Everyday Scenes in 120 with Parallax Photographic Coop and the Diana F+

Tucked away in a small corner of Brixton, South London, is Parallax Photographic Coop, a film photography shop that stocks everything from processing chemicals, film, darkroom paper and much more. They also serve as an important community hub for students and film enthusiasts. We sent the staff a Diana F+ to test out with some Lomography Color Negative 120 ISO 400 and LomoChrome Purple 120 film and they talked to us about the future of medium format film.

Welcome to Lomography Magazine. Firstly, what did you decide to shoot with the Diana F+ and why?

We took it out around Brixton for the first roll, shooting everyday scenes as we would normally do when trying out a new film. This gave us an idea of how the camera performed. For the second roll, we took a walk around Dulwich Park and focused more on getting the best out of the Diana F+ lens.

Do you have a favorite feature of the Diana F+?

It's incredibly light for a medium format camera! This makes it a really easy camera to carry round with you.

We also like the simplicity, set your focus distance and aperture, then just shoot. Obviously the main feature is the lens, giving it that very Lomo look.

What are your hopes for the future of 120 film?

We hope it continues being made. It would be nice to see some new emulsions introduced in medium format. It's great having the LomoChrome films in 120 and being able to experiment in the larger format.

What tips would you give others wanting to try the Diana F+?

Think about how the lens vignettes and distorts around the edges. With the second roll we really thought about what was at the centre of the image and were really happy with the results.

What do you like about 120 film format in general when compared to 35 mm?

It's amazing how much more detail you get out of 120 film in comparison to 35 mm. Also, because you have less images per roll it makes you consider the image you're taking more.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The Diana was really fun to use. We'd got the first roll developed to see the results before shooting the LomoChrome Purple. That was really useful as we see what kind of subjects and framing worked well. We also liked the imperfections, like the light leaks, wavy edges and overlapping images.

Films processed thanks to Photofusion. Check out Parallax Photographic Coop for more information about their services.

2024-02-24 #gear #partners #medium-format #120 #skatepark #diana-f #parallax #brixton #south-london #dulwich-park