I Bought an Instant Film Camera & It's Terrible 

2023 calender available for pre order now! Pre orders are signed and include a signed print; thomasheaton.co.uk/product/2022-calendar/

Every time you said "sky replacement" I died a little inside. It's killing the art of photography.

I have this camera, and it requires patience to learn. The biggest issue is exposure due to the 800iso film, but with ND filters and skill using the lighten/darken function you can eliminate most over-exposure. The viewfinder becomes ok as well once you understand how it links to focus (include the dark area when shooting infinity, only use smaller bright area when shooting close). It is also terrific for shooting long exposures with the remote. Not a perfect camera by any means but it is Lomography after all. They make a living from plastic and usually difficult experimental cameras.

I think you had different expectations than what an instant camera can do!!! I have the camera and love it, if you just shoot for fun and not expect the same results as a modern digital!!! It';s more just a fun experience, which i do feel you did touch on ... I have used instant cameras since 1970 and love the magic to this day!!!

To train my eye (and I wholeheartedly agree it's fundamental), I photograph with my mid-range phone. And with it, I sometimes make photos that sell, so I do have some winners. But I make them with the included photo app, meaning I have very little control on what the camera makes. Other than the most important thing: composition. As for the instax, I have a printer that uses the same paper but I use it when I photograph a live gig, to offer the musicians a print just after they've finished their set. It's my way to thank them for the music and I love the big smiles I get every time I do that. The only gigs I photograph are in cafes and such, of musicians who seldom see the photos that have been made of them, not even digitally, certainly not printed. So, there's a bit of magic when I do hand them a piece of my work.

Kinda comical to be critiquing the shots you got from a lomo camera the way you did. I actually ended up enjoying most of the shots you pointed out as failures.

Great too see you staying creative. Keep up on the Adventure!

"It's about having fun" - This is such a true statement, I may never scale the giddy heights of being a professional photographer or have my own YT channel with ,000's of followers, my images may never make a ripple in a judging round of a prestigious photo competition but all of that is unimportant if my photography gives me pleasure. I loved those night shots of the traffic signals and street lights, with autumn approaching you have just given me a great idea for a shoot with a roll of nice grainy HP5+ in my OM2n. You should have taken the Blad out for these shoots, buying and getting a roll of 120 developed is cheaper. Great video thanks Thomas.

Wow I absolutely adore that shot of the triple traffic lights, it's almost like looking back in time.

I'm a wedding photographer and I bought one. I take candids all day and deliver them at dinner to the bride and groom. They love it!

Thomas, I saved up my allowance back in 1970 and traded my Kodak 110 for a Polaroid and as being only 10-12 years old, I was limited on the amount of film I could buy. But I do remember the camera cost me $97.99 and if and when I could buy the film I bought it and shot it up!!! A ton of fun!!!!! I also loved the fact that I could buy the B&W for a few dollars less!!!! I just absolutely loved the whole thing of taking an image and pulling it out of the camera and pushing the button on the tiny timer that stuck on the camera to tell me when it was ready. Oh Thomas, a simpler time!!! Thanks!!!!!&

Pre-order placed! I have gotten so much pleasure from watching your videos for the last several years the least I owe you is a calendar purchase! Thanks for all the great videos, please keep doing what you do!

Thomas you never cease to inspire me. Love the concept of the challenge. Have a great week!

Great fun! Loved the concept and the way you present it. Thank you. (calendar ordered)

What I love about your channel is the sense of enthusiasm that you have for everything that you do and your willingness to experiment. Great vlog thanks.

It was so much fun watching this one! Keep bringing your “A” game! It doesn’t matter what you’re shooting - your passion for photography is contagious!! Thanks Thomas!!

You always come up with great ideas in your videos. I really enjoyed this one!

