Rules for "Lomo rules photography"
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Performance
factors
of real cameras as they are relevant to these rules
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Comparison
of
observed performance factors as they apply to the Rules
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Lomo
Kompakt Automat 35 mm camera
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Horizon
202 Panoramic 35 mm camera
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Olympus
[mju] II 35 mm camera |
Canon
Digital Ixus v2 digital camera
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Canon
EOS 300D digital mirror reflex camera
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Nokia
3660 with built-in camera
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EXA II
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Russian FED 5b |
Smena Symbol
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Around 300 -350 CHF (new) or
much cheaper (deadstock or second hand).
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Around 500 CHF.
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Around 150 CHF. |
Around 100-400 CHF (new or
second hand).
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Around 1000-1600 CHF (new).
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Around 400 CHF (add-on cost for
camera estimated around 100-150 CHF).
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Around 40-80 CHF (second hand).
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Around 50 CHF (second hand).
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Around 40 CHF (second hand).
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"Lomo
Rules"
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General
Photo Rule derived from
Lomo Rule
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This camera is regarded as
"cool" for no other reasons specified.
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This is a very affordable
panoramic swing lens
camera.
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Standard issue pocket
point-and-shoot / range-finder - camera.
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Standard
issue digital consumer camera.
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Standard issue digital high end
consumer mirror reflex camera.
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Standard issue mobile phone.
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Collectors items of no real
value due to wide distribution.
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Collectors items of no real
value due to wide distribution.
"Hot lens" with apparently legendary crisp focus.
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Collectors items of no real
value due to wide distribution.
Cool handling and looks.
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1.
Take your Lomo everywhere you
go. And take an extra roll of film.
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Take
your camera everywhere you
go. Digital cameras: just install a big memory stick, set your image
quality to an
acceptable quality that does not require too much memory, and make
sure you have enough battery power. 35 mm cameras: take extra
film, in case you may need one, an extra battery.
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Weight:273g
Size: bulky fit in pocket.
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Weight:738g
Size: can not fit in pocket, must be carried in bag or around neck.
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Weight:172g
Size: neat fit in pocket.
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Weight:216g
Size: neat fit in pocket.
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Weight:855g
Size: can not fit in pocket, must be carried in bag or around neck. |
Weight:133g
Size: neat fit in pocket.
|
Weight:
893g
Size: can not fit in pocket; must be carried in bag or around
neck.
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Weight:
745g
Size: can not fit in pocket; must be carried in bag or around
neck. |
Weight:
381g
Size: bulky fit in pocket. |
Almost
all cameras, with
exception of the Horizon and the big Canon digital mirror reflex
camera, can be worn in a pocket
(coat, trousers).
The Lomo Kompakt Automat is a bit bulky, but can be
carried in a pocket.
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| 2.
Use it anytime - day and
night. |
Use
it anytime - day and night. |
This
camera could be equipped
with a flash. |
This
camera has no flashlight,
so it's use at night is rather limited.
|
This
camera has a built-in
flash. |
This
camera has a built-in
flash. |
This
camera has a built-in
flash. |
This
camera has a built-in
flash. |
This
camera could be equipped
with a flash but that would make it even bigger.
|
This
camera could be equipped
with a flash. |
This
camera could be equipped
with a flash. |
Almost
all cameras tested that
are not Lomo or Horizon cameras (old Russian models), perform better
under the second "Lomo
rule".
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| 3.
Lomography is not an
interference with your life but a part of it.
It will soon feel natural to take Lomographs of everything. |
Photography
is not an
interference with your life but a part of it. It will soon feel natural
to take snapshots of everything.
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You
shlepp ~120% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2).
|
You
shlepp ~340% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2). |
You
shlepp ~80% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2). |
(100%)
|
You
shlepp ~390% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2). |
You
shlepp ~60% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2). |
You
shlepp ~413% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2). |
You
shlepp ~344% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2). |
You
shlepp ~176% of the weight of a standard digital consumer camera (Canon
Digital Ixus v2). |
Any
camera, including a rather
large mirror reflex camera, can become part of life. This is simply a
matter of attitude. However, there are better choices for 'part of
life', if weight and size matter.
Perhaps the most promising integration of cameras into life is seen
with mobile phones.
