Instax
| Instax | |
|---|---|
 Instax logo | |
| Maker | Fujifilm |
| Speed | 800/30° |
| Type | Colorinstant |
| Balance | Daylight |
| Format | Mini, Wide, Square |
| Introduced | November 10, 1998 |
| Instax Monochrome | |
|---|---|
| Maker | Fujifilm |
| Type | B&Winstant |
| Format | Mini and Wide |
| Introduced | 2016 (Mini) and 2017 (Wide) |
 Fujifilm instax Wide 300 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Maker | Fujifilm,Lomography,Polaroid Corporation |
| Lens | |
| Lens mount | Integral |
| Sensor/medium | |
| Film format | Instax |
| Film size | Mini or Wide |
| Recording medium | Instant film |
| Footnotes | |
| Various cameras from various manufacturers | |
Instax(stylized asinstax) is a brand ofinstant still camerasandinstant filmsmarketed byFujifilm.
The first camera and accompanying film, the Instax Mini 10 and Instax Mini[1]film, were released on November 10, 1998.[2][3][4]The "Wide" film and first accompanying camera were released the following year.[4]The Instax Square film and accompanying camera were released in 2017.
Theformatsof Instax film give an image size of 46 mm × 62 mm (1.8 in × 2.4 in) for the Mini, 99mm× 62 mm (3.9in× 2.4 in) for the Wide and 62mm× 62 mm (2.4in× 2.4 in) for the Square. The Instax colour film is available in Mini, Wide, and Square formats and the black and white Instax Monochrome is available in Mini and Wide formats.
Other manufacturers also make compatible cameras and camera backs.
Cameras and printers
[edit]Fujifilm produces a range of Instax Mini Instax Square and Instax Wide cameras, as do other manufacturers. Fujifilm also produces Instax Mini and Square printers and has in the past produced Instax Pivi printers.
Film characteristics
[edit] | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2016) |
Fuji's instant film products are based upon the improvements made toPolaroid'sSX-70instant film system that theEastman Kodak Companysold in the 1970s and 1980s– namely the ability to expose the film through the rear of the photograph and the reversal of the dye layers' order so that development in the blue layer is visible first. As a result of these changes, the image does not need to be taken via areflex mirrorin order to reverse the image (as all Polaroidintegral film camerasdo). Colour balance and tonal range are also improved over Polaroid integralinstant films.Fuji's decision to integrate the pressure plate springs and batteries into the camera bodies rather than the disposable film pack itself helps make the Instax system more economical per exposure than Polaroid's equivalents.
Instax Mini
[edit]
Instax Mini is a 54 mm × 86 mm (2.1 in × 3.4 in) (approximatelyISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 credit-card-size) integral daylight ISO 800 color film designed for use with Fujifilm instax mini compatible cameras. In Japan the Instax Mini cameras are called and referred to as cheki (チェキ), derived from the English "check it", and instax mini 10/20/... is the model name.[5]Instax Mini is available in colour and black and white and themed.
| Film specifications[6] | |
|---|---|
| Film speed | ISO 800/30° |
| Colour temperature | Daylight type (5500K) |
| Resolving power | 12 lines/mm |
| Photos per pack | 10 |
| Film size (W×H) |
54 mm × 86 mm 2.1 in × 3.4 in |
| Image size (W×H) |
46 mm × 62 mm 1.8 in × 2.4 in |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1.348 |
| Film pack size (W×H×D) |
61 mm × 92 mm × 20 mm 2.4 in × 3.6 in × 0.8 in |
Digital Instax Pivi
[edit]The Digital Instax Pivi line was intended as a digital/analog hybrid. The original intention was to produce a new format to feed a series of digital instant cameras similar in approach to theOlympusC-211, a digital camera with a built-in Polaroid 500 filmprinter.Fujifilm eventually released the FinePix PR21, a digital camera with a built-in Instax mini printer, in 1999.[7]A stand-alone printer was planned from the start but was not the primary focus, but this changed with the advent of mobile devices.[citation needed]This device made it to market in 2004 (as the Pivi MP-100), after about five years in development.
