Instax Square SQ10 thoughts

[Dinis Figueira]

Hi guy's,

So it was finally annouced. I know that until the next month no one knows how it works but how are you guy's reacting to it?
In my case I am a little disappointed. Yes it's square format but the price of the camera and the film?250 to 300$ and 17$ each pack. That gets me 20 instax mini photos or 15 wide photos here. And coupling digital with analog? For the price, it makes us having a good phone and buy a printer. I don't know how the market will react but with that price, I prefer upgrading to IP for the square pic.

What do you guy's think?

 

[Berri]

Hi guy's,

So it was finally annouced. I know that until the next month no one knows how it works but how are you guy's reacting to it?
In my case I am a little disappointed. Yes it's square format but the price of the camera and the film?250 to 300$ and 17$ each pack. That gets me 20 instax mini photos or 15 wide photos here. And coupling digital with analog? For the price, it makes us having a good phone and buy a printer. I don't know how the market will react but with that price, I prefer upgrading to IP for the square pic.

What do you guy's think?

It is a digital camera and a printer. I think it will sell very well.

 

[ciniframe]

Seventeen dollars for ten shots! Just lost me. This should cost no more than Instax Wide, current best price at B&H; 5 twin packs (100 exposures) $75 or 75 cents per shot. Even single pack Instax Wide is $12, but who would be foolish enough to buy it that way.

The camera price seems reasonable, but the film?

 

[Mastrianni]

I only want to cry. This is not an Instax camera. No light hits the "film",....only zero's and ones. And the image size is much smaller than the old Polaroids. No viewfinder, $280, $1.70 per image, 28mm equiv lens, 3.7mp digital chip. I don't see how even digital guys will like this. You can wirelessly print an iPhone pic for a lot less. IMHO,....Fail! Didn't Polaroid already do this with their Socialmatic? However, rumors say a non-digital version may be released. Who knows.

 

[AgX]

Of course light hits the film. But it made its way via a sensor, a digitizing unit, a de-digitizing unit to an exposure unit.

 

[AgX]

Strange enough no-one discussed the DOF issue yet.

 

[Mastrianni]

Strange enough no-one discussed the DOF issue yet.

The aperture only applies to a 1/4" CMOS sensor,....not the film size.

 

[AgX]

That is what I meant.
But the current Instax cameras are stopped down strongly anyway.

 

[ciniframe]

I backed that Kickstarter campaign 'Jollylook' for a cheap instant camera using Instax Mini film. I hope they will develop a similar camera for the square format film next. All I really need is the bracket w/roller and crank developing unit. This could be mated to a homebuilt camera using a medium format lens. True, the diagonal of 6X6 is 79mm and diagonal of this format is 87mm but I think a medium format lens should cover with just a bit more falloff. Or one could use a 105mm lens from a 6X9 folder, that is sure to cover the frame. The 105mm f4.5 Anaston from a Kodak 6x9 Tourist folder would be a bit narrow in angle of view but should be good in all other aspects. And, it has front cell focusing.

I think a 'box' camera, styled after 6x9 box cameras of the past would be a good seller.

 

[JIH04]

Hi Everyone,

I've been shooting instax for several years now. I have to admit, its a wonderful format. My only real quip, aside from how cool the colors tend to be, is the size of the photo. I shot the mini for a while, its far too small for my tastes. The square format seems to be too small for me as well. I love the wide format, but now that seems to be the black sheep of the family, the one kept inside the closet under the staircase. Not cute. I hope the wider format gets more love.

 

[darkosaric]

Welcome to APUG JIH04 !

 

[ciniframe]

I hope they don't discontinue the wide format. Here in the US you can buy exposures for 70 cents a shot, the Mini format is only a little cheaper. I have a feeling that once set up, the difference in price to make the different size formats is small, perhaps as small as 10~15%. I'm sure Fujifilm won't release any information to confirm or deny this speculation, why should they, but I'd sure like to know.

After the hoopla dies down I'd like to try this new format, but not at current per exposure cost of $1.70, if they can price it the same as the Wide format then OK.

 

[AgX]

After the hoopla dies down I'd like to try this new format, but not at current per exposure cost of $1.70, if they can price it the same as the Wide format then OK.

How would you try it out, when there is no camera to do so, maybe never will be?

 

[darkosaric]

Rumors are saying that Fuji will launch Square SQ10 camera - hybrid, and Square SQ - normal film camera like wide and mini.

 

[AgX]

But Fuji themselves only have it on the hybrid one so far.

 

[darkosaric]

Yes, my suspicion is that they want to start with SQ10, it is more expensive, and then after some time SQ will come, most probably in the same design as Wide 300 and Mini Neo 90. The costs for Fuji of designing such a camera is practically nothing.

 

[ciniframe]

How would you try it out, when there is no camera to do so, maybe never will be?

It would be possible if a third party brings out a developing unit for it, so that the unit could be mounted on a graflok system. That would provide for a lens of choice and and real manual control. Or, with a manual crank eject/developing unit I think I have the skills to build the rest of the camera, perhaps using a lens/shutter from a 6x9 folder with front cell focusing.
The diagonal of the new sq format is just shy of 88mm so a lens from a 6x9 would have enough coverage with a little to spare.
No, I would not consider Fuifilm's camera, I'd rather spend the $300 on a built up camera with full manual control.
Another thing, once Fujifilm ramps up production of this film then they will need more camera options available to attract customers. Something in the under $100 range.

 

[Curlypengling]

It is a digital camera and a printer. I think it will sell very well.

I dislike the digital camera part but hey to each there own