Hey guys! I am back with an exciting article on the Instax Mini 11 and Instax SQUARE SQ1! I really enjoy using instant cameras compared to film cameras as the photos can be developed instantly, compared to film cameras where I have to wait to finish using the entire roll of film before I can develop it.
Instax films give the same retro aesthetic as film cameras which I really love. The snap-and-go concept also appealed to me as the pictures taken feel more authentic and in the moment. Hence, I was thrilled to try out the new Instax Mini 11 and Instax SQUARE SQ1.
The Instax Mini 11 I got came in a beautiful pastel lilac colour which I absolutely love, and the Instax Square came in a classy white. The Mini 11 camera even came with a jewel to stick onto the shutter which was beautiful. Coincidentally it was my break day, so I brought along the cameras on a date to Gardens by the Bay, the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.
It was a very sunny afternoon, and I was afraid that the pictures taken would be over-exposed, like how normal instant cameras usually are. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the pictures developed well. The high-performance flash automatically calculates surrounding brightness and adjusts shutter speed accordingly. There’s no need for any special settings.
Even in dark lighting, the camera automatically configures the flash to produce a well-balanced photo. This is especially great for photography amateurs as they would not have to fret over adjusting complicated buttons to configure the settings before they snap a photo.
Taking selfies on both cameras was a breeze, they even have a dedicated selfie mode on both cameras! I simply have to twist the lens to the ‘selfie mode’ labelled very intuitively on the lens. I read a tip online where we should shift the viewfinder a little to the right of the subject for the best results as there is a slight shift between the viewfinder and the actual photo during close-ups. This really helped me to take more centralised photos.
I enjoy using Instax cameras as I am able to capture the moments of happiness. Not only does it take portraits well, it takes close-ups such as flowers and food well. It even fares well in taking landscape photos. The Instax SQUARE SQ1 was able to capture wider photos; hence I feel like I could see more of the details close-up compared to using the Mini 11. The squarer photos developed were also unique from the normal rectangular ones. However, what I liked about the rectangular photos was the classic feel that they gave. My film even came with a cute border featuring Winnie The Pooh.
To compile the memories, I captured with both cameras, I decided to paste the pictures on the wall in the form of a mini-gallery as memories that I can look back on forever. With their latest Instax films, the pictures are said to remain vivid and long-lasting without fading.
I also put one on the back of my phone to remind me of the amazing food I had, as well as in a notebook as decoration for the cover! Putting these little photos in objects I use every day feels very meaningful, when I am having a bad day, I can look at the pictures to comfort myself. They may be small, but pictures paint a thousand words.
Overall, the Instax cameras made making memories so fuss-free and authentic, and I would surely see myself using them for a long time.
