Leica Sofort (Original) Instant Film Camera Review

Yes. Leica Sofort (original) is an excellent Instax camera. And it just so happens to be the cheapest¹ Leica-branded film point-and-shoot.

Unlike the newer Sofort 2, the original exposes the film directly, like the Instax Mini 90, among others. In fact, Fujifilm made both of these cameras; Leica had only supplied design upgrades and branding².

So why did I buy the Sofort?

On our trip to Mexico, my partner’s ten-year-old Instax Mini 90 stopped working, and, unfortunately, it’s much more expensive to repair than to buy a new one. Having already spent a bunch on the trip, I looked for something relatively cheap that matched the features of a camera she loved, but in an updated package.

There are lots of great options for Instax film, but as it goes with used cameras, nothing new can match the value and price of a good thrifted model. The Instax Mini 90 features autoexposure, exposure compensation, double-exposure, macro mode, and a built-in flash, with a proven track record of predictable results. Leica Sofort shares those specs in a more visually appealing design with a slightly different control layout. The Sofort is about $50 more than the Mini 90, which felt reasonable.

It was an easy decision — and an affordable one as well.

¹ — Used camera prices can fluctuate and trend in various directions. At the time of this writing, the Leica Sofort 1 was either the cheapest or the second-cheapest camera after the Leica R-series SLRs and cheap point-and-shoots like the C2 and the C11.

² — Like many other companies, Leica sometimes places its logo onto products made by others. The Instax Mini 90, manufactured by Fujifilm, is an example of such a practice, which I would argue worked out in this case.

In this review: Technical specifications. Direct exposure vs. digital prints. Print and image quality. Flash. Double-exposures and other features. Build quality. Design and ergonomics. How much does the Leica Sofort cost, and where to find one. Support this blog & get premium features with GOLD memberships!

Technical specifications.

Film format: Instax Mini.

Lens: Leica Automatik-Hektor 𝒇12.7 60mm (34mm equiv).

Focusing: Zone-focusing with three settings: 60cm to 3m (2’-10’), 30cm-60cm (1’-2’, macro), and 3m-∞.

Viewfinder: Optical with 0.37x magnification.

Shutter: 1/400 to 1/8 sec, bulb mode.

Metering: Autoexposure with optional -0.7 to 0.7 EV compensation.

Batteries: 1x BP-DC17 (rechargeable, included).

Flash: Built-in flash.

Features: Self-Timer (2 or 10 sec), tripod thread, various shooting modes, including double-exposure and selfie mode.

Dimensions: 124mm × 94mm × 58mm (4.8” × 3.7” × 2.3”) 306g (10.8oz).

Direct exposure vs. digital prints.

Some of the newer Instax film cameras, including the Leica Sofort 2, use a small digital sensor to capture the scene before activating a built-in film printer to produce a physical Polaroid-style photo. However, that is not how these cameras worked historically.

The advantages of using a digital sensor intermediary are its size and the option to preview and edit images before they are printed.

Because the sensors these cameras use are so small, the lenses don’t need to protrude far from the body to focus. And since the images are captured digitally, you can add effects and select which photos get printed.

The downsides of using a digital sensor instead of exposing film directly via the lens include limited resolution and editing tools that increase navigation complexity. There are more menus to go through and more choices to make before an image is made.

I prefer the simplicity of the lens exposing the film directly. Which is exactly how the original Sofort works.

Print and image quality.

Instax Mini is a credit-card-sized integral instant film that you can pocket or share as soon as it comes out of the camera. It develops for about a minute, fading from white into a complete image, like magic.

If you enlarge one of those prints, you may notice some softness and other mild technical imperfections. That will be the case with all integral instant film prints, as the protective plastic layers reduce clarity and the instant film chemistry tends to spread more than it does on regular film. The upside of this medium is the completely grainless³ texture, even at the ISO 800.

³ — Instant film is a grainless medium, thanks to the development process that facilitates direct molecule migration between the layers instead of agitation in a tank (Light and Film, 1970).

Instax is a high-contrast film with well-balanced midtones. This means that it can be easily overexposed or underexposed — sometimes both at once! — due to its limited dynamic range, yet it produces natural-looking results under the right conditions. Thankfully, the Sofort has a good light meter that can make the most of this film’s strengths.