Instax Pivi film looks physically identical to Instax mini, but it takes a different formulated film producing a color-inverted image when used in a mini camera, making them incompatible.
| Film specifications | |
|---|---|
| Film speed | 800ASA |
| Film size (W×H) |
54 mm × 86 mm 2.1 in × 3.4 in |
| Image size (W×H) |
46 mm × 61 mm 1.8 in × 2.4 in |
Instax Wide
[edit]
Called Cheki Wide in Japan. Released the year after the mini film and cameras, the negative was increased on this format to create an image size based on thegolden ratio.[4]Upon introduction, this format was simply called Instax without any suffix (making it the normal, not mini, Instax film), Fujifilm gradually embedded the "Wide" moniker into the name of the product. That rebranding pattern can also be seen on the Instax 210 which is now described on the Fujifilm web site as Instax Wide 210, despite not being referenced elsewhere in such a way.[8]Instax Wide is available in colour and black and white.
Instax Wide 300 hasshutter release1/64 - 1/200 s with exposure compensation ±2/3 EV (Lighten-Darken control) on ISO 800 speed. Film developing time is around 90 s (depends ontemperature).
| Film specifications[9] | |
|---|---|
| Film speed | ISO 800/30° |
| Colour temperature | Daylight type (5500K) |
| Resolving power | 10 lines/mm |
| Photos per pack | 10 |
| Film size (W×H) |
108 mm × 86 mm 4.3 in × 3.4 in |
| Image size (W×H) |
99 mm × 62 mm 3.9 in × 2.4 in |
| Aspect ratio | 1.618:1 |
| Film pack size (W×H×D) |
115 mm × 92 mm × 20 mm 4.5 in × 3.6 in × 0.8 in |
Instax Square
[edit]
Called Cheki Square in Japan. Instax Square is a square size of Instax film released in 2017, available in colour.[10][11]Fujifilm initially only offered a hybrid digital camera/printer. Later, a separate printer and cameras offering fully analog exposure became available.[12][13]
On September 25, 2018, Fujifilm launched the Square SQ 20[14]which has a configurable "Motion Mode" function that allows recording of video (max 15 seconds), and the selecting and printing of a frame.
In September 2020, Fujifilm announced that Instax Square would be available in black and white in mid-October.[15]
| Film specifications[16] | |
|---|---|
| Film speed | ISO 800 |
| Color temperature | 5500K |
| Resolving power | 10 lines/mm |
| Photos per pack | 10 |
| Film size (W×H) |
72 mm × 85.6 mm 2.83 in × 3.37 in |
| Image size (W×H×D) |
62 mm × 62 mm 2.4 in × 2.4 in |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1 |
| Film pack size
(W×H×D) |
79 mm × 91 mm × 19 mm |
History
[edit]Pre-Instax
[edit]Kodak ceased production of instant film cameras when it was successfully sued by Polaroid forpatent infringementin 1986. Fujifilm, through an agreement with Polaroid specifying they could not officially distribute in certain territories (such as the US) until the originalpatentsexpired in the mid-1990s, continued to manufacture and market their own line of films. As such, Fuji produced several lines of instant films starting in the early 1980s.[citation needed]
Release
[edit]Instax was released to consumers in 1998[3][4]and was based on those earlier instant film systems, having the same film speed and dye order.
Fujifilm originally wished to release the Instax series worldwide including North America and Europe simultaneously,[17]but chose to work with Polaroid on the mio camera based on the Instax mini 10/20 for the US market. The mio product was discontinued after a few years.
Polaroid withdraws
[edit]With Polaroid ceasing production of instant films in 2008, the Instax system was the only integral instant film system in production until Impossible Project (nowPolaroidthrough brand acquisition) launched their integral film in early 2010. The Instax Mini system is also sold in some markets by Polaroid itself through the Polaroid 300[18]and Polaroid 300 Film[19]brands (in reality, rebranded Instax Mini 7S and Instax Mini film).
