Big Pictures = Big Camera (Fuji Instax 100)

Member Name: dodidle

Product:	Fuji Instax 100
Date:	06/11/01 (4436 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Instant, Big Pictures

Disadvantages: Heavy, Expensive Film

Instax 200 Party Pack

I haven't seen an Instax 100 before, but I think they are pretty similar to the Instax 200. They retail at £29.99 in Argos. I got mine for free because I won it in a competition, but even at £30 I think it is quite a good deal. The party pack includes the camera, 4 batteries, a carry case, and 2 films (2 x 10 pictures). The film itself costs about £15 for two, so the camera is only costing you around £15, which is very good quality (made by Fujifilm), and it makes decent size photos.

The pictures themselves are about 9.9cm by 6.2cm, which isn't bad for an instant camera, but unfortunately, when the picture size goes up so does the size of the camera.
This makes the camera weigh well over 500g, and it certainly isn't a pocket camera :-) It has a wide picture format, which is different from the Polaroid cameras, and it also has better picture quality (in my amateurs opinion) than the Polaroid.
The only problem I have noticed is with the picture looking rather white sometimes. The camera has 3 light settings which can be controlled via the LCD on the side. It can be switch between Lighten to Normal to Darken. The only problem is knowing when you should change this.

The camera has an auto-flash, which can be manually overridden so that it stays on.
It has two focus distances. These are between 0.9-3m and 3m-Infinity. Just pressing another of the small buttons on the side allows the 95mm Fujinon Lens to move.
The instruction manual that comes with the camera is one of the worst manuals I have ever seen. I took me about 15 mins to take my first picture, even with the instructions right in front of me. It doesn't tell you that the first time you take a photo all that comes out is a plastic covering protecting the start of the film. It does however have nice large diagrams of someone pressing down the biggest button on the camera to take the picture (if you couldn't work out the biggest button is the one tha
t usually takes the picture).

I'm not sure where you would actually want to take this camera, that you would need an instant picture of such size and quality, but if you wanted to make a few quid selling pictures to tourists I suppose you could. The only other thing I could think of is if you were 'just' carrying the camera around with you you could get a picture autographed if you saw a famous person.

Anyway if you really have a use for an instant camera, I would recommend this one, as it takes quite nice pictures if you don't mind paying a bit for the film.

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