Lomography Lomo'Instant Automat Camera, Bora Bora Edition

2022-04-28T09:56:50

Love this camera and lens package. It's a great deal!

MICHELLE S.

2022-01-03T08:43:11

Lomo makes some rad stuff. This cam is a simple no frills pic popper that gives the imagination free reign.

daniel w.

2021-08-25T19:09:52

The Automat Glass is quite the instant camera. The lens itself is sharp, and even though the lens is very wide (at 21mm equiv.), colors are nice and saturation is not too high. The plastic they use is not too cheap feeling, and it is covered in foam-like padding that makes it soft to the touch. It was also smaller than I expected, and isn't super light (though it is still lightweight). Shadow detail is dependent on lighting, as it would be on any camera, as well as the film's exposure latitude. If your background is much brighter than the subject, or much darker, try to fill with the flash or use the exposure compensation to correct it as much as possible. For the most part, I have not had issues with the metering that didn't make sense. It was usually an issue of the background being many stops brighter than the subject. The camera also feels good to operate. The lens acts as the power switch, and turning it to any of the focus distances will also turn the camera on. It has clicks that gently keep it in place when at a focus distance. The lens will also stop at infinity unless you push a little button near the lens, which unlocks it so it can turn off. A nice feature, for sure. There are a few additions or changes I would like for the camera, if it were possible: - The flash should never be on by default on any camera, especially the Automat Glass with its f/4.5 lens. You have to remember to turn it off if you're in any lighting brighter than a poorly-lit room. - a 35mm equivalent focal length would have made the camera better for day-to-day use. Anything too wide or narrow will have more specified use cases. It decreases the amount of depth of field from the lens as well, which I can see affecting accurate focusing... which brings me to my next addition. - The camera uses zone focusing, which means you have to guess what your focus is unless you have a way to measure it. With the close-focus adapter, I literally had a small ruler to measure the 10 centimeter close focus distance so the subject would be in focus, and even then I messed it up trying to take a picture one time. Keep in mind that, at standard pricing, color film packs are $1 a photo. If you miss focus, that's a dollar lost. It would be nice to have some form of autofocus or, at the very least, focus assist. My only other solution besides a ruler is to have a distance measurer that's usable outdoors and is lined up with the camera's front element to get a more accurate reading. Even then, the distance scale is very basic, so it would be hard to assume proper focus. They're also pretty expensive, so... that's another problem. - Only having one stop to make an image brighter or darker is limiting. If my background is very bright, and I can't do anything about it like recompose, there's a high chance that it will not be exposed properly. Even with the +/- exposure compensation, it is possible to get a blown-out background and lose another dollar. - The threading on the adapters is not good. I am not sure if the lens threading is universal or proprietary, but if overscrewed, the lens accessories will pop off the threading and need to be carefully tightened. - Manual control and a wider range of aperture settings would make this thing even more insane. *Especially* if there was a very basic light meter (dots that change colors when you are over or underexposed, like there are in the viewfinders of many SLRs). Getting the exposure you wanted would be a little easier, and the option to have manual or automatic would allow more experienced photographers to get more out of their cameras. Another issue I had with my kit specifically is the scratched up close-focus adapter. The amount of "micro" scratches on it was insane, and though I don't think they show up in pictures, I don't like getting factory-new items with that many scratches. They were visible in regular lighting (especially outdoors) and I unfortunately cannot test to see if they impact the quality of the image because I have nothing to compare it to. ALL of that out of the way, even with my gripes, I would say the Automat Glass is probably one of, if not the best, Instax cameras. Once you learn how to use the camera, getting pleasing images becomes easy. More keeper shots, happy memories, and a happier bank account.

Jacob S.

2021-07-23T08:49:40

Good product, often has vignette effect.

BABU U.

2021-07-02T12:15:33

Still exploring & learning, & excited by the possibilities. I even think there is a potential for technical & artistic innovations I haven't seen elsewhere (yet!).

Jeff K.

2021-03-30T20:00:00

I had to adjust my expectations for this camera. After a few days I am really enjoying it. It has quirks noted in all the reviews I read, and the photos are not sharp. I am getting some fun shots of my grandchildren. I shoot with a Sony Mirrorless and Samsung phone, both take better pictures, both cost much more. This camera adds a new tool to my kit and I am happy to have it.

Walter

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