Recommend me a camera

Twiggy · May 17, 2024

I have been enjoying using my Instax Mini 40 Camera, but due it being very basic, I am looking to upgrade soon to one with more options and flexibility, but still able to use instax mini films, mainly for affordability of the film.

I am aware of cameras like the Mini EVO, the Lomograpgy Automat, and the lomography instant sqaure that can also take mini film.

Does anyone know of any other options, that won't be very expensive? I think like $250 CAD is the limit.

Just don't want to make a purchasing decisions if I didn't research all potential candidates.

MTGseattle · May 17, 2024

I'm still unclear as to which models can use which film, but the Instax share line of printers seems to open a few doors to using a "better" camera while still printing to Instax films.

4season · May 17, 2024

Twiggy said:
Does anyone know of any other options, that won't be very expensive? I think like $250 CAD is the limit.

I owned a Fujifilm Instax Mini 90, Instax SQ6 (hybrid) and Lomography Instant Automat Glass.

The Mini 90 offered some user control over exposure and flash, with similar glow-y look to your current camera. It's successor is the Mini 99, which I haven't tried.

SQ6 was a very different beast: It's a digital camera combined with an Instax film printer, the results are closer to what you might get from your phone, with more clarity than the all-analog Fujifilm Instax cameras. While it was great to have precise exposure control, I rarely printed my photos. The current Mini LiPLay appears similar.

When Lomography said that the premium glass lens in the Instant Automat Glass was sharper, they weren't kidding: Much sharper, clearer, and also a good deal wider than the Fujifilm cameras. But do you want that? Handle the film door latch with a little care, because if you simply snap the film door shut, the latching mechanism can pop off. Previous experience with Lomography customer service has been good.

Brands that I haven't tried: Mint, Jollylook, Escura. Mint has it's followers here, but their products are premium-priced.

mshchem · May 18, 2024

Buy an Instax printer and use a phone for digital capture.

Twiggy · May 18, 2024

mshchem said:
Buy an Instax printer and use a phone for digital capture.

I've considered that, but decided against it. I like the feel of using a real camera, it's part of the fun of the experience with something like this.

Twiggy · May 18, 2024

For anyone that has an Instax Mini Evo, how do they printed photos look? Do they look different than completely analog ones, or still close enough?

xya · May 18, 2024

I would recommend the Neo 90, a real camera with astonishig results. I don't have the EVO, but the Liplay, very similar, + sound recording. The photos are absolutely fine and you don't waste film. And if you want to jump to sqare, the SQ10 (or 20) are fine as well. Have a look at my website https://www.instantphoto.eu/fuji/fuji_instant.htm or go back to other Instants, there are more...

Twiggy · May 18, 2024

xya said:
I would recommend the Neo 90, a real camera with astonishig results. I don't have the EVO, but the Liplay, very similar, + sound recording. The photos are absolutely fine and you don't waste film. And if you want to jump to sqare, the SQ10 (or 20) are fine as well. Have a look at my website https://www.instantphoto.eu/fuji/fuji_instant.htm or go back to other Instants, there are more...

Thanks,

I did take a quick browse through your site.

I think I will go with the mini evo then, as I do like the ability to be able to see how shots turned out before printing, so I don't waste film, especially since I'm still very much a beginner.
Also I hear it can be used as just a digital as well, so photo taking doesn't have to stop if I don't have film. I also see there are accessories for it such as lamps, view finders, etc.

4season · May 18, 2024

It's been discontinued for some time, but Lomography's Belair folding camera had interchangeable lenses, and could shoot Instax Wide film. Downside was that it was kind large and fiddly, and non-motorized print eject mechanism required a steady hand, else development was uneven. TBH, I sold the camera after shooting a pack or two of film.

Would guess that Instax Evo has similar print quality as my old first-generation hybrid SQ6: Crisper, more a sense of everything being in focus (sharper, but still moderately sharp - it definitely still looks like Instax and not an inkjet print!), rather than the analog camera + plastic lens's impressionistic glow. Much easier to predict results from the hybrid cameras, that's for sure.

I wished the SQ6 could also be used as a printer, and it sort of can, if you bother to load JPEGs onto SD card.

Twiggy · May 18, 2024

Also, seems I am almost sold on the mini evo. I just want to find out more about the quality degradation on the digital zoom.

