A Medium Format Camera so Sophisticated that it’s a Debonair

Back in the mid to late 1960s, a curious all-plastic, teal-colored camera appeared in Hong Kong. It was known simply as Diana. Incredibly, within a few years, this medium format camera that exposed roughly 4- x 4-cm negatives on a roll of 120 format film was all the rage. Photographers fully embraced the fuzzy photos, strange light leaks, and cheap construction. A star was born.

Unfortunately, with fame, came higher prices and limited availability. Granted, there were large numbers of clone cameras that tried to grab a piece of the Diana action, but most faded into oblivion.

One camera, however, remained true to the original Diana ethos: cheap and plastic. This camera was called Debonair. Aside from the high “snicker factor” associated with the pretentious name, the Debonair was a highly sought after camera due to its shockingly good photographic quality and low price of $20.

In fact, art instructors would purchase cases (a carton with 12 Debonair cameras) of Debonair cameras for use by aspiring photography students. I should know, I was one of those early Debonair instructors.

Fast forward to today and the Debonair is still alive and thriving. Now hold onto your hat, because the Debonair today costs exactly the same as in the mid 1980s. That’s right; it’s still $20! Compare that price to the ridiculously overpriced Diana F & Flash from Lomography for $90.

A Suave Shooter for Non-Hipsters

You can purchase a Debonair camera for $20 from Film Photography Project. Likewise, they sell a variety of different 120 roll films that will work with the Debonair. For your comparison, in this article, several rolls of Harman Technology Phoenix film were used with a Debonair.

This is a must buy for every photographer who wants to “develop” a medium format film skill set. And the Debonair is very economical, too. You’ll be able to squeeze 16 6- x 4.5-cm negatives out of one roll of film. There are a couple of tricks that you’ll have to master for reaping the full potential from your new/old Debonair camera, however.

First, and foremost is your selected film stock. Please avoid higher ISO speed films. The slow 1/50 of a second-ish shutter speed and fixed f/8 aperture will overexpose your film. Rather, a ISO 100 – 200 film speed range is ideal for using the Debonair for outdoor sunny photography.

The only other trick that you’ll need to know is sealing the Debonair for protection from undesirable light leaks. Naturally, this is an optional choice for you depending upon your preference for light leaks. All told, whether you prefer to let light leaks happen or not, you should still cover the red plastic window on the camera’s back.

The window is used as an aid for winding the film to the next exposure. Numbers and special markings printed on the rear of the film’s backing paper are displayed through this red window. While, “yes” this window is essential for advancing the film to each exposure, it is also an avenue for fogging your film.

Sure you could just add a piece of tape over this window and lift it up each time you advance the film. But that’s no fun. A much better solution is to tape the film box’s end flap over the window as a flip-up shade. Not only is this a great working window cover and a nifty way to remember the film type that you loaded, but you also will look like a seasoned pro sporting a custom-made film reminder on the back of your Debonair.

As a demonstration of the photographic ability of the Debonair, here is a sample of photographs for your evaluation:

What’s old is new, again. Or, back to the future. Or, however else you want to explain the new/old Debonair phenomenon, this is a reasonably-priced medium format camera that can be just as easily stashed in an automobile, in a camera bag, or carried as a supplemental support for your smartphone. Regardless, you’ll shine as a wayward sophisticated non-hipster who is both a suave and debonair photographer.

Enjoy.

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