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Film and Analog

Review: Lomography Simple Use Cameras

Chris Gampat
No Comments
11/02/2017
4 Mins read
Chris Gampat the Phoblographer Lomography Simple Use Cameras product images

Last Updated on 08/12/2021 by Chris Gampat

The Lomography Simple Use Cameras can easily be mistaken for disposable cameras, but they’re in fact not. Confused? Yeah, I was too the first time that I saw the press release, as when I looked at the cameras themselves, they straight up just looked like disposables. Then I did more digging. Lomography calls them the Simple Use cameras. They’re designed to look and function like disposable cameras but have some extra additions–like the ability to be reloaded and in some cases gels that go right over the flashes. They also cost a bit more than the standard disposable camera out there, but when you consider the fact they’re reloadable and in some cases they come with gels for the flash, then you’re not at all getting a bad deal.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Fun to use
  • A black and white, color negative and Lomochrome Purple version
  • All ISO 400
  • Gels on the flash in some cases
  • Small
  • Simple to use, just point and shoot

Cons

  • Nothing really.

Tech Specs

Specs taken from the Lomography listing

  • Analogue Made Easy: Lomography’s Simple Use Film Camera is preloaded with film so you can start shooting straight away.
  • Filled with Fantastic Film: This bundle comes with a disposable camera loaded with Lomography Color Negative 400, Lomography Lady Grey ISO 400, and LomoChrome Purple ISO 100-400 films
  • Get Creative with Color Gel Flash Filters: Mix and match three different Color Gel flash filters to tint your shots with one of six different colors.
  • Take Your Camera Everywhere You Go: Portable and light, the Simple Use Film Camera can easily be your go-to camera for everyday shooting.
  • Easy to Develop Your Pictures: Just hand in your film at any photo lab. It’s quick and easy to get your photos developed at the LomoLab!
  • Reload if You Dare: if you’re feeling like an analogue superstar, you can try reloading your camera once you’ve finished the preloaded film. Be careful though, loading film can be tricky and it is not covered by any warranty!

Technical Specifications:

  • Film Format: 35mm Film
  • Exposures: 36
  • Lens Focal Length: 31mm
  • Shutter Speed: 1/120s
  • Aperture: f/9
  • Focusing: 1m to Infinity
  • Flash: Built-in Flash (Press & Hold to Charge), 15-second Recycle Time
  • Battery: 1 x AA Battery
  • Dimensions (mm): 115 x 60 x 33

Ergonomics

The Lomography Simple Use Cameras come in three different flavors: LomoChrome Purple, color negative and black and white. With the color options, you’ll get gels on the flash that can be combined or used individually. The front of the cameras have a button to charge the flash and then there’s the lens, flash and viewfinder.

The top of the Lomography Simple Use Cameras have a button to release the shutter. That’s really about it.

The back is where you’ll both put your eye to the viewfinder and wind the film forward. When you’re all done you’ll open the camera up, reload the film in an upside down fashion, close it, and then wind it to the end. The way that the Lomography Simple Use Cameras work is that they unwind the film and you simply advance it.

Build Quality

The Lomography Simple Use Cameras aren’t built that stellar to be honest. They’re built, well, like disposable cameras, but only slightly better. They conform nicely to the hand and due to those ergonomics, I’m really inclined to like the cameras. They’re ergonomically pleasing and can be thrown into a bag or your pocket with ease.

Ease of Use

Essentially what you do is remember that you’ve got ISO 400 film in there. That’s what the light meter is designed to be used with. Then you shoot the film until it is fully back into the roll, open the camera up, reload the film, wind it, and then continue shooting. No matter what, they’re all set to shoot at ISO 400 and so you can put black and white film in the color negative camera, and more.

Image Quality

The Lomography Simple Use Cameras have a plastic lens on each of them. But despite this, the image quality is surprisingly sharp. I’d encourage users to use good film and to be careful with the distances from the subject. All that is outlined on the instructions on the camera. But considering that this is dependant on the film you’re using, I’m still very pleased.

Lomography Lady Grey 400

Conclusions

I think the Lomography Simple Use Cameras are super duper fun. For black and white you can use them for serious street photography. The color stuff, you can use at parties and just have fun with the gels you’ll get. These are cameras that I strongly suggest every single photographer get their hands on simply because of the fact that it will remind us all to get back down to basics and just to make our images fun. You wouldn’t and shouldn’t care too much about the image quality even though it isn’t at all bad. Instead, just focus on enjoying the experience.

Cameras disposable film iso 400 lomography Lomography Simple Use Cameras reload
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Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.
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