I love that we're to the place where the biggest restriction that Thomas can come up with to creatively 'restrict' his photography is to "shoot film." It wasn't all that long ago that shooting digital felt new and risky...

if you can, find a copy of Ansel Adams's Singular Images book. Its a collection of photographs taken with Polaroid Land cameras of yesteryears. There will be no more jokes made about ' instant photography ', I can assure you.

those successes are STELLAR! especially the last one 😍

Pre-order done. Can’t wait to receive the calendar. Thanks for yet another great RU-vid episode, I’m a big fan. Greetings from the Netherlands

what a great exercise stripping off all tech capabilities and challenging your photography skills - and the results are truly amazing! well done.

brilliant. every show is so amusing and a great lesson too. good stuff Thomas

This reminds me of the "pro-tog, crap camera" segment on (I can't remember which YT channel). There was always a professional photographer that had to shoot the whole day with some awful, cheap camera (Lego camera and Barbie camera come to mind). It always struck me that their shot on crap cameras were better than most amateurs with dslr's (myself included). It's all about skills and knowing the cameras strengths and limitations rather than the camera itself. And you have proven the point again! Not only did you capture some beautifully ethereal night shots in fog but even your misfire (ie minimalist tree branches emerging from the bottom of the image) is better than 2/3rds of my shots.

For a proficient photographer, I'd suggest using fully manual instant cameras like Mint SF70+ or NONS SL660, because while still having a poor light meter (compared to DSLR), they at least allow to use external light meter or use eye & sunny 16 without getting in the way of the creative process.

I was waiting for your calendar I’m still enjoying this year’s keep up the good work

Your enthusiasm and fun loving demeanour is infectious. I was grinning all the way through this! The images weren't bad too! In fact one or two keepers. Just goes to show you don't always need good gear! Nice one Tom.

I have a Lomo Instax Wide and I have had the exact same experience using that one as you have with your. I rarely use it because it's so hard and expensive, you have inspired me to go out and take some more pictures.

Nice fun video. I like the traffic lights, but the minimal, misty shots do work best. I won't rush out and the camera though🙂

Just got a calendar and print!!! Been wanting one for years and years! Hopefully the Hasselblad collection is in stock soon, I would love do to that for Christmas gifts. Love your work!

Amazing content Thomas. Such a joy to watch.

I used to do lomography, double exposures on film, ICM, make my own filters. I really liked that you didn’t how the results would be. I liked most of your photo’s, maybe they are not perfect but that is the charme of instax and lomography, it’s all about imperfection, wabi-sabi

I like the Missfired shot.!... It is another genre in itself, something different but why not ? If it conveys a mood why say they are a failure, not especially. The flaws (blurred, overexposed, double exposure, no composition...) can be the strength of such a photography type. Trying something new is always refreshing, it boosts creativity, doesn't it ? When you know too well the rules, breaking them is also fun. I wouldn't apply the rules to polaroids, they are not meant for that in my opinion.

Love the idea Thomas, thanks! My daughter uses an Instax saying the results show more emotion and bring a warmer feeling to photography. I have to say I agree, even though we both have DSLR’s.

You might want to work with disposable film cameras. While you’re out with a fancy high end digital rig, pop off a frame of analog colour neg - yep, a real eye opener about what your work is really about.

I just love your videos Adam!!😀👍Sometimes i wonder that your style is so mutch different that in your great book the" quiet light". Even thou i love your videos and great stories what you do!! Keep it going mr.Adam Gibbs and thank you ever so Mutch.

Great video as always! A month ago on holidays with my family I purchased an old Pentax Spotmatic F on a flee market in France for 30€. Lightmeter did not work (so sunny 16 had to help ;-). And I tried an AGFA APX 100 and took some shots in front of the Louvre. There was a short moment when an oldtimer passed by and I could only take two pictures. And I forced myself not to switch to my Nikon Z6. And the two pictures turned out absolutely great (in my eyes). So I can absolutely understand the feeling of limited possibilities. It must be even much more limiting with instant photos... Looking forward your calendar (and hope for the best ;-)

Loved the street lamp image! It's refreshing seeing unedited photos.. very nostalgic 👌

I have an old Polaroid 600 from 2000 with autofocus that I bought at a local photography store for 25€ later in 2019. The only thing I do with this camera is photographing my little niece, weather it‘s at a day trip/holiday journey or daily life. I know that not all photos are „good“ or even „perfect“ but I love to take photos of my niece which I can see quite instantly „printed“ in an analog format j(it takes about 15 minutes to view the film) and hang on my wall. I‘m at my fourth film pack now. The prize of about 2€ per image is a downer but over all I love every single photo I shoot with this camera.

Wow - I love the shot with the single streetlight (16:45), gorgeous!

Oh, that lamp post in the fog - LOVE IT. On seeing that, I immediately thought of the George Formby song, Leaning on a Lamp Post which reminds me of my mum. That was fun to watch. Love your enthusiasm Thomas. Pre-order placed. ::)). Look forward to your calendar every year.

