Fujifilm's Instax cameras have been around for a while. They offer instant photo prints in pretty frames, replacing what Polaroid left behind. Over the years, the company has experimented with pastel color schemes, retro styles, hybrid digital and handheld photography, and even collaborations with Pokémon and Taylor Swift.
The new Instaxmini 99what was it tech-and-style-converge-with-fujifilms-instax-mini-99-instant-camera” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank” data-ylk=”slk:released this month;cpos:6;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “>released this month, comes in black. It looks more like my x-T2 and other Fujifilm models than a Polaroid. From a distance, it looks like an expensive digital camera, even though it costs only $200. However, when you get to handle it, you may be a little disappointed by its sticky structure. Still, there are parts where Fuji has lavished the camera with machined elements, such as a tripod stand converter and some of the controls.
With a matte finish, the Instax mini 99 looks more professional, even cooler, than most of its predecessors. While there are no hybrid digital camera features, it offers much more versatility than virtually any other instant camera.
There are plenty of controls here for an instant camera, including three shooting options with different focal lengths. You rotate the lens to switch between horizontal, macro, and standard settings, and each one is (thankfully) labeled with a distance marker so you can get a better look at your shot. While there is a viewfinder, it will not scale depending on the shooting mode. Again, let's not forget that this is an instant camera. That said, with the mini 99 you have access to filters and some basic exposure options.
These filters try to touch those fibers of nostalgia. Normal is the typical shooting mode and there is faded green, soft magenta, light blue, warm tones and of course sepia.
Meanwhile, light leak ruins your shots with the LEDs built inside the camera, adding a weathering effect to your photos as they are captured. What impressed me even more were even more shooting modes, adding the ability to capture double exposure shots, a manual vignette switch (which was almost always on when I was shooting), and even fill flash, red-eye removal options and automatic flash. . There's also a sports mode that attempts to prevent blur when capturing moving subjects. The photos weren't very sharp, but the mode seemed to capture things a little sharper than the automatic mode.
That's a lot for an instant camera, and I found that half the fun was experimenting with shooting modes and effects. While I wouldn't go so far as to call every shot a risk, it's been so long since I used film of any kind that every time I touched the shutter button (of which there are two), I tried harder. to perfect framing and composition, probably more than you would with digital.
Many of the photos I took (at a family birthday party with constantly moving babies and toddlers) were in ideal sunny outdoor lighting, but when I was indoors or in generally less-lit areas, I relied heavily on flash , which clouded many of the photos.
The learning curve is a little steep if you haven't owned an Instax in the last decade (or three). Each failed outlet costs approximately a dollar down the drain. But with each try, you start to measure the lighting and focal lengths better. An hour and ten photos later, I got nice shots of my nieces' birthday party, I even caught them looking at the camera at some points. In some photos it seemed to achieve the correct focal length, but that was the exception rather than the rule. Fortunately, half the appeal is the out-of-focus moments, off-center framing, and other happy accidents. Yo elected to apply a light leak effect – why should I complain if it's not as sharp as my iPhone 15 Pro?
There are a few things I'd love to see Fujifilm address if they try to create another premium Instax mini. First, add a small mirror to take pictures of yourself with the lens facing you. Many cameras offer a small mirrored surface so you can easily know that you are pointing in the right direction. A selfie attempt with my niece almost completely eliminated her from the shot. Additionally, to recharge the Instax mini 99, you must remove the battery and place it in the included charger with a USB cable. This is too complicated and Fujifilm should offer a simpler method in the future. Fortunately, I never had to recharge the camera as I captured over 20 shots.
The Instax mini 99 uses the same smaller Instax film as other models, but with more controls, options and effects, it makes good on its claim to be the premium instant camera. The film is still expensive, yes, and the device feels a bit cheap for the price, but it ultimately delivers satisfying instant photo moments.
