“The Nons SL660 delivers a rewarding analog photography experience and beautiful images with retro charm.”
Pros
- Interchangeable lenses
- Excellent build quality
- Film photography is accessible
- Use it for fun
- Beautiful images delivered in unique and stunning ways
Cons
- Film is costly
- It is difficult to focus the correct amount of light and expose it correctly.
The Nons SL660, the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign is now a reality. This camera is a unique combination of an instax camera and the high-quality build quality combined with the flexibility of an interchangeable system.
As someone who grew up as a digital photographer, I’ve always envied the physicality of film, and have regretted that so many of my images are trapped on hard drives and memory cards. Printing at home can be a hassle, and ordering prints can be expensive. However, if you’re shooting rolls of film, then you’ve either got to develop it yourself or send it off to be printed. That’s where instant film comes in, and it offers an alternative that combines the immediacy of digital with the physical nature of film, while sidestepping the difficulties associated with actually getting your work printed.
Design and operation of the SL660 non-SL660
The SL660 is a chunky beast of a camera, but while it may be the size of a DSLR, it’s nowhere near as heavy to lug around. That’s because a film camera doesn’t need the heaps of electronics that are crammed inside your average digital camera, nor does it require a great big lithium-ion battery (though it does have a small one built-in). That’s not to say that it’s cheaply made, and in fact, it’s one of the more solidly built cameras I’ve used. The metal housing is rugged and comfortable, which is a refreshing change from modern cameras with plastic exteriors.
The controls may seem a bit alien to those more used to digital cameras, but it’s really quite straightforward. The back hatch can be opened to allow film cartridges and other accessories to be inserted. On the left side of your lens, the lever that engages mirror and arm the camera to take photos is found. You’ll want to wait to press this until you have identified the scene you’re going to shoot — otherwise, you may accidentally trigger the shutter. The shutter button is located to the right of the lens and operates as any camera’s shutter button would.
A cold shoe mount to hold accessories and a dial that allows you to select shutter speed are located on top of the camera. This screen displays information such as the number remaining shots, battery capacity and your lightmeter. The light meter measures the light levels and determines the F-stop you should use to expose the camera in the right direction. This camera can be used only with fully manual lenses, which have mechanical apertures that are controlled via a dial located on the lens.
You can use it with electronic aperture lenses. To set the aperture, mount the lens on a digital cam before you detach and mount the lens on your SL660. After it has been set using the digital cam, the electronic lens will maintain the preset aperture. While this is an effective workaround, it’s certainly something of a hassle.
The SL660 has the USB – C charging port, power switch and film eject buttons. After taking your shot, press the film eject butt and the SL660 will spit it out to the side. This will take a while for the photo develop. The exposed USB-C port in the camera and other unsealed openings make it difficult to use the camera in very light precipitation.
The SL660 was tested with the Nons 35mm f/2.4 lenses. You can also find adapters for different lens mounts such as Pentax K and M42 (Nikon F), Pentax K and Contax Yasica (Contax-Yashica).
Image quality and performance of Nons SL660
The SL660 would not be rated on image quality based only on the metrics of sharpness or other characteristics that define modern digital camera imaging perfection. The Fujifilm Instax Square film that the SL660 requires is what determines its imaging performance. This film isn’t high resolution, has very poor dynamic range, and a rather high ISO of 800. The camera also uses an integrated optic that converts 35mm format lenses to square format film. The shutter speed is also very slow at 1/250.
The upshot is that the SL660 is best used in low-contrast situations, and if you want to use wide-open aperture settings for glorious swirly bokeh, you’ll either need to shoot in dim lighting or use neutral density filters to darken the scene. Also, because of the nature of the film and the integrated lens system of the camera, don’t expect razor-sharp images out of the SL660.
When you and your camera work together, the apparent difficulties can be transformed into artistic elements.
It is imperative that all this information be understood from the beginning. The SL660 camera demands you to become familiar with its flaws and quirks. When you and the camera get along, the apparent difficulties become the ingredients for artistic style.
Images taken with the SL660 have a dreamy, aged appearance that I feel evokes a strange sense nostalgia. There’s also something really magical about seeing an image appear on paper in the moment after you’ve captured it. It’s also a compelling topic for sharing on social networks, as I found it very easy to capture a digital image of the Instax print and the location of the shot against an out-of-focus backdrop.
Nons SL660 performance
The SL660 was a great camera mechanically. Its controls are tactile and simple to use, and I find the sounds that result from the process of taking photos to be extremely enjoyable. A minor issue for me is that the built-in light meter seems a little unreliable, though that’s most likely due to my inexperience with light meters. It is best to aim your camera at different points within the scene you intend to photograph. This allows me to decide which settings will give the best results. The viewfinder’s small size made it difficult to focus accurately.
In regard to battery life, I received the camera partly charged, and didn’t bother to charge it before shooting. I have now taken approximately 30 photos and left the camera on several occasions. The camera shuts off after 10 minutes and does not seem to have run out of battery. Depending on how much you shoot, your experience may vary, but based on how I’ve been using the camera, I would be surprised if I needed to charge it once every three months.
Price and availability for Nons SL660
Starting at $600, the SL660 isn’t cheap. The SL660 is not cheap. You can get a 50mm f/1.8 lens for $50 and a 35mm f/2.4 lens for $110. A modern digital camera with more detail can be purchased for the same price. You could also get a Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo digital camera for $200. This can take digital photos, print Instax film images, and even act as a wireless Instax printer. However, the SL660 provides an experience that digital can’t replicate, and it’s a much higher-quality option with greater versatility than inexpensive Instax cameras.
Instax backs can also be used to convert professional medium format cameras into instant film. This will deliver higher-quality images and a better shooting experience than the SL660, but there you’re looking at spending hundreds of dollars for the back, body, and lens, potentially landing you well over $1,000. The biggest drawback to the SL660’s Instax Square film is its $20 price tag for two cartridges that each contain 10 shots. That means every time you click the shutter, you’re spending $1, and that’s particularly painful when you’re learning to use the camera and are making a lot of mistakes.
The Nons SL660 is a high-end instant movie experience.
The Nons SL660 was an amazing experience. It opened my eyes to the joy of shooting film and has allowed me to have physical copies of the images I take. My digital camera makes it easy to take photos. I don’t have to think about what I want to do before I start shooting. I can also download the images to my computer and may never see them again. I am able to slow down and compose every shot with the SL660. After I print the final images, it is a pleasure to flip through them and enjoy them immensely.
This camera is great for creating art and lasting memories without the confines of a computer hard disk. Even though I’m a professional photographer, I have the SL660 in my bag for those moments that I want to cherish. It’s not perfect by any means, but those flaws count more as character than cons. The only really unfortunate aspect of this camera is that the film it requires is so expensive, but that’s beyond the control of Nons.
If you love photography and are looking for an exciting new experience to inspire you and help you hone your skills, then the Nons SL660 is what you’re looking for.
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