The topic Instax Film can be quite confusing. Which Instax film is right for my instant camera? What size are the different films? What about the price and can I use other brands? We try to answer all questions!
Click here to go directly to the camera comparison and here we explain the individual films in detail.
(We explain Polaroid Films here!)
What is Instax Film actually?
The name Instax refers to the instant camera series of the Japanese manufacturer Fujifilm. Some models in the series, such as the Instax Mini 11, are among the best-selling models on the market. Fujifilm produces its own instant films for their cameras. These differ in size. In addition, most formats are available in color and monochrome (black and white) and in various special editions, the latter differing only in the design of the frame.
Which Fujifilm Polaroid film fits in my camera?
In the following table you will find the Instax film you need sorted by camera.
| Instant Camera / Photo Printer Model | Instax Mini Film | Instax Square Film | Instax Wide Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instax Mini 11 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini 9 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini 90 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Leica Sofort | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini Liplay | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini Hello Kitty | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini Link | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Polaroid 300 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Wide 300 | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Instax Square SQ 6 | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Instax Square SQ 1 | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini 7 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini 8 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini 10 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax Mini 70 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| MiNT InstantFlex TL70 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Lomo'Instant | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instax 200 | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Instax 210 | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Instax 100 | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Instax 500AF | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Lomo’Instant Wide | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Lomo’Instant Square | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Diana Instant Square | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Instax Mini Film
- Size without border: 2.4 x 1.8 inches
- Size with border: 3.4 x 2.1 inches
- Format: approx. 3:2
- Price: about 60 cents per picture
- ISO: 800/30°
- Cartridge contents: 10 images
The most popular instant film from Fuji is the Instax Mini Film. The Instax Mini instant camera series has been one of the top sellers on the market for years. Fujifilm cameras that require Instax Mini Film have a “Mini” in their name. But also other manufacturers like Leica (Leica Sofort) rely on the popular mini format. The images are in 3:2 portrait format, and thus differ significantly from “classic” instant images like those of the Polaroid Now (image format 1:1). Instax Mini Film is available in color or monochrome (black and white). The film is also available with various motif frames. The visible image is the same, only the otherwise white frame has a different design.
Instax Square Film
- Size without border: 2.4 x 2.4 inches
- Size with border: 3.4 x 2.8 inches
- Format: 1:1
- Price: about 1.10 $ per picture
- ISO: 800/30°
- Cartridge contents: 10 images
Despite the great success of the Mini series, a “real” instant image is square. Fujifilm recognized this and launched the Square series in 2017. However, the images with an image size of 2.4 x 2.4 inches are a lot smaller than real Polaroid images (3.1 x 3.1 inches). Fujifilm cameras in Square format contain SQ in their name. This film is also available in color, monochrome and various special frame editions (e.g. Rainbow, White Marble, etc… ).
Instax Wide Film
- Size without border: 2.4 x 3.9 inches
- Size with border: 4.3 x 3.4 inches
- Format: approx. 2:3
- Price: about 80 cents per picture
- ISO: 800/30°
- Cartridge contents: 10 images
Unusual for instant cameras, Instax Wide Film offers a wide format in a 2:3 aspect ratio, and with a visible image width of 3.9 inches, the images are surprisingly large. Accordingly, Fuji’s latest widescreen model, the Instax Wide 300, is anything but a pocket camera. The image is twice as wide as the mini format and is particularly suitable for outdoor and landscape photography.
Instax Film Alternatives?
Unfortunately there are currently no “real” alternatives to Instax films on the market. All available films are from Fujifilm. If you find an “alternative”, it is, as with the Leica Instant Film, only a rebranding, i.e. Fuji films in a different packaging. The only difference here is the (more expensive) price.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instax
https://instax.com/film/