New Lomography shop in Manhattan

[David A. Goldfarb]

This evening I was walking down Eighth Street in the West Village on the way to pick up my son from daycare and saw the fantastic new Lomography boutique, which also looks like the new headquarters for www.lomography.com. Even if you're not into the whole Lomo/Holga/Diana thing, and you think these things are all too trendy and overpriced, it's really an encouraging sight to see a new shop like this in such a visible, high rent district. They've been open a month so far, and they have gallery space and plans for events and workshops. They sell a wide range of Lomos, Holgas, and Dianas, but they also have the Fuji Instax camera, film of various sorts, Lubitels, the Widepan medium format swing lens camera (a mechanical version of the medium format Noblex for $1000, which is better than the price I've seen for it on eBay), two new models of Horizont based on the 35mm Noblex, the Bulldog 4x5" kit from Camera Bellows UK, some other pinholes, various collectable Soviet rangefinder cameras, and lots of hipster type bags, portfolios, and Lomography gear, and most importantly, there were young people in the shop enthusiastic about the products.

The shop is at 41 W. 8th St. near the Christopher St. stop on the 1 train, and generally near NYU.

[david b]

What was the film selection like?

[David A. Goldfarb]

I just glanced, but they seemed to have a range of Ilford B&W, some Portra films, Velvia, and then something probably East European that they repackage as "lomography film" in 120 and 35mm, and they have expensively repackaged APX400--"the final cut"--in wooden boxes. At least they're doing some more creative marketing than the big manufacturers in general. I didn't notice large format, but they only were selling one LF camera (4x5" Bulldog). In New York, it's probably cheaper to buy film from B&H, Adorama, or Calumet, but if you run out in the Village, there's a better selection at the Lomography shop than at the little photo store that carries supplies for NYU students on the other side of Washington Square, where I once paid an absurdly high price for a roll of Tri-X 120.

[eric]

Awesome. Is the little, tiny, tiny, tiny Italian restaurant in the corner still there? Also, its hard to find but right around there is the famous Dennis Hopper painting of the people in the corner diner.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think that would be Edward Hopper's painting, "The Nighthawks," and I think the building with the diner was demolished, though there may be a plaque commemorating the location. I don't think there's a tiny Italian restaurant there, but it could be something I walk by all the time and don't think about.

[dwdmguy]

Very cool... Do they have a website that explains their workshops etc...?
Thank you.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Try www.lomography.com, and you might e-mail shopnyc[at]lomography[dot]com to get on their mailing list.

[dwdmguy]

Thank you much... Just emailed them.

[dwdmguy]

P.S.
Happen to notice if they have a lab for customers?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Didn't notice, but you could ask and report back what you find out.