20.6.2016

First of all let me say that I don't think that this should be given thoughtlessly as a gift, reason being the practicality and expense of using it, however to those willing to spend money and patience on this camera, then you will be in LOVE!Firstly this camera kit comes with the bare essentials of what it needs to get started right away; it has one cartridge that comes with 10 photos, one wrist strap, batteries, instructions and the camera itself. Overall it's barebones when compared to the design of the packaging. However this really wasn't an issue at all, I bought mine on the day I wanted to start using it and had no issues setting it up or getting it going.So how do you set it up for its first usage?Well I will tell you ~1) Take your batteries and open the slide down compartment found to the side of the camera, it will tell you how to insert them inside that compartment2) Take your cartridge out of the sliver packaging and open up the back of the camera (a large panel with a small lock), make sure the yellow line on the top of the cartridge lines up with the yellow line found at the top of the open compartment. You must put the cartridge up the same way the yellow line faces. Once you do this close that compartment!3) Next you can turn on the camera, to do this go to the camera lense and right next to it there will be a button, push it to turn on the camera and to start up the flash4) The first thing you now want to do is find your shutter button which is a below the viewfinder, just press it and this will remove the photo cartridges protective cover (a black sheet type thing). This dosn't count as a photo and just removes the cover that protects the film from light, one you get rid of this cover you can start taking pictures. NOTE: Once you take the first picture to remove the protective cover, you must NOT open the cartridge compartment until you have used it up completely, otherwise you will damage the film in there by exposing it to light!Now when it comes to the lense of the camera, there will be a light when the camera is turned on, this will indicate what the camera suggests you turn the lenses exposure choice to (IE: House = indoors ect:). You can ignore this light and choose what you want however from testing these myself I can say that the camera is nearly always right!Also for those curious what the 'High Key' setting dial is, that is like an over exposure, it can create more washed out images, I have only tested it once and got a better result using it in more dingey lighting.Things to be aware of:.You should NOT shake the pictures, although its become a tradition to shake instamatic pictures you shouldn't do this as it can't damage the films development.The flash will ALWAYS go off no matter what setting you use, this isn't really an issue but it really is a strong flash so if you want more subtle lighting I suggest getting some electric tape ect: to cover/mask the flash..Do not cover up the two small dots above the lense, these are the sensors and are used to suggest lighting and to also better the image quality.Do not buy cheap film, there are a lot of sellers on ebay selling film that works with these cameras for £20 per 100 shots. It sounds tempting but considering you can get very good deals on amazon where the more packs/shots you buy then the cheaper it gets, its worthwhile with quality over quantity (IE: 20 Shots for £15 whilst 10 shots are around £10).Now time to my personal thoughts and feelings on this camera~Firstly I think that it's so fun and affordable, the colours and variations in design and accessories are such a breath of fresh air! The quality of the camera build is overall good, made from hard plastic that stays sturdy though I still suggest a good camera case (I just bought this one: Mudder Clear Pink Hard Shell Protective Cover Case for Fujifilm Instax Mini 8/ 8+ Instant Film Camera with Rainbow Shoulder Strap )I also think that this camera shouldn't be bought without thought. I feel it's a target for a lot of teenage girls birthday presents and as much as they may love it, remember that 10 shots even in careful hands won't last forever but will cost you a lot in the long run.My belief is that it may be a very brief fascination for some buyers, I have always loved polaroid and instamatic cameras so buying this was a long time dream come true however for those only interesting in using it rarely then I feel heading to ebay for a more traditional film camera that has cheaper cartridges is a better choice.I personally love mine and have been unable to put it down but it has also been a reminder to only snap whats significant rather than just click away. This item really is so much more special than taking a million iphone photos as with this camera, every photo should be used on a moment!I will be doing a full video review, if you would like to see this then go to youtube and search Addy Chan.I am a film student and reviewer so I will upload there!

