It's 40 years since the first Lomo camera went into production, a Russian copy of the Japanese point-and-shoot Cosina CX-2. Within a decade, that film camera, known for its light sensitivity, zone focus and strong pocket-sized case, had been discovered by creative types across Europe and the Lomography movement had been founded.
But a lot has changed since the LC-A and subsequent LC-A+ entered the market and spurred an international movement known as the Lomography Society. The biggest, of course, has been the digital revolution, which rapidly saw film-format cameras become endangered species. Suddenly, the kind of artfully over-exposed, sepia-tinted and color-saturated prints that the LC-A was famous for producing, were instantly and cheaply achievable through phone filters.
But the good news for fans of hard-format and creative photography is that rather than slide into obsolescence, the Austrian-based Lomography made a pivot to instant cameras. And the latest model, the Lomo’Instant Wide Glass, is being touted as "the sharpest instant camera on Earth." What this promises is sharp, vividly colored images even when snapped at close range (0.3 m or 1 ft) – something anyone who has tried a selfie with an instant camera will know is not easy.
The first thing you'll notice is how nice it looks – at once vintage and modern – but it's what's within the body that matters. The camera takes readily available Fujifilm Instax Wide paper cartridges, and has a 90-mm multi-coated glass lens and an array of automatic and manual functions that let you have as much or as little control over your captures as you want.
While the infamous Lomography Society 10-point 'manifesto' written in the 1990s aimed to encourage LC-A enthusiasts to experiment, shoot from the hip and embrace being in the moment, by the time you got your rolls of film developed, you'd almost forgotten what those moments were. No such issue with the instant format, with the full – and permanent – results revealed in just minutes.
In that sense, the ethos that built the Lomography movement is embodied in this new camera, but it's also designed to be more than just a party-snap gadget, with a view to studio and fashion-shoot adaptability. It boasts a manual fixed f/22 aperture stop for impressive depth-of-field framing, and has a built-in tripod mount, as well as a PC-Sync port for additional lighting.
Meanwhile, the Lomography community has remained a faithful one, and has uploaded more than 17 million of their snaps to the official website's image hub. While this style of photography isn't for everyone – and this model may not be for someone after a single-button, simple polaroid camera – we think the makers might be onto a winner here.
While the price for the Lomo'Instant Wide Glass will differ depending on region, it is now available in the US for US$279 – which is a good price point compared to competing higher-end instant cameras.
A quick view
Instant Film Format: Fujifilm Instax Wide
Focal Length: 90 mm (35 mm equivalent)
Multiple Exposure: Yes
Auto Exposure: Advanced auto exposure
Available Apertures: f8, f22
Batteries: 4×AA (camera), 1×CR2025 (remote)
Cable Release: No
Instant Camera Family: Lomo’Instant Wide
Flash: Built-in-flash, PC-Sync flash plug
Remote Control Shutter Release: Yes
Shutter Speed: 1/125–8 s in Auto Mode; 30 s in Bulb Mode
SKU: li950lux
Source: Lomography