First off, thank you for making thorough and informative reviews for Fujifilm's instant cameras. I've actually used the different formats for various artistic projects, so it's always good to see how the line is progressing. I would agree that the best all-round camera available for most people is the SQ6. That said, I actually prefer the older basic-ness of the plastic fantastic Mini cameras with the exposure control dial, which is, in reality, an aperture dial. Once I had the aperture settings determined the ISO of the film (800) and the fixed shutter speed (1/60 sec) of my Mini 7, I got *much* better shots out of it. Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I prefer that over how the Mini 11 (or Mini 40) operates in complete auto with no control over exposure whatsoever.
thank you for this! i was afraid i wouldn’t be able to find any reviews that compare the two. I’m leaning towards the mini 40 for now and after reading the comments i plan to upgrade in the future to what i think was called the SQ6? however i’ll be waiting a bit for that upgrade until i know more about these types of cameras and feel comfortable getting it!!
I am a photographer, mostly novice. I have several Canon cameras. Silly, but I bought this because I liked the vintage look. It caught my eye. No pun intended. Probably won't use it much. Will sit on a shelf just to look at.
There are approximately 342341 Instax Mini cameras, 3 Instax Square and 1 Instax Wide. ONE Instax Wide! The Wide 300 desperately needs an update. Looks wise and function wise. I can't be the only one who thinks the Wide format looks the best. 😤
No, you're definitely not. I have the Mini 90, the Square and the Wide. It's the Wide I grab 99.9% of the time. The Instax Wide is amazing! Mint Camrera has their InstantKon RF70 but that nearly $1000.00 price tag just isn't worth it! Lomography has their Wide camera but from what I've seen, the prints aren't that great considering what it costs.
Gordon, I find your recent videos of extremely good video quality. Just out of curiosity what is your current gear that you are using to shoot your UA-cam content? Thanks for the review :)
I’ve got the SP3 printer and it’s great. Either straight from the phone (and any camera that links to your phone) or Fuji X cameras directly. Even in the Instagram and TikTok age all my kids, friends and family love going home from an event with a ‘real’ photo that was printed from my shoulder bag!
@@ensyy_you basically take a photo on your smartphone and then it sends it to the sp3 instax printer for printing. Basically eliminates the need for the clunky instax camera models, since you're using your phone instead. Its definitely more of an investment but I think its worth it, since our phones take better pictures anyway
if only they make a square version of the Instax Mini Liplay. It's a hybrid, camera + printer . takes nice shots and if you don't like the shot you can delete it and take another, can you imagine wasting photo paper if you blink ??
Hi Gordon, first of all, thank you so much for the review! I am a first time user of the mini 11, just received one as my birthday gift and am having trouble with overexposed pictures... Do you have any recommendations on how to fix it while trying to take a picture outdoors on a sunny day? Thanks!
Hi Alison, I'm afraid you've found the Achilles Heel of the Mini cameras to date - they all have a limited exposure range, and will become overexposed on a sunny day. I talk about this on my Mini 11 review and believe it or not, it's better than the 9 in this regard, but not good enough. I keep asking Fujifilm to resolve this, but they don't seem bothered with the fully analogue models. The digital ones can access faster shutter speeds for shorter exposures though. I once tried holding some sunglasses over the lens, but it's hardly ideal!
I like the instax printer...can print any pic from my phone...and my current cameras can all send pics to phone. Wish I had that printer when we went to Italy (pre-Covid, of course).
@@cameralabs The 70. Haven’t bought it yet but it seems like a good compromise between 11/40 and 90. Obviously, the 40 isn’t an option anymore as its release doesn’t make sense if it’s only a matter of how good it looks. Not worth spending more money on it when the 11 has the same features. Anyway, let me know if you think I made a mistake 😅
Hello, it is really nice to find your video about this Camera ..since I'm beginer to camera, could you (or anyone watching this video) please kindly tell me which one is better to buy Fujifilm Mini 11 or Fujifilm Mini 40 .. Thank you so much 😁
All those instant cameras were intended to be used indoors my dad had an early Polaroid colour 500 series that was really expensive to run because it had its own exclusive disposable battery that was good for about 70 shots some with the flash films and also at that time because the cameras didn't have built in flashes you also had to get a flash at that was good for 10 uses and it was because that they were used mostly indoors that they had a slower shutter speed
Have you tried testing it out on taking a picture of yourself or others on a sunset ? I’m thinking of getting this one or the mini 11 but I don’t know how it would look under a sunset 😅 I would appreciate it if you test it out 🙂👍
If the person is close enough for the flash to illuminate them, then it can work well with a sunset. But remember these cameras have little to no manual control, and often unexpected results - it's part of the instant charm,
hey Gordon, i’m stuck between mini 40 and mini 11? which one that you really prefer to buy it? please help me. according to image quality. which one is better? thank youuu 🙏
Since they've also done it in the square as the SQ40, I suspect a wide might be possible in the future? But that format is strangely neglected in their lineup.
