Sprocket Rocket Red 2.0, a new analogue camera for panoramic photographs

At first sight it looks like a red submarine, a space ship or a futuristic vehicle which has nothing to do with a camera. Just released by Lomography, the Sprocket Rocket Red 2.0 is a new camera which looks to the past. Strictly analogue and cheap (69 euros), it only works with 35-mm film and is a full remake of the first Sprocket from 2011 in a playful fire-red colour.

It has, however, a couple of particular characteristics. The first is the possibility to print frames complete with the film’s sprocket holes. The image is in fact imprinted onto the entire film surface, guaranteeing the maximum possible format, while those little black holes contribute to producing an original and striking photograph.

Mounted on the camera is an ultra-wide-angle 30 mm lens with a viewing angle of 106 degrees. The resulting effect is a very wide image, which is accentuated by another characteristic. The Sprocket imprints two frames at a time, creating a 35 x 72 mm image, twice the normal size. In other words, a 36-frame film produces 18 shots.

There are two shutter speeds; N which is set at 1/100 of a second and B, or rather bulb, while the aperture is rather limited. It ranges in fact from f/10.8 to f/16, which makes it perfect exclusively in extremely bright light. The film can be used for endless superimposition. There is a dedicated knob on the left which allows for the same frame to be used over and over, creating effects. It isn’t easy to get used to, but after all, learning is half the fun.