instant film cameras- any advice?

[theamazingfetus]

I was contemplating on buying a refurbished vintage polaroid camera, or just getting that fuji instax mini from the craft store. Does anyone have any kind advice on buying polaroid cameras?

I feel like so far I only know the following

instax:
pros: easy to buy camera and film, not as expensive, has rainbow/rillakuma/kawaii film frames
cons: small pictures


refurbished vintage:
pros: vintage look to pictures, larger pictures
cons: film is more expensive and harder to find

Before anyone calls me a silly hipster (I own up to it....) or totally left field, I figured since many here collect vntage toys, maybe they'd have advice on vintage cameras? 

[banditpony]

I have experience with this, and it will boil down to what you want.

First. Don't buy a refurbished polaroid camera. Every single polaroid camera we have picked up since 2008 has worked. The battery pack is in the film, so usually there is very little problems with the cameras. Sometimes the film comes out the wrong slot, but that's an easy fix.

If you use Impossible Project film, I suggest an ugly 600 one step from the 90s. Those work best. I have a SLR 680 and a SLR 690 and the film does not run well through them. :/ I suggest keeping an eye out at thriftstores and flea markets, cuz you can pick one up for under $10.

My personal opinion about IP film... is it's junk. I was on board and so excited about it before it launched. I've been very disappointed... 30% of all shots had to be thrown away. I get better photography from expired polaroid film (that is not dried out) then current IP film. Some my 2013 shots are rotting and eating away at the picture. Just ran some 2016 IP (the best yet!) through the 690 other day.... dark bkgd, blown out, grey color, meh. It just looks so meh!

I chose the instax mini because I can't have polaroid. That experience is gone. But instax will give me magic of instant, and not junky colors. It gives me fun.

There is instax wide too... FYI. So if size is a thing, look into the bigger instax.

hope that helps? 

[theamazingfetus]

Thank you! I was legit looking into project impossible because it sounded like such an awesome project, but now that I know their stuff is junk, it's really making me consider just sucking it up and settling for smaller pictures.

[banditpony]

What about Instax wide? It's larger

[melodys_angel]

I had one of those (instax) as a pre-teen >>  The concept was awesome but the exposures were off and it was very small, yes.

[ghouldilocks]

My dad is a professional photographer (has been for quite a few decades), and currently teaches photography as a career tech course to high schoolers. He has a Polaroid instant that he keeps on display, and luckily he found undeveloped film so he could demonstrate for the class how it works. But the advice he gave to one of his students who had this same question mostly echoes banditpony's thoughts:  don't do it.

The film you can get for the older instant cameras really is much harder to find and will cost you quite a pretty penny when you can find it. Plus, as banditpony mentioned, some places it's just not good quality. If you want to collect vintage or antique cameras, that's really awesome, but I would probably not bother trying to actually ~use~ those.

I haven't ever seen the Instax Wide in person, and have only seen the regular, mini Instax in person once, while on vacation a few years ago - so I can't really vouch for the quality on those myself, but if you're wanting to have physical, in-hand instant photos, the Instax Wide (or similar) may be your best option. They're not always going to be the best quality either, though, because these days they're produced more as a pricey novelty item than anything else.

[cannibalism]

i really like my instax mini. its cute and trendy and i think the pictures are cute? like i mean, it takes pictures like an old polaroid. they aren't that great. but thats part of the charm i think? the film can be expensive (20$ for 20 pictures) but i don't use mine that often, only for special occasions. People always compliment me when i use it. i really like mine!

[ghouldilocks]

i really like my instax mini. its cute and trendy and i think the pictures are cute? like i mean, it takes pictures like an old polaroid. they aren't that great. but thats part of the charm i think? the film can be expensive (20$ for 20 pictures) but i don't use mine that often, only for special occasions. People always compliment me when i use it. i really like mine!

I know when I talk about the quality of the film, I'm using it in relative terms, haha. Like the quality for what it is. Instant cameras of any kind were always just meant to have that convenience of being quick and easy, so they were never going to be the same quality as a regular film camera. But yes, they have a whole level of charm and novelty that's all their own, just look at the popularity of Instagram (which was of course inspired by instant film cameras with regard to the original style of the app and the look achieved by applying many of the filters). 

[theamazingfetus]

thank you for all the advice.

I just went with the mini in terms of how convenient (and cheaper) it was than the wider model..... plus they have kawaii film for it which will probably be the death of me someday. lol. I know it's not a camera for super serious photography, then again I've used a point and shoot digital for years and have no plans on ever investing in a dslr and people tell me my photos turn out great. so who knows, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised by the photos the instax takes.

[banditpony]

I hope you enjoy your new camera. Have fun with it.

I recommend unique photo for film 60 shots for $34-- and other deals if you don't want to get that much film at one time. (and they have the cute film too)

PS~ The quality of instant film is/was dependent on the camera and film. ^^ Kind of like a point and shoot isn't comparable to a SLR.