@@cameralabs Thank you so much for the response. I was just wondering, because I have recently gotten the Instas Mini 11, but all the faces on my pictures came out blurry. Could this have to do with the distance of the people to the camera? Or not holding the camera steady while taking the picture?
This may be a dumb question but basically all you need to take the pictures are film right? Or do I need some sort of ink cartridge? Do I need to buy it separately
How is the cartridge accidentally exposed to light? Isn't it a sealed unit? I'm shopping around at the moment for an instant camera and don't want to waste money on film to take it out the pack to load it and find I've broken it lol
Yes, it should be fine. although do it in a dim room just in case there's a potential light leak through the compartment. Just NEVER open the film door when there's a cartridge loaded.
First off, thank you for making thorough and informative reviews for Fujifilm's instant cameras. I've actually used the different formats for various artistic projects, so it's always good to see how the line is progressing. I would agree that the best all-round camera available for most people is the SQ6. That said, I actually prefer the older basic-ness of the plastic fantastic Mini cameras with the exposure control dial, which is, in reality, an aperture dial. Once I had the aperture settings determined the ISO of the film (800) and the fixed shutter speed (1/60 sec) of my Mini 7, I got *much* better shots out of it. Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I prefer that over how the Mini 11 (or Mini 40) operates in complete auto with no control over exposure whatsoever.
That's a good point - it did effectively allow manual over-ride which is missing on the simpler fully-auto models.
Just got mine and I'm addicted.... love the 1960s look... I want to get the B&W film
thank you for this! i was afraid i wouldn’t be able to find any reviews that compare the two. I’m leaning towards the mini 40 for now and after reading the comments i plan to upgrade in the future to what i think was called the SQ6? however i’ll be waiting a bit for that upgrade until i know more about these types of cameras and feel comfortable getting it!!
The sq6 is awesome!
I am a photographer, mostly novice. I have several Canon cameras. Silly, but I bought this because I liked the vintage look. It caught my eye. No pun intended. Probably won't use it much. Will sit on a shelf just to look at.
Great review! My sister has actually been in the market for a new film camera and this sounds like it’s right up her alley!
You're very welcome! Remember the 40 is the same as the 11, so you're paying extra for the looks alone.
Gordon Laing Thanlk you very much for this!
There are approximately 342341 Instax Mini cameras, 3 Instax Square and 1 Instax Wide. ONE Instax Wide! The Wide 300 desperately needs an update. Looks wise and function wise. I can't be the only one who thinks the Wide format looks the best. 😤
Ha ha, you're exactly right! I normally say it at the end of every INSTAX video, but to no avail, so I didn't bother this time!
No, you're definitely not. I have the Mini 90, the Square and the Wide. It's the Wide I grab 99.9% of the time. The Instax Wide is amazing! Mint Camrera has their InstantKon RF70 but that nearly $1000.00 price tag just isn't worth it! Lomography has their Wide camera but from what I've seen, the prints aren't that great considering what it costs.
First time photographer here, and your reviews are so helpful! Thank you for helping me make my decision :)
You're welcome!
I have the instax mini 90 i won't be getting the instax mini 40.. great detail video
this is a nice and clear review! just what i needed
Thanks!
Gordon, I find your recent videos of extremely good video quality. Just out of curiosity what is your current gear that you are using to shoot your UA-cam content? Thanks for the review :)
Thanks! I mostly use a Sony A6400 and e 24mm f1.8 to film my reviews.
Thank you for the reply, Gordon. Absolutely wonderful and always engaging work, many thanks again :)
I’ve got the SP3 printer and it’s great. Either straight from the phone (and any camera that links to your phone) or Fuji X cameras directly. Even in the Instagram and TikTok age all my kids, friends and family love going home from an event with a ‘real’ photo that was printed from my shoulder bag!
I'm fond of the SP3 too...
I love the printer as well. It's so much fun to use, and the anticipation as the images appear is part of the experience.
What's the sp3 printer?
