Chinese camera startup Nons has come out with its second camera. The Nons SL660 is an interchangeable lens SLR with a Canon EF mount, and uses the widely available Fujifilm Instax Square Film.
Thanks to 147 backers on Kickstarter its predecessor, the Instax Mini-based Nons SL42, was made possible. Building on its success, the new SL660 will cost $599 (approximately £537 / AU$953) and uses the larger Square film format. Optics inside the camera enable any full-frame EF lens attached to be enlarged to medium format, so that its imaging circle fills the entire film area.
The featured Canon EF mount is 'passive' with no electronic contacts, so older Canon vintage optics with manual focus and aperture rings are ideal. While the native mount is EF, you can easily use other optics with adapters for Nikon F, M42, Pentax K / PK and Contax-Yashica / CY, which can be bought as a bundle with the camera. There's also a Nons 50mm f/1.8 lens that can be purchased for an additional $50 (£45 / AU$80).
When it came to the choice of lens, Nons had this to say: "The vignetting size is highly subject to the optical structure of the lens. Based on our tests, lenses between 28mm-58mm focal length would perform better. Lenses with longer back focal length (such as telephoto lens and medium format lens) tend to get smaller image field and might have a square shape vignetting."
Nons is said to have improved craftsmanship with the new SL660. The main body is now made from CNC-anodized aluminum alloy, and the speed dial is made of stainless steel that has a polished finish. The shutter speed dial can be set between 1/250 sec to 1 sec , it can also be put into bulb mode, and there is also a hot shoe for external flash, which works with flash sync.
The reflex mirror has also been redesigned to achieve a smaller form factor than the previous SL42, but also to achieve shorter shutter delays. A wooden handle is featured to improve comfort and handling when handholding.
The Nons SL660 also features an integrated 3200mAh Li-Ion battery that charges via USB-C. It's claimed to last for 100 shots on a single charge, and is compatible with USB power banks. Film development takes around three minutes.
Having achieved its ¥5 billion target ($33,000 / £29,600 / AU$52,400) the Nons SL660 will be making its way to market soon. Visit the crowdfunding page or the official website for more info.
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