Fujifilm’s Instax is the Polaroid-version camera of yesteryears, which works with film papers and delivers pictures in blink of an eye. Priced at Rs 8,500 the Instax Mini 70 reminds us of the times when a phone did not have a capable camera.
But do we still have a place for a camera that only clicks-n-prints? Read here to know.
Pros:
- Chic style
- Quick-time pictures delivered
- No need to charge
Cons:
- Heavily reliant on ambient lighting
- Expensive for its limited features
- Pack of films not ideally priced
What’s Good?
Instax Mini 70 has got a square-shaped figure which can seem bulky in comparison to the cameras selling these days but that was always going to be the case. You’ll find the shutter button under the viewfinder and there’s flash support right on top of the camera lens as you can see above.
The lens offers a focus range of 0.3 mm and can be opened up to deliver on the zoom front. The camera starts up
when you press the button placed on the backside of the camera.
The rear cover of the Instax Mini 70 can be opened up wherein the rack of film sits tight and you can keep a track on the number of films that are usable on the tray.
Instax is much like every other Polaroid camera that has ever been launched. Select the frame and subject, capture them on the viewfinder with your eyes and click the shutter button (make sure you choose the right settings while clicking) and then see the resulting image popping out on top of the camera in less than 5 seconds.
Now, because the Instax Mini 70 is a polaroid-style camera, you will never be bothered by battery related issues. All you need to make sure is that you have enough films to make a colourful collage of pictures.
What’s Bad?
The most important aspect for prospective buyers is performance and sadly the Instax Mini 70 does not deliver, as much as you would expect from any affordable Polaroid option in the market.
It clicks pictures alright, but the quality is not what you’d expect from a camera these days. There is too much reliance on the built-in flash unit and even when you make use of it, chances are the picture will have focussed and lightened up the subject, while the background goes totally dark.
You need to make sure that the subject is placed facing towards the light, to get the best out of the Instax Mini 70, or else you just end up wasting a film.
Things are even worse when clicking pictures when the light is not that conducive. The resulting image, when we tested, had nothing to show apart from a black patch all over the film. Also, make sure that you never leave the film tray exposed to light, which renders the entire film set useless.
Why Buy It?
Looking to go back into the past and recall those film-y memories? Fujifilm has you covered with the Instax series. But let’s be honest here, the camera quality is no match for your phone’s camera and one might take some time to get used to its non-digital nature.
Fair to say that the Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 is purely meant for its fun factor, to play with clicking and printing photos quickly.
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