We tested out the new Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 over the weekend.
As a child of the 80’s I absolutely love the retro look and as pointed out by one of my Twitter followers, this Instax model almost resembles the Instagram icon.
Best of all, although Fujifilm have gone old school cool, the Instax Mini 40 still has all of the modern features like selfie mode and Auto exposure.
It’s a light camera, which was as easy for Hamish to use as it was me and photos have a clean and bright look, with both inside and outdoor images.
Creating memories
I’m a self professed memory keeper and to me an Instax is the perfect camera for instant images.
I love being able to give my kids a keepsake of a special day, share memories with friends and adding new slivers of time to our fridge as we replace the photos often.
One of the things I’ve started doing is letting Hamish capture his own memories. To him there is nothing more magical than watching the camera make a print of his photo.
This week, we’ve spent some time using the Instax Mini 40 to take photos of friends and things he loves as we prepare to move to a new home in another town.
These memories are special to him and are filling an album for him to look back on if he misses his friends.
About the Fujifilm Instax Mini 40
Fujifilm is proud to introduce the Instax Mini 40 instant camera, the new entry-level camera in the ever-growing Instax line-up.
The Mini 40 embraces the old-school look-and-feel of film cameras thanks to its all-black leatherette body combined with a classic silver frame.
Despite its retro looks, the Mini 40 incorporates the latest technology, as found on Instax’s Mini 11 and Square SQ1 instant cameras released last year.
No worries with Automatic Exposure
With the ‘Automatic Exposure’ function, for example, the Mini 40 automatically optimises the shutter speed, flash output and other settings according to the overall shooting conditions. This allows for balanced prints that are correctly exposed in both bright outdoor and low-light indoor environments.
Users can also activate the ‘Selfie mode’ for taking selfies and close-up shots. The mode is initiated by pulling out the front edge of the camera’s lens after powering it on, making sure that any image taken from close up (30 cm – 50 cm) is in focus.
The Mini 40 is powered by two AA-batteries (included), and with a weight of only 330g (without batteries, strap and film) the camera is extremely portable.
As an additional accessory and to compliment the camera’s style, Instax is releasing a stylish black camera case with stitching detail and a shoulder strap. Safely tucked into the case, the Mini 40 is ready for any picnic, party or road trip.
Ready for Contact
As can be gathered from the name, the Mini 40 uses Fujifilm’s Mini film, which provides a photo picture size of 62 x 46mm.
The film packs are easy to load, with the camera able to print a beautiful photo in about 90 seconds.
Part of the fun of the Instax range is the wide variety of film types available for prints.
Alongside the Mini 40, Fujifilm is introducing a new Mini-format film named “Contact Sheet”. The stylised black border design imitates a contact sheet, traditionally developed by film photographers in photographic dark rooms. The Contact Sheet film pack contains ten prints and can be used in all Instax Mini cameras.
Price and availability
Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 instant camera were available in South Africa from 21 April 2021 and set to retail for R1 399 incl. VAT.
Photographers looking for the Contact Sheet film pack can find it in stores or online on the same day, selling for a recommended R169 incl. VAT.