The film in my Diana Mini is jammed! What do I do?

If the film in your Diana Mini gets stuck, do not panic! Here are some things to be aware of when using this camera:

Loading the film is very simple: Just remove the back, flip the pressure plate up and insert the film cartridge at the left. Then, pull the film leader out a little and let it point to the film take up spool on the right. Let the teeth grab the perforation of the film and advance the film respectively. The perforation of the film will lay on the sprocket wheel. When you flip down the film pressure plate, nothing can go wrong, as the film is pressed to the sprocket wheel. Advance the film by one frame during the camera back is still open to visually check if the film is transported properly.

The Diana Mini has two frame formats – half frame and square. These can be chosen by sliding a switch. Did you try to change the format once the shutter was cocked? The format should only be changed after the shutter is released. When doing this, the internal mechanics will change the transport method. A good way to remember the order is this: click, switch, advance. Click the shutter release, switch the frame format, and then advance the film to the next frame.

In the half frame mode, you’ll be surprised at how little you need to turn the advance wheel. When set in half frame mode, please be gentle when advancing your film. Just stop turning at the highest point of resistance because with a little force, you can overturn it and this might break the internal mechanics. This could even be how your film got stuck!

When rewinding the film, make sure that you press the rewind button on the bottom of the camera all the way in. Sometimes the rewind release gets dislodged which can jam your film, when either advancing or rewinding.

Some great videos that illustrate the proper use of the Diana Mini are located here:

Demo One
Demo Two
Demo Three
Demo Four

If you still experience issues with your camera, just email Customer Service with your Lomography.com order ID number or a copy of your receipt.

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written on 2010-03-30 in #camera #diana-mini