Leica SOFORT 2: A Hybrid Instant Camera

[Leon_B.]

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With the SOFORT 2, Leica has introduced a hybrid instant camera that now permanently stores the shots and offers the option of selective printing.

The most important information at a glance:

• Now you have the option to digitally store, view and choose the best shots before printing them. 
• The SOFORT 2 can be connected to Leica FOTOS via Bluetooth. The app can be used to remotely control the camera and print pictures that are in the smartphone gallery.
• There is a selfie mode with a separate shutter button, a landscape mode with a wide-angle character, a macro mode for close-ups from up to 10cm.
• There are also 10 lens effects and 10 film effects to choose from.
• Leica offers exclusive photo paper with warm-white or gold frames.

The Leica SOFORT 2 will be available starting 9th November 2023 for 379 euros in black, red or white. 

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Die offizielle Leica Pressemitteilung:

Zitat

Wetzlar, 5th October 2023. In the early days of photography, there were hours to days between the moment of capturing an image and actually viewing the result. Since 1947, instant cameras have offered a new photography experience, which gained cult status, especially in the 70s and 80s. Back then, the instantly printed photo symbolized acceleration, whereas in today's fast-paced world, it represents a moment of caution and relief. It's no wonder that the fascination with instant photography is thriving once again, and now, with the Leica SOFORT 2, Leica Camera AG is introducing the second generation of their instant camera. This hybrid camera seamlessly combines fleeting digital moments with the enduring analogue world.

The modern, minimalist, and elegant look of the SOFORT 2 is a testament to the expertise of the company in industrial design. The Leica brand experience continues consistently with the handling of the SOFORT 2, as its user-friendly menu structure and button layout align with those of other digital Leica cameras.

What's new with the SOFORT 2 is primarily the option to permanently save digital images and choose the best shots before printing them. This includes all photos on your smartphone and those taken with other Leica cameras, already stored in the gallery of the seamlessly connected Leica FOTOS App. These photos can be transferred to the camera via the app and printed as instant photos. Simply pull the manual printing lever on the camera, and seconds later, you'll have the print on Instax Mini format photo paper in your hands. Leica offers exclusive photo paper with a warm-white or golden frame.

Easy to use, minimalist, and stylish. The new Leica SOFORT 2 is available in black, red, and white and presents itself as a camera that will quickly find a permanent place in the family, at

events, and during travels, creating special shared experiences. Numerous fun features further assist in creatively capturing moments: the selfie mode with a separate shutter button, the landscape mode with a wide-angle character, the macro mode for close-ups from up to 10cm, as well as 10 lens and 10 film effects to unleash your creativity.

As versatile as the Leica SOFORT 2 itself are its accessories. Stylish wooden picture frames beautifully showcase the prints. Wrist straps, carrying straps, bags, and other high-quality accessories emphasize the camera's individuality and creativity - and, most importantly, the individuals who use it to capture and share special moments, whether as analog instant photos or digital moments on social media.

The Leica SOFORT 2 will be available globally at all Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and authorised dealers starting 9th November 2023. The recommended retail price will be 379.- Euro including VAT.

 

[Bear]

Nice, looking forward to having a Leica with auto focus 🤣

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[IkarusJohn]

Do we know anything about the sensor or the lens?  How much storage it has?  I guess there’s a technical data sheet somewhere.

[earleygallery]

27 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

Do we know anything about the sensor or the lens?  How much storage it has?  I guess there’s a technical data sheet somewhere.

https://leica-camera.com/en-GB/photography/cameras/sofort-2-red/technical-specification#

It appears that it's a 4.9 MP digital camera with an instant print facility. You can also transfer images to your smartphone to share online.

I'm not entirely sure I get the point of it, but then again I'm not the target market.

[frame-it]

 

[adan]

Technical Specs?

The camera is designed around the idea of producing prints the size of a business card (including a substantial amount of border area).  

It is interesting that:

1) It has a film-advance lever that actually - ta dah - causes the film to move. Admittedly, by triggering an electric motor. But M10-D, eat your heart out!  

2) It revives the "Summar" lens name.

Last time Leica repurposed a defunct lens name, it was the f/2.4 Summarit on the Minilux. Which led to M-mount and S-mount Summarits.

[IkarusJohn]

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My daughter has the first version, and has fun with it.  I don’t think it has a sensor at all - it just exposes directly onto the paper.

[Bear]

4 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

Do we know anything about the sensor or the lens?  How much storage it has?  I guess there’s a technical data sheet somewhere.

