With smartphones being the go-to camera for most users today, it’s easy to question the enduring allure of film. If you’ve always been curious, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 99 instant camera may offer a compelling answer.
The retro camera uses a medium similar to the 1970s icon, the original Polaroid Camera. This is an instant photograph that will develop automatically within minutes, or faster some believe, if you shake it (thus “shake it like a Polaroid picture“).
Of course, “instant” might still be slow to a generation of tech users used to automatically enhanced selfies and lag-free Internet connections. So, what makes the Fujifilm Instax Mini 99 appealing?
Ironically, it is this lack of speed that makes the Fujifilm camera appealing. Waiting for the photo to develop creates anticipation and excitement. For those old enough to remember, the feeling is like seeing the pictures the first time after sending them to your neighbourhood photo print shop.
One nifty feature that the Fujifilm camera has is the use of LED lights to create effects, much like the filters seen in a smartphone camera app.
These effects include Faded Green, Warm Tone, Light Blue, Soft Magenta, Sepia and Light Leak. Of these effects, Warm Tone, Sepia and Light Leak give out old-school vibes that some hipsters and photographers would appreciate.
To make the photos look even more “vintage”, a switch of the button in front of the camera exposes flaps that cover the edge of the lens, creating a vignetting effect or dark borders around the photo frame that makes the subject pop out. This vignetting mode is fun to use when shooting portraits.
Avid photographers will also find that the Instax Mini 99 has more controls to create unique images. There is a dial that controls the brightness of the photos, for starters.
You also get various camera modes for sports, indoors, double exposure, and even bulb mode for long exposures. Plus, there is flash control to give that flash-in-your-face fashion shoot vibe that was all in the rage a couple of years ago.
Unlike most cameras, the Instax 99 has two shutter buttons. One is on the top plate when shooting in landscape, and the other is in front, just below the viewfinder for portraits. These dual-shutter-button setups make getting shots in different orientations very convenient.
There are a few things that could have been done better. I took a long time to get used to the viewfinder, as I could not get my eye to align quickly. Taking a selfie involves some guesswork because you will only know where the camera points with a mirror to guide you.
Any mistake is costly, with one Instax photo costing as much as S$1.50 for a box of 10 black-and-white prints. I really must ensure all the settings are correct before hitting the shutter button.
Costing S$339, the Fujifilm Instax 99 is a retro camera that will surprise you, especially with the unique LED light effects on photo prints. It also challenges photographers to be creative with all the various settings. It is a fun camera for both beginners and experienced photographers alike.
