Product Description

Enough of early bedtimes, your Actionsampling night fever is here. Using the same beloved 4-shot format of LOMO's classic Actionsampler, the Actionsampler Flash tosses in an additional 4-step sequential flash. With one push of the shutter button, all four lenses fire in perfect synchronicity with the rapid-fire flash. Flash at night to reveal critical action at parties, concerts, and nocturnal events. Flash in the day to fill in those highlights. Uses standard 35mm film and standard processing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3178 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Lomographic Cameras
• Model: ASP104FINT
• Dimensions: 2.30" h x 6.40" w x 7.00" l, .75 pounds

Features

• Shoot 4 sequential images on one print
• With one touch of the shutter button, all four lenses are fired in sequence
• A 4-step electronic flash fires in synch with each lens
• Capture a 4-frame action portrait over 1 second
• Uses regular 35mm film - prints can be developed anywhere

From the Manufacturer
This is your chance to control and document the 4th dimension in photography: time. Now it's up to you to find out how to actually use this phenomenal camera: when, how and where you can Sample Action, what to watch for and what to do next is all explained right here. Study it carefully, keep a loose upper lip, and then hit the road to snap away.

One/Two/Three/Four:
Hit the button, hear the clack-clack-clack-clack, and wham! - you've got your very own macro-cine shot. One second has been neatly divided into four parts and lined up in impeccable order to give you one shaky piece of sampled action. More than a photograph and not quite a movie, you've got a permanent documentation of a snippet taken from your very own existence.

Warning - Caution!
The Actionsampler Flash is not designed for connoisseurs of fine caviar or light-meter fetishist photography. This camera is strictly to be used to have fun, make your friends and dogs smile, and enjoy the freedom of experiment.The Actionsampler is an easy entree to exploring the world of moving pictures. Shoot from the gut, without having to worry for even a second.

Sexy Shutters:
The Actionsampler Flashes' heart lies in its four-lens sequential face, a design miracle pioneered in our original Actionsampler camera. Advancing your film serves to cock an ingenious circular shutter. A quick touch of the shutter release sends this circle into motion, exposing a quarter frame of your image each 1/4 of a second. Original Actionsampler aficionados will note the increased lens quality, sharpness, and contrast of the new Actionsampler Flash.

Mirror Gloss:
Shooting for maximum impact, the Actionsampler Flash is clad in a charcoal-grey, mirror-gloss finish. As if an insanely bright 4-step flash wasn't enough of a pleasant how-d'you-do, the camera's sleek skin works to additionally attract fond attention your way. With camera firmly in hand, you are poised to both be the life of the party and relentlessly photograph it.

Film Feeding:
All 35mm films will work wonderfully with your Actionsampler Flash. For daytime shooting, 100 ASA color negative is a glowing choice. At night, step up to 800 ASA for better light sensitivity. Try cross processing a slide film roll for other-worldly, yellow-submarine color effects. Load a high-speed black and white film for a high-grain, high-drama film noir shoot.

Pop..Pop..Pop..Pop:
The Actionsampler Flash's powerful 4-punch burst of light is no joke. In really dark situations, it's obnoxious enough to satiate even the hardest core of flash-light hooligans. Each individual unit fires perfectly in sync with each opening shutter. Your Actionsampler Flash is excellent at parties, a crowd pleaser at concerts, and especially thrilling at breakdancing shows.

Day into Night and Vice-Versa:
No longer bounded by the whim and want of the sun, your Actionsampling is now hot and available 24 hours a day. Once you encounter a less-than-very-bright situation, including indoors, flip up the flash and fire away. Your action is back, sharp as a tack and bathed in light. Try the flash in the sunlight as well, especially with your subject's head blocking out the sun. Magical!

The Power and the Glory:
Two "AA" batteries are required to power your flash, and are happily included in the camera package. The recycle time is a fast 7 to 10 seconds in-between shots, keeping you in-step with your action-packed surroundings. Keep your shooting range tight and close for maximum flashing impact, and be sure to give your potential subjects absolutely no warning of the 4-flash onslaught coming their way.

Get a Little Closer:
Don't be shy. A wise man once said, Get as close to the objects of your Lomographic desire as possible. Take that sage advice and hold it dear to your bosom - it is the key to success. The Actionsampler Flash's lenses are starving for content - fill them up with up-close noses, bright eyes, headlights, seashells, insane shoes, haughty cows, and other unmentionables.

