Review of the Lomo'Instant Wide Camera with Sample Photos | Instax Wide Film vs. Instax Mini Film

May 31, 2023

Lomo’Instant Wide “Victoria Peak” Edition

In my opinion, the Lomo’Instant Wide Camera doesn’t get enough attention. Many of the Lomography instant cameras, like the Lomo’Instant Automat, take Instax Mini Film, while the Lomo’Instant Wide takes Instax Wide film. Personally, I find the Instax Wide photos to be much more satisfying, better quality and more along the lines of traditional, old-school polaroids. The frame size is nearly twice the size of the Instax Mini’s and have an overall classic vibe to them that I can never seem to accomplish with the Mini film.

I don’t use my Lomo’Instant Wide as much as I’d like, because it is quite a large camera. You can watch my YouTube video about the Lomo’ Instant Wide to get a better idea of it’s size, but if this is the only camera you plan to carry around with you, then you’re good to go. My problem is I tend to bring 10 cameras with me every time I leave the house, so this one doesn’t end up making the cut most of the time, sadly. Not because I don’t love the photos, but because the camera simply doesn’t fit in my bag!

When I have photo shoots inside my studio at my house though, this camera always makes an appearance. I have the “Victoria Peak” edition of the camera and I love the black sparkles it has on the front. There are a variety of styles to choose from, which is part of the fun of Lomography cameras.

5 of my favorite features of the Lomo’Instant Wide

You can do multiple exposures!

If you follow my work, you know that multiple exposures are a necessity for me when it comes to buying a camera. The Lomo’Instant Wide is actually SUPER easy to do multiple exposures, and even comes with a fun splitzer lens to experiment with.

2. The flash is optional!

With some of my older, vintage polaroid cameras, you don’t have control over whether the flash goes off or not. If I’m photographing outside, I don’t always want to use a flash because it can easily wash out or overexposure your subject. I love that the Lomo’Instant Wide has a button that easily turns off the flash for ultimate creative control.

3. The images are more detailed than the Instax Mini Film

I scan all of my own film at home and I find that the Instax Wide Film looks much sharper and more detailed than the Instax Mini film. This makes the images themselves more usable for prints, social media, etc. There is a lack of clarity that the Instax Mini film has, probably because the images are just so small to start off with.

INSTAX WIDE FILM:

INSTAX MINI FILM:

4. The Color Tones of the film are better than the Instax Mini Film

This may just be a personal preference, but I find the overall color tones of the Instax Wide film to be more pleasing to look at. The tones are natural and warm, more reminiscent of the polaroid film from the 70s and 80s.

5. The Camera Itself Offers a Ton of Creative Control

In comparison to the original vintage Polaroid cameras, the Lomo’Instant Wide offers a LOT more creative control. Vintage Polaroid cameras are more or less point and shoot cameras, with very few features other than adjusting for lightness/darkness. The Lomo’Instant Wide is great because it comes with a selection of tools to help make your photos more unique such as a close-up lens, a splitzer, a self-timer remote, auto/bulb/slow shutter options, ultra-wide attachment and colored gel flash filters.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This camera is super fun and really offers a lot for the price point. I’ve had mine for years and have never had a problem with it. As with all instant cameras, it takes some patience when learning the controls and the best distance for photographing your subjects. But personally, sometimes I like the images that end up a bit blurry because they are completely unique and memorable and have that classic “Polaroid” vibe. If you’re looking for more creative control than the standard Instax Mini cameras, then this is a perfect upgrade. The images themselves are larger and sharper and you have more control over the outcome of the photo.

Where to buy the Lomo’Instant Wide Camera and Film:

Camera:

Amazon

Ebay

Ebay (Victoria Peak Edition)

Film:

Amazon

Ebay

#CommissionsEarned

You can watch my unboxing and initial thoughts about the Lomo’Instant Wide on my YouTube Channel, and get to see some of the first images I ever took with it!

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards film & processing. Find out more here!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. Have a great day!

<3 Myles Katherine

Lomography LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 35 mm Film Sample Photos in Kauai, Hawaii

May 14, 2023

When it comes to Lomography’s LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 35 mm film, people seem to either love it or hate it. Personally, I LOVE it. First of all, my favorite color is purple (more specifically, lavender) so when Lomography created the LomoChrome Purple film, I bought it as quickly as I could. I think a large part of the reason people don’t like it is because they don’t understand it. They don’t get why someone would want to shoot with a film that doesn’t accurately represent reality. For me, I’m always looking for a way to make my photos more unique. What’s the point of creating the same images that everyone else has created? And the more surreal I can make my images, the more I love them. I’d rather create images that transport me to another world then create images that look exactly like the world that I see every single day. Of course, most of the time I end up shooting with regular color film when I’m hired by clients, but whenever I take a trip out of the country, I always make sure to bring at least one roll of LomoChrome Purple. And when I get home and send my film out to get processed, that’s always the roll of film I’m most excited to get back to see how the photographs turned out.

Here are my favorite LomoChrome Purple photographs from our trip to Kauai. I hope these sample photos help to give you an idea of what this film is capable of. I love all of the tones and the overall calming and unusual atmosphere that the film creates. Let me know your thoughts below!

You can pick up a roll of LomoChrome Purple on Amazon HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

<3 Myles Katherine

Natalie & Roomi's Wedding Portrait Photo shoot in Montepulciano, Italy | Destination Wedding Photography in Italy

March 5, 2023

I’m SO excited to share these photos from a pre-wedding photo shoot I did with my sister in Montepulciano, Italy. As much as I would have LOVED to photograph my sister’s wedding, I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out on being her sister and being a PART of the wedding, rather than the documentarian. I helped her pick out an incredible photographer for the actual wedding day in Tuscany, but we made sure to squeeze in a photo shoot together the day before the wedding. We drove to the nearby town of Montepulciano and trekked to the top of the hill to the city square. It was absolutely beautiful and every corner of the city was picturesque. My sister and her fiancé were wearing the cutest outfits that really added to the aesthetic of the whole experience. The tones and colors were something out of a dream. I’m just obsessed with how everything turned out, it was almost impossible to narrow it down to my favorites. I wish I could relive the entire trip.

<3 Myles Katherine