Holga and Diana Themed T-shirts and Tote Bags

I've designed a couple of images, using photos of the classic vintage Diana and and Holga and have put them on T-shirts and tote bags. Please come check out my store on cafepress.com.

Please go to my store at cafepress.com and check them out.

http://bit.ly/kCafe

Video: Installing Batteries in a Holga 120CFN or 120FN

I made a video showing how to install batteries in a Holga 120CFN or 120FN.

The video is posted on youtube.

http://bit.ly/kHolgaBatteries

Thrift Store Find: iZone Digital Combo

I see lot's of Polaroid iZone cameras at the thrift stores, but this is the first time I've run across this particular model. I've never heard of it before either. It's called the iZone Digital Combo camera. It's an iZone camera with a built-in digital camera added to the top. According to the Land List, it was produced in 2000-2001 and originally cost $99.95.

It sports a .3Mp digital camera with 1Mb of memory, 18 digital photos at 680x480p, an RS-232 serial PC connection, an optical viewfinder with no display LCD.

The iZone section of the camera is a standard iZone camera. The analog and digital cameras are separate from each other, but appear to share the same power source, since there is a switch to transfer the 4-AAA power source from one camera to the other.

Unlike most of my thrift store purchases, I don't consider this a usable camera, as iZone film is no longer available and the digital camera requires an outdated PC connection and PC software to download the photos.

Cost: $5.99

What you see is not what you get! - Viewfinder Parallax Error

I was asked:

I've got a diana f+ and i took pictures with the lomography film 400 ISO 120mm and lomography film 100 ISO 120mm. Some of the pictures I took was cropped. I thought my results will be exactly like the one my eyes saw through the hole when you take a picture of something. But it turned out to be in a different angle. For example, I took a picture of a glass of drink and when i printed it, it turned out only half of the glass. Is there a way to fix that?

My Answer:
What you are experiencing is viewfinder parallax error. The viewfinder sits over the lens, and doesn't exactly display what the lens sees. Normally, with most subjects, you don't really see this effect causing a problem. The subject is usually far enough away from the camera that the difference in the higher position of the viewfinder from the lens isn't noticeable. However, the closer you get to the subject, the more pronounced the effect. So when you are trying to shoot a glass on a table, that is only a few feet away, you need to compensate for the viewfinder offset by slightly tilting the camera up.

Parallax in a normal scene is not a problem.

But when the subject is close to the camera, then parallax error can be a big problem.
 

 

In order to compensate for Parallax error, you have to adjust how you frame the photo in the viewfinder.

If you are shooting with a Holga 120 or 135, you will also have to compensate for the fact that the viewfinder sits to the left of the lens. This means that to compensate, you will have to slightly tilt the camera to the left if you are shooting a subject that is very close to the camera.

Polaroid Land Camera - Battery Conversion Mod

This is one of the most requested videos I have on my to do list. I'm still working on the video, but here is the Words and Pictures version of it.

The metal body folding Polaroid Land cameras use an odd battery that has snaps on either end.

These Polaroid cameras use either a 3v #532 battery, or a 4.5 volt #531 battery.

To identify which battery your camera uses, open the battery compartment and read the engraved type on the back of the compartment door.

If you are shopping for a Polaroid Pack camera, I would recommend looking for a 3 volt camera, as it is easier to convert.

The chart below identifies which Polaroid Pack camera models use what type of battery:

3 volt cameras, #532 battery

103, 104, 125, 135, 210, 215, 315, 320, 330, 420, 430, 440, M60, and Countdown 70

The following cameras use two 3 volt, #532 batteries, one of which is used for the built-in electronic development timer. 

If converting one of these cameras, you need only replace the camera shutter battery.

335, 350, 360, 450, M80, and Countdown 90

4.5 volt cameras, #531 battery:

100, 101, 102, 220, 225, 230, 240, 250, and 340

3-Volt Mods

3 Volt Mod - Version 1:

This is the quick and dirty mod for 3v cameras can be done using a 3v lithium battery.

Tools and Parts needed:

• Utility knife
• Electrician's Tape
• CR 123 3v battery (or equivalent)

Step 1:

The unwind the wires that are looped around the plastic end of the snaps.

Step 2:

Cut the wires close to the snap.

Step 3:

Strip about 1/4" (3-4mm) of insulation from the ends of the wires.

Step 4:

Tape the white wire to the positive end of the battery.

Step 5:

Tape the black wire to the negative end of the battery.

Step 6:

Insert the taped battery in the battery clip.

Check the shutter to make sure you have a positive connection to the battery.

3 Volt Mod - Version 2:

This is the more elegant version of the 3 volt mod. It uses a 2 AAA cell battery holder. I got mine from Radioshack, but any equivalent will do. The uncovered version is better, as the enclosed battery pack is slightly too large for the battery compartment.

Tools and Parts needed:

• Utility knife
• Electrician's Tape
• 2-cell AAA battery holder (Radioshack part #270-398B or equivalent)
• phillips screwdriver (if you need to remove a screw-mounted battery holder)
• needle nose pliers (if you need to remove a built in battery holder)

Follow Steps 1-3 above.

Step 4b:

Take the black wire of the battery pack, and match it up with the black wire of the camera.

Step 5b:

Twist the wires together. Wrap the two wires together with a  1.5" length of electrical tape.

Repeat these steps with the red and white wires.

Optional: If you are handy with a soldering iron, solder the wires together for the best connection.

Step 6b:

Step 7b:

You need to make room for the battery holder. If the battery clip screwed in, remove it with a small phillips screwdriver. If the battery clip is molded into the same plastic as the camera, you will have to remove it by nibbling at it with a pair of small needle nose pliers. 

Note: A photograph will be added later, after I shoot the clip removal for the how-to video.

4.5 Volt Mod - Version 1:

This is the same as the 3 volt mod, version 2, except at the end. The 3 cell battery holder won't fit inside the battery compartment, se we need to make a notch in the battery compartment for the wires to come out. 

Tools and Parts needed:

• Utility knife
• Electrician's Tape
• 3-cell AAA battery holder (Radioshack part #270-42 or equivalent)
• glue or velcro to attach the battery holder to the camera

Follow Steps 1-3 from the 3 volt, Version 1

Follow Steps 4b-6b from the 3 volt, Version 2, except you are connecting a 3 cell, 4.5 volt battery holder instead of the 2 cell holder.

Step 7c:

With the utility knife, start to scrape a notch to the left of the bump in the battery compartment door edge. You don't want to put the notch in the bump, as the bump is what holds the battery compartment door closed.

The battery compartment is metal, but it's aluminum, so it can be cut by using the cutting edge of the utility knife to scrape a notch into the metal. Scrape the metal to remove it, by applying pressure, and dragging the blade perpindicular to the compartment edge (in the direction of the arrow). Once you get a slight divot going, it gets easier to cut down into the metal. Little shavings will come off as you cut into the metal.

Step 8c:

The finished notch.

Step 9c:

The battery pack can be attached to the camera with glue or industrial velcro applied to the battery pack and to the camera body.

To come: 4.5 volt mod, Version 2.

There is a more elegant solution for the 4.5 volt mod, but it involves modifying a 4-cell holder so that it holds 3 batteries. This is a lot of work, but the advantage is that the battery holder will fit inside the battery compartment.

I will post this 4-cell battery holder to 3-cell battery holder later, as I need to improve my light set-up, so that you can see what is being done to modify the battery holder.