Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner Preview

Lomography wanted their users to easily bridge the gap between their analogue films and the digital social media we almost all use. The idea was for a personal film scanner that used the camera in your mobile phone incorporated with a film feed mechanism and a light source.



Of course getting an idea to market is tricky for anyone and in Lomo's budget accessible market space the only solution that made sense and drew on the wide Lomo fan base was a crowd sourced project with masses of interested parties pledging funds to see the development take place. Smart investors would also see that this Lomo device scans any processed 35mm film into a mobile phone, and the promised support for iPhones and Android devices would make this a compelling accessory for sharing the neat image approaches that Lomography cameras bring to photography.  So the Kickstarter Lomo project was born just two months ago, the scanner is now ready and the phone app is being finished off as you read this – see their micro site for updates.



So running off 2 AA batteries this device just clips together and you're ready to go, if your phone supports macro mode then you can even remove a few of the mid sections and zoom into the frame to capture even more of the analogue negative detail that make the Lomo photos what they are. Of course, the App inverts the negative and gives you the digital image which you can stitch into panoramas if you want and then share on Facebook or twitter as you like. It also apparently animates 35mm analogue movies shot using the Lomography LomoKino camera, though I did not get to see that at the Lomo breakfast event this Tuesday in their London store.


I have to mention the Lomo store – they are veritable hives of interest and well worth a visit if you are near one. It's an art and gadget experience you have to see to believe with its quirky shops, display walls, crazy fun cameras and helpful staff. It’s a fun visit even if you don't want to buy anything! It certainly made me feel that the analogue film world was accessible to me when I wanted to try it out.

For more on Lomography see their website. To buy the scanner in the UK for £49 see their shop.

Article by JackAllTog (Stuart Fawcett)