Reception and growing popularity
[edit] | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(December 2014) |
In 2014, it was reported that the Instax Mini 8 was outselling flagship models like theFujifilm X-T1[20][21]andSony α7R.
In 2016, it was reported that sales of Instax cameras had risen to 5 million units the previous fiscal year, up from 100,000 units in 2004.[22]Also that year, Fujifilm released a monochrome formulation of the film.[23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Kennedy, Ingrid (5 September 1999)."Is it worth it... The Fujimax Instax Mini".The Independent.Retrieved16 March2014.
- ^"Fujifilm Instax Mini 10 camera, c2000".National Media Museum.Retrieved26 January2017.
- ^ab"Fuji may enter U.S. instant film market".The New York Times.EUROPE. 1998-10-31.Retrieved2016-01-01.
- ^abcd"23" Japanese Historical Cameras "of 1999 Named".JCII Camera Museum.Japan Camera Industry Institute. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2018.Retrieved26 January2017.
- ^"インスタントカメラ【instax＜チェキ＞】 công thức サイト".instax.jp(in Japanese).Retrieved2020-10-06.
- ^"Instax Mini film manual"(PDF).May 1999.
- ^"FinePix PR21 JP press release".1999.
- ^"Instax WIDE 210 product pagel".October 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-10-31.
- ^"Instax Wide film manual"(PDF).May 1999.
- ^"Fujifilm Instax Square SQ10".TechRadar.Retrieved2018-05-21.
- ^"Fujifilm Instax Square SQ10 review: digital downer".The Verge.Retrieved2018-05-21.
- ^"Fujifilm announces square-format Instax Share SP-3 SQ photo printer".Digital Photography Review.Retrieved2018-06-07.
- ^"Fujifilm's Instax Square SQ6 is a square-format analog instant camera".Digital Photography Review.Retrieved2018-06-01.
- ^"Fujifilm launches new hybrid instant camera" instax SQUARE SQ20 "".Fujifilm Global.Retrieved2018-10-23.
- ^"Fuji Unveils Instax Square SQ1 Instant Camera and Two New Film Varieties".petapixel.com.16 September 2020.Retrieved2020-10-06.
- ^Johnson, Allison (19 September 2016)."Fujifilm working on square format Instax camera and film".Digital Photography Review.
- ^News, Bloomberg (31 October 1998)."Fuji may enter US instant film market".The New York Times.
{{cite news}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^"Polaroid Pic-300 Instant Print Camera".Polaroid Corporation.Archived fromthe originalon 1 December 2017.Retrieved4 September2016.
- ^"PIF-300 Instant Film for Pic-300 Instant Cameras".Polaroid Corporation.Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2017.Retrieved4 September2016.
- ^"Instax Rules Them All: massive sales of Fuji's instax film. Instax Cameras sell better than Fuji X-T1 and Sony A7r!".Fuji Rumors.2014-09-12.Retrieved2020-10-06.
- ^"FUJI EARNINGS REPORT: Instant Cameras + Fujifilm X-T1 save the imaging business and keep it profitable!".Fuji Rumors.2014-10-30.Retrieved2020-10-06.
- ^Mogg, Trevor (April 5, 2016)."Fujifilm's Instax analog camera is outselling its digital devices by nearly 4 times".www.digitaltrends.com.Retrieved2020-10-06.
- ^Fisher, Jim (19 December 2016)."Fujifilm Instax Mini Monochrome".PC Magazine.Retrieved17 January2017.
Further reading
[edit]- "Data Sheet: Fujifilm Instant Color Film instax mini"(PDF).Fujifilm.RetrievedMarch 2,2018.
- "Data Sheet: Fujifilm Instant Color Film instax wide"(PDF).Fujifilm.RetrievedJanuary 25,2020.
External links
[edit]
- Official website(US)
- Official website(UK)
- Official website(India)
- Fujifilm instant photography – Instax seriesat Camera-wiki.org
- Instax SQ10 –Nowa jakość zdjęć natychmiastowych