Fans of early photography and shutterbug steampunks will want to investigate the latest from Lomography + Russian camera brand Zenit, the Petzval lens.
The Petzval lens shot many, if not most, of the great photos of the 19th Century. Invented by Joseph Petzval in Vienna in 1840, the lens design was known for its swirly bokeh effect and ability to focus crisply on objects in the focus area while producing a dreamy blur on elements out of focus.
Zenit and Lomography reverse engineered the original 1840 Petzval lens with adjustments to make it work on modern (D)SLR cameras—so it is compatible with digital and analog cameras. The new Russian-made lens features the Petzval lens's famed swirly bokeh effect, sharpness, large f2.2 aperture, narrow depth of field, field curvature, and high contrast in multicoated glass. Worth noting: it is evidence of Lomo warming to the digital photo shooting consumer.
Check out the images below, all shot on the Petzval.
The Petzval lens is available for pre-order exclusively on Kickstarter.com.
The latest camera from the shoot-now-look-later photographers at Lomography is meant to be a learning experience. The Konstruktor, the first build-it-yourself 35mm SLR, requires users to spend about 20 minutes assembling the lens, body, and other mechanicals, before snapping any photos. Once everything's assembled, the no-frills features make it an ideal first camera for learning how to focus and shoot manually.
Read more on Lomography's instructional page for shooting with the Konstruktor, and pick one up from their store for only $35.
Borrowing the form of vintage medium format models, the Sun & Cloud camera from Japan's SuperHeadz isn't meant for high definition shooting. Instead, it's designed for off-the-cuff photos, not unlike those in the style of Lomography. While there is a USB charging option, the camera has a solar panel on top, as well as a hand crank for off-the-grid power. To help make the most of the lo-fi sensor, the camera also comes equipped with 15 digital filters.
Thinking of taking the Sun & Cloud on summer vacation? Grab one at AC Gears.
