Diana F+ Parisian

The Diana F+ Parisian is a medium format camera. It is an edition of the popular Lomography camera. Its range of functions is similar to other editions.

Camera Design

The camera has a rectangular body with rounded corners. It is designed in two main colors: navy blue for most of the camera body and cream white for the top and part of the front.

At the front is a large, cylindrical lens, black in color, with “Parisian” written on it. Directly above the lens, on the cream white part, you can see a small, rectangular window, which is likely the viewfinder.

On the top of the camera, on the left side, is a black, knurled dial, which is likely the film advance or shutter speed dial. The sides of the camera body feature horizontal stripes in navy blue and cream white.

Medium Format Camera Features

A key feature of the Diana F+ Parisian is its flexibility thanks to interchangeable lenses. Often equipped with a simple plastic lens as standard, which creates the typical “Diana look,” other lenses such as wide-angle, telephoto, or fisheye lenses can also be used. This opens up a wide range of creative possibilities.

Since the Diana F+ Parisian lacks autofocus, manual dexterity is required. Focusing is done manually, often using zone focusing, where the distance to the subject is estimated and adjusted on the lens. This encourages a conscious engagement with image composition.

The exposure setting is another aspect that emphasizes the purist nature of the camera. It must be measured externally, as the medium format camera does not have a built-in light meter. Photographers rely on handheld light meters, smartphone apps, or the tried-and-tested “Sunny 16” rule for this purpose. The camera itself offers only very simple exposure settings (e.g., sunny, cloudy, pinhole mode) and a fixed aperture.

For creative long exposures, such as night shots or to create motion blur, the Bulb mode (B setting) is essential. In this mode, the shutter remains open as long as the shutter button is held down—or, if using a cable release, until it is released again. Using a cable release requires an additional accessory.

Films for the Diana F+ Parisian

The Diana F+ Parisian requires classic photographic film, more specifically, medium format film (type 120 roll film). Contrary to popular belief, there is still a pleasing selection of manufacturers producing and developing films for this type of camera.

For vibrant color shots, the Kodak Portra 400* is an excellent choice. It is known for its fine grain, natural color reproduction, and wide exposure latitude, which also makes it error-tolerant.

Those who prefer the aesthetics of black-and-white photography will find a high-quality film in the Ilford Delta 100*. It is characterized by its high sharpness and fine grain structure, ideal for detailed shots with classic grayscale.

There are also many other options, from high-speed films for difficult lighting conditions to experimental films with special color effects.

The film is exposed in the characteristic 6×6 cm square format. This format is popular with many photographers because it makes composition easier without having to decide between portrait or landscape orientation. A standard 120 film roll can usually produce 12 exposures. Some Diana models also offer masks for other formats (e.g., 16 smaller square images or panoramas).

Another typical feature is the manual film advance. After a photo is taken, the film must be manually wound to the next exposure. This is usually done using a dial while observing the frame numbers on the film backing paper through a small red window on the back of the camera. There is no automatic film advance, which underscores the camera’s fully mechanical nature.

To prevent camera shake, especially during long exposures or when using pinhole mode, the camera features a standard tripod thread.

A key advantage and part of its charm is that the Diana F+ Parisian requires no power to take photos. All functions are purely mechanical, making it a robust and reliable companion that continues to function even when the batteries are long dead.