New and improved instant film cameras by Mint, Fujifilm and Lomography

[Angarian]

Hi guys,

it looks like there is some new momentum in introduction of new instant film cameras to the market:
Last year the very good and quite sophisticated Polaroid I-2.

And this year we have so far 4 more cameras, one by Mint, two by Fujifilm, and one (just today) by Lomography.

Mint: TL 70+ for instax square film:


Fujifilm:
1. The new instax mini 99 offers several new and interesting features. The most sophisticated and feature-rich Fujifilm instax mini camera so far. And it looks like also improved sharpness:


2. The new instax Wide 400 unfortunately does not follow that path. It is again a quite simple camera:

An additional Fujifilm wide camera with more advanced features would be very good.

But fortunately Lomography is going in that direction, just announced today:

Lomo’Instant Wide Glass

Erweitere deinen Horizont mit der besten Instant-Kamera der Welt, ausgestattet mit einem mehrfach vergüteten Glasobjektiv für unübertroffene Schärfe und unglaubliche Farben auf Instax-Wide-Film.

shop.lomography.com

And there is also the first test available:

 

[JParker]

There is also the positive news that Han Chen in Germany has started producing his Zinstax (for Mamiya RZ 67) and Binstax (for Mamiya RB 67 models) film backs for instax square film on a regular basis (as he has meanwhile finished his studies with a master degree).

zinstax – instant film backs for RZ/RB67

zins.tax

And there is also Nons with their very unusual solution with their SL660 camera:

NONS CAMERA

NONS SL660 SL645 & SL42 - INTERCHANGEABLE LENS SLR INSTANT CAMERA, COMPATIBLE WITH M42, NIKON F, PK, CY & MEDIUM FORMAT LENSES.

nonscamera.com

 

[ic-racer]

What is the viewfinder (binstax) for?

 

[GarageBoy]

The viewfinder is just left over from the camera used for the conversion

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

it looks like there is some new momentum in introduction of new instant film cameras to the market

It's "curious" (but also daunting) how hardware seems easier to make than software in the instant film sector. Don't get me wrong, it's all good news, but oh how I wish they would simply make again instant film for classic Polaroid backs rather than adapters for improper instant film sizes.

I'll add to the list above the interesting Lomograflok for 4x5'' cameras.

What annoys me is that none of these adapters (excepting the NONS back for Hassleblad, which is small per se) makes full use of the format of the camera. Cameras like the RB67 are able to deliver 8x8 shots; carrying around that beast to get a 6x6 instant print is just... well... "better than nothing"?

 

[xya]

...What annoys me is that none of these adapters (excepting the NONS back for Hassleblad, which is small per se) makes full use of the format of the camera. Cameras like the RB67 are able to deliver 8x8 shots; carrying around that beast to get a 6x6 instant print is just... well... "better than nothing"?

What will you do with 8x8? There is no Instant film of that size and to my taste a Wide image, with dark areas is not nice at all. A 6x6 camera is only 56x56mm usually. So the full 62x62mm Square of the RB67 is a nice format, and yes, I think it is worth carrying the beast https://www.instantphoto.eu/other/coyote_instax_square.htm I think that it is much better than nothing.

I also own the Nons SL660 https://www.instantphoto.eu/other/nons_sl660_square.htm. I first gave it back after some testing, but the regretted it so much that I bought it again. Still testing more optics...