TTArtisan to release mechanical, manual Instax Mini camera

[analogwisdom]

TTArtisan's Debut Camera Is a Retro Folding Instax Instant Camera

Chinese manufacturer TTArtisan takes to CP+ to unveil a surprising retro folding instant film camera, the 203T.

petapixel.com

From the article:

TTArtisan unveiled a surprising retro folding instant film camera, the 203T, at CP+ this week.
[...]
The 203T comes in four colors: black, red, orange, and blue. All of them share the same features and use Instax Mini film. The camera features a Cooke lens design and supports bulb mode. The lens’s aperture ranges from f/3.5 to f/22, and the camera offers shutter speeds range one second to 1/300s. The 203T is purely mechanical, with no batteries required.
[...]
Pricing & Availability
While no pricing information is available yet, TTArtisan expects its new camera to arrive this fall.

Pretty neat, and totally unexpected. It looks based around the Seagull 203.

I wonder these things:

• Is the lens glass?
• Is the film ejection manual as well? (looks to be, hand-cranked)
• Does it have a coupled rangefinder?
• Is this a sign for a future 120 folder? Instax Mini is about the same size (image area 46x62mm) as a 645 frame.

I know this won't be for everyone, especially being instant film and even then, the smaller Instax Mini, but I think it's pretty neat and depending on price, I'll probably be interested in getting one.

 

[mtnbkr]

Interesting! I've not been interested in Instax before now, but if this camera turns out to be decent and the price isn't insane, I'll give it a try.

Chris

 

[AnselMortensen]

If you want an Instax Mini camera, go to www.shopgoodwill.com ...there's always plenty for sale there.

 

[analogwisdom]

If you want an Instax Mini camera, go to www.shopgoodwill.com ...there's always plenty for sale there.

Direct me to the ones with manual control and focus and I'll happily purchase from there

 

[Mackinaw]

Interesting camera, but the Instax Mini film size is just too small for my use.

Jim B.

 

[analogwisdom]

Interesting camera, but the Instax Mini film size is just too small for my use.

Jim B.

Valid! It's certainly a small format as far as final image goes.

Interesting! I've not been interested in Instax before now, but if this camera turns out to be decent and the price isn't insane, I'll give it a try.

Chris

Instax is great when exposed with proper optics. Of course, it's fundamentally impossible for instant film to ever be as sharp or color accurate as traditional film, but Instax can be certainly much better than what any camera from Fuji can provide.

Here's a shot on Instax Wide I took this past weekend with my 4x5 and Schneider Symmar-S 210mm. Scanning is never as good as the real thing:

 

[mtnbkr]

Instax is great when exposed with proper optics. Of course, it's fundamentally impossible for instant film to ever be as sharp or color accurate as traditional film, but Instax can be certainly much better than what any camera from Fuji can provide.

Here's a shot on Instax Wide I took this past weekend with my 4x5 and Schneider Symmar-S 210mm. Scanning is never as good as the real thing:

View attachment 392416

I have no doubt it's good in a good camera. Most of the cameras I've seen look more like toys though.

Chris

 

[abruzzi]

I have no doubt it's good in a good camera. Most of the cameras I've seen look more like toys though.

Get a 4x5 and the Lomograflok and you can use whatever optics you like on instax wide, from a 1860 Petzval to a modern Nikkor Large format lens.

TTartisans makes pretty good budget lenses for mirrorless digital cameras. I'm definitely in on one of these. BTW, instax mini is close to the same frame size as 6x4.5.

 

[mshchem]

That's just cool!!!!