Get More out of Your Diana Mini!

February 17, 2011 37 comments 80 likes

With this tipster you'll get more than 50 square pictures on one single film!
One of the first questions I asked myself when I bought the Diana Mini was why there
was only space for 36 square pictures on one film. One square negative is
considerably shorter than a conventional negative and there is enough space for 36
conventional negatives on one film. Therefore, after developing the first film, I was a bit
astonished to find that the distances between two negatives are quite big and thus
account for a considerable part of the film. I think the Diana Mini was built this way to
make it easier for the labs to scan the negatives. However, I develop and scan all my
films myself and think this is quite a waste of film. As I believe that a big part of this
community scans their negatives themselves, I wrote this tipster to help you save
some film.
I made a chart with the number of clicks of the wheel for normal winding as well as
the number of clicks you really need to get two separate square shots. For those who
are too lazy to count the clicks, I added the approximate amount of turns (in minutes)
but the number of clicks is more precise. When the Diana Mini thinks it is time for
the next shot and it is not possible anymore to turn the winder while you are counting
the clicks, just take a shot with the lens cover on and continue counting.
Photo No normal winding saving film
clicks rotation degree () clicks rotation degree ()
1 36 50 27 40
2 36 50 27 40
3 34 50 25 40
4 34 50 25 40
5 34 50 25 40
6 34 50 25 40
7 32 45 24 35
8 32 45 24 35
9 32 45 24 35
10 30 45 22 35
11 30 45 22 35
12 30 45 22 35
13 30 45 22 35
14 30 45 22 35
15 28 40 21 30
16 28 40 21 30
17 27 40 20 30
18 27 40 20 30
19 27 40 20 30
20 27 40 20 30
21 27 40 20 30
22 26 40 19 30
23 26 40 19 30
24 26 40 19 30
25 26 40 19 30
26 26 40 19 30
27 25 40 19 30
28 25 40 19 30
29 24 35 18 25
30 24 35 18 25
31 24 35 18 25
32 24 35 18 25
33 24 35 18 25
34 24 35 18 25
35 23 35 17 25
36 23 35 17 25
37 23 35 17 25
38 23 35 17 25
39 23 35 17 25
40 23 35 17 25
41 DONE! 16 25
42 16 25
43 16 25
44 16 25
45 16 25
46 16 25
47 15 20
48 15 20
49 15 20
50 15 20
51 15 20
52 15 20
53 15 20
Your negative strips will not look like this anymore
but like that.
Now have fun saving film!