Fujifilm Instax Mini xi
$sixty-70 | Instaxus.com

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 is a fresh entry-level instant camera from Fujifilm and a refinement of the Instax Mini 9 (there is no Mini 10). Equally the name suggests the camera makes use of the Instax Mini film format.

Improvements include a new 'Selfie Style' and better motorcar exposure compared to its predecessor. But dissimilar its higher-cease siblings, the Mini 25/26, Mini 70 and Mini 90, there are no additional creative exposure modes or special features to speak of. That said, the camera is simple to operate and capable of producing lovely images in a variety of lighting weather condition.

Central specs:

  • Retractable 35mm equiv. F12.vii lens
  • Full-automated exposure control (wink always fires)
  • Variable shutter speeds from 1/2 to one/250 sec and wearisome synchro flash for low calorie-free
  • Selfie mirror on front end of lens
  • Selfie/shut-upward mode
  • Automobile frame counter
  • Powered by two AA batteries (100 shots / 10 packs per fresh prepare of batteries)
  • Available in: Blush Pink, Ice White, Sky Bluish, Lilac Regal, Charcoal Black

Operation

The Mini eleven comes with two accessory buttons you can braze to the shutter release via double sided tape (included). I attached the glow in the nighttime button (shown higher up).

The Instax Mini 11 is really straightforward to utilize, making it a great choice for kids. Simply press the push next to the lens to pop information technology out, switch the camera on and hit the shutter button past the viewfinder to take a photo; there are no other buttons to fumble with. When yous're done, push the lens back into the body to turn information technology off.

The Instax Mini 11 is really straightforward to utilize, making it a cracking choice for kids

The camera does a take a selfie mode too as a small selfie mirror on the front of the lens. To engage the mode, pull the very front of the lens outward until the words 'Selfie on' appear (see image below); it admittedly took some excavation through the instructions to figure this out.

Usability

Selfie mode = engaged.

The camera is, by default, held in the vertical orientation, making it good for portraiture. The viewfinder is a scrap small, but that'southward par for the form with these Instax Mini format cameras.

In use, I institute the shutter push can exist easy to bump accidentally, and given the loftier cost of picture show, that's a bummer. Fujifilm does include 2 accessory shutter releases that affix to the push via double-sided record – one glows in the nighttime! Installation is tricky, but once attached, I did find my cocky less probable to pop off an unintended frame.

The shutter button can be easy to crash-land accidentally and given the loftier toll of film, that'south a bummer

Another note about usability: the selfie way machinery is a bit hard to engage and feels like it could be a fail betoken of the camera. It takes a skillful bit of force to yank the lens forrard into selfie mode and retracting the lens after selfie style has been engaged is a fiddly matter.

The Instax Mini 11 is held in the vertical orientation.

Paradigm quality

Image quality from the Mini 11 is adept through-and-through, compared with its peers. The camera handles balancing ambient low-cal with its flash output with ease, in well-nigh shooting scenarios. The add-on of variable shutter speeds and tedious synchro flash definitely seem to give it more versatility in tricky lighting than Mini 9, which has a fixed shutter speed of i/60 sec.

When shooting in bright daylight, the inability to plough off the wink from firing tin be annoying. There'southward also no infinity manner, so shots in which the discipline is far abroad can look a tad soft (see examples in the gallery below).

Using the selfie mode tin can sometimes result in blown highlights

Like about Instax Mini cameras, the Mini 11 produces its best images in good and moderate lighting weather condition with subjects at relatively close distances (inside the maximum wink range of 2.seven m / 8.85 ft). Shots in very depression light tend to come out darker than desired. This is where some sort of exposure compensation would be useful. The Mini 25/26 and Mini seventy, for instance, both offer a 'High Key' manner that adds +ii/3rds exposure compensation.

I'm tempted to say skip the selfie mode all together. From my testing, a selfie in normal way seems to produce a better exposure, though focus may exist a tad soft. Using the dedicated selfie mode can sometimes result in blown highlights. That beingness said, I did have some success using the selfie mode for shut-upward subjects, similar the pup shot leading the gallery below (which was shot in a very dark room).

Conclusion

Ultimately, the Instax Mini 11 is for those seeking the easiest-to-use instant camera for the virtually popular instant film format. The addition of more reliable auto exposure is appreciated. And though I accept hesitations about the selfie manner, my guess is most folks who didn't read the instructions volition never fifty-fifty detect it. And that's just fine.

The Instax Mini 11 is for those seeking the easiest-to-employ instant camera for the most pop instant film format

For those desiring something with more than creative control, we highly recommend spending a few more bucks and getting the Instax Mini seventy, which is more feature-rich and our choice equally the best Instax Mini camera, for the most people.

What we like:

  • Very easy-to-use
  • Powered by ii AA batteries
  • Improved auto exposure over predecessor

What we don't similar:

  • No artistic modes or exposure compensation
  • Easy to accidentally hit shutter before installing accessory button
  • Mechanism to engage 'Selfie Mode' feels fragile
  • Flash always fires