I have a soft spot for 35mm film. It’s where my interest in photography started when I was a teenager, and while I’m easily seduced by Polaroid and medium format these days, I always come back to the 35mm format for its versatility and convenience.

That is not to say I don’t quarrel with my 35mm cameras. A few months ago I had a discount in the Lomography webshop since I backed their film scanner Kickstarter, and ended up buying the Diana Mini. This is a compact, 35mm half-frame version of my beloved Diana+ which I have long wanted to try – it’s so tiny and cute, and I’ve become interested in the half-frame format.

Here it is next to my phone, so you can really see how itty-bitty it is:
diana-htc

Now, since the Diana Mini is so small, I’ve been shooting with it using only one hand, like I do with my phone. It turns out that this is a recipe for blurry shots; the shutter just isn’t smooth enough that I can keep the camera still enough and shoot with one hand even in (what I thought was) good light. And just like my other Lomography toy camera, the Fisheye, the Diana Mini requires a lot of light. These are the best shots from the first roll, and as you can see, several of them are blurry and/or too dark:
dianacollage

The half-frame format presents challenges of its own, not unlike with the Instax Mini: What kind of subjects best suit such a small frame? I suspect it will take me a while to be able to give a good answer to this question.

The other 35mm camera accompanying me lately has been a Minolta. This is a camera I trust – she is solid, with a metal body, and dependable. And she didn’t disappoint me this time either.

I recently had developed two rolls shot with the Minolta. On these rolls I found memories of walking to and from work in the snow and in the dark – and I’m thrilled by these images now that spring is here and I no longer agonise over how badly I want winter to end and the sun to shine just a little bit longer:
natt-1

natt-2

vinter-4

wintermosaic

I also found more recent memories, from my wonderfully self-indulgent weekend in London a few weeks ago, when I walked along the streets of London taking photos, visited the Man Ray portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, had my afternoon tea while people-watching in Covent Garden and had dinner with fellow Muse Debra.

coventgardenmosaic-2

london

What film formats have you been shooting with lately? Let us know in the comments! And if you have ever used a Diana Mini, I would love to see your results, since I need reasons to persevere with that camera. Also, don’t forget to share your results in the Film Friday pool.

– All the best from Jenny.