@@ensyy_you basically take a photo on your smartphone and then it sends it to the sp3 instax printer for printing. Basically eliminates the need for the clunky instax camera models, since you're using your phone instead. Its definitely more of an investment but I think its worth it, since our phones take better pictures anyway
if only they make a square version of the Instax Mini Liplay. It's a hybrid, camera + printer . takes nice shots and if you don't like the shot you can delete it and take another, can you imagine wasting photo paper if you blink ??
SQ20
Thank you for your honest review. It was very detailed and came from experience. :) I do believe SQ6 still the best 😊😊😊.
Thanks, me too!
Thank you very much for such a thorough and professional review.
Great explanation! Very informative video of yours! Greetings from the Philippines! 🇵🇭
Hi Gordon, first of all, thank you so much for the review! I am a first time user of the mini 11, just received one as my birthday gift and am having trouble with overexposed pictures... Do you have any recommendations on how to fix it while trying to take a picture outdoors on a sunny day? Thanks!
Hi Alison, I'm afraid you've found the Achilles Heel of the Mini cameras to date - they all have a limited exposure range, and will become overexposed on a sunny day. I talk about this on my Mini 11 review and believe it or not, it's better than the 9 in this regard, but not good enough. I keep asking Fujifilm to resolve this, but they don't seem bothered with the fully analogue models. The digital ones can access faster shutter speeds for shorter exposures though. I once tried holding some sunglasses over the lens, but it's hardly ideal!
I like the instax printer...can print any pic from my phone...and my current cameras can all send pics to phone. Wish I had that printer when we went to Italy (pre-Covid, of course).
Thank your for this review. I wanted to buy an instax and was hesitating between the Mini 11, 40 and 70!
What did you decide on?
@@cameralabs The 70. Haven’t bought it yet but it seems like a good compromise between 11/40 and 90. Obviously, the 40 isn’t an option anymore as its release doesn’t make sense if it’s only a matter of how good it looks. Not worth spending more money on it when the 11 has the same features. Anyway, let me know if you think I made a mistake 😅
@@MlleAvertie if you like the Minis, then yes, I'd go for 11 or 70 / 90, but as you know, I prefer the squares!
I chose Mini 70 too! It’s a good instax camera in between. I like it
Thank you for this fantastic review, really well put together edit and informative content 🙂
Thanks
Hello, it is really nice to find your video about this Camera ..since I'm beginer to camera, could you (or anyone watching this video) please kindly tell me which one is better to buy Fujifilm Mini 11 or Fujifilm Mini 40 ..
Thank you so much 😁
Based entirely on body design
What an excellent review. Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thanks your review was really helpful! :)
The new one is coming with application control 👍
All those instant cameras were intended to be used indoors my dad had an early Polaroid colour 500 series that was really expensive to run because it had its own exclusive disposable battery that was good for about 70 shots some with the flash films and also at that time because the cameras didn't have built in flashes you also had to get a flash at that was good for 10 uses and it was because that they were used mostly indoors that they had a slower shutter speed
Perfectly informative
Thanks!
Which one do you recommend in terms of quality, etc., the Instax Mini Evo or the Instax Mini 99?😅
Similar quality, different approaches, so you need to choose between analogue 99 and digital evo. I'd get the 99
does this print photos from ur phone ? like the liplay
No, it's a camera only, not a printer.
Since the flash always trigger, the shutter speed cannot go beyond 250
thank you very much for this vidéo :) do you have a preference between instax 40 and instax 12 ?
They're the same camera, just different looks. Which look do you prefer?
@@cameralabs oh thank you very much :)
Please do a review of the new Polaroid Go and the neo clasical mini 90. Thanks in advance
I'd like to
Amazing video, wish I had started here!:)
Glad you found it! Check out my other INSTAX reviews!
Have you tried testing it out on taking a picture of yourself or others on a sunset ? I’m thinking of getting this one or the mini 11 but I don’t know how it would look under a sunset 😅 I would appreciate it if you test it out 🙂👍
If the person is close enough for the flash to illuminate them, then it can work well with a sunset. But remember these cameras have little to no manual control, and often unexpected results - it's part of the instant charm,
@@cameralabs oh wow, that sounds awesome. thank you for taking your time on answering my question ! 😃
Thanks for sharing. Great information.
You're welcome
Hello please help me what’s the best instar camera for it to have a good quality picture and the vintage look that disposable camera gives
Get any of the INSTAX Mini cameras
Does the instax Mini 40 have any setting to be able to Bluetooth the pictures onto apple iPhones???
No, the Mini 40 is an analogue camera with no connectivity. To get the pictures on your phone, you need to take a photo of the prints!
Does the Instax SQ6 not print directly out of the camera (like the Mini 11)?