This was fun and simplifies things. It’s down to finding the right image/composition when still learning/understanding the camera but with some restrictions.

I just got my calendar and instax photo! Got really lucky with the shot, I love it! Thank you Thomas

Yes, loved some of those images.......traffic light, bridge lamp etc........but I imagine, that an annoyance, is probably that you're wishing you had the same shot, but as a large digital file that could be printed bigger, and multiple times.

A very enjoyable video. How cool was that swamp with the dead trees and I liked the photo too. Actuallly I think you did really well with those shots that worked out, they were fabulous. It's nice to see a bit of the vintage photography, it's just fun!

Just preordered your calendar, after watching you for litteral years and help me improve my photography, it feels good to give back a little :D

Just ordered 2 of your calendars. One for my son and the other for me. Love your work

I just tried to order your. book and your 2013 calendarl. Hard to describe what happened but initially my card was declined but almost instantly the bank notified me of the purchase, so I hope it works. I have to agree with the bloke beneath me here, the street lights photo was very cool!

I have had so so many failed shots with this camera, I would presume around 50% at first. Now, I take some of my favorite images on it. Some days I get a keeper-rate of 80-90%, but it has cost me time, money and nerves. The thrill for me is getting unique shots on a retro-style camera that offers a lot of customizability (focus, multiple-exposure, timer, bulb mode, remote control...). My best advice for anyone using this instant-camera is: never shoot into light, never shoot during high-contrast-situations (sunrise / sunset), and lastly learn the limitations and figure out how the light-meter and viewfinder "think" in order to adjust your shots accordingly

You should try out a MiNT Instantkon SF70, the square format rangefinder version. $900 USD brand new, cheaper if you wait around for a used one, but you genuinely have shutter speed and aperture control with accurate rangefinder focusing. Of course, there are also custom Hasselblad, Mamiya Universal or 67, and Rollei backs that you can shoot Instax in, and those let you take advantage of the excellent medium format lenses on fresh instant film. It’s a lot of fun. Most of the Fuji and Lomo Instax cameras are nearly toys in terms of construction and features, which makes them great fun and good tools for going back to basics, but for more serious instant film stuff, there are options!

Looks like a fun camera! The cost per photo is less than 35mm. Quite a bargain if you want instant gratification😉

Great Video Thomas, and the final results look OK on the TV 🙂

When I first started in photography these types of videos were everything to me, because, well, if y’all could get nice images with a low grade camera then I certainly could get some with my measly starter camera. Would love to see more like this. A video with a disposable camera would be fun!

Man you were firing this video!! Great energy 👌🏼

Entertaining and inspirational as always. Love the foggy street shots. I might chance my arm lol

Lomography is considered as an experimental art form to celebrate creativity as soft focus, blur. Thomas is expressing wisdom in use. The artistic view point of contemporary experimental artists and artistic photographers going outside of traditional means of detail. Andy Warhol of pop culture also did some experimental photo works in his day in the 60s,70s.. Lomo is a Russian art form that became popular world wide in the 90s onward. I took advantage of the calendar pre order offer, is truly an honor to get one signed, this is my gift back for working in the beating sun expressing artistic creativity with hundreds of kids. :)

Try Instax in your medium format camera, guaranteed correct exposure. Instax mini in a Mamiya TLR works great. Am now trying out Instax square in a Pentax 6x7. OK, so it's a bit fiddly taking them out and loading in a changing bag but it's rewarding when they all come out as intended.

Just ordered a calendar. I can't wait to see it! Thanks Tom!

