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

May 31, 2023

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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

5 Reasons to Buy a Polaroid One-Step 600 Camera | Film Photography Review of the Polaroid One-Step 600 Camera

April 13, 2023

(This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.)

I love Polaroid cameras SO much. There’s nothing quite like the immediate satisfaction of watching a photo develop in front of you. The casual, nostalgic mood and the muted tones give Polaroid photos a truly unique vibe that I have yet to experience with any other camera and film combination.

When I began working as a photographer right after college, my dad stumbled across a few of his old Polaroid cameras that his construction company had used years ago to photograph job sites. I did some googling and found a company called The Impossible Project that had started making film that worked with the old Polaroid cameras. I purchased a few boxes of the film and fell in love the second I started using it. Eventually, The Impossible Project officially gained the rights to the Polaroid name, (after going by Polaroid Originals for a while) and can now be found at Polaroid.com.

If you can get your hands on a vintage Polaroid 600 camera from a friend or family member, don’t turn it down! These cameras are actually pretty sturdy and it’s rare that I’ve come across one that doesn’t work. The version I’ve been using for the last few years is the Polaroid One-Step 600 camera but there are dozens of different 600 cameras to choose from. I also used a Polaroid Impulse for a while too! If you don’t have any Polaroids lurking in your parent’s basement or grandma’s house, you can always find them online. Or you can try out Polaroid’s brand new cameras such as the Polaroid Now or Polaroid Go.

CAMERA:

Purchase a Polaroid One-Step 600 on Amazon!

Purchase a Polaroid One-Step 600 on eBay!

Purchase a Used Polaroid One-Step 600 on KEH Camera!

Purchase a Polaroid Now or Polaroid Go on Polaroid.com!

FILM:

Purchase 600 film on Amazon!

Purchase 600 film on Polaroid.com!

Tip: Make sure to buy the correct version of the film for your camera, whether that’s 600, SX-70, i-Type or Go film. If it’s listed under “Polaroid Originals”, that’s totally fine - it’s just the name that the company went by before officially becoming Polaroid.

5 reasons to buy a Polaroid 600 Camera:

They are SUPER easy to use!

While these cameras might be old and somewhat intimidating, they are truly one of the easiest cameras out there to use. You slide the film in, pop open the viewfinder, look through and compress the shutter button. That’s it! However, it may take some getting used to when it comes to lighting conditions and film lightness vs. darkness. Most 600 cameras have a slider that allows some exposure control over the film darkness. If you prefer to shoot in bright conditions, I recommend sliding it a little towards the darker side. If you tend to shoot in lower light conditions, I recommend keeping it in the middle position, or sliding it the tiniest bit toward the brighter end.
There is nothing like it.

Polaroids can be used to photograph anything and everything. Somehow, they make even the dullest moment seem memorable and exciting. I particularly love using it for fashion portraits and landscapes, but I also love the way some people use it to document parties or events, as it adds a value of nostalgia and automatically looks like it was taken 30 years ago. I’ve used dozens of cameras over the years, but there is nothing quite like taking a classic Polaroid. It’s also nice to have a physical photograph from your shoot to hang on the fridge or put it in a scrapbook. The magic of printed images slowly diminished after digital photography came around, so there’s something thrilling about having an immediate physical copy of your photograph in your hands.
They are sturdy and long-lasting.

I have yet to stumble across a Polaroid 600 that doesn’t work. I have, however, stumbled across Polaroid SX-70s that don’t work, so I think the 600 version just seems to last longer overall. The version that I use, the Polaroid One-Step, folds up into a square and easily fits inside a camera bag without risking damage to the camera. They are super lightweight and easy to carry around too. Plus, it’s just plain FUN to use the pop-up viewfinder and surprise your friends and family with this unique-looking, vintage camera.
They are affordable.

While, yes, they have gone up in value over the years, they are still relatively affordable compared to other vintage cameras. You can find different versions of the Polaroid 600 camera in the $30-200 range, but even up to $700 depending on the model and rareness of the camera. From Barbie to LEGO to USPS, there are so many different designs and colors to choose from. Once you start delving into the options, it’s nearly impossible to NOT want to start collecting them all.
You could become a better photographer!
I truly believe that using film cameras, especially Polaroid cameras, will force you to be more decisive with your images. Considering the fact that you are paying for every image that you take, your brain will automatically let you know if a moment is worth capturing. Oftentimes, I’ll point my Polaroid at a landscape or building, thinking it will make a good photograph, but once I look through the viewfinder, I ask myself, is it special enough? This means you’ll take less images overall and that the ones you do take, will mean something. Not to mention, you’ll become better at composing your images because you’ll immediately see the results and learn from your mistakes. If you accidentally cropped someone out of the shot, or took the photo a little too crooked or off to the side, you’ll see that up close and personal on your printed Polaroid.

Here are a few sample photos I’ve taken with my Polaroid 600 cameras over the years:

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. :)

Have a lovely day!

<3 Myles Katherine

Annie & KC at the Poe Museum | Richmond, Virginia Wedding & Engagement Photography

April 11, 2021

Last year was definitely a difficult time for engaged couples. Many of them postponed their weddings or eloped. When Annie & KC reached out to me, they had recently gotten married at the courthouse and hardly had any photos from their wedding day. I knew it was a match when they mentioned that they wanted to take photos at the Poe Museum, because it’s one of my favorite spots in all of Richmond (I photographed a wedding there not too long ago and loved it)! It has just the right amount of history and spookiness to make for the perfect photo shoot location. I love the fact that these are sort of their “wedding photos” because this shoot perfectly encapsulated their personalities. We incorporated their two dogs and even took a few photos with face masks to document the times. I always love anything unconventional so I had the best time working with these two. Plus, they are so extremely kind and genuine, which is easy to tell from their cuteness together in these photos. I’ve included all of my favorite images from the shoot below. :)

<3 Myles Katherine