Photography

NONS SL645 brings on full-metal, full-manual, instant-film photography

NONS SL645 brings on full-metal, full-manual, instant-film photography
The NONS SL645 is presently on Kickstarter
The NONS SL645 is presently on Kickstarter
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The NONS SL645 is claimed to tip the scales at 795 g (28 oz)
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The NONS SL645 is claimed to tip the scales at 795 g (28 oz)
A photograph taken with the NONS SL645
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A photograph taken with the NONS SL645
Pledges for the NONS SL645 start at around US$420
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Pledges for the NONS SL645 start at around US$420
The NONS SL645 is presently on Kickstarter
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The NONS SL645 is presently on Kickstarter
View gallery - 4 images

Many of the original instant-film cameras tended to be basic plasticky things, aimed mainly at getting simple snapshots. Quite a few of their present-day descendants share that quality, although the aluminum-bodied full-manual SL645 is a big exception.

Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the SL645 is manufactured by Hong Kong startup NONS. It's designed to emulate much of the functionality of a classic SLR, but it uses Fujifilm instax Mini Film (ISO 800) instead of 35-mm.

The camera is fully compatible with Canon EF-mount lenses – although the Electro-Focus function won't work – plus it also accepts vintage M42, Nikon F, Pentax K, Contax/Yashika (CY) and medium-format-mount lenses with an adapter.

Pledges for the NONS SL645 start at around US$420
Pledges for the NONS SL645 start at around US$420

In semi-auto mode, users select one of 10 shutter speeds (up to 1/250) on the camera's shutter speed dial, then check the integrated light meter display for a recommended corresponding f-stop. They then set the lens to that f-stop, focus it, press the shutter release button, then press another button to eject the print from the side of the camera. If necessary, they can also mount a third-party flash on the camera's hot shoe.

All of that being said, users can also go full-manual, combining whatever settings and lenses they wish in order to get the desired effect.

The SL645 is powered by a removable 2,040-mAh lithium-ion battery, one USB charge of which should reportedly be good for over 100 exposures. Unlike NONS' previously released SL42 model, the camera sports an anodized aluminum alloy body with a wooden grip. Other improvements over the SL42 include a larger-coverage viewfinder, a shorter shutter delay (0.05 as opposed to 0.5 of a second), and much less vignetting in the final 46 x 62-mm prints.

A photograph taken with the NONS SL645
A photograph taken with the NONS SL645

Assuming everything goes according to plan, a pledge of HK$3,299 (about US$420) will get you a NONS SL645 of you own – that's 22% off the planned retail price. The camera is demonstrated in the video below.

SL645 - Interchangeable Lens SLR Analogue Instant Camera

Sources: Kickstarter, NONS

View gallery - 4 images
2 comments
2 comments
Spud Murphy
Imagine how many shots of that nice expensive instant film are going to be wasted before people who buy this for the novelty value realise that they are crappy photographers and put it in a drawer somewhere.
Gregg Eshelman
It's amazing how much money people will spend to take bad photographs, simply because each one is a one of a kind original.