The Diana
The Diana comes under the category of ‘Toy Cameras’. Not that these were meant for kids, more that these were so cheaply made with inexpensive materials that they had the appearance and feel of a cheap plastic toy.
Unlike the Holga, which was another toy camera made to bring photography to the Chinese working class, Diana’s were made to be used as cheap promotional items to be given away as prizes at fairs, or business conferences. A lot of Diana’s were made with different company logos and colour schemes.
The Diana has a one piece plastic meniscus lens that produces (shall we say) some interesting results. You can see in the pictures below the vignetting and swirly blur towards the edge of the frames.
These are a however a lot of fun to shoot with and can be picked up for only a few quid if you look hard enough.
Both these and the Holga have a bit of a cult following, especially with hipsters who don’t want to be seen with a boring digital camera.
