Getting Started

  • 1. Loading the Film

    Before you take your very first shots with La Sardina, you'll need to load the camera with 35mm film. Don't worry, it's super-easy to do. 35mm (also sometimes called 135) film is the standard format of roll film and can be bought almost everywhere – supermarkets, drugstores – but best of all, at the Lomography Online Shop.


    Try to contain your excitement. Take a deep breath. In. Out. Right, you're just about ready to start shooting incredible Lomographic adventures with your La Sardina!

  • With a roll of 35mm film at hand, follow these instructions to load your camera properly:

    1. Remove the camera's back door by pressing down the little tab on the left side of the camera (looking from the back of the camera) and carefully lift the back door off.

    2. Pull the rewinding knob (the left one) upwards;insert a fresh roll of film in this side of the chamber, then push the rewinding knob back down again. This should lock your film into place.

    3. You will see the take up spool on the right side of the chamber; turn the advance knob (the right one) to find the film slit. Guide your film into the slit whilst making sure that the sprockets (the holes on the film) are catching onto the perforation teeth you can see on the tiny wheel (this will make sure that your film is safely in place). Turn the advancing knob counter-clockwise to make sure your film is firmly wrapped around the spool. You should see the film spooling on the taking spool smoothly.

    4. Reattach the backdoor of the camera and make sure it is securely closed.

    5. Press the shutter once and then turn the advancing wheel counter-clockwise to advance the film until it stops. Repeat this twice to advance the exposed film while loading.

  • 2. Have The Perfect Setting

    Remember that your La Sardina is locked and loaded with a truly mind-blowing wide-angle lens! That means it embraces the “5th Golden Rule of Lomography” to the max – “Approach the objects of your Lomographic desire as close as possible!”

    Forget about the viewfinder and get as close as possible. And then get even closer! Are you doing it? Okay. We’ll be watching to make sure.

  • 3. Getting Ready to Shoot

    So you’ve loaded the film and you’re ready to start shooting? Well the first thing to do is make sure your camera is ready to snap up your shots. If the lens barrel is pressed against the camera’s body, hold it and pull it away from the camera. Now twist it to the left (if you are looking at the front of the camera) until you feel it lock. Your La Sardina is now locked, loaded and ready for action

  • 4. Focusing

    Your La Sardina camera is super-easy to use and that’s why it comes with fitted with just two simple focusing settings. These are located on the lens ring and you should remember to alter this depending on how close or far away your subject is.

    0.6-1m – If whatever you’re taking a picture of is between 0.6m and 1m (i.e. close-up) then just be sure that the camera is set to this setting. Just make sure the lens ring is turned to the right position (from the front of the camera.)

    1m-Infinity – If your Lomographic subject is at least 1m or further away, then turn the lens ring to the left to make use of this focusing setting.

  • 5. Shutter Settings

    The La Sardina comes complete with a B or ‘Bulb’ setting which lets you decide how long you want to keep the shutter open and how much light gets in to the camera. To change the shutter settings, you just need to move the small switch that’s located on the top of the camera, in front of the viewfinder.

    If you take a quick look just in front of the viewfinder, you will see a small switch marked B/N/MX. You can choose between N (Normal) and B (Bulb) mode by simply flicking the switch left or right.

    You should use the N mode when you are shooting in sunny conditions. N stands for "Normal, 1/100 second".

    You should use the B mode when you are shooting indoors or in situations where the light is not so great. B stands for "Bulb Shutter", and in this mode the shutter will stay open as long as you hold down the shutter release button.

  • 6. Rewinding