12.6.2014

I did originally write a bad review with 1 star as i felt it really awful that the seller does not state weather or not it comes with film which by the way it doesn't , so without film i couldn't test the camera to see if it worked so i emailed about this, wanting an outcome of them writing a small piece of there being no film included , i admit myself i probably didn't sound as nice as i thought i did but the tone of the message i received back i felt was snotty and a bit rude , they had said that if it doesn't say it comes with the film then there's no film and that no one else was confused it was just me. which they were wrong about i looked at this with my friends before me and one other brought this,both of us were expecting it to come with film.but then i eventually got film and tested the camera and thought to myself that this item doesn't deserve such a bad review for small things the seller could/ should of let buyers know about. although i do feel its over priced to come without film as i have sen the camera cheaper with film in other stores. but over all the camera is fantastic, to me its so much better having a physical copy of the picture with no editing or anything you get what comes out i find it exiting to see the picture develop and to see ether its a great picture of not at which i must admit a few of mine were a flop , blurry or out of the picture almost completely but i kept them as they are a memory, they made me laugh alot. it took me forever to decide which one to get between the instax mini 8 or 25 which was one everyone raved about. then i saw the pink and just thought i really love this lets just go for it. it was a birthday treat to myself. i love that its so simple with only a few settings which are light settings, the camera determins which setting it feels you should have it on based on the light around you although you can go with whichever you like. i love that it runs on batteries and not charge it makes it feel more vintage i brought it for fun although i am a photography student this camera is more for taking silly pictures with friends and family just creating memories really. i love the size of the actual picture its about credit card sized so its perfect to fit in my picture compartment in my purse iv even ordered a little album to put them in. the only thing i would say is when taking the picture the view finder is to the right of the actual lens so what you see out of the view finder is not necessarily what will be in the picture, when taking turn the camera to the right a little that way everything is in the image and centered. fantastic camera would definitely buy again , just not from here im afraid somewere that comes with film or is a little cheaper to compensate that

7.7.2017

I have had this camera since April and I love it.I take it almost everywhere with me and it's a fun way to take photos. It is certainly a talking point as having the photo print out right after you take it is very cool. Be warned, this camera is addictive!The camera is chunky and doesn't feel overly fragile, although I did buy a case for it just in case. I would also recommend getting a neck strap for it, as it feels more secure and comfortable when taking a photo.The camera is very simple to use and has 5 different light settings. When you open the lens a light flashes above the setting recommended for the lighting conditions you are in. You can override this.

10.7.2016

Bought this pink instax instant camera nearly 2 years ago now and still going strong! Fridge now covered in photos and everyone who come to visit comments on them. Havnt even changed the batteries once. VERY easy to use (trust me I break everything) and have even dropped it once expecting the worst and voila! Still works. Gets fingerprint marks quickly which do wipe off- maybe other colours are more forgiving? Picture quality is good, and people always watch in amazement as it prints the photo before your eyes. Had strangers walking up asking where I got it from, how much and etc. A definite attention grabber! Yea, the film is damn expensive (works out in most cases 50p a shot on normal Instax paper)

30.8.2016

What a cute film camera for a great price!I have been very impressed with Instax recently with the vintage style polaroid cameras. I myself own both this version and the Instax Mini 70 (as slightly more expensive model) which both have great and unique aesthetics. I was thrilled with the appearance of this model, and it makes a cute addition to my film camera collection.The price of this camera is very reasonable, and the quality of the images is simple yet perfect for the size of film it runs with (Fujifilm).Please beware, however, the replacement film is most probably the most expensive part, as a 20 pack of film usually costs around £14.99 minimum. However, as these are physical film pictures,

1.3.2015

I purchased this camera as a gift to myself.It arrived in a neat box and upon unpackaging it I instantly fell in love with it.I think part of it's charm is it's wonderful pastel pink color, all though the other colors look nice PINK will always be best.After using it with some super cute films and taking a few instant photos I realized it is actually a pretty decent camera for an instant one.There are so many things to get with this camera such as awesome printed films, zoom in's and cute bags for it.The only downside is the price of the film in my opinion.The film is rather pricey and can cost upto a £1 a photo which is ridiculous.Perfect for a birthday or Christmas gift to someone who loves

1.7.2016

I got this Camera to capture beautiful moments, where only one copy of the photo exists.It arrived today and I put it to the test right away. As you can see from the pictures I've attached. (My phone didn't pick up the quality properly, the photo's look so much better in person.)I love this Camera. Sooo easy to use even a small child could use it. Great build quality, great look, great performance. Everything about this Camera is just fantastic. I also love how the Camera auto-detects the setting it should be on, so that you can change the setting to get the best quality photo, that's a lovely touch.This Camera is great for people who want proper photos, to capture the moment, a old-fashioned sort-of Camera,

