You no longer have to waste time taking the captured footage to the laboratory and waiting for it to be printed. The Fujifilm Instax 210 camera does it right before our eyes. The cartridges used to create instant photos belong to the professional class, which results in bright and clear images. To take a picture, it is enough to select a frame through the viewfinder, press the shutter button and be fascinated to see how the image appears on a blank sheet. This will surely attract the attention of others who will be excited to watch the exciting process. This is really rare to see.
Today everyone has access to a digital camera or smartphone. Everyone is so used to viewing photos on the screen display that the device from which the finished picture comes out will be unique and impressive. The biggest obstacle to owning such a wonderful device is its price. A camera costs a lot more than any Polaroid in a thrift store.
Model history
In the days when Polaroid was conquering the instant photography market, Kodak decided to try its hand at creating its own line of cameras of this type. Polaroid sued, and a patent war broke out, which would even make Samsung blush with Apple. When everything settled down, Kodak was ordered to close the film production for instant photography, which left thousands of cameras without consumables. Polaroid received record-breaking compensation and retained a monopoly in the market.
At Fujifilm, they took a slightly different path. They decided to obtain a license for some Polaroid patents in order to create their own production. The company failed to achieve the results of a market leader, but in 2013, when Polaroid virtually ceased to exist, Fuji continued to faithfully release Instax cameras.
Photo material
This review focuses on the Fujifilm Instax 210, but it is impossible to get around the issue of its consumables. Instax Wide Format film is amazing, durable, has good colors, almost like a real Polaroid. Some users, however, believe that the colors are boring, and the blue tint prevails. Pictures are good, with very few flaws. For wedding photographers and people who need a physical image carrier that can preserve it for a long time, Fuji Instax Wide Format film is high-quality and reliable. Therefore, many chose it as a replacement for Polaroid.
So, the consumables are great, but what is the camera in which they are used? This is a completely different story. The Fujifilm Instax 210 is a clumsy, cheap, and stupid looking, highly functional camera. This is the price to pay for using the excellent Fuji film, which may make someone return to their comfortable Polaroid.
Ergonomics
Users almost always complain about the lack of many features of Polaroid consumer cameras, especially flash. The Fujifilm Instax 210 camera offers extensive functionality, which, however, is not very well implemented. Firstly, all the control buttons are located on the side surface in a place that the user does not see due to the fact that it is already occupied by his hands. Some may argue that this is done in order to control the camera by touch. But the thing is that there is also an LCD screen that displays what the camera is currently doing. It is uncomfortable, impractical and crazy.
Even worse, you have to look at the display all the time. Each time you turn on the camera, the lens advances and macro mode is turned on by default. But why? According to user reviews, they ruined a lot of photos, forgetting to press the button to go to the focal length from 3 m to infinity. You can’t just leave the camera in this state, since the extended lens remains unclosed and can easily be damaged. Owners recommend writing a reminder on the back of the camera that you should switch the focal length each time you turn it on.
Governing bodies
Other controls include a three-position brightness switch and a flash button. According to the owners, the last function, although necessary, is meaningless, because if the camera believes that the flash needs to be activated, it will use it regardless of the photographer’s desire. Setting the light, normal and dark frame works without failures, but the display is very difficult to see what is installed at the moment, since the indication is made using small dark triangles.
Fortunately, the shutter button is located on the other side of the camera. It is large and beautiful, placed on the handle of a pleasant shape. Fujifilm Instax 210 cartridges are easily inserted on the back panel. After exposure, the photo appears from above, and the camera at the same time sounds like a portable video recorder.
Optics and exposure
The lens is not bad, but, according to users, it would be better if it just covered the entire focus range without the need to switch between macro and normal mode. If the camera did not adjust to macro shooting each time it was turned on, it would be much better.
Perhaps Fuji engineers suggested that taking close-up shots is a priority, as landscape photography and fill flash are poorly implemented here. The backlight is not bright enough and is suitable only for near objects. If you use it in a room or at a distance, then there will be no effect. In the dark, the camera sets the shutter speed only for the flash (even if the user wants to turn it off), and the photos simply remain dark. This is very disappointing and makes the camera useless when shooting indoors. On the street, with good lighting, the exposure is determined correctly, the pictures are clear and without errors.
Viewfinder
In addition, it is worth noting that the Fujifilm Instax 210 viewfinder is located quite far from the lens, so you should not rely on it to give a good idea of the actual frame boundaries. There are no Fuji Instax SLR cameras, so you have to put up with this state of things. The unusual location of the viewfinder forces the user to constantly look for him, but with practice, this should probably go away.
Fujifilm Instax 210: design overview
Compared to the Instax 210, even the cheapest Polaroid cameras seem sophisticated. The case is made of cheap plastic, giving the camera a toy look. The biggest miscalculation is the battery cover, which barely holds, makes a terrible crack when opening and closing, and is not very reliable. This is a simple thing, because of which it seems that the whole camera was created in a hurry.
The dimensions of the Fujifilm Instax 210 Black are gigantic. Polaroid cameras are not small, but seem pocket-sized compared to this model. The reason for this is the way the cartridge is placed in the camera. Polaroid uses mirrors that allow consumables to be in the bottom of the unit, so it has a compact body. Fuji is more like a big flat plate. The cartridge is located directly behind the lens, which should extend when the unit is turned on. The volume of the cameras of the manufacturers is the same, but the Instax 210 looks more intimidating, and it is more difficult to deal with.
Polaroid or Fuji?
That's the question. Which is better - take the old Polaroid camera and (and often unreliable) Impossible Proj film or expensive Instax 210 with Fuji supplies? It all depends on what it is for. For wedding photographers or reporters who need reliability, Fuji is more suitable. The Impossible Project is simply too unpredictable to rely on, and the old Polaroid cameras are constantly failing due to their age. However, an artist or an amateur will use them with great pleasure and interest. These cameras are more ergonomic than the Fujifilm Instax Wide 210, and you can invest in high-end SLR models to get the highest quality shots. In addition, the unpredictable nature of the Impossible Project for some users is the main reason why they even got involved with instant photography. In the world of Instagram and cheap digital simulations, you need to have a good reason to spend the time and money that this technology requires.