Instant photography is a skill that needs to be honed just as much as film vs digital photography. I don't claim to be a professional, but I do a lot of photography in my day job. I've been taking instant photos since I was a kid. I'm now in my 30's. In fact, Polaroid photography is what made me fall in love with analog or film photography in the first place. I own this camera, and yes, the viewfinder can be frustrating. Sometimes, the comp doesn't come out quite the way you envisioned, but sometimes, it comes out better. I find the same to be true with almost all film cameras. I hand reload 110 cameras and 126 cameras with 16mm motion picture film and 35mm film, respectively, and part of the excitement of film, and part of the appeal (for me at least) is not knowing EXACTLY what you're going to get. Knowing that your image will NOT be crisp and perfect. Crisp and perfect, IMO, are boring. Wonder Bread boring. If you sit with this camera, take the time, and take note of the differences between instant and 35mm, or 120, or large format film, which again are just as varied as the differences between film and digital, you may have a different opinion. I respect that your conclusion is to go out and have fun with photography; for me, photography significantly decreases my stress levels, whether the outcome is good or bad, and perhaps the difference is that I'm very process-oriented as an "artist." But this is a great camera if you can overcome the learning curve that is unfortunately inherent to the machine. That said, I have yet to encounter a vintage film camera that hasn't given me a learning curve that I've experienced the pleasure and joy of overcoming. Thanks for giving me the outlet to express my thoughts. Best, Levi Lee

Great video and great shots. I like the message of challenging yourself. I don't think I will be looking into instant cameras, but I have already tried doing some cityscapes. Although not great pictures, it was great fun exploring my home city for a good skyline. Keep up the good work. Cheers.

Got on that pre-order train! I look forward to the calendar keeping me inspired for the next year!

Wow, I've never seen the pond that low before :O Many mornings spent in waders capturing those trees!

Didn't someone (perhaps Edward Steichen in the 50s?) set out with a Brownie camera to show that one doesn't need fancy, high-end gear? His premise was that good photography comes from within the photographer's mind and eye. This video reminds me of that. If anyone out there knows anything about Steichen's experiment, I'd appreciate a link or reference. Thanks.

My wife has a Instax wide camera that she loves. It is mostly used for documenting our trips and probably a good 75% of the shots are just of us at places but occasionally is used for landscape style photography. It is properly good fun and there are a few shots that we have taken on it that I like more than the ones I took on my DSLR just because of how simple the format is and there is no "fixing" of anything later on. You get what you get and when it works it is a great feeling. The amount of under and over exposed images is crazy though, really wish metering was better on it as well.

Beautiful love the traffic lights in the fog👌

You could have gotten an actual Polaroid. They still make inexpensive instant cameras like the Go and the Now. Or, find either a vintage SX-70 or the Mint camera ($999 USD) that takes SX-70 film. I remember in the '70s, a number of artists (notably, Lucas Samaras) were taking Polaroid photos and manipulating the film emulsion with their fingers or other objects while the film was still wet. Maybe try that with your camera if it provides wet prints.

Do not desperate, You can take good images full of character. It takes lots of educated guessing learning from the wrong ones. I use fujifilm instax 90. It does not reach sunny 16, I have a 3 stop ND filter for under the sun shots, the meter is not sensitive to green, it always overexposes green because it is like black for the camera, no matter what you do, the latitude is very short, avoid contrast light at all cost, but slowly you get better and better with it and provides lots of fun.

The last image had a few UFO's. As welll as before. I can see the pros and cons of film. Especially with a sketchy viewfinder. I can see how dust can cause problems. Ansel had a lower success rate with film. Even back then, a full format camera's film was expensive. You knew you were putting your money where your camera is. You get to the point where you ask yourself " Does it please my eye? Is everything there that I want in an image? Am I capturing the real story? I am 60 but I don't have the energy to do your B roll let alone the entire video. You inspire Thomas Heaton! Glad to witness your journey as I pursue mine.

You need to keep both squares in view finder aligned, far square exactly in center to the near one… 😀

Looks like it would definitely be some fun. New calendar ordered!

I'd like to see you try and replicate the two final prints you showed with your 6x6 and some b&w film. I think they would make great prints.

Should look into the "mint camera" range. Something like the SF70 or RF70 or S-70 would probably suit you way more Tom. - it gives you the instax/instant film. But with more control, better focus. And they have ND filters.

Calendar purchased...Fingers crossed for a print...and loved the video

Some cracking images in there Tom and it looks like a camera that you can have a lot of fun with, tempting 😬

I have a body cap lens that uses one of those plastic lenses from a throw away cardboard camera. You can't focus and no aperture, just point and shoot. It makes a great change from all the technical decisions when using a "real" lens.

Can't believe you were in Trondheim. Would have loved to bump into you and say hi :) Great video, Tom. As always: I love your video style, pace and topic.

great video and feels even more amazing to see night time shots looking really good. personally feel the fuji instax will fair better, a reason to come back to do this kind of video again next year

Fun video, even better with the picture taken from the train in Norway as I believe it is taken close to where I live.

