Lomo'Instant Automat
The Lomo'Instant Automat is a camera for instant photos on Instax Mini film (an exposure frame of 62x46mm), made by Lomography. It is an improved version of the Lomo'Instant camera, with automatic exposure. The Lomo'Instant has auto exposure of a sort, in that it has auto flash output; but the Automat actually varies the shutter speed.
The camera has a 60mm f/8 lens, a moderate wide-angle (roughly equivalent to a 35mm on a 35mm camera). It has a 43mm filter thread. The lens is plastic: Lomography also has a Lomo'Instant Automat Glass model with a wider-angle, glass lens. The camera is available in an outfit including a close-up lens, wide-angle and even wider 170° fish-eye auxiliary lenses.
The aperture is set to f/8 or f/22 (this is part of the auto-exposure; it seems there is no manual control of aperture). The shutter time is set between 8 and 1/125 second in Auto-exposure, or there is also 'B' shutter mode, which allows up to 30-second exposures. There is a tripod socket, and the camera is supplied with an infra-red remote-release. Multiple exposure is permitted. Exposure compensation of ±1 stop is possible.
Focus is set in one of three zones: 0.6m, 1-2m, and infinity. This is by twisting the lens barrel; it is not clear whether the camera works at intermediate positions. With the close-up lens, focus is at 10-15cm.
The camera has a built-in flash with guide number 9m. It can be set on (auto output) or off. It is supplied with a set of four colour gel filters for the flash.
The camera uses two CR2 batteries; the remote control uses one CR1632 battery.
The camera comes in white ('Bora Bora'), green ('Cabo Verde') or dark red ('South Beach'). There are also special decorated editions; 'El Nil', with a design of palm trees, and 'Opbeni', a blue-and-white design recalling porcelain, by an artist of that name.
Links
- South Beach camera at Lomography
