There’s a trend going around on social media for adding fake film edges on digital photos – but a new remake of a popular camera is meant to not only keep the full, authentic film frame, but also use every millimeter of film for the photo down to the edges. The Lomography Sprocket Rocket is a compact camera that shoots panoramic images so wide that it’s meant to shoot right through that iconic film border.
Any 35mm film camera can retain that iconic border with the sprocket holes and film name without digital fakery – just ask the lab to include the film rebate or full frame in the scans. (Or, of course, scan your own film).
But what’s unusual about the Sprocket Rocket is that those iconic edges are actually part of the photo. Instead of the classic black border, the camera shoots right through to the edges of the frame, so the sprocket holes go right through the image. The camera is built to shoot 3:1 panoramic photos on 35mm film rolls, shooting 18 exposures per roll instead of the more traditional 36.
The Lomography Sprocket Rocket isn’t new – the original launched in 2011 as the first wide-angle 35mm camera meant to use those sprockets. But Lomography has refreshed the camera with two new space-inspired models, the Starlight and Ultra Violet, bringing a catchy metallic silver and deep purple to the camera.
Like the original, the new Sprocket Rockets are fully mechanical cameras, with no batteries required. The manual wind also has a reverse gear, allowing photographers to re-shoot a roll for surprise double exposures.
The camera uses a 30mm lens that can shoot at f/10.8 or f/16. Shutter speed can be set to 1/100 or bulb, with a hot shoe slot to add in an external flash.
And while the Sprocket Rocket is meant to take full advantage of those film sprockets, an optional frame insert helps photographers frame the shot with a clean border when desired.
The new color options come in at the same price point as the original – $69 / £45 / AU$69 / CA$69.
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Read the original Sprocket Rocket review, or browse the best 35mm film to load inside.
