For those unaware, renowned imaging company Leica offers not only instant cameras but has also ventured into portable photo printing. Well, not exactly a traditional photo printer, but a device known as the Leica SOFORT 2. This marks Leica’s second instant camera that also has the ability to print the photos it captures.
What’s intriguing is that you can even send photos taken by other devices to the SOFORT 2 using the Leica Fotos app for printing. So, in a way, my initial mention of Leica having a portable printer wasn’t entirely off the mark because the SOFORT 2 serves a dual purpose.
The new Leica SOFORT 2 Hybrid Instant Camera seamlessly blends old and new elements. While it captures instant photos, it also offers a contemporary twist, allowing you to enhance your pictures with 10 different “Filmstyles” or filters and 10 “Lenstyles.”
The camera is equipped with a 1/5-inch CMOS sensor, paired with a fixed Leica Summar 1:2/2.4 lens, equivalent to roughly a 28 mm format, and offers an aperture range from f/2 to f/16. The sensor captures images at 4.9 MP (2,560 x 1,920 pixels) in JPG format.
It features built-in storage for approximately 45 images and a card slot compatible with microSD/microSDHC cards, supporting up to 1GB, allowing you to store around 850 images. Each image consumes about 1.2 MB, by the way.
The SOFORT 2 operates on a rechargeable battery, which can be charged via a USB-C interface (USB 3.1 Gen 1). On a full charge, it can produce up to 100 photos.
Additional features include a focus range from 10 cm to infinity, a built-in 3″ TFT LCD with approximately 460,000 dots, automatic exposure control, a shutter speed ranging from 1/4 to 1/8000 seconds, autofocus, ISO settings ranging from 100 to 1600, a built-in flash, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, and much more.
The new Leica SOFORT 2 Hybrid Instant Camera is available in red, black, and white, and is priced at US$389https://leicacamerausa.com/leica-sofort-2-red.html. It is set to become available on November 09, 2023, at Leica stores and authorized Leica retailers.
Images: Leica.
