Film is Not Dead

Choosing a Retro Film Camera to Photograph Kids

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So you’ve decided you want to start taking old school film photos of children, but aren’t sure what kind of camera to get?

The first question is: “What is the look you’re going for?”

If you’re an 80s or early 90s baby yourself, you might be craving that saturated, indoor flash-heavy, darkly-vignetted 35mm film appearance that you remember from your own childhood photos.

A great film stock for achieving those striking greens from your childhood is Kodak Ultramax 400.

Here, I’ve used a purposely low-fi plastic “toy” camera (heavy on the indoor flash) to achieve a set of photos that could easily be accidentally dated to 1993.

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My Journey with the Minolta Autopak 8 D6 Super 8 Camera

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I first spotted my Minolta Autopak while perusing GoodwillFinds.com (now sadly defunct).

I was especially tempted by the promise of a Rokkor lens, the same type as my beloved Minolta XG-1.

Rokkor glass was made by Minolta in the 1970s, an impressive distinction when compared to other camera manufacturers who used pre-made glasses. The glass element was called “Rokkor”, in reference to Mt. Rokko, a mountain in Japan visible from the Minolta factory. The vintage Rokkor lenses have become a fan favorite among photographers for their sharp focus and soft bokeh. It’s hard to define the exact reason, but these lenses have a distinctive feel that I just adore.

She was on sale for $40. When I called my husband to get his weigh-in, his response was: “What’s $40? Get it.”

He did not yet know that the cartridges to actually make the camera run would run $39.95… but this is the same story with most of our vintage cameras. It’s not the cost of the camera that will get ya, it’s the film.

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My Diana Mini

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The Diana Mini is the younger sister of the Diana F+. And it’s freakin’ adorable.

Diana cameras are often mentioned in the same breath as Holga cameras. I’ve loved my Holga 135 BC since 2011 when I found it in an Urban Outfitters as a newlywed strolling in Savannah, GA. Based on my undying affection for my Holga, it was a pretty safe bet that I’d love a Diana as well. I finally decided to take the bait when a new edition was released in mint green, my signature color.

Like a Holga, the Diana Mini is a plastic ‘toy’ camera. And, also like a Holga, the Diana was originally produced in Hong Kong in the 1960s. The original Diana was made by Great Wall Plastic Company. It was made so cheaply that it could be used as a promotional giveaway, the kind of thing you might win as a prize at the fair or find emblazoned with the logo of your local pizza shop. It also made an excellent little “intro camera” for photography students, the kind that never planned to take more than one class.

The newer versions of the Diana (including the Mini and the F+) are made by Lomography, a company that specializes in somewhat quirky gear and lo-fi results.

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