Leica Miami has a full spec sheet. Appears to be CMOS based, 1/5" sensor.

[armadsen]

1 hour ago, IkarusJohn said:

My daughter has the first version, and has fun with it.  I don’t think it has a sensor at all - it just exposes directly onto the paper.

Right, the original one (which I have too) is analog. Just exposes the film directly. This one is a digital camera with a built in printer. They’re both fairly straightforward reskins of existing Fujifilm cameras. The Sofort 2 is an Instax Mini Evo with some nice Leica design applied as far as I can tell.

[benqui]

I love this camera. Funny idea, is looking very cool , perfect for holidays too

[Anbaric]

I see it has a tiny 1/5" 4.9 MP sensor, which is what they use for the selfie camera on a cheap phone. So no need to buy that Fuji Instax Mini Evo for half the price, you can save even more and keep the 'Leica' branding!

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINGOSHUN-Smartphone-Perforated-Recognition-Fingerprint/dp/B08W1ZW7KH

Edited October 6, 2023 by Anbaric

[earleygallery]

It seems more logical (and a lot less money) just to buy an instax printer to print your smartphone images, if you really want instant prints.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

In fairness to Leica (and Fuji), I don't think these cameras are aimed at providing the most efficient or high quality way to transmit images. I think they are about fun, and the fact that it is lofi is kind of the point. Just a camera that you can grab and instantly have a print. For me at least, the original version is the more appealing execution of this concept, but I am sure there will be a couple of Leica photographers who find it fun to occasionally print out a instant film shot from whatever other camera they have via Leica Fotos.

I did watch the video, and one thing he pointed out which I thought was smart of him is that Fuji is subsidizing the costs of their instax cameras because they are making more money on the film. The same disposable razor, inkjet printer concept. Lower the cost of the initial machine, but then make it back in the ink/razors etc. Leica does not have that luxury, so they have to cover their costs with the camera alone, or at least with their limited offerings of film.

[RMF]

8 hours ago, earleygallery said:

It seems more logical (and a lot less money) just to buy an instax printer to print your smartphone images, if you really want instant prints.

 

Yes, but to me it seems the workflow for that is burdensome : I don’t own the Fuji Instax or looked at their app, but wouldn’t it require a couple extra steps in the workflow to print an Leica M, SL, Q, CL photo using a Fuji Instax printer?

Please correct me but it appears that the workflow with an Fuji Instax printer to print a Leica M photo via an Apple phone would be: 1) make a photo with an M, SL,, CL, Q, 2) send to the Leica Fotos app, 3) copy/move/save photo to iPhone’s picture library, 4)copy/move photo to Instax app, 5) print to Instax printer.

With the Sofort 2 it appears to be:  1) make a photo with an M, SL,, CL, Q, 2) send to the Leica Fotos app, 3)print to Sofort2

For me it’s all about efficiency (especially working on the street) as  I want to get the print out quickly (to give to someone) and with the least burden. 

 

 

.

Edited October 6, 2023 by RMF

[rjans]

7 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

In fairness to Leica (and Fuji), I don't think these cameras are aimed at providing the most efficient or high quality way to transmit images. I think they are about fun, and the fact that it is lofi is kind of the point. Just a camera that you can grab and instantly have a print. For me at least, the original version is the more appealing execution of this concept, but I am sure there will be a couple of Leica photographers who find it fun to occasionally print out a instant film shot from whatever other camera they have via Leica Fotos.

I did watch the video, and one thing he pointed out which I thought was smart of him is that Fuji is subsidizing the costs of their instax cameras because they are making more money on the film. The same disposable razor, inkjet printer concept. Lower the cost of the initial machine, but then make it back in the ink/razors etc. Leica does not have that luxury, so they have to cover their costs with the camera alone, or at least with their limited offerings of film.

I agree that an instant camera is about fun. The first Sofort replaced my Fujifilm mini 90 just because I preferred the handling. Leica did some changes that did not require to go through the menu system with flash off in landscape mode and although also plastic, it was a better build quality compared to the mini 90 from Fujifilm. A hybrid like the Sofort 2 saves money on film when only printing the good pictures but on the other hand you lose the magic of instant photography (I also own the mini Evo). Instax is for Fujifilm a huge cash cow. Early September they announced an investment to increase production of instax film with 20% and there has already been an increase of 20% in 2022.

