Childhood Camera Toy That's Turns Out To Be Real, Review Of Fujifilm Instax Mini 11

Fujifilm is one of the last standing camera creators that actually sells moment cameras. The company’s most recent Instax Mini 11 is an improvement over its predecessor, however, it looks and works likewise.

You may ask for what reason to go for a moment camera when one can catch better actual photos from cell phones.

Indeed, the reel-based simple to use cameras may have become a relic of times gone by however the paperback photographs actually hold relevance, and what could be better to moment cameras to catch and print photographs immediately.

All things considered, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 is a specialty item focused on shutterbugs who actually acknowledge soft paperback photographs over digital.

The replacement to the Instax Mini 9, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 resembles a toy yet not a modest one. It is a versatile gadget with a lightweight design that is easy to carry around. Utilizing the camera is easy too.

On the right side, it has a thumb grip, which is slightly better than the Instax Mini 9. On the front, it has the camera lens and the power button next to it. The shutter button, flash and viewfinder is at the top right side, and there is a tiny mirror for selfies just above the lens.

On its back, there is a removable panel to insert photo films and there is a tiny ticker that tells you about the remaining photo sheets in the slot. On the right side, the camera has space for two AA size batteries.

Design details aside, the camera is simple to use -- point the lens towards the subject and click the capture button to record and print the frame on a paper sheet. The Instax Mini 11 takes a few seconds to print a picture and the process takes about two minutes to complete.

As for the quality, the photos lack details and the output looks nothing like real. The printing ink darkens the photo and most photos appear darker than their original exposure value. Unfortunately, there are no settings to manually control exposure value. The camera has ‘Automatic Exposure’, which senses ambient light and sets the shutter speed and flash accordingly. You can't disable flash in the Instax Mini 11 and with the auto exposure feature, it results in overexposed images. Focus is another weak area and the camera takes some time to focus appropriately.

The image quality may not be good, but it fares just fine, given the ambient light is just enough for it to work well. Basically, images we took indoors came out well but the camera may not click good pictures outdoors due to excessive light. The images don't come out too sharp but that was never promised either. The images from the camera are mostly soft with the subject appearing too bright where the flash reaches it the most.

We tried taking selfies but didn't get good shots, it takes a bit of time to understand how the camera performs under different light conditions. After one or two attempts, we could take good pictures.

Verdict:

Fujifilm Instax Mini 11At Rs 5,999, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 is a cute little memory box that makes you fall in love with it at first look. It has a touch of nostalgia and the pictures it take have a classic vintage look that makes you fall in love with it all over again. However, one must take note that this instant camera is not a full-fledged camera alternative. It neither claims to be one. It is like a childhood toy camera that turned out to be real.

Key specs:

1. Variable shutter speeds from 1/2 to 1/250 sec and slow synchro flash for low light
2. Selfie/close-up mode
3. Powered by two AA batteries (100 shots / 10 packs per fresh set of batteries)
4. Available in: Blush Pink, Ice White, Sky Blue, Lilac Purple, Charcoal Black
5. Retractable 35mm equiv. F12.7 lens
6. Full-automatic exposure control (flash always fires)
7. Selfie mirror on front of lens
8. Auto frame counter

Operation:

The Instax Mini 11 is really straightforward to use, making it a great choice for kids. Simply press the button next to the lens to pop it out, switch the camera on and hit the shutter button by the viewfinder to take a photo; there are no other buttons to fumble with. When you're done, push the lens back into the body to turn it off.

The Instax Mini 11 is really straightforward to use, making it a great choice for kids

The camera does a have a selfie mode as well as a small selfie mirror on the front of the lens. To engage the mode, pull the very front of the lens outward until the words 'Selfie on' appear (see image below); it admittedly took some digging through the instructions to figure this out.

What we like:

1. Powered by two AA batteries
2. Improved auto exposure over predecessor
3. Very easy-to-use

What we don't like:

1. Easy to accidentally hit shutter before installing accessory button
2. Flash always fires
3. No creative modes or exposure compensation
4. Mechanism to engage 'Selfie Mode' feels fragile

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