Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera, Smokey White

So pretty the print speed is fast under 10 seconds and the battery life is good

I had an Instax mini 9 for years and used it so many times the flash gradually became dimmer. Then I bought a mini 12. The dark setting on the 12 was too dark and the next lighter setting was too light for me. I waited and thought maybe I just wasn’t used to the new camera yet. But the results were the same; for me, the pictures were either too dark or too light, no in-between setting available.My old mini 9 was perfect so I was glad it was still available (on Amazon, of course). My former mini 9 was “Ice Blue” color. For the new one, I chose “cobalt Blue,” and I’m so glad I did. This camera is SO BEAUTIFUL!!

So first off, I want to say that the white balance on the product photo may be a bit off. The camera is really more of a almost-Barbie fuscia than a grape soda purple, which might be a little awkward if that's not your usual aesthetic. And that's one of the very, very few issues I have with this camera.I bought this model as a replacement for my lime green Mini 9 that finally bit the dust after years of hard knocks. While I do have the newer Mini 11, I find that the 9 here is still my favorite version. In my experience, the newer ones with auto-exposure tend to make photos too bright - and in low light conditions, they'd rather make a photo blurry than accept a kind of dark photo.Much like the Instax Mini 7+ you might see at Walmart, the Mini 9 features a ring on the front of the camera that you turn to manually adjust the camera's aperture for the appropriate brightness. There are four settings, with helpful icons to clue you in... though 90% of the time you'll probably only need the first two. The difference between the two models is that with the 7+, you have to guess the right setting, while the Mini-9 has a built in light meter that recommends a setting using red lights on the front ring.All of the cameras I just mentioned - and really any Instax camera with "mini" in the name - use the same widely-available mini film that you can find at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, etc. The film is a good balance for different lighting conditions, and compared to Polaroid I-type film, it holds up much better in high temperatures. Rarely have I lost a pack of Instax film from forgetting it in a hot car. It's also not bad about going through AA batteries, though you shouldn't use rechargeables. (From what I've heard, rechargeable AA batteries will function, but performance will drop off quickly.)Lastly, one thing that appears to be unique to the Mini 9 is that there are a number of different colored filters you can buy for it (especially here on Amazon), that aren't compatible with later model Instax. For the Mini 9, Fujifilm bundled the cameras with a snap-on macro filter... and all the other filters, whether they're third-party or Fujifilm, also snap-on. There's some filters with colored gradients, some with that make a colored vignette, et cetra. Newer model cameras don't have this option though, because Fujifilm built in a macro mode where you just pull out the lens a little more.

Review for: Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 instant camera and film.I purchased this camera and film for use at a wedding reception. The camera, and the instant photos, were an incredible success! I spent the night getting to know everyone at the reception by photographing and gifting the instant photos to everyone there. Guests were excited and very appreciative. I also took additional photos of everyone as gifts for the bride and groom. I brought along some fine-point sharpies for folks to notate the photos, but that would have slowed me down, so ended up not using the pens.Some things to consider when using this camera:* Your best, indoor, photos will be a distance of no more than 3-4 feet. Any farther than 4 feet and the resulting photo really isn't big enough for details. Closer than 3 feet and you'll likely need to use the close-up lens (but the photo really won't be as good as without the lens at the 3-4 foot distance). I haven't yet taken any daylight photos, but I'm sure when I do they will turn out as well, if not better, than those using the flash (as long as I maintain the proper distance).* Refrain from action shots. This camera really can't focus and snap fast enough for motion shots. So try to stick to posed photos, you'll be glad you did.* Use the viewfinder as much as you can (to help position your shots). I found, as the evening progressed, folks were not always willing to stand still while I lined them up in the viewfinder, so a quick point-and-shoot photo, without using the viewfinder, worked well. Take enough photos and you will eventually get a feel for where to point for the best photo.* If you do use the close-up lens, remember to get closer to your subject, and also remember to center the subject in the lower-left corner of the viewfinder for the best photo, as the close-up lens is slight offset.* Have plenty of film on hand. You only get 10 shots per film pack, and then you're switching to a new pack. With a lot of guests to photograph, you'll be switching packs a lot. Remember, when you start a new pack, you must first eject the film cover sheet (a black sheet; not a photograph). You'll get used to telling folks why you're seemingly taking a picture of your shoes after every 10 shots.I've seen other reviews where problems with the film were reported (all photos black, colors bad, etc.). I had absolutely none of those problems. In fact, both the camera and film performed flawlessly.The 'official' wedding photographer was quite enamored with what I was doing. She was taking photos with a very nice digital camera with powerful flash, and I'm sure her photos will be treasured by the bride and groom forever. My photos, using the Instax camera, were not digital quality, but everyone had a lot of fun seeing the results instantly. I was accumulating photos - collecting photos in my pocket as I roved around the room, returning every few minutes to drop them off at my table) - and I found the wedding photographer on more than one occasion taking photos of the instant photos on my table.Everyone at the reception loved the instant photos that I was handing out, and the bride and groom loved the stack of about 75 photos that I presented to them the next day. Great memories of a wonderful occasion.This is a great camera and I highly recommend it for fun photography.

As daughters get older, it's so hard to shop for them. Especially for this minimalist mom who tries to minimize toys and dolls for her kids. When my daughter mentioned she wanted to take some polaroid pictures, I automatically thought of this. I loved this growing up (and even as an adult), and love that this is a USEFUL gift. Now what to do with all the "useless" pictures she takes! haha