Fuji instax wide?

[PrestonR]

Hello RFFers,

Ive been throwing around the idea of getting into more instant photography with an instax wide 210. I shot a couple packs of impossible Polaroid 600 and it was fun but in my mind I was visualizing my money in a ball of flames. Fuji instax seems like a cheaper way to go.

What are your experiences with fuji instax cameras and film? What would you recommend?

 

[jloden]

I have the Instax Wide 210 and use it for family snaps and goofing around. Also use the SP-1 mini printer to print Instax either from my phone or my X100T, which I can heartily recommend.

I like the Instax film and *love* being able to make instant prints, but I have to say I really wish Fuji would make two things: a Instax Wide format printer, and a camera body that actually has manual controls. The Instax 210 (like all of Fuji's Instax line I believe) is all auto all the time, with next to no control.

I would be 100x happier with it if I could control my own exposures. Even a sync port or jack for a flash would be a huge improvement, so I could use some off-camera flash or a flash unit with bounce. As it stands, you're relegated to either shooting in bright sunlight or using on-camera flash in all-auto mode. Fine for what it is, but it's also why it's more of a fun party toy than anything else for me right now.

 

[jloden]

Addendum: I haven't used one so no experience but I do know Lomo has a manual Instax camera now:

http://shop.lomography.com/en/cameras/lomo-instant-wide/lomo-instant-wide-black-single

Looks like more fun for the creative photographer to me... but it's also just shy of 3 x the price of the Fuji offering which is why I didn't bite on it myself.

EDIT: actually, looks like though it's billed as "manual" control it's really limited to bulb mode and a fixed shutter speed and two different f/stops. Still waiting on Fuji or someone to make a truly manual Instax camera for a reasonable cost!

 

[G Dogg]

Check out the new Lomo Wide, it uses Instax wide film, has a pc socket, and allows for some minor adjustments. I look for the day that Fuji makes a more manual controlled camera for the Instax film. I just received mine.

 

[KRaZiGLiTcH]

I have the Instax Wide 210 and use it for family snaps and goofing around. Also use the SP-1 mini printer to print Instax either from my phone or my X100T, which I can heartily recommend.

I like the Instax film and *love* being able to make instant prints, but I have to say I really wish Fuji would make two things: a Instax Wide format printer, and a camera body that actually has manual controls. The Instax 210 (like all of Fuji's Instax line I believe) is all auto all the time, with next to no control.

I would be 100x happier with it if I could control my own exposures. Even a sync port or jack for a flash would be a huge improvement, so I could use some off-camera flash or a flash unit with bounce. As it stands, you're relegated to either shooting in bright sunlight or using on-camera flash in all-auto mode. Fine for what it is, but it's also why it's more of a fun party toy than anything else for me right now.

There are people that have modded the instax 210 with leaf shutter lenses with excellent results. I'm not sure of the price they sell them at though.

 

[mdwsta4]

I use both Instax mini and wide film and love them both. For mini, I have the SP1 printer which is AWESOME to use with both my X100t or my phone. This is my go-to travel companion and nearly 90% of the prints are given away to strangers or friends. Absolutely love this thing.

Also use the 210 camera which is really about the only option for wide film. I know there's a new version, but it's hardly updated for the difference in price. And I know lomo makes a wide camera with more manual controls, but images are considerably softer and more 'lomo-like' which I have no interest in and it's also more expensive.

I do wish Fuji would make a wide instant printer. To me, that would be the perfect situation and something I would use all the time. Hell, I'd even take a slightly more compact wide camera. A friend of mine recently visited and she took out her instax mini camera then saw my 210 and joked how it was the size of nearly 3 of her mini cameras!

Apart from the above complaints, the 210 is a pretty nice camera for what it is. It always defaults to close range (annoying) and the flash goes off most of the time (also annoying), but wide prints do have a much bigger impact than the mini prints. Lots of fun for parties, events, and stuff like that. It's just too big for me to travel with.

 

[MiniMoke]

As for an Instax camera with manual control, a nice lens and correct focussing check out the Mint Instantflex TL70 :

https://mint-camera.com/TL70

Pricier, and uses the Instax Mini format, but it looks nice.