As a long-time fan of instant photography and Tom's Guide's in-house instant cameras expert, it's my job to thoroughly test these nifty peripherals so that you can be armed with the knowledge you need before making a purchase. There are so many of these out there. No, really. Have a look at our best instant cameras guide and you'll see what I mean — and that's just the cream of the crop. And trust me, I've tested some bad instant cameras too. Well, the Lomography Lomo'Instant Automat is anything but.
I spent this week with what's now my favorite analog instant camera. I specify 'analog' because the Fujifilm Instax mini Evo is my favorite hybrid instant camera — it doubles as a smartphone printer. The Instax mini Evo is one camera I use nearly every day but recently, I decided to ditch it and take the Lomo'Instant Automat out for a spin every time I went out — and I've never received this many compliments. Why? Because it's beautiful, and let me show you what makes it flippin' fantastic.
The beauty of art
In my Lomography Lomo'Instant Automat review, I said that I could gush about this instant camera's looks all day, and it's true. While most instant cameras sport simple designs with monotonous colors, Lomography has put a lot of love into the Lomo'Instant Automat's design. You can, of course, get it in simple colors if that's more your speed, as the camera is available in an all-white (Bora Bora edition) and all-red (South Beach) colorway. But if, like me, you're an art lover or an artist (like my partner), I'd recommend splurging on one of 10 art editions.
You see, these editions are inspired by artists from around the world, and are adorned in their artworks. If you love 'The Kiss' by Gustav Klimt, you're in luck as there's a gorgeous Klimt Gold Leaf edition up for grabs. Want something a bit simpler but still drop-dead gorgeous? Chinese artist Opbeni, who works with ceramics, worked with Lomography to create the stunning blue-and-white Opbeni edition — and the design is so intricate, it makes me weak in the knees.
There are so many designs to choose from. I tested the Schiele Edition, inspired by Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, whose work I've admired for years. The Lomo'Instant Automat has earned itself a place on my shelf, sitting alongside my retro-looking Fujifilm Instax mini Evo. In an age where AI generative art is on the rise, this camera serves as a reminder of the emotions, feelings and humanity that make art art. To me, it feels more relevant than ever, and it feels grounding in a way.
Through the looking glass
The Lomography Lomo'Instant Automat is one capable instant camera. It shoots in the mini format (my favorite) and the photos it takes are detailed, sharp, with faithful color reproduction. But one of its unique features — which I haven't seen on any other instant cameras I've tested so far — is the inclusion of three lens attachments. All you need to do is twist the fisheye, wide-angle or close-up lens onto the 60mm (full frame equivalent) lens.
And boy are they fun, especially the fisheye one. I asked my lovely coworkers to pull their most serious faces and snapped them with the fisheye lens attached to the Lomo'Instant Automat — and we couldn't stop laughing at the results, which you can see above. I also think the third photo of my seal plushie Matilda, which one of colleagues gifted me, is hilarious too. I've never seen her look so round. A feature like this makes this the perfect instant camera to have at parties — who doesn't love a bit of goofiness?
This doesn't usually happen, but when I was out and about testing the Lomo'Instant Automat, I had a few people come up to me and ask what camera I was using. This has only ever happened one other time where someone asked me about the DJI Air 3S drone I was testing and I chatted their ear off with my love for aerial photography. And this time, I told everyone just how much I loved instant photography.
I really can't think of a better analog instant camera to recommend, especially if you love art. If an artist's vibes and aesthetics were an instant camera, they'd be the Lomo'Instant Automat.
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