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| 4.
Get as close as possible to
the objects of you lomographic desire. I still don't get this right
half the time. |
Get
as close as possible to the
objects of you photographic desire.
|
Can
do.
|
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do.
|
Can
do.
|
Can
do.
|
Any
camera can be brought close
to an object of photographic desire.
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| 5.
Don't think. Once you start
thinking about composition, the unexpected qualities start to go. |
Don't
think. Once you start
thinking about composition, the unexpected qualities start to go. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do.
|
Can
do.
|
Can
do.
|
Not
thinking is possible
to some degree with any camera and, while we are discussing this, at
any other point in life.
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| 6.
Be fast. As fast as you can
take you camera from your pocket. For instant reaction, use the
supplied wrist strap. |
Be
fast. As fast as you can take
you camera from your pocket. For instant reaction, use some type of
wrist strap. |
Not
possible. There is no auto focus.
|
Not
possible. There is no auto focus and there is no auto light metering.
The camera lends itself to extremely cool shots that are carefully set
up.
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Very
fast reaction of this camera. Slide back the cover and shoot - the
camera will shoot very rapidly after you trigger it.
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Can
do, but there is always a short delay for small digital point and shoot
cameras.
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You
have to get it out of the bag and ready to shoot. I do not think this
camera is really a 'be fast' camera for candids.
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While
extremely disguised as mobile phone, it takes a while to start up the
camera application on this camera.
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Not
possible. Needs to be set up
first as there is no auto focus and no auto light metering.
|
Not
possible. Needs to be set up
first as there is no auto focus and no auto light metering. |
Not
possible. Needs to be set up
first as there is no auto focus and no auto light metering. |
Any
camera can be fired at
moment's notice. Requesting instant action, however, can be a problem
for small digital cameras not seen to the same degree in 35 mm cameras,
and not seen in digital mirror reflex cameras. It can only be overcome
by sampling situations with as many shots as required.
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| 7.
You don't have to know
beforehand what is on your film. |
You
don't have to know
beforehand what is on your memory stick or on your film. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do.
|
Can
do.
|
Any
camera can be used in a way
that one does not know beforehand what will be photographed.
|
| 8.
Nor afterwards. You will
figure it out eventually. |
Nor
afterwards. You will figure
it out eventually. In case your camera does that, don't waste time
checking your little camera's
screen or turn it off.
|
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Any
camera can be used in a way
that one does not take notice of what was recorded right there.
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| 9.
Try the shot from the hip. Or
from the ground. |
Try
the shot from the hip. Or
from the ground. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Any
camera can be shot from the
hip.
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| 10.
Don't worry about (golden)
rules. Be unique and find your own way. |
Don't
worry about (golden)
rules. Be unique and find your own way. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
Can
do. |
This
is a general wisdom that
applies to anything.
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Lomo Image Qualities
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Typical
Lomo property #1: dark areas are noisy.
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Dark
areas are in fact
noisy.
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Same.
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Depending
on film speed, dark areas turn out to be noisy.
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This
camera is also pretty
noisy; but this effect can be enhanced or changed digitally.
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This
camera produces very fine pictures; but that effect can be applied
digitally. |
This
camera produces wildly noisy areas in dark images.
|
Dark
areas are in fact
noisy. |
Dark
areas are in fact
noisy. |
Dark
areas are in fact
noisy. |
Comment:
Lomoizing
qualities, except crisp focus,
is seen in all cameras, whether directly
on film, or after application of digital filtering.
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Typical
Lomo standard #2: There is a slight red dominance over green, and a
slight green dominance over blue.
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This
is what Lomo Compact Automat cameras do.
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Same.
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Very
nice Lomo-like color balance.
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This
camera produces some type
of blue-green shift compared to the Lomo; the Lomo color effect can be
applied
digitally. Alternatively, colored transparencies can be fixed to the
flashlight.
|
This
camera produces very fine pictures; but that effect can be applied
digitally. Alternatively, colored transparencies can be fixed to the
flashlight. |
This
camera shifts colors quite a bit.
|
Perfect
Lomo-like color balance. |
Perfect
Lomo-like color balance. |
Perfect
Lomo-like color balance. |
Typical
Lomo standard #3: Vignetting with dark and somewhat more contrasty,
mildly blurred edges.
