Sprocket Rocket: Mask On or Mask Off?

The Sprocket Rocket is a little camera that has a few neat tricks up its sleeve. With it's super-wide panoramic lens it can capture terrific panoramas that can take in the view, unlike any other camera. It has both advance and rewind knobs that let you go back and forth with your captures, making multiple exposures a breeze. And last but not least, it lets you infuse analogue magic into your shots by introducing the iconic sprocket holes in your frames.

There are actually two schools of thought within the Sprocket Rocket fandom: shooting with and without the film mask. But don't fret, both options are awesome in their own ways! Let's take a look at some examples straight from our community.

Mask On

Sometimes, all you need is a clean-looking panorama to complete your album. That's what the film mask of the Sprocket Rocket is for. It gives you the option to cover the sprocket holes (for now!) and take panoramic shots with a more clean silhouette. You'll be amazed at how great of a panoramic camera the Rocket really is when you use the mask. You even get closer to the panoramic ratio of 1:3 with it. An underrated feature of the Sprocket Rocket, but it's definitely worth exploring!

Mask Off

When the Sprocket Rocket arrived, the community became flooded with frames filled with sprocket holes. Lomographers instantly loved the unique look of their new panoramic photos. It was a whole new way of shooting on 35 mm film that didn't involve the use of DIY masks that exposed the film up to the sprockets. People could immediately make their photos stand out from a sea of ordinary-looking photos. It offered Lomographers a refreshing way to express themselves and soon a panoramic revolution was born. People wanted to utilize every square inch of the film—with sprocket holes and all.

Check out the Sprocket Rocket microsite to learn more about it and get tips and tricks from the experts!

written by cheeo on 2022-06-18 #gear #gallery #panorama #mask #35-mm #sprocket-rocket