If it's really bad, than maybe the zoom effect may not be a selling point for me, but all the other things still are.

Twiggy · May 18, 2024

Update:

Just bought the Mini Evo, a view finder, and a lens cap off amazon. Tomorrow will be exciting.

mshchem · May 19, 2024

Twiggy said:
Also, seems I am almost sold on the mini evo. I just want to find out more about the quality degradation on the digital zoom.

If it's really bad, than maybe the zoom effect may not be a selling point for me, but all the other things still are.

IIRC this is a digital camera built into an Instax printer, so to speak. Not really an analog camera, which is fine. I have a couple Instax printers, these produce great prints.

Twiggy · May 19, 2024

mshchem said:
IIRC this is a digital camera built into an Instax printer, so to speak. Not really an analog camera, which is fine. I have a couple Instax printers, these produce great prints.

Yes, I am aware, what sold me mainly was the ability to preview my photos before deciding to print them, saves me the cost of film because I won't have to waste any. Around here 1 is almost $1.50 as a cartridge is $14.46 with the tax.

Chan Tran · May 19, 2024

Twiggy said:
Yes, I am aware, what sold me mainly was the ability to preview my photos before deciding to print them, saves me the cost of film because I won't have to waste any. Around here 1 is almost $1.50 as a cartridge is $14.46 with the tax.

If that is what you want it's much better to buy a Fuji Instax printer, use a full pledged DSLR or Mirrorless camera to take the photographs in raw, edit in Photoshop before you feed it to the Instax printer. For me I would find a way to adapt the instax film to a medium format camera. The Instax mini film is about the size of a 6x4.5 cm frame.

Twiggy · May 19, 2024

Chan Tran said:
If that is what you want it's much better to buy a Fuji Instax printer, use a full pledged DSLR or Mirrorless camera to take the photographs in raw, edit in Photoshop before you feed it to the Instax printer. For me I would find a way to adapt the instax film to a medium format camera. The Instax mini film is about the size of a 6x4.5 cm frame.

I may end up doing that, I mean I can't shoot film all the time, because film is not endless and it costs money, so I will need to get a digital one as well.

Chan Tran · May 19, 2024

Twiggy said:
I may end up doing that, I mean I can't shoot film all the time, because film is not endless and it costs money, so I will need to get a digital one as well.

But to begin you could just get an instax printer and if you have a phone with a built in camera you can start using that. The instax printer is around $100 I think.

Twiggy · May 19, 2024

I've already bought the mini evo, having everything right there in a single physical package can be helpful as well, and it does give you a better and more enjoyable feeling than just using your phone.

That said, this can also connect to my phone, so I can use it as a printer as well.

4season · May 19, 2024

Good luck! Will be curious what you think about it.

mshchem · May 19, 2024

Yep, it's a printer that comes with a free digital camera. Looks like a nice setup!

ant! · May 20, 2024

4season said:
SQ6 was a very different beast: It's a digital camera combined with an Instax film printer

I think you are mixing this up with the SQ10 or SQ20. The SQ6 is/was a full analogue square format one, and one of the Instax which allowed a bit more control: over/underexposure, flash off, I think 3 focus zones, double exposures...

Twiggy · May 21, 2024

So this is kind of a newbie question, but everyone has to learn.

I am thinking of buying one of these lens adapters made for the mini evo, in hopes of being able to use a lens hood with it. That would work right, or is it only for filters?

Mini Evo Filter Lens Filter Adapters - Etsy Canada

This Camera Accessories item by AsburyStudiosDesigns has 191 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from United States. Listed on 10 May, 2024

www.etsy.com

xya · May 21, 2024

Obviously it is a normal standard filter thread, so you can screw in whatever you want, filters, hoods, effect lenses, close-up lenses, wide and tele lenses. To be explored...and please report back!

Twiggy · May 21, 2024

xya said:
Obviously it is a normal standard filter thread, so you can screw in whatever you want, filters, hoods, effect lenses, close-up lenses, wide and tele lenses. To be explored...and please report back!

Thanks, yes. I bought it.

I will see what happens when it comes in, and I get a hood to try on it. I'm trying to find a "retro" looking square hood.

Recommend me a camera

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