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There
is indeed a typical Lomo vignetting.
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The
amount of vignetting in the Horizon is somewhat minimal and not an
outstanding feature.
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Some
vignetting.
|
This
camera produces some vignetting; this can be enhanced digitally. |
This
camera produces very fine pictures; but that effect can be applied
digitally. |
This
camera produces saturated degrees of vignetting.
|
Nice
vignetting, very Lomo-style.
|
Nice
vignetting, very Lomo-style. |
Nice
vignetting, very Lomo-style. |
Typical
Lomo standard #4: selective color saturation compared to neutral high
quality documentation of a mirror reflex camera.
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Color
saturation is not as glamouros as advertise.
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Color
saturation is observed, but not in a very pronounced way.
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Very
nice saturation.
|
This
camera offsets saturation to some degree; this can be enhanced
digitally. |
This
camera produces very fine pictures; but that effect can be applied
digitally. |
This
camera saturates colors strongly.
|
Color
saturation very nice. |
Color
saturation acceptable.
|
Very
good color saturation.
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Typical
Lomo standard #5: Lomo images are advertised as very crisp in sharpness.
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Image
sharpness is definitely not as crisp as advertised.
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This
camera achieves superb focus for panoramic pictures.
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Very
good focus qualities.
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2
Megapixels is pretty good and at the same time does not cause the
harddisk space to overflow too quickly.
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5
Megapixels is extremely good.
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This
camera has a very limited resolution. Also, images are blurry.
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Super
Lomo crispness - with the mirror reflex, crisp pictures are easy to
take.
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Super.
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Super.
Very nice optics. Very nice pictures.
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Verdict
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Clunky
camera, focus seems off, camera is too expensive.
Standard post-processing of 35mm film required.
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Weird
camera, challenging to handle, produces very cool images.
Custom post-processing of 35mm film required (can not be done by
machines that automatically cut film for standard 35 mm picture widths).
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Super
camera. This is "THE" Lomo rules camera. Extremely fast, precise,
cheap, lightweight, very good picture quality.
Standard post-processing of 35mm film required.
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Super
camera. If it has to be digital, this is "THE" Lomo rules camera. Fast
enough, cheap, lightweight, satisfying picture quality. Advantage of
digital output saves money over large amount of footage.
Digital images feature cheap and rapid post-processing.
Usual Lomo-tricks can be applied digitally.
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Super
geeky cam. Not a fast shooter, this camera produces super quality
pictures.
Digital images feature cheap and rapid post-processing.
Usual Lomo-tricks can be applied digitally.
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Very
limited usage due to low resolution.
Digital images feature cheap and rapid post-processing, and with new
mobile phones, better cameras will emerge.
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Perfect,
but heavy camera for all family and social photography.
Can be equipped with a flash.
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Perfect,
but heavy camera for all family and social photography.
Can be equipped with a flash. |
Nice
camera for all situations. However, the film transport is cheaply made
and may cause you some trouble.
Handling somewhat difficult due to non-standard controls.
Lower end in terms of quality.
Can be equipped with a flash.
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Summing
up, you would want to lay hands on an Olympus mju or Canon Digital Ixus
before anything else. They perform best under a variety of
expectations, and they are a very easy load to carry.
If looking at clunky objects, the Horizon 202 is certainly the coolest
in terms of producing super imagery.
If you require photos to be very soulful, focussed, intense and
focussed, get a Russian Fed or an Exa model that have a very good
optical set-up and that are extremely affordable. They perform far
better on 'candid photography' as one would think, seeing as if they
are rather chunky.
The
Canon EOS 300D is a very highly evolved product, that features a
heavy weight and a very perfectionist appearance as drawback.
Before considering anything else, look at new mobile phones with 2
Megapixel cameras or more. They may be exactly what you would need.
The Lomo Compact Automat does not deliver to Lomo rules photography, is
a bit too heavy to carry and does not produce focused pictures in a way
one would wish. The results are a bit too blurry to make up for other
shortcomings including a rather high price.
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Rating for "cool" photography
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Rating for scientific photography
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Rating for application of "Lomo
rules" photography
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Rating for normal everyday
family photography
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Demo pictures
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