Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 review: instant photos in the Instagram age
Do Polaroid-style photos have a place in 2014?
Of all the forms of photography you'd expect to have been sidelined by the smartphone onslaught, instant film would have to top the list. Sure, the unique (and useless) ritual of shaking your pictures to speed up development has a special place in the hearts of many. But the traditional advantages of instant cameras — ease of use, shareability, and the ability to see your photo straight away — are matched point-for-point by the tiny shooter embedded in your phone. Instagram didn't base its logo on a Polaroid Land Camera for nothing.
But that hasn't stopped Fujifilm's Instax cameras from achieving wide success in Asia and beyond, and now the company is gunning for the US with the new Mini 90 camera. “[Instax has] become wildly popular in a lot of the Asian markets and it's a very, very important product to Fujifilm worldwide,” says Bing Liem, Fujifilm’s VP of sales. “It’s been growing very nicely in the US but, based on the population that we have, obviously the penetration should be a lot higher.” Now the company wants to convince Americans that instant cameras are more than just toys.
The Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Camera — to give it its full name — is Fujifilm’s attempt to appeal to the serious photographer. It features a retro-inspired design with clear nods to Fujifilm's beautiful X-series cameras like the X100S. It also promises to give enthusiasts a higher degree of control over their photos, with more settings and features such as multiple exposure and a bulb mode. If ever there were an Instax camera to break out of the teenage-girl demographic, this would be it. But at $199.99, turning other US customers on to instant film in 2014 may not be the easiest task.
Fujifilm nailed the design of the Mini 90, which fits in both with
the traditional, toylike Instax line and the classier X-series. It takes
on the basic shape of the former and the visual motifs of the latter,
and it’s seriously adorable. "We want to make sure that the
photographers of the world understand that it’s a very functional tool
with a beautiful form," says Fujifilm’s Matt Schmidt.
Although the Mini 90 is made of plastic, it’s well constructed and
the textured materials feel great to the touch. It comes with the same
pack-in leather strap as Fujifilm's X-series cameras, which in hindsight
I'd recommend using — despite the construction seeming sturdy enough,
an accidental drop onto concrete damaged the door mechanism on my unit,
making it difficult to latch properly. I'm keeping it closed with a
rubber band to avoid ruining the film.
Assuming you're more sensible than I and haven't flung your camera onto the ground, loading Instax film couldn't be easier. The film comes in packs of 10 shots, and it's a case of simply slotting a plastic box inside the camera and closing the door. The camera will automatically eject the protective cover, and then you're good to go. When you press one of the shutter buttons, a blank slide will pop out of a door on the camera's side — that's your photo, and all that's left is for you to watch the colors come into view as the film develops. It's slower, sure, but it's a lot more fun than peeking at a picture on an LCD.
The Instax Mini 90 is seriously adorable
Assuming you're more sensible than I and haven't flung your camera onto the ground, loading Instax film couldn't be easier. The film comes in packs of 10 shots, and it's a case of simply slotting a plastic box inside the camera and closing the door. The camera will automatically eject the protective cover, and then you're good to go. When you press one of the shutter buttons, a blank slide will pop out of a door on the camera's side — that's your photo, and all that's left is for you to watch the colors come into view as the film develops. It's slower, sure, but it's a lot more fun than peeking at a picture on an LCD.
You can use the Mini 90 in portrait or landscape orientation; the
camera has a shutter button for each position, ensuring a comfortable
grip either way. There are neat little practical touches all over the
camera — the front-mounted shutter button doubles as a mirror for
accurate selfie framing, and you can select different modes by twisting a
ring around the lens as if you were dialing in aperture on an X100. The
optical viewfinder is a slight letdown, however, as it’s very small and
difficult to view with your eye any further than a few millimeters
away; you might have trouble framing your shot if you’re wearing
glasses. But precise composition isn’t really what this camera’s about.
The Mini 90's design makes shooting a ton of fun, then, but I was surprised at just how easy it is to get great images. Although Instax film has a fairly light-sensitive ISO of 800, the Mini 90's lens has a small fixed f/12.7 aperture, meaning you'll often be relying on the built-in flash to brighten things up. But it does a remarkably good job of producing natural, great-looking photos — far better than you'd see from most cheap digital compact cameras in similar situations. At around $15 to $20 for two packs of 10 shots, you won’t want to waste any film, which is why it’s so important that the camera perform as you expect. Fujifilm's X-series cameras have built a reputation for excellent automatic exposure with or without flash, though, and that's a trait shared by the Mini 90.
