampler.I regard the marketing strategy developed by the Austrian founders of Lomography as clever, and credit them for urging the traditional photographers to re-orient themselves and experiment, and for the layman to be interested with uncoventional photography methods, but that’s it. They sell outrageously overpriced cameras, and most of the items (not all; e.g. the Seagull is a serious TLR camera, and the Kiev 645 is a respectable medium format tool, the Horizon 202 is a cheap but recommended way to get into true panoramic photography) can easily be regarded as novelty, toy cameras, nothing else. For Lomography’s camera pricetags, I’d rather get a digital camera, because at least the price should be roughly equivalent to the technology I’m buying, and NOT hyped-up marketing, or just some fashion trend. Lomo also refers to cured meat, you know.
What Lomo camera should i get?
- TOY CAMERAS
- RANGEFINDERS
- TWIN LENS REFLEX (TLR) CAMERAS
- SINGLE LENS REFLEX (SLR) CAMERAS
A Holga or a Woca is one crude toy, wonder camera. The differences: Holga = plastic lens; Woca = glass lens. Plastic lenses would be less sharp than the glass lenses, but the output isn’t really that drastically different, so you may just want to consider whichever is cheaper. I’d recommend the non-flash Holga/Woca, which will save you the inconvenience of running out of flash power when your batteries run out, since for you to take out them out form inside the camera, you will have to remove the film, too, therefore, exposing it. Also, do consider that this camera uses rollfilm, or size 120 film, which isn’t readily available, but can easily be bought at the larger Fuji and Island Photo stores. Opting for the 35mm mod is fun, but the novelty feel of the method might wear off easily.
The newer Holga’s/Woca’s come now with built-in ‘colorsplash‘ flashes, which provides color filters for the camera flash, bathing your subject with colored light. I have not used one, but this is so easy to replicate with a proper or cheap flash, and some colored cellophane.
If you are in the market for multi-lens cameras, you may want to scour the web some more for better bargains (eBay, toy camera sites, etc.). Lomogaraphy prices for the ActionSampler, CyberSampler, SuperSampler, Pop9 is simply unreasonable. However, I believe they have recently considered providing discounts for bulk orders, with the cameras costing as little as 500 pesos for each unit. I consider myself lucky since I was able to acquire a Sports35 (an ActionSampler/CyberSampler equivalent with a black opaque body) for a measly 29 pesos at HMR in Mandaluyong. Unfortunately, this has been sold out years ago.
In terms of make, a true Lomo camera in the guise of a Smena can get you going in learning basic photography. Smena’s have excellent lenses that you cannot find in any other camera for its price (around $10 on eBay). If you want to experiment with multi-exposures on one image, get the Smena 8M. If you’d rather get a more accurate image-framing capability, get a Smena Symbol. Ultimately, if you have the capability to load film cassettes with your own film, you can opt for the older Smenas; otherwise, don’t bother. Since these cameras don’t have a built-in rangefinder (these are either external or internal devices for old cameras wherein you have a split-image in your viewfinder, and to focus, you just have to align the split-image), it’s best to get a Blik external rangefinder. The Blik will be able to give you a reading of the distance of your subject, which you can set on your camera. that’s right: the viewfinder on your Smena is just a plain, see-through window.
One of my favorite simple cameras would be a Belomo Auto-Vilia. Lomography used to sell Vilias, regarded as Smena Symbol clones, without the auto-exposure setting. i got mine from eBay for a measly $5, and the auto-exposure setting works perfectly.
Fed or Zorki cameras are nice nostalgic photopgraphy pieces from the former USSR, starting of the line as Leica camera clones (read its history here). I’d recommend a Fed 2 or a Fed 3 (I have both). Fed 4’s and Fed 5’s do have built-in exposure meters (not all) to help with shooting, and will almost always come with excellent russian lenses, like any Fed or Zorki. Thing is, their older counterparts are much much prettier in the looks department. Also the lenses are interchangeable (Leica threadmount [LTM]), just like SLR’s.
Alas, I still don’t have a Zorki, but if you need more info on this, there are many comprehensive sites on Russian rangefinders, so you will not be disappointed when doing more online research.
