As much as digital formats have made photography more convenient, you have to admit: no technology has come close to replacing the kind of enjoyment people derived from Polaroids. Yes, not even the digital camera and portable printer combo you’ve been using. Lomography’s Lomo’Instant Automat Camera seeks to revive instant photography for modern consumers.
Instead of imitating the classic instant camera experience with digital printers, the camera uses Fujifilm Instax Mini, so you can get honest-to-goodness retro photo prints, just like with cameras of old. More than a modern Polaroid clone, however, it uses contemporary tech to make the experience more pleasant than it’s ever been.
Billed as “the most advanced automatic instant camera,” the Lomography Lomo’Instant Automat can automatically adjust shutter speed, aperture, and flash output on its own, using input from integrated sensor to determine the perfect parameters for a shot. It, essentially, takes care of all the technical details, so all you have to do is aim the lens, click the shutter, and wait for your print to come out. Aside from the automatic mode, it offers an alternative Bulb mode, which allow you to shoot long exposures for up to 30 seconds.
Features include a 35mm lens, onboard flash (can be turned off), a lens cap that doubles as a remote shutter, and the ability to adjust exposure if you’d rather override the automated settings. And, yes, it’s compatible with many of the outfit’s lenses, so you can get creative instant photographs by simply swapping in accessories.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Lomography Lomo’Instant Automat. Pledges to reserve a unit starts at $112.