The Lomography Lomo’Instant Automat Wide Glass aims to be the best instant camera on the market, and in many ways it lives up to this ambitious goal.
when i Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 reviewedI was charmed by the design but disappointed by the weak features. It lacked any manual controls and filter effects that make instant film experimentation fun. very subtle The Instax Mini 99 was much more funBut the smaller film format is creatively limited. When I finally tried the Lomo’Instant Automat with its glass lens, I found that this is what an Instax camera should be. At $200, the camera is quite reasonably priced and comes with a number of accessories. Lomography, sometimes called “Lomo”, also produces several special editions that appeal to collectors or those who want a more personalized experience.
Lomography is no stranger to the analog market and has long created affordable and innovative analog camera designs. It has a full range of film emulsions and has always strived to keep analog photography accessible to as many users as possible. Typical Lomo cameras often cross the line between functional tools and plastic toys, so the opportunity to test a high-end Lomography instant camera got me excited.
Lomo’Instant Automat Wide Glass review: How it feels
I’ll tell you how it feels: heavy. At 32 ounces (907 grams) the Lomo’Instant Automat Wide Glass is a heavy and bulky camera to carry. The all-glass lens definitely adds to that weight, and it’s awkward to carry the camera and travel with it. I like the brown leatherette on the silver plastic housing, which is classy.
However, the weight comes with a sense of quality. The moving parts feel solid, and I encountered no operational issues with the loading door, switches, or focusing mechanism. I also really like the shutter being located on the front of the camera and pressing inwards rather than downwards. The camera runs on four AA batteries and has a built-in flash and tripod socket. There’s even a PC sync port for use with manual or studio flashes and Lomography includes a fun colored-gel filter kit for the flash.
I can change my exposure by one stop brighter or darker, although given Instax film’s tendency to blow highlights, underexposure is almost always the way to go. It has multiple exposure settings which work very well. I tried it with the included splitter attachment, which lets me selectively expose different parts of the film before ejection. It has an auto exposure setting, which most people will find useful, and a bulb setting for long exposure work, as well as a fixed f/22 aperture setting for depth of field and a 1/30th of a second shutter speed There is a forced setting. Blur effect or drag the flash.
Overall, Lomo’s Instant Automate Wide glasses offered a lot of control and the opportunity to experiment and play, which is essential for an instant movie experience. I also found the viewfinder a bit inaccurate for framing; However, it’s far more useful and predictable than the debacle that plagues the Fujifilm Wide 400.
Lomo’Instant Automat Wide Glass review: How it shoots
The quality of Instax film, by its nature, can be poor. I never got results that good, as the plastic lenses tend to get into most of these cameras. I’ve also found that Fujifilm cameras tend to shift images toward a lighter, cool-tone effect, which I don’t like. Having the larger image frame with the Instax Wide is worth the cost to me, but the use of the glass lens was even more important. The results are still not very sharp, and your focusing settings will have to be set appropriately for the distance. Still, detail is noticeably improved, and I found the Lomo’Instant Automat Wide Glass to present a far more pleasing warm color palette.
Remember that digitized versions of instant film are not the way the images should be viewed and can’t really do them justice, but the glass lens also seems to give the images a pleasant tone and overall look. I’m not sure how many users will appreciate the extra detail given the added cost of the glass lens option, but I’d love to have one in any future instant camera, regardless of manufacturer. Please take my word for it, it’s much better than the plastic versions.
I had a lot of fun with the multiple exposure tool on a tripod to keep Jordan with me, and I especially enjoyed that the lens takes 52mm filters so I can use my old diffusion and star-effect filters. If I had more black-and-white Instax film at the time of this review, I would have also placed my old-school color filters on the lens to change the overall contrast. Experimenting means wasting a lot of film and, consequently, money, as the biggest hurdle for any instant camera is the relatively high operating costs. At least I had fun trying all the different options, and in the end, that’s what the process should be.
Lomo’Instant Automat Wide Glass review: What an instant camera experience should be like
Lomo’s Instant Automate Wide Glass is what the instant camera experience should be. Easy and accessible enough for anyone to play, but with enough creative controls to excite even the more advanced photographer. It is also reasonably priced at $200 and can be purchased cheaper if you do not find glass lenses necessary.
The main hurdle will be the bulky size and weight, and some people won’t like the heavy, brick-like aesthetic. Fujifilm made a very attractive and sexy camera in the Mini 99 and I found the built-in LED lights to be an inspired way of adding a creative look to images. If Fujifilm can make a more capable wide format camera with features like the Mini 99 and an advanced lens, people will be attracted to it. Until then, Lomo’s Instant Automate Wide Glass is carrying the torch for the instant film photographer who wants room to grow.
Are there any alternatives?
The Fujifilm Wide 400 is slightly less expensive and has a much simpler experience. I like the low weight and sleek design, but the features are restrained. The Mint RF-70 InstantCon is a very advanced and beautifully designed camera, but it has a high price tag.
Should you buy it?
Yes. The functionality is there, and the features inspire enjoyment. The cameras look good and the price is reasonable.
