It’s been nearly seven years since we tested the original release of the Lomography Lomo’Instant Square camera, which had a pristine, all-white body. Now there’s a denim version of the camera, the Lomo’Instant Blues Square, which looks like it was teleported straight out of the early 90s. Lomography has also announced a Pemberley Edition of the same camera for those who prefer more classical 60s-style colors. We love what Lomography is doing with its cameras, and when it comes to the styling department, these models are bound to turn heads even when you’re not putting them up to your face to click frames.
Most manufacturers prefer leather and leatherette to wrap their precious cameras. While they certainly use these materials, Lomography decided to go with something completely different for the Lomo’Instant Blues Square camera. They’ve generously enveloped it in what appears to be denim, giving it a look that wouldn’t look out of place in my childhood.
Not content with creating one gorgeously stylish camera, Lomography has also announced the Pemberley Edition of their Lomo’Instant Square camera, seen below. The colors here remind me a lot of the interior tones inside my parents’ childhood homes of the 60s and 70s.
When it was released back in 2018, the Lomography Lomo’Instant Square was the first analog camera to shoot square Instax film. Taking four stars in our review, we found that the camera had a lot of features that made it a very attractive camera, even if we felt that it wasn’t for those taking their first steps in photography:
“So what’s great about this camera? The lens: it’s incredibly sharp and when you add flash to the scene it’s going to deliver a sharpness that rivals so many cameras out there. In fact, the imaging area is slightly larger than 6×6 medium format. For that reason, I really wish that there were manual controls. But that isn’t happening anytime soon if my conversations with Lomography’s owners were any sort of hint at the future. Still though, I have to admit that if you were to take this image quality and put it against Fujifilm’s the Lomography Lomo’Instant Square will win hands down each and every time.”
Salient Tech Specs
Aside from their exterior styling differences, both cameras share the same heart, soul, and tech specs
- 95mm glass lens for super sharp results
- Close focusing as close as 50cm or 19.6in
- Dual instant film format support – Fujifilm Instax Mini and Fujifilm Instax Square
- Multiple exposure mode supported
- f10 and f22 apertures
- Standard 1/4 inch 20 tripod mount
- Zone focusing at 0.8 m, 1–2.5 m or infinity
- Exposure compensation control
- Gel filters for a splash of extra color to your images
- Foldable bellows design
Where these cameras trump their older brother isn’t just in the looks department. They’re actually the world’s first dual-format instant camera with a glass lens. That means they can shoot both in Fujifilm Instax Mini and Fujifilm Instax Square film. Both these cameras have the same 95mm lens that the original Lomo’Instant Square has, so you won’t be in for any framing surprises if you’re familiar with that camera. With shutter speeds of 1/125s to 8s in Auto mode and 30s in Bulb mode, you can be sure to unleash your instant film creativity in a variety of ways with these special edition models.
The Lomo’Instant Square Blues and Lomo’Instant Square Pemberly Edition are for creative shooters who want instant photography with a bit of chaotic charm. Unlike your typical Instax cameras, these pack a real glass lens, manual controls, and multiple shooting modes. If you’re looking for something that lets you go beyond simple point-and-shoot instant film photography, these models might be worth your money. It’s not a perfect system, but that’s kind of the point of cameras like these. Both these have got oodles of personality, and they will make you the talking point of any party you decide to take them to. And that’s even before you start clicking with them and showing what they can do.
Sample images taken with these cameras can be seen below:
Images used in this article have been provided for usage by our Lomography reps