Fujifilm has launched a new camera and it's unlike anything else out there.
Based on the design of old Super 8 video cameras, this is an Instax for the modern age.
When it comes to killer cameras, Fujifilm tends to be at or about the top of the pile for most people. Its range of film simulations make it a hot pick for photographers seeking a more classically accurate appearance.
The brand also makes some of the best instant cameras out there, with its Instax range offering some incredibly popular options. Now, another is joining that fray – and it looks like the most unique Instax camera yet.
Designed to act more like an old school video camera than one targeted at photographers, the Instax mini Evo Cinema offers something unlike anything else out there. The camera is a hybrid, with a digital sensor and an Instax printer built into one box.
That's not especially new, but how it operates here is. The camera can record up to 15 seconds of video, which is then converted into a QR code and printed onto an Instax Mini print, allowing the user to hand over a physical video.
The camera offers a unique Eras dial – not entirely dissimilar to the Film Sim dial on Fujifilm cameras – which offers different looks based on different decades of cinema. That includes quirky filters from the 2010s, or the 8mm film camera look of the 1960s.
The design is based on the old Fujica Single 8 camera, and is held vertically with a trigger shutter release. You'll also find an old school rotary film ejector, an exposure compensation dial, and a switch to move between stills and cinema shooting.
The back panel feature a range of control dials. You'll spot a central d-pad which sits around an ok button, and is flanked by a return key, a menu button and a playback button.
There's no word on pricing as yet, though I wouldn't imagine it'll come cheap. Based on other models in the range, I'd anticipate it being around £300 (approx. €345 / US$405 / AU$600) though that's purely conjecture at this point.
If it is, though, I'd wager its one of the best value cameras out there. It's fun and offers a perfect use case for the modern age videographer.
