Jollylook - Cardboard Instax KS

[ciniframe]

Yeah, a lot of backers are posting in the KS comments section that they have shipping notices. So finally, just maybe, they will fulfill a statement in Update #21, that they intend to complete backers rewards "in the next two months". I guess that means 'by the end of August 2018'.
Given their track record, I'll believe it when it happens.

A couple of months ago they made noises that they already have other Instax camera's in the works. Given the secretive and arrogant manner they treated (ignored) backer questions about this campaign I don't think I chance any other KS campaign they open.

 

[Oren Grad]

The package just arrived.

 

[ciniframe]

The package just arrived.

When you get a chance to examine the camera I'd be very interested in your evaluation of the developing mechanism. When and if I get mine my main interest is using the developing unit and crank to construct a camera with a better lens. (I'll bet a lot of backers have the exact same idea.)

 

[Oren Grad]

OK, re the camera as a whole we're talking one seriously chintzy piece of "hardware".

The film holder/development hardware is not separable from the camera body as a self-contained unit - on a first glance, either you extract the frame/crank/rollers from the camera body and put into some other light-tight box, or else you can rip the bellows out of the camera and build a new front on to the cardboard box that constitutes the camera body. Not clear how durable the crank and roller parts will be.

 

[ciniframe]

OK, re the camera as a whole we're talking one seriously chintzy piece of "hardware".

The film holder/development hardware is not separable from the camera body as a self-contained unit - on a first glance, either you extract the frame/crank/rollers from the camera body and put into some other light-tight box, or else you can rip the bellows out of the camera and build a new front on to the cardboard box that constitutes the camera body. Not clear how durable the crank and roller parts will be.

That is disappointing news. Sounds like a wasted $48 from what you say. Oh well, I've wasted more money than that on KS crap. This is my last KS campaign, just don't have the income for this kind of junk. Any future photographic purchase will be for already developed and tested stuff. But at this time of life, most likely film, paper, and chems.

 

[Oren Grad]

Well, at the "early bird" prices on KS, and taking into account that a cartridge of film was included, I'm satisfied that I'll get my money's worth in entertainment value from it. But now that I've seen it in the flesh, at the retail prices that have been mooted I don't think it's worth it, even for hacking - better to buy a cheap Instax Mini camera, or one of the Lomo backs, and work from that.

 

[ciniframe]

Well, I guess what they say (whoever 'they' are) is true. 'Hardware is hard'.
But I'll wind up using several parts from the camera . That is, if it ever arrives, looks like they might need a large chunk of the second 2000 to replace the first 2000 that were DOA.
If I were going to get a Fuji camera to modify, I'd definitely go for Instax Wide. I've seen several conversions using press camera lenses and after market focusing mounts.

 

[Meyer Trioplan]

I had a chance to examine one that a friend of mine was lucky enough to have shipped to him from his KS backing. He backed earlier than I did so I'm still in the waiting queue.

Thoughts - Overall it's neat and the packaging is nice, but it does become evident that it has some build issues.
For starters, even after using the shaping tubes that are shipped with it, you still feel the need to keep them in order to keep the lens standard parallel with the film plane. The lack of any mechanism to keep the fold out portion perpendicular to the camera body is a bad omission. A pair of curved snap guides connecting the inside of the case with the fold out board to assure this would have been a much better solution.
We had to do some manipulation to the slot with scissors before the camera would properly extract the dark slide, then a few more tries with the crank as well as opening the back to push the film forward before it got in the cycle of properly extracting film. Once done, the roller mechanism does work great to smoothly develop the film with no light spots.
The shutter in our initial tries was very fidgety. When I get mine, I'll likely go through the motions to test it more thoroughly. Of 7 tries to get an image, two came out unexposed, from apparent hiccups with the shutter.
Using the bulb setting wide open in testing, which is also sort of tricky, we could see that the lens opening wasn't very well centered with the lens. This doesn't seem to have a huge impact on image quality - after all it's a meniscus lens, but it was noticeable.
The whole weight in the foil sleeve approach to change shutter speeds doesn't seem too practical in use. The sleeve doesn't always retain its shape, so I can see the exercise getting tiring and people electing to stick with one speed.
The bellows actually seem very well made and there was no evidence of issues with them.

All told, I'm still glad I bought one even if I'm still waiting for mine, though I wouldn't pay much more than I did for one. We did get a few decent results in toying with it, and I like the close focus ability and the resulting blurring of the background that you don't see with a typical Instax and its "pan-focus" approach. As to hacking, I plan to actually put a few small size plates from J. Lane in mine to do some time exposures to see what I can get.

 

[ciniframe]

There are already many reports in the KS comments section of faulty cameras right out of the box. If this is typical, and it may be, then high backer numbers may never get their cameras. They will use up all available cameras to replace bad ones. (Which will themselves be bad).
there is one other possibility. The first 2000 tested cameras were sent to dealers, then they got in a hurry and sent out untested cameras to backers, just to get them off their back.
I have a feeling that this whole project is going down in flames.
If I ever get mine, I'll just rip the lens off, try to salvage the developing unit and drop the rest in the garbage. Then buy one of those $56 Fuji Instax Mini 9 from B&H. Maybe I can use the Fuji a bit then hack a useable lens/shutter on it.

 

[Meyer Trioplan]

Just read through those comments and admit they are very concerning, though there are certainly some examples of some who don't seem to want to do much in focus estimation or exposure calculation on a media with narrow latitude, which contributes to the negative feedback.

My expectation of ever getting a unit is maybe 50/50, but if I do, I'll likely try to give it a go as built, and then consider a mod of my own built upon the body, but possibly improving the bottom fold out plate and altering the lens board to be able to accept a Copal/Compur 00 so that a lens could be loaned from a full frame 127 folder.