DIANA HALF FRAME CAMERAS

There are lots of cameras with the Diana name -- and Diana name copycats, too. The original Diana was a bare-bones 120 film camera, and over time different variations have emerged. One of these variants qualifies as a submini camera because it creates half-frame images on 35mm film -- the Diana Mini. Appropriately name due to it's small size, it's about the same size and weight as the tiny SUPERHEADZ half-frame cameras. And while it is similar to the original Diana, and can be found in the exact same color scheme -- looking exactly like a MINI-Diana -- it was available in many other color schemes and coverings with different names on the face-plate, such as LOVE LETTERS or PETITE NOIRE. And all of these various Diana Minis had additional features that the original Diana lacked. The Mini has a tripod socket and a cable release connection making the B setting more useful. It also accepts the Diana F+ flash which, although not very powerful (uses one AA battery), it is stylish. Fortunately, a Diana-to-hot shoe adapter was made and any hot shoe flash, smaller or larger, can be used. It has a two-setting aperture for different films & lighting conditions -- f8 or f11, and the lens (of unknown focal length) has four distance settings -- down to two feet. The other interesting features are the ability to switch from a half-frame 17x24mm size to a square 24x24mm image -- even mid-roll -- and the ability to take multiple exposures. A switch on the side cocks the shutter without advancing the film. The 24x24mm square format maintains the traditional Diana style with light fall-off in the corners, but this can be reduced by selecting the narrower half-frame format. The Diana Mini should not be confused with the Diana Baby which used 110 film.

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