16.1.2016

Our daughter has grown up with always a camera in her hand and when I saw this on her wish list, we decided to purchase one for Christmas. We chose the pack with the fuchsia camera and 10 shots film set. The colour is a lovely deep pink and the camera is a medium chunky size. It is plastic, yet feels okay when holding.Has a functioning zoom and a flash, we also purchased the matching case to avoid any damage when our daughter takes it out.This camera gives the credit card size Polaroid pics, which are perfect for memory albums, making a photo college etc. It is so smile to use, load your film, point and shoot, wait a minute and photo pops out,

25.7.2017

works exactly as expected but i wanted to give advice for anyone taking a picture with this; first make sure the setting is right. the lense twists to suit the lighting and as the whole thing works based on mirrors is really important or you'll end up with a white piece of film. it goes back to normality after every picture so make sure you check before every shot! also once printed it will come out white; that's normal, the ink hasn't set yet- but DO NOT shake it because this will mix up the chemicals, it shouldn't set if you do that but if it does your picture will have missing parts to it and will not last long. also once printed, turn it upside down and leave it for 10-15 mins.

21.2.2016

Gave this to my Granddaughter at Christmas to use for art projects (she is 16 years old). She has friends who are very good photographers and she has had fun going out with them with this little camera (not so little actually - as its nice and chunky - not easy to lose!) when they are using their massive lenses and high spec cameras. Does what she wants which is to take snappy little photographs she can put together into collages. I got the album too which all made a nice package. She is careful with the shots she takes and is learning to make the most of the camera's features to get the best out of it.

3.11.2014

Absolutely love this little camera! I bought it for my wedding to create a photo guest book. All the guests had great fun taking photos! Photos were taken all day in a white marquee so it was very bright in the day and at night it was pretty dark and it managed both conditions pretty well and produced some pretty good pictures. Also it was very easy to use as guests of all ages managed to use it.It's great fun having instant photos. Only one downside is that the film can be fairly pricey, but I managed to buy them in bulk on amazon and had loads left over.They are also much less heavy and bulky than the old school Polaroids! Picture size is great too,

10.8.2014

I'm just going to put a disclaimer here for those new to the world of instant cameras. This is the type of point and shoot camera where the photo is not saved anywhere, once you hit that button there is no going back so try to get your pictures right.I would recommend buying this camera at PC world where you can do a price comparison and get £5 knocked off the price of the bundle. This camera comes with the camera itself, a handy strap and some batteries but I recommend the bundle which comes with 40 exposures.The camera can also detect and recommend the best flash for you at the moment with an indoor flash, sunny flash, extra sunny, cloudy flash and a hi- key option.

12.10.2014

After reading reviews on this, we decided to go for it. It is bought for our wedding day for the guest book. I have to admit, I love it. Photography is a great interest of mine and I work at a photo agency and witness the way in photography changes daily. We have so far tested it in the house, just a photo of us to put in the book and it is brilliant. It's got the old school feel to a photo that you will want. I cannot comment how it will work out on an evening but the flash is great so I don't imagine it will be a problem. A great little buy for any photography enthusiasts and a great way to go old school and actually have a photo printed!

14.4.2016

I bought this as a gift for my sister (when she turned 25) so I can say this is definitely not just a toy for your children. It's quite a nice device. To be frank I have almost no idea about what characteristics a camera should have but the photos were really good quality (I'd say 8-9 out of 10). They come out tiny but adorable. It's a great gadget for the hipster in you.The only problem I had is that the color of the camera itself is nowhere near the one in the photo, I had imagined a raspberry pink. Instead, it's a raw tomato red, which is quite disappointing in my opinion.Anyway it was worth the money and made for a nice gift!

14.12.2015

Im really impressed with this camera. My daughter and even I sit and watch the picture appear everytime and we are amazed.The price for the film seems expensive but if you are using this camera for memories and you want fun while your taking pictures of those memories, these are perfect.It takes you back in time where taking a picture was for the memory of the moment and not for the 'selfie'. However me and my daughter have taken a few selfies hehe.Im buying more film so I can send photos to my mother in law in Australia. I will use this for my fourth birth, parties, days out, etc. Its well worth the money x

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 - Reviews

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