The colour accuracy of the Instax Mini film is very good. It works well with portraits and objects that need to remain true to life. The blacks are dark and well-balanced; the highlights are true. The skin tones on Instax render in pastels, a slightly lighter, less saturated gamut that smooths out tiny blemishes for a flattering impression without any filters.

The Leica Automatik-Hektor 1:12.7/60 lens on the Sofort has good flare control — so you can shoot against the sun without leaving too many distractions in your prints. It adds a good amount of contrast and definition without noticeable geometric distortions. My partner says that the Sofort makes clearer macro shots than the Mini 90 — but watch for parallax error, since the viewfinder is to the side of the lens. (The solution for the parallax issue is to compose through the finder, then reframe by watching the lens barrel itself and where it points.)

The 60mm lens is equivalent to 34mm on a full-frame camera. In other words, it’s fairly wide but not so much that it can’t spot details in the distance.

One last thing to know about the lens on Sofort is that it uses a zone-focusing system. By default, it will keep everything from 60cm to 3m (2’-10’) in focus, but you will need to set it to the landscape mode (3m and beyond) by twisting the ring around the lens base or switch to macro via the menu on the back. The difference between those modes is slight, so if you forget to change your focus, the mistake may not be noticeable in print.

Flash.

Flash is a very useful feature on Sofort, or any Instax camera for that matter. While the film itself is very sensitive to light, fill flash can make a big difference in daylight when you photograph against the light; with the flash on, you can illuminate your subject while the rest of the scene remains bright.

The Sofort will let you use flash in macro and default focus settings, but not in landscape, as it won’t reach further than 3m/10’.

The flash is very bright! If you’re using your camera in a dimly-lit setting, you may want to warn your subjects; in daylight, it won’t be as noticeable.

Double-exposures and other features.

The Sofort comes with an array of additional features, including double-exposures, exposure compensation, and bulb mode. These features were part of the reason I chose this camera, as my partner likes the option of using them. It’s fun to try different things with film.

Double-exposures can be some of the most interesting things you can do with this film and the camera. They work by overlaying two images on film in-camera (on Sofort, you can activate this mode by selecting the “squares” on the LCD menu). Good results can take practice, but when they work, they can be both satisfying and surreal.

Build quality.

Leica Sofort is mostly made of plastic and electronic components. It’s well-built, quiet, and reasonably sturdy. It does not feel cheap, though I wouldn’t compare it to Leica rangefinders, which cost several times as much.

As with the Instax Mini 90, I expect the Leica Sofort to last a decade. The rechargeable battery on my old camera has proven to be useful despite the years, while the internal components could be sensitive to being dropped or other sorts of rough handling.

Like any other camera, it should be handled with care.

Design and ergonomics.

Leica Sofort features well-laid-out, simple controls. It works out of the box: you can snap images with just the shutter button as soon as you unpack it.

The viewfinder is a little small, but it’s very bright and still usable with glasses.

As on the ‘90, you’ll find a small selfie mirror on the front of the camera. A corresponding selfie mode will set the “arm’s length” distance to ensure appropriate focus.

Any changes to focus or shooting modes will reset after the camera powers off.

I like how the various modes are all selectable via neat square buttons at the back, in contrast to the Instax Mini 90, which had more buttons and screens without actually needing them all.

Leica designed this camera in several colours with leather-like accents. They went with a boxy look, which I think works very well for this package. Despite being functionally similar to the Mini 90, manufactured by the same company (Fujifilm), the Sofort has cleaner lines, is easier to use, and looks more fun.

How much does the Leica Sofort cost, and where to find one.

As of this writing, Leica Sofort cameras sell for an average of $200-300, depending on condition and colours. You may be able to find one for less — see this guide on how to get better deals on eBay.

Both Sofort 1 and 2 are easy to spot online, and there may be even some stores that still stock these cameras new. I got mine with the original box and packaging for $240.

❤ By the way: Please consider making your Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera purchase using this link so that this website may get a small percentage of that sale — at no extra charge for you — thanks!