REVIEW: FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 8
Monday, March 16, 2015
I received the Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 for Christmas after lusting after it for probably about a year. This is the first and only instant camera I own, and honestly I couldn't have been more excited.
This is a very user friendly instant camera, I've looked at other ones that were just way too complex for someone who's extent of knowledge on photography doesn't go beyond shutter speed, aperture and the macro setting. All you have to do is turn it on using the little button on the right side of the lense, adjust the dial to suit the kind of environment you're in (inside, cloudy outside, sunny outside, bright outside. I've never used Hi-Key but according to the Fujifilm website it's for "a softer impression"...whatever that means) and then click the shutter button under the viewfinder and voilà! Your photo is being printed.
One of the biggest problems with this camera though, is how expensive the film is. I haven't bought film myself yet because I was gifted four boxes of ten along with the camera but I've looked it up online and it's pretty much a dollar per picture. I also don't really like how you can only load 10 photos...actually that might be a good thing because it reminds you how many photos you've been taking so you can't go crazy. Who can afford to go crazy when film is $10 for a pack of ten? Certainly not me.
I've seen people put electrical tape over the flash because it fires every time but I quite like how they look with flash. I think in a lot of situations putting tape over makes it too dark. These are two photos of my dog Sam taken minutes apart, the left has flash and in the right the flash was covered. He's not very photogenic, he's cuter in person I promise.
I really do love this camera. The picture quality is better than I expected for an $80 camera (at least that's what my parents paid, they were on sale, I've seen them for $100+) and I think their mini size is adorable. This camera is a hit with friends, they're all fascinated with it when I whip it out. There is a lot of pressure to get the photo just right the first time though. Like that selfie I took (of course I took one c'mon it's me we're talking about I had to) was accomplished on the first shot! I tried a second one to see if I could top it but I couldn't. I was so pleased after getting a photo of myself I liked after one try.
It's a really fun thing to have, if you can get over paying so much for film. That's all I find myself thinking about when taking photos with it, and the suspense kills me when I'm sat there waiting five minutes to find out if it was a good shot! But in the end, when you like the photo it's all worth it.
0 comments