ptpdprinter
Veteran
The lens may be better, but the limitation is the format and film. I'm not sure I get what else the camera brings to the table.
The lens may be better, but the limitation is the format and film. I'm not sure I get what else the camera brings to the table.
But are the results serious (or only in theory)? Genuinely curious...
I have a perfectly good rangefinder that took large photos on Fuji instant film, the Polaroid 250. It cost me about $20. Worked ok until Fuji discontinued their film. I wouldn't risk $1000 on a film format that might become obsolete at Fuji's whim.
That depends on what you consider "serious", the reason to use the camera. I don't know what "serious" results are. For sure, it's not a professional camera going to be used to do assignments... unless they are very unusual assignments.
I wouldn't risk $1000 on a film format that might become obsolete at Fuji's whim.
But... I'm talking about the Instax Mini. Not sure how much of a seller the wide is, especially seeing how incredibly ugly Fuji's Wide camera offering is. The Minis are cute, in many colours and include the retro one that Leica uses as a basis for the Sofort.
BUT, if you can afford the outlay, longer term you can get free film is you share 4 of your shots from the pack via Instagram. My guess is they want rights to use them. So keep your GREAT stuff and share the OK stuff.
Can't really blame Fuji alone for killing instant film, as over a decade ago the demand for instant cameras and Polaroid was dying due to digital cameras.
From what I read, Instax Wide was available either late 90s or early 2000s but couldnt sell them outside of Japan due to legal restriction from Polaroid.
Polaroid going bankrupt may have opened the way for Fuji to make Instax Wide and Instax available to the rest.
On a YT interviews with Gary Ho (found of Mint), he was asked why he decided to go with Fujifilm Instax Wide and the reason was because he felt Fuji Instax had more longevity than Polaroid/Impossible Project.
Take note that MINT also made a Instax TLR and Polaroid P&S
Average price in CAD$ seems to be as follow
Fuji FP-100c (10 prints) - $39.99
Polaroid 600 B&W (8 prints) - $27.99
Fuji Instax Wide (20 prints) - $19.99
Fuji Instax (10 prints) - $9.99
Main reason I never got into Instant Film was because they are really expensive.
I currently have a Instax Neo Classic that I use to document our little one and long-exposure landscape, great little camera but I find the print to be small hence why I want an Instax Wide camera with manual controls (shutter speed and aperture changeable, Bulb mode).
A roll of Ektar 100 120 is $10 here, then another $10 to get it developed will yield me 12 6x6 shots.
A box of Instax Wide is $20 and will yield me 20 prints.
So shooting instax wide will be cheaper than 120 in the long run 🙂
I don't think FP-100C belongs on this list. It's discontinued, so quite a bit more expensive than when it was in production, almost 2x. It would definitely be foolish to build a new camera system on this format.
Instax wide is in my opinion a very reasonable platform to build on versus Polaroid/Impossible. But it's still at the mercy of a single manufacturer and thus a single point of failure. Relying on proprietary film in a $900 camera makes me nervous.
Imagine, a brand new folder that shot 120 and was reasonably priced! The plastic wouldn't have bothered me a bit.