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Lomography’s $29.90 film camera makes half-frame easy

Lomography’s new Half-frame Simple Use camera ships loaded with film, prints instructions on the body, and turns a 36-shot roll into about 72 images.

Image: TechRadar

Lomography has launched a new Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera, a disposable-style model designed to strip film photography down to the basics. Its key trick is half-frame shooting: instead of exposing a full 35mm frame, it uses half of one at a time, turning a standard 36-shot roll into roughly 72 images.

That means each image is smaller — about 18 x 24mm rather than the usual 36mm x 24mm — but the payoff is a much higher shot count. Half-frame cameras have existed since the 1960s, originally pushed by Japanese manufacturers as a cheaper way to shoot film, and more recently seen in cameras like the Kodak Ektar H35N.

Animation of the Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera with back open and different rolls of film being loaded
Animation of the Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera with back open and different rolls of film being loaded

Lomography is leaning hard into beginner-friendliness here. Like a classic disposable, the camera has fixed shutter speed, fixed aperture, and fixed focus, with the flash as the only real control besides the shutter button. Unlike a standard disposable, though, it can be reloaded once the first roll is finished.

Photograph of a hand holding the Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera, showing the rear of the camera with written instructions, diagrams and a QR code
Photograph of a hand holding the Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera, showing the rear of the camera with written instructions, diagrams and a QR code

It also arrives pre-loaded with film. Buyers can choose LomoChrome Classicolor or Lomography Lady Grey monochrome film, both rated at ISO 400. Each comes on a 20-shot roll, which works out to around 40 shots in half-frame mode.

Sample images from the Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera, side by side vertical frames showing a man wearing glasses and a field of sunflowers
Sample images from the Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera, side by side vertical frames showing a man wearing glasses and a field of sunflowers

The body itself carries printed instructions, diagrams, and a QR code, and Lomography has added stickers that remind users to rewind the film before opening the back. You even have to remove two stickers before the rear door can be opened.

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Sample image from Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera showing a woman holding a black cat, lit with flash
Sample image from Lomography Half-frame Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera showing a woman holding a black cat, lit with flash

Image quality is unlikely to be the main draw. With a plastic lens, fixed settings, and smaller-than-standard negatives, this is clearly aimed at casual snapshots rather than sharp, high-end results. The pitch is convenience and low stakes: $29.90 / £21.90 / AU$37.90 for the black-and-white version, or $34.90 / £24.90 / AU$44.90 for color.

Tomas Berg

Computing Editor

Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.

via TechRadar

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