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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Leading Holiday Item on Amazon in the Camera Category: Film

Specifically, Fuji Instax Mini 8 film. From the Amazon year end press release, to quote:
Holiday Best Sellers (Amazon.com only):
...
Camera: Fujifilm INSTAX Mini Instant Film Twin Pack - White; GoPro HERO4 SILVER; AmazonBasics Head Strap Camera Mount for GoPro

Thanks again to the eagle eyes at Petapixel for finding this nugget. These cameras are inexpensive and easier to find at retail than the 8x10 large format cameras. As reported earlier, the Impossible Project is producing instant film for large format cameras.

The Instax film is about 6x4.5cm in image size and costs around a dollar a frame. The colours appear realistic and the camera is easy to use. The exposure is adjusted by a ring on the front of the camera to a position that the exposure system on the camera lights up with a small LED to indicate where to set the exposure ring. The shutter is fixed at 1/60th of a second. There are 10 exposures in a pack and the camera can be had for under $100. More upscale models are available, like the Mini 90 Neo Classic, for slightly more. The Neo Classic models feature settings more advanced photographers would prefer, such as Bulb exposure, double exposure, macro mode and more. Also, unlike the Mini 8 Models, the Mini 90 has a tripod mount.

Check out the Wide Instax film, at 10.6x8.4cm (just over 4x3.25in), this is a larger format film for the Instax wide format cameras, Models 300, 210, 200. The Model 300 camera is oriented more for intermediate to advanced photographers and is well under $200.