Admittedly, I fell victim to Fujifilm’s marketing strategy in purchasing my Instax Mini 8 just over one year ago. It was not the merit of the camera, nor the quality of its pictures, but the mere fact that it produced the most dandy little polaroids which led to my purchase. However, I have grown to love this little guy. In fact, I can now emphatically, and happily, claim that this impulse purchase has left me with zero buyer’s remorse.
Overall, taking pictures with the Instax Mini feels like a step-up from the average “point and shoot” disposable camera — with the added bonus of your finished product being in adorable polaroid form. There are two buttons: one which pops the Fujinon lens out from it’s built in cover and turns the camera on, and one which snaps the photo and activates the automatic flash. It has five unique exposure settings which can be changed by twisting a ring at the base of the lens. The camera will also guess which exposure to use, and tell you its opinion via a small LED light on top of the desired option.
Full Sun – An F32 exposure, best for use in bright and direct natural sunlight
Partial Sun – An F22 exposure, best for use outdoors when the sun is partly obscured
Shade – An F16 exposure, best for use outdoors in conditions with little direct lighting
Indoor/Night – An F12.7 exposure, makes for great shots with no natural light present
High Key – Makes bright, soft, low-contrast images, ideal for portrait shots with a solid background.
With a little getting used to (10 or so shots) this camera can actually produce a solid finished product. It’s important to note that the viewport is slightly above and right of the lens, and that the ideal range for shooting is 2-8 feet. This means that your selfies, though cute, might not come out as perfect as you’d hoped. Despite this, it brings an element of fun that simply doesn’t exist when someone whips out their iPhone for a few quick group selfs.
In short, I would definitely recommend the Fuji Film Instax Mini 8. It makes for great fun, and your finished shots can be displayed in many unique ways. Check out this video!