Lomo Lubitels are fairly cheap on eBay, and are a delight to use, since you focus from the top of the camera, similar to the ones you see that professional photographers use. Not professional-grade though, considering today’s standards, but the lens is still fairly sharp (older models even have uncoated lens), hence proper photography can easily be learned using these. These cameras use 120 format follfilm (same as Holga/Woca), I have a Lomo Lubitel 166B, which still takes great photos. Perfect porma camera, if you think a Holga or Woca is too much of a toy for you.
Zenit cameras are very basic SLR’s, with film speeds up to 500, but since most of them have a screwmount thread (similar to old Pentax models), they can be used with a lot of compatible lenses. I have two Zenits: a Zenit 3M (made 1963), and a Zenit TTL (made 1980). These are heavy SLRs, which are usually utilized in manual mode. My Zenit TTL, is my main workhorse. Though it has metering capabilities, I’ve always used it manual-mode. I’ve also acquired various filters, a wide-angle lens, and a zoom lens for it, and the cost for all these accessories was probably just above 5,000 pesos, which is essentially the sense and beauty of screwmount-thread cameras. My Zenit 3M is a beautiful vintage SLR, with its only disadvantage stemming out from it having no instant-return mirror (meaning you have to advance to see your image; once you click the shutter, the viewfinder blacks out). Used Zenits can go for $15 up at eBay.
If you want a meterless Zenit, I’d go for a Zenit B. However, if you do have a lot of money to dispense, the most recommended Zenit would be the mighty Zenit 19.
I have a Holga/Lubitel. Where do i get 120 film, and where do i have it developed?
You can get 120 film/rollfilm from the larger Kodak (Island Photo) and Fuji stores. The ones in the malls don’t have a constant stock of it though, so you better head off to Hidalgo, Quiapo, instead.
You can have the film developed at the Fuji store at the second floor in City Center in Greenhills, San Juan. Its almost a pro-lab, I believe. From EDSA, go past Unimart, its around 2 blocks away. you can have very economical 4×4 prints, and have the usual wait-time.
Or, you can opt for Island Photo in Hidalgo, Quiapo. I’ve only tried contact prints from there, which is cost-saving though, but I can’t seem to recieve the same quality as the Fuji store in Greenhills.
My first photos were made using Fuji rollfilm, but then I discovered cheap and expired Kodak TCN black-and-white C-41 rollfilm (C-41 means this is black-and-white film processed with the same chemicals as colored film, thus no usual one-week wait), which you can come across at 50 pesos each if you’re lucky. Again, Quiapo is the place to find these.
Which is a better buy: Lomo Smena 8M or Lomo Smena Symbol?
I have both, and both cameras have their merits. I like the Smena 8m for its look (I have the one with a black plate instead of the normal chrome/silver one), its multi-exposure capability, and despise it because of its viewfinder (which is way too far from lens), nor rangefinder to focus accurately, the cold shoe, that the film counter can easily be moved. I like the Smena Symbol for its reliable film advance mechanism, film counter, hotshoe (doesnt work on mine though), lens measuring marks (meters AND feet) and viewfinder (much closer to lens, but still has no rangefinder). It also has a more stable feel than the 8m. but I find it less pretty-looking than the 8m. Output-wise, there really shouldn’t be any much difference, since they have the same triplet lenses.. Currently, my Smena Symbol is busted, since I couldn’t advance the film anymore. This brings me back to the notion that less complicated equipment really goes a long way.
How about that Lomo LC-A? Or Kiev 35a? They’ve stopped production I heard, should I get one now before it’s too late?
I don’t own this ultimate Lomo camera, but I really don’t think much of it, noting its bloated pricetag. It’s a fixed-focus camera, whose electronics and make are quite inferior from what I’ve read, you’ll be lucky to have it still working in probably a few years. It could be a nice novelty camera, but not for its current price (before Lomography started, it was reported that these cameras was pegged at $15 at eBay). A worthy equivalent is a Kiev 35A, and I do have one of these. Pocketable, and versatile, but there’s a 50/50 chance you’ll get a lemon, so be sure to get it from a reliable seller.
Just in case you do have a Kiev 35a, and would want to make reliability tests, on a sunny day, point the camera to the sun, and see if the shutter will give a slight glow. If it does, return it ASAP. All cameras should have an opaque shutter. Also, just in case you don’t see the exposure needle on the viewfinder moving, give the camera some light knocks from the top. Jay Javier pointed all this out to me, and even noted that the last one is actually in the manual.
For questions or comments, fill up the form below: