Even the design of Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 9 is an announcement: this is the new generation of Polaroid Cameras! But is it worth buying, or is it better to stick to the classics? UPDATE: there is already a successor of the Mini 9: We strongly recommend taking a look at the Instax Mini 11!
In Short:
- Picture size: portrait (!) 2.4 x 1.8 Inches (height x width)
- Practical selfie mirror
- Removable close-up lens for close-up photography
- Automatic recognition of lighting conditions
- Available from approx. 60,- $
- Film: Instax Mini; about 14,- bucks for 20 photos
The Instax Mini 9 – the affordable entry-level model
The Instax Mini 9 – If you’re looking for an instant camera, you’ll quickly come across the Instax Mini 9 from Fujifilms Instax series. With its modern design, it is difficult to recognize as a Polaroid camera at first glance. The camera is available in five different colors, and there are already a lot of accessories for the Instax. The look is a bit like a children’s toy, which is not to everyone’s taste. However, the playful Mini 9 clearly stands out from the competition, and the soft shape makes it comfortable to hold. A practical hand strap makes handling even easier and a lot of clever details make this instant camera extremely beginner-friendly.
Image size
This instant camera offers the unusual format of 2.4 x 1.8 Inches (height x width). Unlike the landscape format known from television 80’s shows, this is a portrait format. This takes some getting used to, but especially when it comes to snapshots the format has its charm. Those who intend to create a good mood with this Polaroid camera at parties will soon enjoy the cheque card format – unlike the bigger competition, the pictures are easy to store in a wallet. They are therefore also ideal for keeping a souvenir of special moments with you at all times. If you like the square format, take a look at the OneStep2 from Polaroid.
Close-up lens for the “real” close-up
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 instant camera already comes with a close-up lens. This is a close-up lens that allows images in the range from 0.1 to 1.6 feet. While the focus distance of the Instax 9 is 2 feet, exciting close-ups are also possible. The lens can be mounted or dismounted in no time at all and significantly expands the camera’s range of applications.
Selfie mirror to avoid messed up photos
What sounds like a feature from the 20th century proves to be extremely practical in practice. With a mirror mounted close to the lens, you can make sure that the desired (selfie) object is actually in focus. Especially with a Polaroid camera every wasted photo hurts, the mirror helps to reduce the error rate significantly. This way selfies really always succeed!
Exposure with the Instax Mini 9
The exposure settings of Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 are very intuitive, especially for beginners. For example, the camera has a sensor that constantly checks the lighting conditions. The setting recommended in this way is noticeable by a flashing light at the appropriate setting. If you turn the slider to the displayed mode, successful pictures are a breeze. Of course, these recommendations can also be ignored, the choice of the image mode is always up to the photographer. The Instax Mini 9 has 5 modes:
- Indoor shots
- Outdoor shots cloudy
- Outdoor shots bright
- Outdoor shots very bright
- High-key mode
High-key mode for the Instagram effect
As a special exposure mode this Polaroid camera offers the so-called high-key mode. The result of this exposure are softer images, as they are often added later on to smartphone cameras via filters. In addition, this mode offers the possibility to take pictures a little brighter in low light conditions. This is where Fujifilm Instax tries to compete with the smartphone.
Tech specs
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 requires the Fujifilm Instant Film “instax mini”, which has a format of 2.4 x 1.8 Inches (portrait). With a weight of 10.8 oz, it fits well in the hand, and with dimensions of 4.6 x 4.6 x 2.7 inches it is in the medium size range. Power is supplied by two AA batteries (1.5 V).
Tech specs of the Instax Mini 90:
- Picture size: 2.4 x 1.8 Inches
- Film: Fujifilm Instant Film “instax mini”
- Weight: 10.8 oz
- Dimensions: 4.6 x 4.6 x 2.7 inches
- Carrying strap
- Image counter (display remaining photos)
- Selfie mirror
- Removable close-up lens
- Shutter speed: 1/60 sec.
- Focus range: 2 feet – ∞
- Viewfinder: viewfinder 0.37x with spot
- Lens: 2 components, 2 elements, f=60 mm, 1:12.7S
- Built-in flash: constant flash release (automatic exposure), recharging time: 0.2 to 6 seconds (with new batteries), effective flash range: 2 – 8.9 feet
- Exposure control: Manual switching system (LED display with light meter)
- Power supply: LR6/AA 1.5 V alkaline battery x 2
- Automatic film transport
- Colours: flamingo pink, cobalt blue, ice blue, lime green and smoky white
Source: https://instax.com/mini9/en/lightbox/spec.html
Accessories
In addition to the supplied close-up lens, a range of practical accessories are available for the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 instant camera. These range from selfie-lenses with an even larger mirror to photo frames specially adapted to the format and special color lenses for exciting effects. Suitable carrying bags protect the camera during transport.
Here you’ll find the manual of the Instax Mini 9.
Conclusion
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 has come to stay, because the success proves the Japanese right. The Instax 9 is one of the best entry-level instant film cameras on the market, and it’s available for the small budget. The portrait format photos are very practical, especially at parties, and the camera sits comfortably in the hand when taking pictures. The exposure modes are intuitive to use and thanks to clever details such as the selfies mirror, this Polaroid camera is absolutely suitable for everyday use.
VIDEO: Lauren from Photography Concentrate with the Instax Mini 9 Guide
