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Great Wall Plastic Factory Diana (N° 151) |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Hong-Kong from (Circa) 1970 to (After) 1970.
Index of rarity in France: Frequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 10747
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Great Wall Plastic Factory
The company that manufactured this camera was based in Hong Kong, an English colony, but also produced in Macao, a Portuguese colony. Their very low-cost cameras were exported to the United States and Europe, where they mostly became promotional gifts. The most famous of this production was the Diana, which by metonymy gave its name to this type of camera. Great Wall Plastic Factory produced dozens of different models, and increased their number simply by changing the name. Some of them had what looked like a reference number.
Made entirely of plastic, including the lens, they had many manufacturing defects. Mobile parts like the back often fit poorly into the rest of the camera, causing light leaks. The film advance was sometimes uneven. The lens produced poor results, such as blurriness, aberrations, distortions, etc. The results were unexpected. This was enough to create a fashion trend in the 1990s, to the point that the company Lomography produced modern copies of these cameras in the 2000s and started selling cameras that could be found for just a few francs a few years earlier at flea markets. It should be noted that Lomography's attempt to trademark the name Diana was rejected by the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) because it deemed the name to be used generically for a certain type of device and could not be applied as a trademark.
Some types of cameras include:
| Id number | Some models | Shutter release | Flash | Winding knob | ||
| 151 or W20A |  |
Diana Banier Banner Altic |
On the lens | No | on the right side | This is the archetype of the Diana Type, often two-tone. |
| 808 |  |
Debonair | On the lens | No | on the right side | Derivative of the Diana. Different lens barrel. |
| 162 |  |
Diana-F | On the lens | Double pin on the top | on the right side | like Diana except for the flash |
| 7031 |  |
Asiana | On the lens | No | on the right side | Top housing incorporating a fake light meter window |
| W20 |  |
Anny | On the lens | No | on the right side | Top housing incorporating a fake light meter window |
| 155 |  |
Dana Diana De Luxe |
Sur le capot | Flash bulb socket | left side | fake light meter |
| W373 |  |
Banner Deluxe Leader Camera |
On the lens | No | left side | fake light meter around viewfinder |
| ? |  |
Photon | Sur le capot | Flash bulb socket | left side | |
| ? |  |
Revue 4 x 4 | On the lens | No | on the right side | fake light meter around lens |
The Diana is an unmentionable piece of junk, or more precisely, it goes by a multitude of names. The accumulation of flaws makes it a cult object, especially in the USA, where some eagerly grab anything that looks like a Diana to engage in "photography." Everyone will have their own opinion... Personally, I used it at a time when I had nothing else. So, I am not very sensitive to things like tunnel effects, etc.
The Diana and its numerous avatars can also be collector's items and fall into the category of "Toy cameras." Again, everyone will have their own thoughts on this. For me, neither of the uses of the Diana convinced me.
As my first "own" camera was a Diana (the result is presented below), and I still have it (the "Bergère de France"), I nevertheless chose to showcase the Dianas that passed through my hands. Why not join in this inventory (almost like Prévert) by sending me photos of yours?
The Dianas were manufactured in Hong Kong (then a British colony) or Macao (Portuguese). Even though the shapes, names, and colors change, the flaws remain.
This is THE Diana! It is easily recognizable by its blue color. I received this camera as a gift over 40 years ago. It immortalized my high school friends at Piccadilly Circus.
Adjustable distance, choice between long exposure and instant (B and I), three weather symbols for aperture.
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