Shooting with the Mini 90 is a little more involved than taking smartphone pictures, but not by much. You can lighten or darken the image to avoid under- or over-exposure, for example, and while there's no true focus control, the macro and landscape modes hone the lens on close and distant subjects. You can also layer two images on top of one another, or use the bulb mode to produce long exposures in the dark. But given the cost of instant film, most people probably won’t want to experiment too much. Even though the Mini 90 is easy and effective as a simple point-and-shoot camera in spontaneous situations, it does slow you down and force you to think about what you’re capturing. That can be a good or bad thing depending on the kind of photographer you are; some may find it frustrating, but others will enjoy taking the time to figure out what gets the best results. I fell in the latter bucket, as I suspect most people interested in an instant camera will.
The Mini 90's design makes shooting a ton of fun, then, but I was surprised at just how easy it is to get great images. Although Instax film has a fairly light-sensitive ISO of 800, the Mini 90's lens has a small fixed f/12.7 aperture, meaning you'll often be relying on the built-in flash to brighten things up. But it does a remarkably good job of producing natural, great-looking photos — far better than you'd see from most cheap digital compact cameras in similar situations. At around $15 to $20 for two packs of 10 shots, you won’t want to waste any film, which is why it’s so important that the camera perform as you expect. Fujifilm's X-series cameras have built a reputation for excellent automatic exposure with or without flash, though, and that's a trait shared by the Mini 90.
Shooting with the Mini 90 is a little more involved than taking smartphone pictures, but not by much
Shooting with the Mini 90 is a little more involved than taking smartphone pictures, but not by much. You can lighten or darken the image to avoid under- or over-exposure, for example, and while there's no true focus control, the macro and landscape modes hone the lens on close and distant subjects. You can also layer two images on top of one another, or use the bulb mode to produce long exposures in the dark. But given the cost of instant film, most people probably won’t want to experiment too much. Even though the Mini 90 is easy and effective as a simple point-and-shoot camera in spontaneous situations, it does slow you down and force you to think about what you’re capturing. That can be a good or bad thing depending on the kind of photographer you are; some may find it frustrating, but others will enjoy taking the time to figure out what gets the best results. I fell in the latter bucket, as I suspect most people interested in an instant camera will.
Fujifilm is the biggest player left in the consumer film market, and
Instax film is surprisingly great. It produces gorgeous, deep — if not
necessarily digital-accurate — colors, with skin tones looking
particularly good. It’s capable of rendering a lot of detail if you lock
in focus with the proper mode. And there's still a special sort of
magic to instant photography, even if the first Polaroid camera came out
in the 1940s. Instax photos can take up to 10 minutes to fully develop,
but you can normally tell if a picture has turned out well within 60
seconds or so, and waiting for the colors to resolve themselves adds to
the sense of anticipation. Once developed, you have a one-of-a-kind
memento that can’t be recreated or copied any more than a painting can.
Instant film makes photography tangible in a way that digital cameras
can’t capture.
One issue that people might have with Instax Mini film is the size of
the prints. Fujifilm calls them credit card sized, but that's only
partly true — although the paper is about that big, the surrounding
border is relatively thick, letting you scribble notes below your image.
What you're left with for the actual photo, then, is a bit taller and
very slightly narrower than an Instagram photo viewed on an iPhone.
That's a convenient size for sharing or slipping into a wallet, but does
mean that the camera isn't ideal for capturing sweeping vistas or
distant subjects. For now, if you want bigger instant photos, your only
modern option is Fujifilm’s colossal and considerably less stylish Instax 210,
which uses a separate "wide" format film that’s twice the size and
doesn’t fit inside the Mini 90. It’s not the sort of thing you’d want to
take on a night out.
There's still a special sort of magic to instant photography
Instant photography is an expensive hobby, but there’s nothing quite like itFujifilm admits the Mini 90 is a niche product, and in all honesty it’s hard to see it turning many people back on to the joys of instant film. The camera itself is fairly expensive, to say nothing of the per-shot cost. But with Lomography launching its own Instax camera later this year, the potential is there for a minor revival among those who get the appeal. It’s an example of how technological progress sometimes leaves certain joys behind — instant photography may not be for you if you use your camera to document events in great detail, but it might just be your thing if your aim is to preserve and share memories.
No one that picks up a Mini 90 should be disappointed by any facet of its performance. It’s a lovable camera that’s been designed with care and will almost never frustrate you. Instant photography is an expensive hobby, but there’s nothing quite like it — and the Mini 90 is a cute, well-designed way to get started.
The Breakdown
More times than not, the Verge score is based on
the average of the subscores below. However, since this is a
non-weighted average, we reserve the right to tweak the overall score if
we feel it doesn't reflect our overall assessment and price of the
product. Read more about how we test and rate products.
