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Instagram camera alternatives
Can’t wait for the Instagram camera to come out? Try another new or old-school camera or a DIY technique to get those quirky snapshots.
By Kevin Aeh and Jessica Herman
Published: June 7, 2012
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The effect Polaroid You’ll find plenty of Polaroid cameras floating around online and in vintage or thrift stores at an affordable price (on average about $35), but the Impossible film they require costs a pricey $23.50 for eight prints. As an alternative, A&A Studios(128 Harrison St, Oak Park; 312-278-1144) owner Anthony Vizzari recommends the Polaroid Land Camera 100 from the ’50s ($85–$100 at A&A Studios) with peel-apart film that works well in low light. Plus, it uses Fuji film that costs $12.50 for ten shots. Note that this camera’s batteries are hard to find (though available at A&A Studios) and cost $18–$22. Newer option Polaroid’s Instant Digital Camera Z340 ($300 at store.polaroid.com) gives your pics the framed Polaroid treatment with its integrated printer using Polaroid’s ZINK printing and paper. The camera also allows you to view and crop images before you print the 3” x 4” color prints.
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The effect Vignettes The vintage Brownie box camera ($35–$40 at A&A Studios), which Vizzari compares to a simple pinhole camera with a lens, takes 120 medium format film and produces pictures with darkened edges that draw attention to the center of the image. Find them as cheap as $5 at a thrift store. If you opt for black-and-white film (the camera takes color, too), you can process the film at home with a dark tank and chemicals, available at any full-service camera shop. Newer option The Diana+ pinhole multi operator ($59 at usa.shop.lomography.com) gives you three pinhole options as well as color gels for even more special effects.
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The effect High-color saturation Put slide film in any 35mm camera, then have it reverse processed at a camera shop when you’re done shooting. The cross-processed effect brings out the intense colors, especially when shooting in the summer. Cut the cost of film by purchasing expired slide film (available at lomography.com), which will work just as well for your purposes. Newer option Lomography’s Colorsplash camera ($63 at amazon.com) features color flash filters that produce saturated, streaked backgrounds and crisp, colorful foregrounds on 35mm film.
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The effect Blurred or soft focus If you have a cheapie camera you don’t care about, rub some Vaseline on the lens—either in selective spots or around the edge. The places where you’ve used Vaseline will appear blurred when you print. If you’re using a high-end SLR, simply add a filter on top of the lens to prevent permanent smudging. For a soft-focus effect or to create a more consistent, all-over fuzziness, cover the lens with panty hose or a mesh fabric.
The effect Polaroid You’ll find plenty of Polaroid cameras floating around online and in vintage or thrift stores at an affordable price (on average about $35), but the Impossible film they require costs a pricey $23.50 for eight prints. As an alternative, A&A Studios(128 Harrison St, Oak Park; 312-278-1144) owner Anthony Vizzari recommends the Polaroid Land Camera 100 from the ’50s ($85–$100 at A&A Studios) with peel-apart film that works well in low light. Plus, it uses Fuji film that costs $12.50 for ten shots. Note that this camera’s batteries are hard to find (though available at A&A Studios) and cost $18–$22. Newer option Polaroid’s Instant Digital Camera Z340 ($300 at store.polaroid.com) gives your pics the framed Polaroid treatment with its integrated printer using Polaroid’s ZINK printing and paper. The camera also allows you to view and crop images before you print the 3” x 4” color prints.
Caption:
Socialmatic camera (aka the Instagram camera)
Credits:
Photo: Courtesy of Antonio De Rosa
*About that Instagram camera It’s actually called the Socialmatic and this is just a prototype created by Antonio DeRosa in Italy. He’s trying to raise money in order to get the project mass produced. You can donate at Indiegogo.com, which is like an international version of Kickstarter.
It's okay to be a show-off.
With social reading, seamlessly share your favorite TOC articles, reviews and more with your Facebook friends, and check out what they're reading as well.
Share what you want, when you want: Once you've enabled social reading, easily enable/disable sharing anytime.
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