The
Lomo Fisheye is a simple and basic fun camera. It makes real round
fisheye pictures on 35mm film, it has a 170° angle of view. This is the
first version of the camera, released in 2005. The body is based on a
cheap focus free camera with flash to which they attached a fisheye
lens. At least half of the viewer is masked by the lens barrel. As it
is square, it doesn't show you what will be in the picture, it's just
an aimimg device. This is a rubberized version in vivid colour, but
there are also hard plastic versions. And there is a second version
with an external finder, a hot shoe and with double exposure and B
shutter possibility.
Its main features are:
10mm fisheye lens, F8, fixed focus, a few cm - ∞ Shutter 1/100 Size 106x65x65, Weight 169 gr. with battery and cap Flash
Camera with cap.
Camera
front. To the right: flash and flash switch (near the bottom). No information on flash guide number.
Lens.
Camera
back. Film type window and film advance. In the hole near the top: flash ready lamp. Viewer.
Camera top. Film rewind, shutter release and film counter. Camera bottom. Battery compartment, takes 1 AA battery, only necessary for flash. No tripod socket.
Another colour variant, non-rubberized. There are many of them.
Camera back open. Film compartment. Curved film plane, makes no sense as this camera is made for vignetting....
Using
the Lomo fisheye camera is easy. As there is only one shutter speed, you
have to choose your film depending on the weather conditions. On bright
days ISO 200 is fine, on dull days ISO 400 is better. Modern film is
quite flexible, so you will have usable results. Inside or at night
you'll have to use the flash. The flash only lights a part of
the image and will do for funny portraits. It's a toy or fun camera,
all plastic, but it's funny. The second version is better, but less compact because of the external finder. So it's a choice.
Some
gereral words about Lomography and their service: There is a 2-year
warranty, at least in Europe. My personal experience with their service
is very good. As most of their cameras are made of (cheap) plastic,
there is no repair, they just exchange your defective camera. You have
to send it in to their Vienna office at your expenses, which is not cheap
if you are not based in Austria, but they try to compensate by adding
film or so to the return. You absolutely need a proof of purchase,
there was heavy abuse by fraudulent customers they told me. So if you
buy second hand or your camera is gift, be sure to put your hands on
the proof of purchase. After the 2-years warranty period it's over.
They will try to help for the expensive not-so-plastic cameras like the
LC series, but for the rest there is no repair. Keep this in mind for
the prices you pay for older gear.