The SQ6 prints like the Mini 11 and Mini 40 BUT uses the larger, different square cartridges.
Thanks!
Awesome 👏🏽 review, thanks 😊
Cheers!
I am looking for an instax camera, which do you think is the best?
Did you watch the review?
Is there a better camera to buy in 2024 ?
Yes, the mini 99
Does it have a timer
(I know absolutely nothing about cameras this was just recommended to me lol)
Sadly not, it's basically a Mini 11 in a cooler case. You need one of the higher-end models for features like that.,
@@cameralabs Ah gotcha thanks!
Would you recommend this in 2022 or something else?
if you like the Mini format, then it's this or the Mini 11 at the budget end of the series.
@@cameralabs ok thank you!! also how do you feel about the Polaroid touch snap? Would to get it for $70?
@@yodig5534 if I've not reviewed it, I can't comment, sorry! You can see which ones I've reviewed on my channel home page, I've only done 2 polaroids.
wait a sec...if I attach an ND filter on it will it work? for those sunny overblown landscape shots o_o I better try sometime hehe
It might...
Is this better than the Fujifilm Mini Evo Camera?
Not better, different!
Which one do you recommended buying? @@cameralabs
Do you consider mini evo today?
Sorry, not tested it
So these don't take batteries or need charged up??
Watch the review!
This is a nice ce review.
hey Gordon, i’m stuck between mini 40 and mini 11? which one that you really prefer to buy it? please help me. according to image quality. which one is better? thank youuu 🙏
Same image quality, so it's mostly about which body you prefer
Hi. Can you do a review of instax mini 12 a new model released.
No problem, here you go: ua-cam.com/video/S-yH30q_x98/v-deo.html
half of my picture comes out pure black, do you think this is a defect on the camera or did i just use a bad batch of the film?
This is happening with my son’s camera too. Multiple packs of film do the same. And all pictures look horrible and dark. Did you figure it out?
Simply
Some random people don't like that you have a digital copy
When will they ever make this for the Wide😭
Since they've also done it in the square as the SQ40, I suspect a wide might be possible in the future? But that format is strangely neglected in their lineup.
I just subscribed 💜
With which camera were the photos on 7:19 taken?
Mostly mini 11
@@cameralabs Thank you so much for the response. I was just wondering, because I have recently gotten the Instas Mini 11, but all the faces on my pictures came out blurry. Could this have to do with the distance of the people to the camera? Or not holding the camera steady while taking the picture?
Fuji! We want an Instax SP-4 Wide format printer!!!! :-P
We certainly do!
That would be perfect!!
This may be a dumb question but basically all you need to take the pictures are film right? Or do I need some sort of ink cartridge? Do I need to buy it separately
The paper and ink are all in one pack. Just load the cartridge and you're good to go for 10 shots.
Hi sir which one better mini 40 or SQ1 im confused between this two!
I prefer the square shape, so SQ1 for me. But which shape print do you prefer?
Does it have a memory card?
Depends where you buy it. Probably not
How is the cartridge accidentally exposed to light? Isn't it a sealed unit? I'm shopping around at the moment for an instant camera and don't want to waste money on film to take it out the pack to load it and find I've broken it lol
If you open the camera mid way through a cartridge, you will spoil it.
So then, you should only open the camera when the cartridge is emptied
Can i take photos and not print in instax mini 40 ?
No, it's not a printer.
@@cameralabs so every photo i take is printed? Like deleting it if i dont like it
Hi! Is it safe to remove battery even though the film is still loaded?
Yes, it should be fine. although do it in a dim room just in case there's a potential light leak through the compartment. Just NEVER open the film door when there's a cartridge loaded.
@@cameralabs noted, thank you!
@@cameralabs why?
@@trusttheprocess2833 because it will expose the film to light and ruin it
@@cameralabs true I just realized that yesterday I wasted 3 of em,I just paint something with them since I have an acrylic paint.
Excellent and informative video on this model. Now I know which one I should get.
Good One Sir
I think sq6 is the best .
hello, can I transfer pictures from the camera to the phone?
Yes by taking photos of them
That Steve Huff looking guy looks like Steve Huff😄
That's because...!
I spot Huff lol
Felt really disappointed about the mini 40 :(
Getting me a lomoinst glass instead.
Is that lomography?
how do i know that my instax mini 40 camera needs new batteries?
it stops working?
When the orange light is blinking and won’t take a picture
Hi
The textured plastic looks horrible
It looks ok in person but isn't the same rubbery finish of a 'proper' camera.
Next in the landfill....