The Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 and its relatives, the Instax Mini 12 and 11, are without a doubt, one of the most stylish and user-friendly instant cameras, also known as a polaroid camera, on the market today. For that reason they’ve become an extremely popular choice for instant camera newbies. If you’ve just bought your first Fujifilm Instax Mini, this article will tell you everything you need to know to help you get started.
Before you can enjoy the instant gratification that comes with seeing your newly taken photo pop out of your polaroid camera, you’ll need to learn how to properly operate and shoot with your new Instax, whether it is the 8 or one of the newer models, like the Instax Mini 12.
Here are the steps you need to take:
- Insert the batteries.
- Load the film pack.
- Press the power button beside the lens to turn the camera on.
- Press the shutter to eject the film cover.
- Point the lens at the center of your subject to determine the brightness.
- Turn the dial to the camera’s chosen setting (the corresponding lamp will light up).
- Press the shutter to take the photo.
- Wait for the film to eject itself, then carefully remove from the film slot.
- Place the film on a flat surface and wait for it to develop. Do not shake the film.
How to Insert Batteries into Your Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 and 9
- Locate the battery compartment of your Instax camera.
- Slide the battery cover down to open.
- Insert two alkaline AA batteries.
- Replace the battery cover.
Step-by-step Diagram Showing How to Insert Batteries:
Photo via Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Owner’s Manual
Important Notes:
- Do not use non-alkaline batteries.
- Cold batteries may affect your camera’s performance; lightly warm up the batteries with your hands (or something similar) before inserting them into your camera.
- Replace the batteries when the red lamp on the viewfinder lights up or when the lamps do not blink or light up even when the camera is on.
- Fresh batteries can take approximately 100 pictures.
How to Load a Film Pack into Your Fujifilm Instax Mini 8
- Locate the film cover on the back of your Instax camera.
- Press the top latch to open the film compartment.
- Place your Fujifilm Instax Mini film cartridge (make sure the yellow dots on your camera and on the film cartridge are aligned) inside the camera.
- Replace the film cover.
- Turn the camera on and press the shutter button to eject the film cover (exposure counter will change from “S” to “10”) from the camera.
How to Load Film Pack into Your FujiFilm Instax Mini 9
Loading film into the FujiFilm Instax Mini 9 follows the same process as the Instax Mini 8. Follow the above directions to quickly and easily load film into your new camera.
Step-by-step Diagram Showing How to Load the Film Pack:
Photo via Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Owner’s Manual
Important Notes:
- Always use Fujifilm Instax Mini instant film.
- Make sure that your batteries are installed before loading the film pack.
- Direct sunlight can damage your film; avoid exposure to direct sunlight when loading an Instax Mini instant film cartridge into your camera.
- Replace the film cover immediately to minimize the film’s exposure to outside elements.
How to Use a Polaroid Camera Like the Instax Mini
- Press the power button beside the lens to turn the camera on.
- Wait for the retractable lens to pop out.
- Point the lens at your subject to determine the correct brightness setting.
- Turn the dial on the lens until the dot aligns with the lamp that corresponds to the suggested setting (the camera will choose the best setting for you).
- Press the shutter button to take a photo.
- Wait for the film to eject itself from the camera’s film slot.
- Remove the ejected film (only hold it by the edges) from the camera.
- Wait for your photo to develop.
Photo via Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Owner’s Manual
Important Notes:
- The camera automatically determines the best setting for your chosen subject or current lighting situation.
- Do not cover the two windows located beside the flash, as doing so will prevent your camera from assessing the surrounding light and suggesting the correct setting for your photo.
- Choose the “Hi-Key” setting for a softer, brighter look.
- Check the exposure counter on the back of the camera to check how many shots you have left.
- The camera will go into energy saving mode after about five minutes of inactivity (all lamps will be turned off); to restore, turn your camera off, then turn it back on. Or you can also press the shutter button
- Do not open film cover until the exposure counter reads “0.”
How to Use the Instax Mini Self Timer?
When you want to take a self portrait, Instax Mini’s self-portrait timer is a great feature. Here’s how to get started taking instant selfies:
- Mount your camera on a tripod or make sure it’s balanced on a flat surface.
- Locate the self-timer button on the back of the camera. It looks like a clock dial with one hand and is located next to the Mode button.
- Press the button once to begin a 10-second countdown for the shutter. The LCD window will display the countdown, so you’ll know the self-timer has started.
- Get in position for your shot.
If you want to take two selfies, press the self-timer button twice. You’ll see a small number 2 appear next to the self timer icon in the LCD window, and the countdown will begin. The first shot will fire after seven seconds and the second shot will fire three seconds later.
Tips for Taking Great Pictures with Your Fujifilm Instax Mini Camera
Now that you know how to take photos with your Instax camera, here are some helpful tips to ensure that you get consistently great photos with every single click!
Find good lighting.
The Instax Mini 8 will automatically choose the right setting for any given lighting situation, and it also has a built-in flash to help illuminate the subject or scene you’re trying to photograph. Nonetheless, it is best to take photos in areas with sufficient lighting to ensure that your photos don’t come out underexposed.
Don’t stand too close or too far from your subject.
For best results, remember to maintain a good working distance from your subject—about 2 to 9ft. Your camera’s built-in flash has an effective range of around 0.6m (1.97ft) to 2.7m (8.86ft), so stay within this range to ensure that your photos are properly focused and correctly exposed.
Play around with the suggested brightness setting.
If you’re a newbie, then by all means, follow the camera’s suggested setting. But in certain situations, you can choose to set the brightness yourself if you want a brighter or darker outcome.
But first, you need to know about your camera’s different brightness settings. The brightness of the picture depends on how wide the camera’s aperture opening is. If you aren’t too familiar with photography and how an aperture works, here’s a fairly simple explanation—the larger the opening, the more light it can let in.
Also, keep in mind that aperture is measured by f-numbers. The smaller the number, the larger the opening.
- Hi-Key – brightest setting; makes your photo softer and brighter
- Indoors, Night – second brightest setting; aperture of f/12.7
- Cloudy, Shade – third brightest setting; aperture of f/16
- Sunny, Slightly Cloudy – fourth brightest setting; aperture of f/22
- Sunny and Bright – fifth brightest setting; aperture of f/32
Now, let’s say you’re shooting outdoors, and the sun is extremely bright. The camera will suggest the lowest brightness setting, which is represented by the bright sun icon. But if you want a much brighter photo, ignore the suggested setting and “trick” your camera into letting in more light (thus brightening your photo even further) by choosing the sun icon or the cloud icon.
Conversely, if the camera suggests the cloudy setting, but you want your photo to come out darker and more underexposed, then choose the sun icon for a dramatic effect.
Experiment!
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 is one of the best instant cameras around, but it’s essentially a point and shoot. Therefore, you won’t have much control over anything. You can control only two things when taking photos with this camera: the exposure (to an extent) and your photo’s composition.
If you want better pictures, the best thing you can do is experiment with different compositions. Try shooting from different angles or vantage points. Take photos of unusual subjects. And if you’re looking for a newer model, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Film Camera will provide selfie mirror, automatic flash control, and a close-up mode.
In other words, get creative!
Cover photo: Photo by Kārlis Dambrāns / CC BY 2.0
