Fujifilm Instax Mini 7

Instax Mini 7S image by Martin Grünert (Image rights)

The Instax Mini 7 is made in Japan by Fuji. It uses Fuji's own instant film format "Instax Mini" for credit-card sized prints.

The current (2011) version of the camera is the Instax Mini 7S (so identified on the top panel), and has an exposure dial with a "home" position. Solid-color white and "choco" brown versions join the earlier two-color designs. In Japan the camera is sold as Cheki. There is a Hello Kitty version of 7S. The corporation who currently owns the brand-name "Polaroid" has also released a version of the 7S branded as the Polaroid 300, but this has no connection to earlier Polaroid integral-film cameras.

To power on the camera you pull the whole lens section outward until it clicks into position. Internally this also extends rubber bellows. An exposure dial atop the camera allows the user to select different lens apertures.

With the original Mini 7, a simple light meter indicates the desired aperture with one blinking red LED next to the setting the user should switch to—indicated by symbols (overcast, sunny, very sunny). When correctly set, a green LED lights. The Mini 7S omits this scheme, and expects the user to guess at the symbol most appropriate for the ambient lighting (adding a "house" icon for indoor photos). The flash fires with every exposure, and on the 7S the only function of the red LEDs is to blink to indicate the flash is charging, or that the batteries need replacing.

The shots counter is mechanical, where previous models used an LCD display.

Specifications

• Lens: Fujinon lens, f=60mm, 1:12.7, 2 components 2 elements
• Finder: Inverted Galilean finder, magnification 0.4, with target mark
• Focus: 0.6m ~ Infinity
• Shutter: Electronic shutter 1/60-sec
• Exposure Compensation: Manual on/off (LED indicator in exposure meter)
• Flash: Automatic flash in low light, automatic adjustment, 0.2 - 6 second recycle time, range of 0.6 - 2.7m
• Power: Four LR6/AA-size 1.5V alkaline batteries, shooting capacity of approx 20 packs.
• Dimensions: 119.5 x 121.5 x 70.5mm (W x H x D)
• Weight: Weight: 320g (without batteries, strap, film)

Links

• Instax Mini 7S manual from Fujifilm USA
• Fuji Instax Mini7 at Sylvain Halgand's www.collection-appareils.fr (in French)

Japan-market Cheki branding of Mini 7S, with revised exposure dial image by Glenn Chen (Image rights)

Polaroid 300 image by Darren McRostie (Image rights)