Having fun with Lomography Spinner 360°

   I got a new toy: the Spinner 360° from Lomography. It is a film camera that takes a 360° by spinning around a handle. And I have to say, it is a load of fun!

   The camera is very simple to use. There is only one setting on the camera (sunny or cloudy) so you have to forget about exposure, focus and all that, and just take pictures. It is completely the opposite of how I approached photography. When I bought my first digital camera, I spent a lot of time learning all the camera settings and understanding their impact on the resulting picture. That is the way I go about things but it is also a distraction from the most important thing: taking pictures. With the Spinner 360°, you only have to think about taking pictures. You think about the location, the subject and the framing, that's it.

   Speaking of pictures, the results are brilliant. Of course it is hit or miss process. It is hard to picture what the result of a 360° shot will look like. Not to mention all the little details going around you (literally) when you take the picture. That is why I usually take several photographs in each place. Typically a 36 exposures roll of film will get you about 7 360° exposures.

   The only drawbacks are the costs. First there is the cost of the camera, about 125 €. The camera seems solid but it is mostly plastic and there is not much to it. So you are definitely paying for the trendiness of the Lomography brand. Then there is the cost of film and development. That actually is cheaper than I expected. However most photo labs will not be able to properly scan the developed film due to it's odd format. It means you will need your own flatbed scanner with a backlight unit. I bought the Epson Perfection V600 and I am very happy with it but it is another 240 €.

   In conclusion I recommend the Spinner 360° because I am really having fun with it. Maybe the novelty will pass but I feel like I have already got my money's worth with this camera. If you've always wanted to experiment with film photography without taking it seriously, you will love it.

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