LOMO 135

Don’t think, don’t wind, just shoot!

The LOMO 135 models come straight from the belts of the honorable LOMO PLC fabric in St Petersburg. Their top feature is the spring mechanism allowing you to shoot 8 pictures in a row without rewinding.

In 1975, the LOMO 135 BC and some years later the LOMO 135 M saw the light of the day. They were the improved, cheaper and mass-produced successors of the famous “Leningrad” camera. However, the LOMO 135 is still one of the premium cameras LOMO PLC ever produced featuring a metal body, an excellent sharp lens, clockwork mechanics and full features.

The LOMO 135 is definitely an item to have and love. Even though it was probably intended, the camera is not as small as the German Rollei 35 and has quite a sturdy feel in your hands. You got full aperture and speed controls including a “B” Bulb mode, an easy to control distance setting, flash connection, tripod- and cable release junction. The 8-shots in a row feature is a great thing to experiment with and will make you especially happy when capturing movement and snapshooting. Don’t think, don’t wind, just shoot!

Tips and Tricks


Record Movement
The spring mechanism of this camera allows you to shoot 8 pictures in a row without rewinding. 3 shots per second are possible. There are many possibilities of using this feature. One is to position yourself and record a movement (like people running towards you) without moving the camera. Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack. When you get your images you can make them overlap manually – the movement of the subject will be seen whereas the background stays the same.

Move yourself!
Same as above but inverse. This time your subject hardly moves but you move! Wind up your LOMO 135 and consequently apply rule # 5: „approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible.“ Run, walk, swim or fly towards your subject from a distance of up to 10 metres to 1 metre or less and shoot along the way.

Accidental double exposures
One thing that M.G. Kholomyansky and Olga Tsvetkova, the constructors of the LOMO 135 spring mechanism, didn’t think of was the ending of the film. There is simply no indicator on when your film is finished. With other cameras it’s at some point impossible to wind on the film – which is not the case with the LOMO 135. You can continuously wind up the camera’s spring mechanism and therefore multi-expose the last frame of your film as often or as unintended you want (or don’t want).

Specification
Film : 35mm film
Shutter speeds from 1/15 to 1/250sec + B
Lens: industar 73 40mm f/2.8 lens
Frame size: 24 x 36
Price : RM340
Package included : Camera, Original Camera case




Photo sample of Lomo 135 :