Change up the Action:
Move your lazy 'ol behind off the chair and snap away. Keep your subject still and run around him/her/it like a true chicken without a head, sampling madly as you go. Then, switch it on them and keep still while your subject hops all around. The key: the more dynamic & experimental your technique, the more subjective, existential, and even DIVINE your Action Samples will be.

Sampling-Splashing:
Really, how many times have you looked at sequential multi-lens images and envisioned a Warhol-esque color progression bursting out of them? Let your desire guide you into the photo supply store for some colored plastic gel filters. Cut 'em up, stick a different color on each individual flash unit, and let loose. Get close, and splash each square with a different gorgeous color.

Customer Reviews

Four shots of fun
This guy was a long time coming. I got the original Actionsampler a few years ago, and always wanted to shoot it indoors. Alas, all of my attempts came out pretty grainy and dark.

Enter the Actionsampler Flash. I've been basically married to this buzzing little thing - it's awesome! The mechanics are smoother and the images are a lot sharper then the original Actionsampler. And, the four-step flash is great - it's fast as lighting and surprisingly strong. This item is really dope at a concert or party.

A few suggestions for prospective buyers...
1. Definitely buy this over the original Actionsampler. It's like night and day.
2. Use 400 or 800 speed film - that shutter moves fast, and anything slower might blur your images (unless you like that).
3. WAIT for the flash to charge fully and the ready light to come on. It can take about 12 seconds or so. If you fire before the flash is recycled, then one element might not flash and you'll get a black frame.

Exciting Way to Take Pictures
If you are looking for a fun, exciting new way to take pictures,
definitely give the Lomography Action Sampler a try. What you get is a photo that is in quarters, so four little photos in one all taken rapidly (they say one second!) apart from each other in sequence. You can get really fun action shots - jumping or just moving the head, funny faces, swinging hair, waving - the possiblities are endless!

I'll agree with the other reviews that suggest using high speed film (400 works best for me), when I first got the camera, I put regular old 100 speed in and most of the shots were a little blurry. They still looked really cool, but with the higher speed film, you get much sharper images.

Another tip I learned is that when you drop the film off for processing, it's a good idea to tell them that you are printing film shot with a Lomo. My processing place told me that a lot of times they just try to make sure the center of the print is in focus while processing, but with this film the center is four corners of your pictures (hope that makes sense!) so it takes a little more effort on the technicians part to get good prints from your negatives.

All in all, I am absolutely in love with my Lomo Action Sampler. It travels in my purse daily and I get some great shots! I couldn't ask for anything more.

One trick pony
Okay, let's be clear about something. The Action Sampler is not a Lomo despite it's being sold and branded by Lomography.com. It IS a toy camera. What you get are 4 frames, each timed 1/200 of a second apart on one frame of 35mm film.

You do not get focus, ASA/ISO controls, shutter speed controls or anything other than a very basic light sensor that determines whether or not the flash fires and the flash itself which is supposedly synchronized to the shutter, although I'm not convinced that it actually is.

The four frames are cool but that's this camera's one trick. It's all it does. The optics are terrible quality. If you're old enough to remember the old Instamatic cameras with the 110 film cartridges and the terrible resolution they had, well, this will make you feel all dated and nostaligic.

That said, this camera is a blast. You can take pictures of movement but because the lenses all point in slightly different directions, it's you can shoot still images and get 4 very different photos to choose from. And if you like the lo-fi picture quality or the subtle Andy Warhol-esque look of your new 4 framed pictures and don't care too much about getting a really good picture, you'll have a wonderful time.

The lenses are focused at "infinity" meaning everything after a few feet is in in focus. Close-up/macro stuff is out of the question. As far as ASA/ISO, I use 1600 or 800 and have it pushed one stop in the lab (effectively making it 1600 with artifacts) or the pictures come out too dim in anything other than the brightest sunlight. That's right, indoor shooting or shooting in the shade is out unless you use really fast film, which also degrades the detail quality.

Like the Lomo LC-A and LC-A+, there is a little vignetting but this is not a Lomo and you shouldn't order one thinking that it is. The Lomo LC-A is it's own delightfully weird little camera and takes brilliant shots that put this little toy to shame. The action sampler is also about twice as big as a real Lomo.

Think of the Action Sampler as a great nearly disposable party/road trip camera. More fun to use with your friends than alone. If I lost mine, I am not certain if I would replace it but I have seriously considered buying a bunch and giving them out as stocking stuffers next holiday season.

This is a 2.5 star camera but I'm giving it a 3rd star because of how much fun it can be. Not a serious camera but a really fun toy.