Leica's first instant camera (2016) — Instax Mini film, 60mm f/12.7 lens, based on Fujifilm's Instax Mini 90.
The Leica Sofort, launched in November 2016, was Leica's first instant camera. It shoots Fujifilm Instax Mini film and is closely related to the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic, built by Fujifilm with Leica's own body design and firmware tweaks. It arrived in orange, white and mint finishes and was succeeded by the Leica Sofort 2 hybrid in 2023.
The lens is a 60mm f/12.7 (roughly 34mm equivalent on the Instax Mini frame) with a three-zone focus system: 0.3-0.6m macro, 0.6-3m close range and 3m to infinity. Shutter speeds run from 1/8 to 1/400s. Shooting modes include Automatic, Party & People, Sport & Action and Macro, plus multiple exposure, time exposure, self-timer and a self-portrait setting, with manual overrides for focus zone, flash and image brightness. Power comes from a rechargeable battery.
As an instant camera it is about the social, physical print rather than image quality, and the Sofort adds more creative control than most Instax bodies of its era. It suits parties, portraits and travel keepsakes. Buyers pay a clear Leica premium over the near-identical Fujifilm hardware, which is part of the appeal for some and a sticking point for others.
Instax Mini film remains in production and cheap, so usability is excellent. On a used example check that the film door and its light seals are sound, that a pack loads and ejects cleanly with an even developer spread, that the flash fires, and that the battery holds charge and the correct Leica charger or a USB charging solution is included. Cosmetic wear on the coloured shells is common.