The
Lomo Sprocket Rocket is a special panorama fun camera. It makes 1:3
panorama pictures on 35mm film, it has a 106° angle of view. It has a
panoramic finder, 2 apertures, a hot shoe and a tripod socket. As the
shutter dosn't have to be cocked, you can make double exposures and
there is a B
shutter setting.
Its main features are:
30mm ultra wide angle lens on 24x72mm format (33x72mm with sprockets), 2 apertures, F10.8 or F16, 2 focus zones, 0.6m -1m, 1m - ∞ Shutter 1/100, B Size 156x83x67, Weight 234 gr. with cap Hot shoe, tripod socket
Camera, instructions, booklets and frame.
Camera with cap.
Camera
front. Lens.
Camera
back. Film type window. Viewer.
Camera
top. Film rewind, advance and film counter window, hot shoe and
film adavance knob. On the lens barrel: shutter setting and shutter release. Turning the lens barrel sets the 2 focus zones.
Camera
top again. Film advance is not automatically stopped. To advance the
film, you have to watch the first little window. There should be a
little white dot visible. You have to advance until the next white dot
appears. The film counter will move to the next number. On a 36 exp.
film you will get about 17 exposures. Camera bottom. There is a screw in the tripod socket to which you can attach a strap. On the lens barrel: aperture setting.
Camera back open. It's only clipsed.
Film compartment without extra frame as most users prefer. So the
sprockets of the film will be exposed as well.
With a frame inserted,
you will have a normal panoramic photo.
Using
the Lomo Sprocket Rocket 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. 2 aperture settings will help as well. Modern film is
quite flexible, so you will have usable results. Inside or at night
you'll have to use the B mode or a flash.
It's a toy or fun camera,
all plastic, but it's funny. It gives real panoramic pictures with or
without the sprocket area. A good part of the other cheap "panoramic"
cameras use a frame on an ordinary 24x36 photo. This one is different,
you get a real 24 (33)x72mm photo. Scannig film with the sprockets can be a
bit difficult. There are the Lomo Digitaliza scan frames which can do a
very good job.
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.