- Hardware / design 8
- Image quality 8
- Interface / controls 7
- Features 7
- Performance 8
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Instant Camera Review
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Instant Camera Review - Emma Kay
takes a look at Fujifilm's latest instant camera, the Fujifilm Instax
Mini 90 Neo Classic.
| Category | : | Film Cameras and Film |
|---|---|---|
| Price | : | £118 |
| Rating | : | |
| Share | : |
Features
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic is an instant camera that produces 86x54mm photos. It is the highest spec camera in the Instax Mini range, which also includes the Mini 8, Mini 7s, Mini25, Mini 50s and Instax 210. Fujifilm says the Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic has the features of a traditional analogue camera and has an enhanced capability to capture light creatively. We find out how it performs here.
It features a viewfinder and flash and has several modes to suit most photographic opportunities. Pressing the mode button once makes all the possible modes flash, and you can then press mode again until the mode you want is selected, or you can use the mode selector rocker around the lens barrel of the camera to choose which mode you'd like.
The modes available are:
The LCD screens on the back of the camera tell you how many shots you have remaining, and display the mode that the camera is currently in, as well as the battery life, which is handy. The viewfinder is really quite small, meaning that you have to look through it at exactly the right angle, otherwise you can't see through it properly.
The film is easy to load, simply remove the cartridge from the packaging, unclip the door and the cartridge slides straight in. You have to line up a groove on the film pack to the yellow marker inside the camera, then shut the door and away you go. The battery compartment is separate and located on the door of the film compartment, making it easy to recharge the battery without disturbing the film.
The battery is meant to last through 10 film packs, or 100 photos, before it needs charging again according to Fujifilm. This will depend on how long the camera is left for between uses and how often you use the flash.
The camera is quick to spit out the photos, and it's fun to watch them develop.
Prints have good colour reproduction, and are sharp without losing the retro feel associated with instant cameras. They are quick to develop, and require no real aid in the process; just wait for your photo to appear. Within about 5 minutes the print should be pretty well developed.
Red eye reduction flash mode seemed to work well in the portrait example, and macro mode enabled a nice photo of the orchid, although there is a minimum focusing distance of 30cm and without any sort of gauge other than your best guess it might be a bit difficult to get the part of the image you want into focus.
Double exposure mode also produced a good result, although the first exposure is a lot more vivid than the second, which is quite ghostly in comparison.
The self timer mode is good, once the shutter is pressed a small red light on the camera turns on for 7 seconds, then flashes for 3 seconds before taking the image, giving you plenty of time to prepare yourself for the shot.
The camera itself is a little on the expensive side for an instant camera, however it does feature a few quite advanced modes that other instant cameras don't have, and it is marketed as the premium model instant camera. Despite being mostly plastic construction the camera feels well built and solid, and has a nice finish, justifying the price tag.
Alternative instant cameras include others in the Fujifilm Instax range, like the Mini 8, which uses the same size film but has less modes, and is available for £52.99 camera only. Another option is a Polarioid model like the 300 Instant Camera, which is priced at £59.99. Film is more expensive for this model however, costing £31.91 for 3 packs.
It produces vibrant prints which are just the right size for a wallet or purse, and these develop quickly. This camera is unique in the features it has, you won't find many instant cameras that have bulb and double exposure modes.
The only drawbacks are the tiny viewfinder which at certain angles can be difficult to see through, and the chunkiness of the model, meaning it's best to stow it in a rucksack or handbag as it will prove difficult to fit into a pocket.
It's trendy and well made so should make a great companion to those who love instant photography and will make use of the extra features this model provides.
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic is an instant camera that produces 86x54mm photos. It is the highest spec camera in the Instax Mini range, which also includes the Mini 8, Mini 7s, Mini25, Mini 50s and Instax 210. Fujifilm says the Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic has the features of a traditional analogue camera and has an enhanced capability to capture light creatively. We find out how it performs here.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Features
The Instax Mini 90 looks like a chunkier version of Fujifilm's classically styled fixed lens cameras. The body is made from plastic and the camera features two shutter buttons, one on the front of the camera in the middle of the power rocker and one on top.It features a viewfinder and flash and has several modes to suit most photographic opportunities. Pressing the mode button once makes all the possible modes flash, and you can then press mode again until the mode you want is selected, or you can use the mode selector rocker around the lens barrel of the camera to choose which mode you'd like.
The modes available are:
- Party - Enables the background as well as your subject to be captured brightly.