Great video Thomas. I loved some of your A list shots. Such fun too. 👏👏👏👏👏

This isn’t far the funniest video from you in a very long time. I’m really enjoying this 🎉🎉🎉

2:57 - this reminds me of the scene in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty where Sean O'Connell talks about the snowcat and *not* taking the picture (Still have yet to finish the video but I already know it's a banger, just at work rn)

I think that imposing artificial limitations on ourselves as photographers is a wonderful way to bring out our true potential for creativity! One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was buying a second hand Holga off eBay for just under $10. I have many great cameras, some of which are very ‘high-end’ and yet some of my best images were made with the Holga.

Loved the video this week! Love the creativity of your give away! Made me laugh out loud!

Great video Thomas, I like how you're making it hard on your self and making it fun. I have just pre-ordered your calendar so I look forward to receiving one of your rubbish results from this camera lol

I've never gone down the instant film route, but the urge for simplicity, concentrating on composition, minimalism, and contrast, can also be approached in other ways - for example a medium format pinhole camera or a Holga. That "dead trees lake" is a location I often use when I have a new film camera or technique to try out - you've inspired me to return there to shoot some 4x5 paper negatives, which is my new favourite method.

Totally cool ! I bought an instax 300 Wide earlier this year and it's definitely a case of trial & error ... mostly error. Finding the right subject it usually the main problem. But the biggest kick I get out of it, is situations where people ask me to take a picture of themselves ( with family & friends etc ) with their phone. ( yeah, we all know this one, you walk around with a "real" camera so everyone assumes that you know what you're doing ). So I take a few pictures for them with their phone and then pull out this mad looking Instax thing and take and then give them the picture. The reaction is just amazing. I walk away with a grin, leaving a group of people crowded around this instant photo :-). The €1 I gave away is more than worth it. But I would recommend the Instax Wide format. It gives you a bit more room to play with. The camera is also a lot easier to handle compared to that thing you are using ;-)

Wifey now pre-ordering the calendar for me for Chrimbo :) Agree with stripping thins back. Highly recommend you check the Rollei 35 / 35 S / 35 T out if you haven't done so. Neat little film camera with zone focussing only. Amazing fun and has taught me a lot!

“Flippin’ Nora” this segment was great fun. Dynamic filming as well. “Shape. Form. Composition.” Cool beans. 😎

You should look at getting a polaroid sx-70 or just using a newer polaroid or instax camera. I had a similar camera to this and it got frustrating, once I got a SX-70 with the proper viewfinder, I fell in love with polaroids

Fabulous video...great novel idea for a vlog too!

Love the streetlight shot Tom, great fun video as well.

There's a lot to be said for simple fun. I took a Fuji GA645 medium format "point and shoot" (auto focus, auto exposure) to Harris and Lewis and didn't get many good pictures, but I had a lot of fun and the one or two which were good, I'm really happy with.

I guess that the Instax square is preferable to use with portrait photography. Firstly the film itself has a limited graduation of contrast it can develop, so in landscape you loose much details. Secondly the lens has its sweet spot in the two near positions and here you can use the brighter part of the view finder, which is designed to compensate the parallax to the lens.

I have a Polaroid One-Step+, and while it also has it's quirks, I feel like the framing is pretty easy and I consistently get a better rate of good or even great exposures. I love the look of the Lomography Instant Square, but you're not the only person on RU-vid to mention these frustrations. It seems better to avoid of that specific camera and go for one of the better options on the market. Maybe they'll address some of these issues in a future upgraded version. Some of the FujiFilm Instax cameras get good reviews. I'd like to try out a few of those at some point.

Cracking story… great to see you totally enjoying yourself

Great video again. Thanks Thomas!

Can't wait for that Norway video!😉

If you want to go Instax crazy, look around for modded Polaroid 110Bs with a Lomograflok Instax Wide back. Absolute behemoth but I’ve had some really sweet shots with mine. It’s got a parallax-corrected rangefinder and fully manual exposure controls, so less “blame the camera” factor!

I bought an old Instax wide 210 a little while back and I love it! Film is expensive, and hard to even find at the moment, but the results and the experience make it worth it!

Now you have mastered polaroid, I really wanna see you try a boudoir photoshoot for a change!🤣