The Sofort 2 is based on the mini Evo and the price is almost the double of the mini Evo. Leica indeed must make profit in selling the cameras and the production cost will be higher because of the different design and compared to the mini Evo less units produced. Also the Sofort is more a luxury device at higher price. Looking at the press pictures I noticed no screws visible on the body of the Sofort 2, just like with the first Sofort, so I presume the (also plastic) build quality will be at a higher level. 
I don’t know yet if I will replace the mini Evo but once they are available at the dealer I will take a look. To end, these are not serious cameras but can be great fun to use and also used as a printer from pictures on the smartphone even if transferred from a digital camera.

Best

Best

Edited October 6, 2023 by rjans

[Anbaric]

6 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

I did watch the video, and one thing he pointed out which I thought was smart of him is that Fuji is subsidizing the costs of their instax cameras because they are making more money on the film. The same disposable razor, inkjet printer concept. Lower the cost of the initial machine, but then make it back in the ink/razors etc. Leica does not have that luxury, so they have to cover their costs with the camera alone, or at least with their limited offerings of film.

I imagine Leica are getting a good deal from Fuji on the cameras too. After all, Fuji are still getting paid for every film pack, whether you buy the Fuji or Leica branded stuff - it's all made by Fuji. The elevated retail price of the Sofort is just what Leica consider the market will bear, just like the other badge-engineered products they've been selling since they rebranded some of the Minolta zooms as R lenses. It's the same with the older compacts made by Panasonic, the SL lenses made by Sigma, and presumably the UV filters made by whoever. There may well be some additional costs in tweaking these products for the Leica market, but I'd be very surprised if the mark-up that comes with the red dot isn't substantially more than their less prestigious partners are able to charge under their own names.

[rjans]

57 minutes ago, RMF said:

Yes, but to me it seems the workflow for that is burdensome : I don’t own the Fuji Instax or looked at their app, but wouldn’t it require a couple extra steps in the workflow to print an Leica M, SL, Q, CL photo using a Fuji Instax printer?

Please correct me but it appears that the workflow with an Fuji Instax printer to print a Leica M photo via an Apple phone would be: 1) make a photo with an M, SL,, CL, Q, 2) send to the Leica Fotos app, 3) copy/move/save photo to iPhone’s picture library, 4)copy/move photo to Instax app, 5) print to Instax printer.

With the Sofort 2 it appears to be:  1) make a photo with an M, SL,, CL, Q, 2) send to the Leica Fotos app, 3)print to Sofort2

For me it’s all about efficiency (especially working on the street) as  I want to get the print out quickly (to give to someone) and with the least burden. 

 

 

.

I know that with the instax mini Evo App you first have to get the pictures of a camera on the iPhone library. I already did this with my Leica C typ 112 and M8. For the latter by using a little FotoFast device. Afterwards  you can print on the Evo using the Evo App. As far as I understand with the Sofort 2 this should be possible direct with/from the Leica Fotos App. I only have a D-Lux 7 and C-Lux that can be used with the Fotos App. 

Best

Edited October 6, 2023 by rjans

[rjans]

One more thing, the Sofort 2 has a magnetic lens cap. I’m sure that you can buy another replacement Leica lens cap if it gets lost. The mini Evo does not come at all with a lens cap and finding a good matching one takes time and after longer use it just falls off.

Also to mention is the USB-C charging instead of the micro USB on the Evo and the tripod mount is at the bottom in landscape mode on the Sofort 2. It’s easier in use even in portrait mode compared to the tripod mount on the Evo in portrait mode. Same counts for the first Sofort compared to mini 90. But that’s just my own experience that may differ from other users. I also have no need for the shutter button on the front intended for use in portrait mode. That also my own personal vision.

Best

[Bear]

28 minutes ago, rjans said:

One more thing, the Sofort 2 has a magnetic lens cap. I’m sure that you can buy another replacement Leica lens cap if it gets lost. The mini Evo does not come at all with a lens cap and finding a good matching one takes time and after longer use it just falls off.

Also to mention is the USB-C charging instead of the micro USB on the Evo and the tripod mount is at the bottom in landscape mode on the Sofort 2. It’s easier in use even in portrait mode compared to the tripod mount on the Evo in portrait mode. Same counts for the first Sofort compared to mini 90. But that’s just my own experience that may differ from other users. I also have no need for the shutter button on the front intended for use in portrait mode. That also my own personal vision.

Best

Oh good call out on USB-C. That alone is worth the price difference to me lol. I absolutely hate carrying extra cables. 

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Hallo,

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[Anbaric]

It looks like the mini Evo also switched to USB-C partway through production ('in transition to since manufacturing of mini Evo brown').