- Kids - Ideal fro capturing fast moving subjects like children and animals; can also be used in low light conditions.
- Landscape - Best suited to subjects at a distance of 3 meters to infinity.
- Double exposure - Take two images and combine them onto one image
- Bulb - Hold the shutter button down for a maximum of 10 seconds
Key Features
- Shoots Instax Mini colour film
- Flash
- Macro Mode
- Self Timer Mode
- 62x46mm images
- Exposure (remaining shots) counter
- Max 10 second exposure in bulb mode
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Handling
The Instax Mini 90 is quite a chunky camera, and feels strange to hold - there is more grip space on the left of the camera than the right, where the shutter buttons are. The size makes it easy to grip, but there isn't much room for your fingers because the lens is over to the right.The LCD screens on the back of the camera tell you how many shots you have remaining, and display the mode that the camera is currently in, as well as the battery life, which is handy. The viewfinder is really quite small, meaning that you have to look through it at exactly the right angle, otherwise you can't see through it properly.
The film is easy to load, simply remove the cartridge from the packaging, unclip the door and the cartridge slides straight in. You have to line up a groove on the film pack to the yellow marker inside the camera, then shut the door and away you go. The battery compartment is separate and located on the door of the film compartment, making it easy to recharge the battery without disturbing the film.
The battery is meant to last through 10 film packs, or 100 photos, before it needs charging again according to Fujifilm. This will depend on how long the camera is left for between uses and how often you use the flash.
The camera is quick to spit out the photos, and it's fun to watch them develop.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Performance
We used one pack of film (10 photos) to test the various modes the camera has and the quality of prints in different situations.Prints have good colour reproduction, and are sharp without losing the retro feel associated with instant cameras. They are quick to develop, and require no real aid in the process; just wait for your photo to appear. Within about 5 minutes the print should be pretty well developed.
Red eye reduction flash mode seemed to work well in the portrait example, and macro mode enabled a nice photo of the orchid, although there is a minimum focusing distance of 30cm and without any sort of gauge other than your best guess it might be a bit difficult to get the part of the image you want into focus.
Double exposure mode also produced a good result, although the first exposure is a lot more vivid than the second, which is quite ghostly in comparison.
The self timer mode is good, once the shutter is pressed a small red light on the camera turns on for 7 seconds, then flashes for 3 seconds before taking the image, giving you plenty of time to prepare yourself for the shot.
Value For Money
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 is available for £117.99 from Amazon. The film is available for £14.30, for 2 packs of 10 shots each, also from Amazon. Film is not badly priced for this model and has nice colour reproduction.The camera itself is a little on the expensive side for an instant camera, however it does feature a few quite advanced modes that other instant cameras don't have, and it is marketed as the premium model instant camera. Despite being mostly plastic construction the camera feels well built and solid, and has a nice finish, justifying the price tag.
Alternative instant cameras include others in the Fujifilm Instax range, like the Mini 8, which uses the same size film but has less modes, and is available for £52.99 camera only. Another option is a Polarioid model like the 300 Instant Camera, which is priced at £59.99. Film is more expensive for this model however, costing £31.91 for 3 packs.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Verdict
Overall, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 is a good looking instant camera which despite its quirky proportions and awkward shutter button placing is really easy to use.It produces vibrant prints which are just the right size for a wallet or purse, and these develop quickly. This camera is unique in the features it has, you won't find many instant cameras that have bulb and double exposure modes.
The only drawbacks are the tiny viewfinder which at certain angles can be difficult to see through, and the chunkiness of the model, meaning it's best to stow it in a rucksack or handbag as it will prove difficult to fit into a pocket.
It's trendy and well made so should make a great companion to those who love instant photography and will make use of the extra features this model provides.
| The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 has lots of features and creates colourful prints. |
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Pros
Vibrant printsSettings easy to usePrints develop quicklyLots of modesFujifilm Instax Mini 90 Cons
Chunky - will be difficult to fit in a pocketSmall viewfinder can be difficult to see through| FEATURES |  |
|
| HANDLING |  |
|
| PERFORMANCE |  |
|
| VALUE FOR MONEY | |
|
| VERDICT | |
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Specifications
| Manufacturer | Fujifilm | |
| Focusing | ||
| Focusing modes | ||
| Exposure Control | ||
| Shutter speeds longest | No Data | |
| ISO sensitivity | No Data | |
| Shooting Options | ||
| Continuous shooting | No Data | |
| Power Source | ||
| Battery Type | Lithium-Ion | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Weight | 296g | |
| Width | 113.4mm | |
| Height | 91.9mm | |
| Depth | 57.2mm | |
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