The
Lomo'instant is a simple camera for Fuji Instax
Mini film. It was a Kickstarter project. Launched in 2014 it was easily
financed and, as all Lomo campaigns, quickly delivered. There is a wide
range of accessories, including some lenses. Let's have a look at the
camera specs.
Technical Specifications:
Film Format: Fujifilm Instax Mini Film Exposure Area: 62mm x 46mm Lens Focal Length: 48mm (27mm equiv.) Aperture: F 8, 11, 16, 22, 32 (+2, +1. A. -1, -2) Shutter Speed: Bulb Mode, 1/125s Film Ejection Automatic Multiple Exposures: Unlimited Flash Guide No.: 8 (m) Tripod Mount: Yes Film Counter: mechanical indication, counting up
Flash automatic or manual
Filter Thread: 37mm
Size: 13.8 x 9.5 x 5.5 cm Weight: 366 gr.
Some pictures of the camera:
Camera
with cap and 2 extra lenses.
The camera front with cap.
Cap open. Camera front. I tend to use these cameras
in landscape mode, as on the photo. But let's use the indications for
the "normal" mode, which is portrait mode for Instax Mini Film. Finder on top left edge, selfie mirror and small window
for aperture indication, lens and flash. There are colour filters for
the flash (guide number 8). The lens is an ultra wide lens, 27mm
equivalent.
Left side. Shutter lever with cable socket and aperture wheel
Right side. Mode switch: off, A = Standard mode with flash, custom
mode with flash, custom mode without flash. If the camera is on, you
can set the aperture wheel from +2 (F8) to -2 (F32). It returns to the
middle setting (F16) when switched off. N/B switch, N = 1/125.
Indication table for best settings
Camera bottom. Tripod socket. Battery compartment, takes 4 AAA batteries. Focus lever, 2 settings; 1m to infinity, 0.9 to 0.4m.
Camera top: ejection slot.
Back. Tiny counter, window is lit when the camera is on. Film presence window.
Back open.
This is the same camera with a very different look, the Sanremo
Edition. The colours should give it a retro charm and remind the
colours of capucchino. It has a black cap.
Cap off.
Front and top.
Back
A whole Sanremo set.
Set without plastic covering.
Another set with all of the lenses, the golden Yangon Edition. Its
golden colours should remind the golden sunsets on this ancient city.
It has "matching" cap.
The colour is difficult to photograph, so I tried special illumination with a different camera.
This is the result. It's nearer to what you see when you hold it in your hands.
Cap off.
Front and top.
Back.
My 3 models.
Fisheye Lens,
Mounted..
It sticks out quite a lot. As it's only an attachment, the image is too small. You get a tiny 35mm circle on a 62mm x 46mm image.
Portrait lens.
Mounted.
Compact
attachment. It's still a wide angle, 35mm equivalent. So it's not
really a portrait lens. But it brings the ultra wide angle of the
original lens back to normal wide.
The close-up attachment.
Attachment and 2 caps.
Mounted. It only sticks to the lens, no screwing. Brings focus down to
10-15cm. Framing is a guess, so count 2 photos at least to have your
result. A tripod helps a lot.
The
Lomo'Instant is a lightweight and very compact camera, easy to handle.
It has only one speed and a B setting, but it has 5 apertures. So with
a little bit of experience you will get quite usable results. The
fisheye lens is only a gadget, the real image is ways too small. The
portrait lens is fine, but it isn't a portrait lens. As the camera
focusses down to 40cm, the close-up lens is only necessary if you are
really into close-up work. Multiple exposure is easy. The picture
results are quite OK, there is less vignetting than on other wide angle
cameras, let alone ultra wide combinations. The flash is too weak. It
only lights subjects within a 2m range. So for the very close wide
angle portraits, often shown, it's fine, but it won't light a normal
interior photo.
I got my cameras via classified ads for very little money, so I'm
pleased with them. There is a successor, the Lomo'Instant Automat. It has
automatic speed but only 2 apertures. It's much more expensive.
Some
gereral words about Lomography and their service: There is a 2-year
warranty, at least in Europe. My personal experience with their service
is very good. As most of their cameras are made of (cheap) plastic,
there is no repair, they just exchange your defective camera. You have
to send it in to their Vienna office at your expenses, which is not cheap
if you are not based in Austria, but they try to compensate by adding
film or so to the return. You absolutely need a proof of purchase,
there was heavy abuse by fraudulent customers they told me. So if you
buy second hand or your camera is gift, be sure to put your hands on
the proof of purchase. After the 2-years warranty period it's over.
They will try to help for the expensive not-so-plastic cameras like the
LC series, but for the rest there is no repair. Keep this in mind for
the prices you pay for older gear.
Some photos taken with this camera. Scan 400 DPI with no post-treatment. The settings - if any - are noted on the rim of the photo.
To
be fair: the pictures shown here are more than life size. If you hold
them in your hand and look at them, they seem sharper. So one about life
size first:
About life size.
Cologne
center, Rothgerberbach (main threspassing road). Sunny day with clouds.
Quite OK as result. Its an ultra wide angle, 27mm equivalent. No
vignetting!
Same picture with "portrait" attachment, brings the angle down to 35mm, an ordinary wide. A bit of colour cast. Quite OK.
The fisheye lens. It's fisheye indeed, but the circle is much too small.
Cologne center, St. Pantaleon park. Quite OK as well.
Cologne center, New Tax Offices (1950s), in front of the park. Nice as well.
As I have 3 of these cameras, I tested the others 2 as well. So here are some more photos:
Park St, Pantaleon in deep shade with strong backlight sun. A good result seen the difficulties of the subject.
Same
photo with +2 setting. So the choice of apertures gives you quite some
freedom. Good Picture, but in reality the park was much darker.
Bright summer day, shot from the shade towards the buildings in the glaring sun. Superb result.
A car in the shade at 60cm. Remarkable result.
Entrance to St, Pantaleon. Nice Picture.
New Tax Offices in bright sun from the shade of the park. Fine as well.
Same picture with 35mm attachment. Fine.
And the close-up attachment:
Close-up at ~10cm, quite some distortion.
Do not forget to shut-off the flash., it ruins the picture.
Altogether
the results are much better than expected for a single speed camera.
Having a choice of 5 apertures is fine. The ultra wide plastic lens is
better than expected as well. No vignetting which is ways better than
the glass lens. Seen the price it's a good choice if you can cope with
manual setting.
