The Sardina Camera

by | Justice (↓) | Skill (↑) | 0 comment | 0 question

A retro looking 35mm camera made by an Austrian company dedicated to experimental and 'off the cuff' photography. It shoots regular 35mm film, has a wide-angle lens and features a rewind dial so you can turn back frames at any time you want. This one is purple but it's available in all types of colours and styles.

Where and how is it used?

The idea is to take it with you wherever you go and take pictures of anything that interests you. Unlike a digital camera nothing you've shot can be edited, you'll only see what's on the film once you get your film developed. Because of this the company that makes presents it very much as a 'lifestyle item' as well as just a camera.

What did you or someone else pay for it?

£20 in a card shop in Soho, London

Why do you want to add it to the museum?

Today was the first day that I'd taken this camera out with me and I went for a bit of a walk, taking pictures of anything that I thought looked interesting. Without really planning to I came across MOCC and it seemed to fit with the ethos of the project. On the one hand this camera is a reaction against commodifying/mass producing digital images and an attempt to preserve the unique quality and 'skill' of 35mm photography. However, on the other hand it is also marketed to represent a specific (possibly 'trendy') set of values and lifestyle choices so whilst the camera is a physical commodity in itself, it potentially comes with some additional 'intangible' commodities attached if you choose to align yourself with the community that built it.


How was it made?

Is made in a factory

Is farmed

Is mass-produced

Is produced by local cottage industry

Is made to particular specifications

Is craft / hand-made

Is foraged

Is found

Is colonised

Is a service


Materials & Making

Who made or produced your commodity?

Lomography

Who was paid to make it?

A factory worker/or a machine

What skills does it take to make it?

design and machinery

Where was it made?

China

What does it cost to make it?

not much I imagine, it's built from cheap plastic

What is it made from?

1. Casing:

The case that houses the film and exposes it to lighty

2. Viewfinder:

You can look through it to compose your shot

3. Lens:

Captures the image by exposing the film to light

4. Film Dials (x2):

you turn these to wind the film forward or backwards.

Buying & Owning

Who decides how much it costs?

Lomography/their retailer

Who or what assesses its quality?

The buyer

Where is it sold?

Photography shops or lomography's own retailers

Who or what sells it?

shops, online stores

How did this thing arrive from where it was made to where you got it?

container ship

Where is it used?

everywhere

Where is it kept?

On a shelf made from a re-purposed ladder

How and by whom is it cared for?

No one it just lives on the shelf and gets used from time to time

How long will it last?

who knows, until the plastic perishes. Maybe thousands of years

Where will it go when it's finished with?

to someone else's shelf or landfill

What is it worth?

In essence nothing, but to a collector possibly alot


How do you and others value this commodity?

See the values contributed by visitors and those of the donor. And add your own values to this commodity.

Total times valued1
Positive (↑)Skill
Negative (↓)Justice
Overall Positive58
Overall Negative-39
Controversy48.5 (0 = most controversial)
  

What do these numbers mean?

This data that we have collected over time in our database means nothing without interpretation. A relational database, which we are using here, is technology that enables designers of websites and software to compare, contrast, interrogate and infer relations within data. The act of designing a database is not objective but driven by the agency of its creators and owners.

Within the MoCC Collection data is used to help think through the relations between values, commodities and data. Can we describe our values using sliders and numbers? How do we infer meaning such as controversy from data?

Below is a brief explanation of the some calculations and how these help make decisions about what is shown on the site.

  • Controversy Score:
    (Total Positive Values) + (Total Negative Values)

    The closer the value is to zero the more controversial it is in relation to other commodities. Used to infer that values associated with one commodity divide opinion more than another.

  • Average Value Score (used in the sliders):
    (Total Positive for Value + Total Negative for Value) ÷ Total Times Valued

    Used to infer a collective value associated with a commodity.

How do you value this commodity?

To add your own values click VALUE THIS COMMODITY and move the sliders left and right to add your own values - then click SUBMIT
show donor's original values
- 0
6 +
- 0
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- 0
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- 0
4 +
- 0
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- 0
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- 0
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- 0
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- 0
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- 0
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- 0
2 +
- 0
1 +
- 0
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- 1
0 +
- 2
0 +
- 3
0 +
- 3
0 +
- 3
0 +
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0 +
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- 6
0 +
- 7
0 +

Questions and answers

Help to reveal unknown quantities, properties and uses of this commodity by answering this MoCC curator's questions.

There are no questions.

Conversation

Do you have questions about how this commodity is valued? Or want to talk about your own values in relation to it? Share your comments.

Add to the conversation: