Lomography just created a super affordable, idiot-proof film camera that doubles the amount of photos, and comes preloaded with a roll and the instructions are literally printed on the body.

Lomography has launched a new version of its ‘Simple Use’ disposable film camera
It’s half-frame, meaning it exposes half a frame of 35mm film at a time to effectively double the shot count.
It comes preloaded with a roll of film, in a choice of color or black and white.

Many people are reluctant to try film photography because they perceive it as too complicated. Lomography is trying to remove some of that mystique with its ‘single-use’ disposable cameras and today the analogue specialists have announced the new half-frame, single-use rechargeable film camera, which doubles the number of shots with a standard 35mm roll of film.

The name ‘half frame’ refers to the fact that the camera only exposes half a frame of 35mm film at a time, cutting the standard 36mm x 24mm horizontal frame into two shots with approximate dimensions of 18 x 24mm. This means that while your shots are smaller, you get a lot more: a standard 36-shot roll of film could produce around 72 discrete images when run through the half-frame single-use rechargeable film camera.

Half frame cameras are not new. In fact, they’ve been around since the 1960s, when Japanese manufacturers first offered them as an inexpensive alternative to standard 35mm film cameras. We’ve also seen more recent entries in the genre, such as the Kodak Ektar H35N. They are usually small, cheap and simple.

It couldn’t be simpler

Single-use cameras are often described as “disposable style.” This means they work just like the kind of disposable cameras that everyone used to take on a trip and then leave behind to develop. There is no way to set the shutter speed or aperture (both are fixed) and the lens has a completely fixed focus. The only control besides the shutter release is the flash, which is activated by the unmistakable lightning bolt button on the front.

The half-frame, easy-to-use camera also comes pre-loaded, meaning it’s completely ready to use right out of the box. You can choose between two options: get one preloaded with LomoChrome Classicolor or with Lomography Lady Gray monochrome film. Both actions have an ISO rating of 400, meaning they are good all-rounders for most lighting situations. However, they only come in rolls of 20, which is quite small for a 35mm roll. But remember, in half a frame, that’s about 40 shots.

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Half-frame images can be separated or left as diptychs if they feel complementary.(Image credit: Lomography)

Once you’ve taken your shots, you can rewind using the dial on the top to remove the film. In another pretty good idiot proof, the camera body is covered in stickers and labels to remind you to rewind before opening the back door; In fact, you must physically remove two of these stickers before it is possible to open the door.

Sample image of Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Rechargeable Film Camera showing a woman holding a black cat, illuminated with flash

Cheap cameras like this are likely to find use for quick shots. (Image credit: Lomography)

With a plastic lens and fixed settings, this is not a camera that will create images of amazing quality, even before you take into account that your shots will be half the size of regular 35mm frames. However, I think its simplicity means it could be a fantastic option for anyone who has always wanted to film but finds the process intimidating. And with a low starting price of $29.90 / £21.90 / AU$37.90 for the black and white version, or $34.90 / £24.90 / AU$44.90 for the color version, you don’t have much to lose by giving it a try.

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