With digital photography now ubiquitous and completely integrated into our everyday lives through smartphone camera technology, photography has become a daily act for almost everybody. The digital nature of smartphone photography, however, leaves many individuals wanting a more tactile, tangible memory in the form of a real, printed image. The process of analogue photography takes some time though, and with several days between capture and development, many photographers used to the instant gratification of digital photography get their analogue kick through the use of instant print cameras.
The Fujifilm INSTAX Mini 8 Instant Camera is one of the best modern instant cameras available on the market today, offering the ease of use of digital photography through a completely analogue capture and printing method. Available in seven different colors, the INSTAX mini 8 offers a bevy of features unique to Fujifilm, beating out other popular instant camera solutions such as Polaroid in price and quality. Offering instant photo development for sharing memories amongst friends in a retro, analogue format, the INSTAX Mini 8 Instant Camera is a unique, innovative twist on the instant print variety of cameras.
What is the INSTAX Mini 8 Instant Camera
The INSTAX Mini 8 Camera is Fujifilm’s answer to the well known pop culture icon of the Polaroid Instant Camera. Superior in many ways including (but not limited to) price and film affordability, the INSTAX offers a wide range of advantages over the traditional Polaroid. With an auto flash and autofocus ability, the INSTAX Mini 8 takes bold, vibrant pictures in any lighting scenario, with no need to fiddle with lenses and aperture settings.
Complete with a brightness adjustment dial that delivers control over exposure levels, the INSTAX Mini 8 camera allows photographers to set brightness adjustment settings to a high key mode that creates images with a softer impression. With four brightness settings- Indoors, Cloudy, Sunny and Very Sunny, the INSTAX Mini 8 offers a complete range of lighting settings that prevents the brightness washout common in other instant camera solutions.
A high speed 1/60 second shutter ensures every instant is captured by the INSTAX Mini 8 without motion blur, one of the fastest shutter speeds available on the instant camera market. A built in lens cover protects the lens array, automatically opening when the camera is turned on. The lens array itself is a variant of the highly praised Fujinon Lens, a high precision lens with a small form factor that is used in all kinds of applications from satellites to mobile phone cameras and broadcast lenses. Powered by two AA batteries, the INSTAX Mini 8 is a retro throwback instant camera with modern, cutting edge photography abilities.
One of the key advantages of the INSTAX Mini 8 over other instant camera solutions such as the Polaroid Instant Camera is the low price point of instant film for the Mini 8. Instant camera film is commonly known as expensive, and with Polaroid camera film priced at an average of $15 USD for just 10 images, the price point for an individual photo can be quite high. The INSTAX Mini 8 uses Instax Mini film, priced at an average price point of just $16 for 20 sheets, almost half the price of polaroid prints at 80c US per print, a massive advantage over the Polaroid.
Fujifilm INSTAX Mini 8 Instant Camera Pricing & Availability
The best price online for the INSTAX Mini 8 is found on Amazon, at just $59.99 USD. If you’re looking for a high quality, feature rich instant camera, the Mini 8 is the most cost effective solution available.
