Lomography Konstructor, First Impressions

After being one of the first lucky ones to mount the new Lomography Konstruktor, I could not wait to get outside to shoot left and right. Here I explain my experience with this new camera, the first SLR Lomography in the first few rolls I could shoot.

Basic Operations

In the same assembly manual you will find all the information to use the camera when mounted. The camera concept is really simple. We only have the option of framing, focusing, and shooting. Then choose the normal shooting mode (for good light conditions) or Bulb mode that allows us to do long exposures.

We will also have the ability to rewind the film or make multiple shots on the same frame. The winding system automatically advances the film frame by frame. So in this type of camera we meditate well on what kind of film is used;

• 100 ISO for outdoors with good sun
• 200 ISO for some cloudy days
• 400 ISO for cloudy days or low light
• 800 ISO for Indoors

Specifications:

• 35mm SLR camera with interchangeable lens system
• F/10 50mm lens
• 1/80s shutter speed or Bulb mode
• Possibility of multiple exposures
• Thread for attaching tripod

Conclusions

The new Konstruktor will help us learn more about photography. When mounting, we learn camera operations in a very empirical way. Also, being a reflex camera, we will frame and manually focus every shot as if we were working with an old waist camera viewer, without losing the magic of optics and surprising Lomographic results.

The ability to exchange lenses makes me suspect that soon we can buy different focal lengths with various benefits, as what happened with the Belair X 6-12. This makes it a much more versatile camera. Let’s wait and see what awaits us in the future.

From what I have experienced so far, taking pictures of nearby subjects makes the considerable vignetting disappear when turning the lens ring to infinity focus. The saturation and contrast that come with this and other Lomography cameras will surely not disappoint you.

Perhaps what I liked about this particular camera system is the waist level viewfinder framing. This seems banal but photographs makes us very different. Shooting at the level of the belly makes out pictures original and distinct.

To improve

Not everything can be rosy. I would try to improve the system of counting frames (does not seem very practical). One could also improve the system to couple the optical bayonet to the body, which is easy to dismantle. I would also add a lens cap to prevent dust and long strap so it can be transported with all the comfort you deserve.

A universal hotshoe to connect a flash would also make the camera more versatile for indoor and night shots.

Results

I still have to go to pick up a couple of rolls of color I shot. At the moment I can show you the first results with film Lady Grey 400 developed with Caffenol at home.

Well, now it’s time to shoot it out to see how the beautiful photos come with this original Lomography SLR. I promise another article with the results

care!

The first two rolls I shot went a bit wrong. I did not see very clearly in the camera manual that the green plastic reflex system (is a simple operation) that protects the mirror is to be removed. If it isn’t removed it will lead to underexposed photos. Here are a couple of examples.

Joan Martínez i Serres
pocallum.cat

written by linuxbcn on 2013-07-09 #gear #review #caffenol #first-impressions #konstructor #viewer-waist